Daisy Darker

Throughout the novel, storytelling and lies play important roles in advancing the narrative action through Nana and Trixie’s murderous schemes and Daisy’s own unreliable narration. By drawing attention to the complex layers of storytelling, the author explores the fine line between fiction and lies, highlighting the power of storytelling for both good and ill.

The importance of storytelling is emphasized by the intertextuality of Daisy Darker. Feeney’s narrative includes numerous references to other works of fiction that both influence and inform it. As well as being a direct homage to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, the text alludes to other literary influences, such as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and the novels of Stephen King. The author further elaborates on this theme by embedding stories within stories in the narrative. While Daisy is the protagonist of Feeney’s novel, she is also the eponymous hero of Nana’s bestselling children’s book, Daisy Darker’s Little Secret, with the title of Nana’s book once more echoing the novel’s preoccupation with secrets and deceit. Furthermore, at the end of the novel, readers discover that the story is Daisy’s memoir, recounting her life, her death, and the murders.

In many respects, Daisy Darker is a tribute to storytelling. Significantly, the three characters readers are encouraged to empathize with are all book lovers. Daisy spends her unhappy childhood retreating into fiction; Trixie is described as a “miniature librarian”; and published author, Nana, believes that “[b]ooks will teach you anything you want to know” (205). Feeney favorably contrasts the thoughtfulness and depth of her well-read characters with the superficiality of Lily, who has no interest in books. Nevertheless, the author also connects a passion for storytelling with the ability to lie and deceive others.

While Lily has no moral compass, her lack of imagination means she is also inept at deceit. Thus, when Nana catches her roller-skating through her studio, she suggests Lily must be more devious if she wants to get away with her crimes. Quoting Lady Macbeth, Nana advises her granddaughter to “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it” (111). Nana’s guidance is lost on Lily, who is later unable to keep up the deceit over Daisy’s death, eventually confessing to Nancy. By contrast, book lovers Daisy and Trixie both adhere to the Shakespearean maxim, appearing to be guiltless while carrying out unsuspected deeds.

Inspired by her favorite crime novels, Trixie succeeds in planning and helping to execute the murders without any of the characters suspecting her. Daisy’s secret acts of revenge on her sisters as a child also show an impressive capacity for deceit. The protagonist’s tendency to escape life through fiction is echoed in the false narrative she constructs in order to lie to herself about her death. Unwilling to acknowledge her death, she convinces herself of an alternative reality. Ultimately, Daisy’s narrative demonstrates that “[s]tories are also lies” (38).