She Didn't See It Coming

“She wonders if he realizes that he just slipped into using the past tense in reference to his wife.”

Detective Jayne Salter is shown to observe subtle details and clues as she investigates the murder of Bryden Frost. In this scene, she notes that Sam is referring to his wife in the past tense, even though Bryden is only missing at this point; her body has not yet been found. Given the author’s fondness for inserting red herrings into the narrative, this detail is meant to suggest that Sam may already be aware of Bryden’s death and therefore may have been involved in the crime.

“‘I know that Bryden and Sam are good together. They’re happy.’ She adds, ‘Neither one of them would ever cheat.’

But she’s glancing away and to the left as she says it. Jayne finds that interesting. It’s an indication of a lie.”

This exchange between Jayne and Paige is an early example of The Tension Between Outward Appearances and Hidden Realities in She Didn’t See It Coming. Although Paige insists that Sam and Bryden were “happy,” her body language suggests that the reality is different. By superimposing Jayne’s analysis over the physical actions of the narrative, Lapena forces the reader to become an investigator as well, sifting through textual clues to separate truths from distractions.

“Jayne knows they have found Bryden Frost’s body. And this has just turned into a homicide case.”

The discovery of Bryden’s body is a turning point in the plot, and this short, sharp declaration uses blunt language and syntax to illustrate the high stakes of the situation and drive home the characters’ intense shock over this dire development.

“‘No.’ Then he blurts out, ‘I didn’t kill her, I swear.’ He looks at her, naked fear in his eyes. ‘Do I need a lawyer?’

‘That’s really up to you,’ she says.”

There is a common conception within the mystery genre that any suspect who asks for a lawyer is showing sure signs of guilt, but legal counsel is a right in the United States under the Sixth Amendment, regardless of guilt or innocence. In this scene, Jayne’s mild response to Sam’s question insinuates that Sam might be guilty of murdering his wife.

“She kisses them good night, and hopes they can sleep, because tomorrow will be a terrible day. And so will every day after that.”

Lizzie has this reflection on her parents’ state of mind in the aftermath of the discovery that her sister, Bryden, has been murdered. The moment is intended to develop the novel’s focus on the Emotional Responses to Grief and Trauma, and it also foreshadows Lizzie’s own reaction to the crisis. Although she manages to hold herself together for a day or two, she will also begin to struggle with her grief.

“She thinks she understands now why some people go mad. Maybe it’s a choice. To go somewhere else in your mind because reality is just too hard to bear.”

Donna Houser, Lizzie’s mother, is afraid that the grief and trauma of the murder will cause her to “go mad” like her great-aunt. This idea illustrates that the enormity of a trauma and the difficulty of processing it can lead to deeper emotional issues, as it does in the case of her daughter, Lizzie.

“They can’t betray each other again. They’ve made a commitment. They have made vows that are stronger than marriage vows. Theirs are written in blood.”

This ominous reflection by Alice Gardner hints at a larger, darker mystery in the Gardners’ background. However, it also acts as a red herring, for the notion that their bond is “written in blood” suggests that the Gardners might have been involved in the death in Bryden. Later, it is revealed that she is in fact referring to her past murder of her mother.

“Sleeping with his wife’s best friend has been a mistake. A terrible mistake.”

Donna Houser observes that Sam Frost appears “guilty,” and she assumes that his demeanor is a reliable indicator that he played a role in Bryden’s death. However, this moment reveals that Sam’s show of guilt stems from his keen awareness of his inappropriate affair with Paige.

“The police seem to think it was the husband, but I think they’re not casting their net as widely as they should. Anyone else have any insights, thoughts, ideas, information? Let’s get the true crime hive working on this one!”

Lizzie’s post in the True Crime of Albany NY Facebook group is designed to highlight the problems that arise when real-world true-crime communities latch onto a murder case and insert their own amateur sleuthing into the investigation. Because Lizzie is rashly crowdsourcing information from strangers, she invites rampant speculation and chaos into her family’s lives, potentially imperiling the police investigation.

“He knew how to hurt her when he wanted to. Which wasn’t very often, but sometimes. Sometimes he didn’t know who he was, or why he did the things he did. Sometimes a mood came over him and he needed someone to bear the brunt of his anger and stress. Someone to insult or ignore. Someone to slap or kick. Everyone always thought they were the perfect couple, he reflects now, but that wasn’t true.”

This revelation from Sam uncovers his physical abuse of his wife and contributes to the larger theme of The Tension Between Outward Appearances and Hidden Realities. He is forced to admit to himself that although he and Bryden seemed like “the perfect couple,” their relationship was deeply flawed. This passage also reveals Sam’s lack of self-awareness, as he does not understand why he treated his wife so poorly.

“It’s horrifying what happened to her. Sickening what happens to women. It could happen to any of us, she thinks.”

Jayne’s reflection illustrates that Bryden’s tragic end points to a more universal issue of violence against women and girls. Even as a police officer, she is not spared from having to worry about domestic violence, as indicated by her use of the first-person plural pronoun “us.” In this way, the author designs situations that are meant to reflect the fundamental flaws of patriarchal, misogynistic societies that automatically devalue, exclude, and harm women.

“She killed her own mother in cold blood. And then came home and told him about it, as if she were a cat dropping the gift of a dead mouse at his feet.”

This description of Alice’s attitude following her murder of her mother uses a powerful simile (“as if she were a cat”) to imply that Alice is calmly self-satisfied with her actions. Because she metaphorically “dropped the gift” at her husband Derek’s feet, it is clear that she was looking for his praise and approval for her actions.

