The Intruder

Casey is the main character of the novel. The chapters titled with her first name are written from her first-person perspective and set in the narrative present. Throughout the majority of the novel, the narrative structure implies that Casey is a separate entity from Ella; in Chapter 53, subtitled “Elizabeth ‘Ella’ Casey,” the narrative reveals that Casey and Ella are in fact the same person. The “Casey” chapters present Casey’s adult perspective, while the “Ella” chapters present her teenage perspective. Casey’s given name was Elizabeth, and she went by Ella throughout her childhood and adolescence. After she killed her mother Desiree, she started using her last name Casey as her first name.

Casey grew up as an only child. She never knew her biological father. Although her mother Desiree was a constant presence in her life, Casey felt unwanted and desperately longed to discover her father’s identity. She was hopeful he would free her from her squalid home life and abusive circumstances with her mother. Desiree was a person who hoarded, a mental illness that compelled her to collect odds and ends, trash, food, and other detritus. As a result, Casey’s house was always filled with debris and paraphernalia.