The Ghostwriter

The novel initially frames the relationship between Olivia and Vincent as antagonistic. Olivia has spent much of her life trying to keep the distance between herself and her father, making the possibility of reconciliation between them feel impossible. Apart from the money, the earliest motivating force that drives Olivia’s interest in the murders is getting justice for her aunt, Poppy. Olivia views Poppy as a surrogate mother, assuming that Lydia would have left Vincent regardless of the murders. Seeking justice for Poppy would bring Olivia closure for the loss of yet another life she could have had, apart from the ones she lost through her traumatic relationship with her parents.

As the facts of the mystery become clear, Olivia realizes that much of her upbringing has been a response to her parents’ trauma. She does not know how to deal with the deaths of relatives she never even knew, which is why her first instinct is to avoid them. Olivia’s avoidant behavior is therefore an inheritance, a character trait that reflects her response to the trauma her family shares.

A recurring detail is that their mother, Patricia, experienced alcoholism, an addiction that prevented the Taylor children from connecting with her. Patricia’s addiction was a coping mechanism for the emptiness of her life, which she refused to confront because she was a product of her times. As a result, the Taylor children frequently break the rules she imposes, sneaking out of the house and hitching rides with strangers. This partially contributes to the circumstances that result in Danny’s abuse and Poppy’s death at the hands of their neighbor, Mr. Stewart.

As an adult, Vincent experiences alcohol and drug addiction to cope with the trauma of both Lydia’s rape and his siblings’ deaths, in turn causing his estrangement from Olivia. Since Olivia does not know about these events in Vincent’s life, she views Vincent’s behavior in a vacuum, assuming that his addiction is a character flaw. Jack reminds Olivia that Vincent is not inherently evil since Vincent had been the one to step in and raise Jack when Jack’s own father fell short. This compels Olivia to become more direct with her father, filling in the gaps of her knowledge so that she can better understand her parents’ behaviors.

Olivia manages to break the cycle of her family’s trauma, both by solving the mystery of her relatives’ deaths and by adopting healthier resolutions that overcome the faults of those who came before her. She identifies her avoidant behavior as a toxic character trait and turns away from it, seeking reconciliation with both of her parents and with Tom. She reaches closure by clearing her father’s name and bringing her uncle’s abuser to justice while also acknowledging her uncle’s abusive behavior.