“That kind of death didn’t ride alone. It brought more dark horsemen with it: unemployment, debt, addiction and pain that at times was too great to bear.”

Cavanagh depicts Amanda’s debilitating grief as an essential part of her character, emphasizing the novel’s thematic interest in The Lasting Effects of Traumatic Events. This passage suggests that Amanda’s grief takes over all aspects of her life, destroying her career, her finances, and her sense of stability.

“Scott gave her love. But, more than that, he gave her safety and security. And it was those feelings that Ruth prized most of all. […] They were stable. Solid.”

In contrasting Ruth’s feelings toward her husband Scott before and after the attack, Cavanagh reveals the ways in which her trauma fundamentally alters her perspective on everything in her life, including her marriage. After her assault, Scott’s fierce loyalty is the only thing that allows Ruth to feel safe in the hospital and her new home.

“In any other world that meant he would lose his job—but not when his father owned the company. Some people, those with money and the ear of power, never pay for their crimes the way ordinary people do.”

Cavanagh’s exploration of The Limitations and Implicit Bias of The Criminal Justice System highlights the disparity in legal outcomes between powerful people and ordinary citizens across the novel. In this passage, Amanda suggests that the man she believes killed her daughter was able to avoid prosecution because of his father’s money and connections.