53 pages • 1 hour read
James PattersonA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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Claire arrives to do the postmortem on the bodies of the DeGeorges.
Phillip Campbell takes a flight from Napa to San Francisco. On the small plane, he sits next to a soon-to-be bride.
Lindsay gets a ride back to San Francisco with Claire. Claire encourages Lindsay to be open to her romantic feelings toward Chris.
Lindsay tells Claire about her diagnosis.
The case becomes sensationalized in the press, putting pressure on Lindsay and Chris to solve it.
Claire speaks to her husband about Lindsay’s diagnosis, sharing her fear and sadness for her friend.
Claire calls Lindsay and tells her that a red beard hair was found inside Becky DeGeorge.
Lindsay checks into the ownership of the winery where the DeGeorges were found and learns it was owned by “Black Hawk Partners” (153), an investment partnership. She checks for any commonalities between the Brandts and the DeGeorges but finds none.
Lindsay meets with Claire and Cindy to go over everything they know so far. Claire suggests Lindsay look into the store where the two brides got their wedding dresses.
Lindsay learns that both Melanie and Becky got their dresses at the department store Saks 5th Avenue. After Lindsay speaks to the manager at Saks, she learns that the store’s files on all their brides were stolen a month before.
Chris tells Lindsay that Roth has turned their case files over to the FBI. Lindsay becomes upset, which leads to an episode of extreme fatigue related to her anemia. She hides in the bathroom until it passes. Chris asks her to coffee, but Lindsay has to refuse because she has an appointment for a blood transfusion.
The women’s friendship and professional connection are front and center in these chapters. Claire learns of Lindsay’s medical issues and is heartbroken. As a doctor, Claire understands well how difficult her diagnosis is. Claire shares her concerns with her husband, revealing her deep feelings for Lindsay and her fear of losing her good friend, showing that both women treasure their close bond. At the same time, as Lindsay investigates all four murders, she turns to her friends as a sounding board. Brainstorming together, they come up with fruitful avenues of possible connections between the victims. The most promising one is the fact that both brides bought their wedding gowns at the bridal department in Saks. The fact that the store’s bridal files were recently stolen is a strong lead that will move the investigation forward—one that Lindsay may have taken much longer to get to on her own.
Lindsay is clearly attracted to Chris—Claire can see something special in the way Lindsay speaks of and looks at him. However, Lindsay is still held back by her health, especially as the anemia’s symptoms cause her to have to hide in the bathroom and as her free time is taken up by appointments at the hospital for blood transfusions. Readers wonder whether Lindsay’s health will soon deteriorate too much for her to either perform her job well or pursue what she might have with Chris.
By James Patterson
Friendship
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Horror, Thrillers, & Suspense
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Marriage
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Mortality & Death
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Mystery & Crime
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Pride Month Reads
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Safety & Danger
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Sexual Harassment & Violence
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TV Shows Based on Books
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