49 pages 1 hour read

Jane Harper

The Lost Man

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2018

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Chapters 16-23Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 16 Summary

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of psychological and physical abuse and sexual assault.

They return to the farm, and Nathan goes to Ilse’s office. She is not there, but he notices crossed-out dates on a calendar. When Ilse enters, Nathan keeps his distance although he is attracted to her. Over the years, he wondered if Cam knew what happened between Nathan and Ilse before he met her, but he never asked. Although Ilse didn’t know Cam was Nathan’s brother, Cam knew Nathan was interested in her. Nathan always wondered if that factored into his interest.

At dinner, Lo says Cam was sad about something that went missing. Harry wants to know what she means, and Ilse says she is talking about toys. Lo, however, is adamant that Cam was looking for missing money and told Lo to keep his search a secret from Ilse.

Chapter 17 Summary

After dinner, Nathan plays guitar on the porch, and Sophie comes out. He says he has played every day since he was her age, except for a few years when he didn’t have a guitar. When she asks why he didn’t, he remembers that Carl forced him and Cam to burn their most prized possessions as punishment for running away.