51 pages • 1 hour read
The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club
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Chapters 40-49Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of illness, death, graphic violence, sexual content, racism, and child death.
Chapter 40 Summary: “Briar”
As Briar looks one more time for the shortwave radio, she examines the tugboat she made for Mr. Schmidt. It breaks, and Briar finds photo negatives of what appears to be a family on vacation. Briar remembers Mr. Schmidt’s term for when all the clues suddenly come together—“the quickening.” Briar believes the pictures show Tyson’s family in Yaphank.
Briar confronts Tyson, but Tyson claims Shelby is the spy. Her father works for Henry Ford, and he found the shortwave radio in her bag. Briar is unsure, but Tyson, who explains that he came home for gasoline after his car ran out, hurries Briar out of the house with him.
Chapter 41 Summary: “Cadence”
Due to Cadence’s relationship with Major Gilbert, she has no issues accessing Peaked Hill or his office. She sees the necklace and letter that Briar told her about. She also finds a photo of an attractive woman and a Nazi flag. The letter features the romantic French phrase, mon cheri (my dear), so Cadence grows suspicious.
Chapter 42 Summary: “Briar”
Realizing Tyson is lying about Shelby, Briar runs away from him and toward her home. Margaret and Bess make Peter’s false ID card in the kitchen, and Briar warns them about Tyson, who’s pouring gasoline around the cottage.
