Never Lie

“Something terrible has happened in this house.”

Tricia thinks these words as she and Ethan first enter Adrienne’s house. Through Tricia’s point of view, the author creates an ominous tone; Tricia’s anxiety becomes the reader’s anxiety. This is especially poignant as Tricia repeats this line again in Chapter 2.

“That’s how Ethan is. He’s always so confident. I love that about him. So I follow my new husband to the kitchen.”

The word choice here of “following” her husband into the kitchen suggests that Tricia is subservient to Ethan in some way. Such verbiage throws off the reader, who will only learn at the end that Tricia has been manipulating Ethan throughout their entire relationship.

“I just hope he feels the same way about me after he finds out about my revelation. I feel ill every time I think about it. But I can’t keep it from him much longer.”

Tricia’s allusion to a secret builds tension and creates mystery and suspense. Her fear of telling Ethan also helps contribute to the red herring that Ethan is EJ and may be dangerous.

“Over my dead body.”

Tricia repeats this thought twice: here, and again in Chapter 11, in reference to Ethan’s suggestion that they buy Adrienne’s old home. Although the phrase is a common one, in the ominous context of the book—and given Tricia’s fear of Ethan—the words can be seen as yet another red herring as the repetition gives the sense of foreshadowing Tricia’s death.

“It is extremely rare for mental health workers to be killed by patients.”

Adrienne says these words, which foreshadow her imminent death. A sharp-eyed reader may suspect the foreshadowing and assume that EJ will kill Adrienne—the plot twist will come when it is revealed that Tricia kills her.

“He’s something of a wine expert.”

Tricia says this about Ethan, presenting one of the red herrings (false clues) for the reader that Ethan could be EJ. Both Ethan and EJ are shown to be into wine and even exult specifically about a bottle of South African cabernet sauvignon.

“You’re going to be really sorry you kicked me out of here.”

EJ says these words to Adrienne, creating tension as it becomes clear that Adrienne is at risk. Again, the author is carefully creating a false lead, as the reader suspects EJ will harm Adrienne.

“There was something creepy about his voice. I can’t put my finger on it. Something creepy and also familiar.”

The author continues to lay false clues that EJ and Ethan could be the same person. Tricia’s note that EJ’s voice seems “familiar” is a heavy-handed hint—albeit a red herring.

“I muse to myself that all I would have to do is switch my foot from the brake to the gas, and it would change his entire world. It would wipe that smirk off his face, that’s for sure. But I’m a civilized person. I will not mow down a pedestrian in the middle of a crowded parking lot.”

Adrienne’s choice of words here, “I’m a civilized person,” attests to her need to keep up appearances. Adrienne wants to be prim, proper, and polished always—just like her portrait. She places a premium on civility, yet this polished exterior hides her murderous interior.

“Tell him. Just tell him, you wuss. What’s he going to do—fly into a furious rage, murder you, and bury your body in the snow?”

Tricia’s inner thoughts here continue to toy with the reader, convincing the reader that Ethan is dangerous and Tricia is at risk around him. In the end, it will be shown that Ethan is in greater danger around Tricia than Tricia is around him.

“[M]aybe Luke could help me out with the EJ problem.”

Adrienne thinks this, a hint to how she will emotionally manipulate Luke into helping her. Adrienne’s use of Luke shows how she uses stereotypical gender norms to her advantage, while at the same time subverting them—she does not need Luke’s help. In the end, Adrienne kills EJ without Luke.

“Obviously, there are some topics that Ethan feels he can’t talk about with me. But he’s wrong. I need him to see that he can tell me anything. Anything.”

Tricia’s insistence that Ethan can tell her anything is a nod to the book’s theme of truth versus lies. Both Ethan and Tricia hide terrible secrets from one another; it is only when they are honest and confess their respective murders that the couple unites in happily married bliss.

“It’s a cheap trick. He told me he loved me, and I’m only saying it back now that I need something from him. I do love him, I really do, but the timing of my declaration is more than suspicious.”

Adrienne’s description of her emotional manipulation of Luke speaks to the complexities of telling the truth. Adrienne says she genuinely does love Luke and that this is the truth. Yet she is using that truth in a manipulative way. The truth can be just as risky as a lie.

“I believe that any human being is capable of terrible things if you push them hard enough.”

Adrienne thinks this while trying to manipulate Luke into killing EJ. However, the book argues against Adrienne’s words, as Luke refuses to kill EJ. In this way, the book helps to differentiate Ethan, Tricia, and Adrienne as anomalies—killers. Murdering others is not the norm.

“You bitch. You broke into my house. […] I’m going to kill you.”

This text from EJ provides both foreshadowing and a red herring. While Adrienne will be killed, it will not be by EJ.

“‘I’ve never seen a dead body before.’ I glanced over at him. ‘Have you?’

He hesitates a second too long. ‘No.’

‘Have you?’

‘Well…’ He shoves his hands in his coat pockets. ‘At funerals, obviously sometimes there’s an open casket, so…’”

This foreshadowing starts to hint at the fact that Tricia knows about Ethan killing his mother, Gail/GW. The description of Ethan’s hesitation suggests he is lying. This duplicity also creates tension and foreboding.

“So I should let him wreck my life?”

Adrienne says this when Luke tells her (regarding the tire-slashing tape), “Accept the consequences” (253). Adrienne’s words here speak to the theme of keeping up appearances. Adrienne cannot let go of her polished image of the perfect professional psychiatrist.

“A chill goes down my spine at the way my husband is taking charge of this situation. I never imagined how Ethan would react in a high-intensity situation like this. I’m impressed.”

Tricia thinks this when Ethan accosts Luke, holding him up at knifepoint and telling Tricia to duct-tape his hands and ankles. Tricia’s thrill at Ethan taking the stereotypically masculine role of leader and protector speaks to the book’s theme of gender roles. Tricia continually subverts the idea that men lead, while also finding pleasure in placing her husband on the pedestal of hero, rescuer, savior, etc.

“Don’t lie.”

Ethan says these words to Tricia when discussing the secret room. It is an almost humorous nod to the many secrets the couple has between them—they are lying constantly to each other and have built their relationship on lies about who they are and how they met. This echoes the book’s thematic treatment of truth versus lies, and which is more dangerous.

“Oh, I think you know, Patricia.”

Adrienne says these words in the final PL transcript. It is a plot twist, carefully orchestrated by the author, as the reader realizes that the P in PL stands for Patricia, Tricia’s full name. Here the reader discovers how unreliable a narrator Tricia has been.

“Goodbye, Edward.”

As in quote 21, here the author delivers another plot twist through Adrienne’s simple words. EJ is named as Edward, and the red herring that Edward and Ethan could be the same person is debunked.

“He’ll never know what I’ve done. I’m going to keep it that way.”

Adrienne thinks this to herself after she and Luke reconcile; she will keep EJ’s murder a secret. Adrienne meets her demise shortly after. In the book’s discussion of truth versus lies and the risks either holds, it is noteworthy that Tricia and Ethan are honest with one another—and thrive—while Adrienne suppresses secrets from Luke and dies.

“Then I join my husband.”

Tricia uses “follower” language here, implying that she is subservient to Ethan as she goes after him to kill Luke. As usual, the verbiage conceals the fact that Tricia is the real leader, subverting stereotypical gender norms.