Each of the primary characters in Middle of the Night is significantly impacted by some form of childhood trauma. The disappearance of Billy in 1994 is the narrative’s key traumatic event, and it has left deep psychological scars on everyone involved, particularly Ethan, Andy, Ashley, and Russ. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that—in addition to Billy’s disappearance—each character is haunted by layers of unresolved trauma stemming from their childhood attitudes and actions.

Ethan, the protagonist, is perhaps the most profoundly affected by Billy’s disappearance. As Billy’s best friend, Ethan carries an immense burden of guilt. He feels guilty for surviving when Billy did not. He feels guilty for betraying Billy at the mausoleum and for the cruelty of his last words to Billy. These words, spoken in a moment of immature anger, have haunted Ethan for decades, leading him to question his own role in his friend’s death. This unresolved guilt and trauma manifest in Ethan’s obsessive need to uncover the truth about what happened that night, driving him to return to Hemlock Circle and reopen old wounds. The trauma has also stunted Ethan’s emotional growth, leaving him trapped in a state of arrested development, unable to fully move on from the events of his childhood.