72 pages 2 hours read

Liane Moriarty

Big Little Lies

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2014

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Chapters 40-50Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 40 Summary: "One Week Before the Trivia Night "

Madeline excitedly hosts the first meeting for her new book club, jokingly called “the Pirriwee Peninsula Erotic Book Club” (263). She recognizes she's using the club as a distraction from her issues with Abigail. The first person to arrive is a supporting character, Samantha, who tells Madeline about a petition going around to have Ziggy suspended from school. Madeline is outraged. Secretly, she knows Jane is planning to take Ziggy to a psychologist. After speaking to him at the beach, Jane feels too unsure about whether he is the bully.

Chloe runs into the room, startled out of bed from Ed’s snoring. Chloe informs the women that someone’s dad told Ziggy to stay away from his son because Ziggy is a bully. In response, Chloe punched the other kid, but she insists it wasn’t a hard punch. Madeline stands idle, flummoxed at Chloe’s story, as more parents arrive for the book club. 

Chapter 41 Summary

Jane is ready to go to the book club, when Miss Barnes calls her. Miss Barnes informs Jane about the petition, and Jane is downtrodden. Miss Barnes assures Jane that, at least from what she’s seen, Amabella and Ziggy get along, are even friendly with one another.