As a suspenseful mystery, Miranda uses the concept of disappearing to set a frightening tone. People naturally feel a desire to connect for companionship and safety. The idea of being completely isolated and disappearing into the wilderness is naturally terrifying. Miranda explores the desire for human connection through the characters and symbols within Cutter’s Pass.

Abby desperately wants to be considered an insider by the locals who have resided in Cutter’s Pass for their entire lives. Having lived and worked in the small mountain town for over a decade, Abby feels as if she has more than demonstrated her loyalty to the community. Frustrated in feeling shut out, Abby reflects, “Cutter’s Pass would only exist for you in the parts you were here for, and the rest would remain an impenetrable history. I’d learned I’d find more camaraderie and friendship in those that were like me—not from here” (125). Abby feels slighted by the guarded, closed-off attitude of the insiders. Eventually, she stops trying to fit in with the locals, finding more meaningful relationships with less secretive people. In defense of the insiders, Abby preserves her own secrets, mainly that her father, Neil, is one of the Fraternity Four.