Long Time Gone

A Cooper’s hawk appears four times in the novel. First, a Cooper’s hawk witnesses Sandy Stamos’s death in the past timeline. Next, in the present timeline, Sloan sees a Cooper’s hawk when she first arrives in Cedar Creek. Later, Eric and Sloan see a Cooper’s hawk at his cabin in the mountains. Finally, Annabelle takes a picture of a Cooper’s hawk, which then appears in the photos Sloan and Nora develop. Though these situations seem dissimilar, they carry critical clues to Sloan’s role in solving the murders. The hawk that witnesses Sandy’s death draws parallels between the past and present timelines, while the hawk in Annabelle’s photo foreshadows the fact that the answers about the murders will be discovered through Annabelle’s camera. When Sloan arrives in Cedar Creek, she is greeted by a hawk, which then reappears as she finds Eric’s cabin, indicating that she is making progress in the investigation. Finally, the hawk in Annabelle’s photo, which is then framed and given to Sloan by Nora, highlights the final clue in unraveling the mystery.

Birds often symbolize freedom, but hawks, with their keen, predatory vision, also represent sharp insight. Both of these characteristics embody Sloan’s journey in the novel. Only through her unique insights is Sloan able to solve the mystery, using clues linked to the hawk’s appearance. Sloan is not burdened by her past at the beginning of the narrative, but she consistently reflects on how she feels obligated to solve her parents’ disappearance. The hawk, in that respect, represents the freedom she can achieve by relieving herself of her responsibility to her parents. Eric, too, shares in this symbol, since he feels burdened by his father’s death, which his grandfather died before solving. At the end of the novel, the framed picture of the hawk represents Sloan’s freedom after solving the crime, and Eric shares her ability to finally gain closure from the past and move into the future, making plans to go on a date with Sloan that night.