“If you know what you’re looking for, is it possible to tell if someone is a killer by looking at their eyes? Surely not, or the police would catch them every time. What BS.”

The novel’s focus on Emotional Responses to Grief and Trauma in the novel illustrates that people’s physical reactions are difficult to interpret, and this passage dismisses the idea that innocence or guilt can be established on that basis alone. Lizzie’s comment shows that Donna’s interpretation of Lizzie and Sam’s behavior following the murder is largely inaccurate.

“‘You know, it’s never like they say it is, at the beginning. At first, everyone said that the Frosts were perfectly happy. No problems. Neither of them would ever cheat. The perfect little family. And then you start to look beneath the surface, and it all starts to come out—all the ugliness.’ She thinks of the affair, the abuse, the murder.”

Jayne’s comment to her boyfriend Michael summarizes The Tension Between Outward Appearances and Hidden Realities, for as Jayne herself observes, her investigation has dismantled the illusion of perfection that the Frost family actively projects, and although Jayne is a seasoned investigator, her tone makes it clear that she is dismayed by the tragic elements lurking beneath the façade.

“When millions of people believe fantasy over fact, choose emotion over reason, society can break down pretty quickly. It happens all the time.”

Michael posits a fundamental truth that the novel as a whole supports: the idea that murder occurs when someone steps outside the bounds of polite civilization. This statement implies that a transgression against society’s rules, when amplified through social media networks like Lizzie’s Facebook group, can create a broader societal breakdown.

“And then Donna suddenly understands. Despite her protests, Lizzie must be worried about Sam. She must be afraid that he might have killed Bryden, and she doesn’t want to face it. That’s why Lizzie’s hiding in her bedroom. That’s why she’s having a breakdown.”

Donna fundamentally misinterprets others’ emotional states when she projects her own worries and grief onto them. In this case, she assumes that Lizzie’s feelings mirror her own, when in fact Lizzie has a completely different—and much more morbid—outlook. This dynamic is emblematic of the idea that traumatic situations can lead to breakdowns of communication between family members.

“He couldn’t help himself, and neither could she. She thinks he could fall in love with her. And that’s how it should be. Because she’s already fallen in love with him.”

These lines are crucial to the characterization of Paige as someone who is trapped within her own selfish delusion. Although Sam has never treated Paige as anything other than a source of “casual sex,” she has come to believe that “he could fall in love with her.” This delusion is the key motive to her decision to murder Bryden.

“‘Were you jealous of her, Lizzie? Of her luxury apartment, her handsome husband, and adorable child?’ She gives her a penetrating stare. ‘Or—the unthinkable—did you kill your sister so that you’d have something to talk about online? Is that what happened?’”

In this interrogation scene, Jayne lists all of the reasons why Lizzie might have been motivated to kill her sister. The exchange highlights the idea that Lizzie’s pathological obsession with true crime and her desire for attention within this online community could have led to a tragic outcome. Although Jayne’s suspicions about Lizzie prove to be yet another red herring, the author’s recurring focus on critiquing the phenomenon of true-crime communities is central to the work.

“She’s outwardly calm, but she’s quaking inside. This is all falling apart. It’s the end of everything. She’s been carrying all this fear inside ever since it happened—she’s been almost paralyzed by it, and now she realizes none of this was worth it.”

Paige’s reaction to the accusation that she transported Bryden’s body in the suitcase highlights The Tension Between Outward Appearances and Hidden Realities. Paige appears “calm,” but her emotional state is in turmoil as she realizes that she will not be able to get what she most desires: the love and affection of Sam and the chance to replace Bryden in every way.

“He said that if I cared about him, I would do this for him. And I did. And I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

As Paige explains her actions, the wording is subtly ambiguous. While she lies outright about what Sam told her to do, her statement that she will “regret it for the rest of [her] life” could plausibly apply to her true feelings about Bryden’s murder. In this moment, is not clear whether she regrets her actions because she murdered her friend or because she did not accomplish her goal of winning Sam Frost.

“After she’d gotten off the phone, and blurted the news to Lizzie, Donna had run to the bathroom and thrown up. She sat on the floor tiles, heaving. Her beloved daughter had been betrayed, not only by her husband, but by her best friend. Then Jim had arrived home from the corner store. When they told him the news he’d collapsed onto the sofa and had remained there, almost catatonic.”

Donna’s visceral reaction to the news of the arrest of Paige and Sam illustrates an emotional reaction to trauma and grief that is not often depicted in murder mysteries but is nonetheless consistent with how people might respond in real life. Her husband Jim’s reaction—to become “almost catatonic”—is another common example of Emotional Responses to Grief and Trauma.

“He feels like he’s in a dream state, that none of this is real.”

Throughout She Didn’t See It Coming, Sam is unable to emotionally or intellectually cope with the tragedy of his wife’s murder. Here, he finally names his internal state when he realizes that he feels trapped in a surreal situation. His utter shock over Bryden’s demise stands as a strong indicator that he was not directly responsible for the murder.

“She wonders why Paige is doing this. Her arms lose their energy, her feet kick out for the last time. As she loses consciousness, her last thoughts are of her daughter.”

These lines describe Bryden’s final moments from her point of view and vividly highlight the theme of Betrayal in Intimate Relationships. Even in the last moments of her life, Bryden is unable to comprehend “why Paige is doing this,” because she has always thought of Paige as her best friend and trusted her implicitly. Her confusion and disbelief also heightens the tragedy of the moment, especially when her final thoughts turn to Clara. This final detail emphasizes that Bryden was a good mother even in the moments of her last breath.