The Missing Half

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of graphic violence, substance use, addiction, cursing, and death.

“As she stood motionless in the water, some dark part of her brain not engaged in self-preservation unexpectedly spat out a flash of memory of her and her sister at the lake. Her sister’s face was cracked wide with laughter, their tankinis billowing beneath the water’s surface.”

The Prologue establishes a dark mood of fear, as Kasey runs through the woods. However, this passage also underscores the value of family as she thinks of her sister in her darkest moment, establishing the theme of The Strength of Family Loyalty. As Flowers will do throughout the novel, she humanizes both the victims and the perpetrators of crimes—of which Kasey is both—giving voice to people who are often seen as statistics or facts for speculation, amusement, and even profit when examining cold cases, highlighting The Impact of Media and Public Perception.

“There’s something off about the gesture that makes me think she’s nervous, like a bad PI going for casual. I keep watching to see if she’s checking up on a kid in the throng of the arcade, but she just stares at the side of her drink. […] If she doesn’t have kids, what the hell is she doing here?”

The introduction to Jenna from Nic’s perspective develops a mood of anxiety and nervousness, as Jenna watches Nic at Funland despite having no reason to be there. Although most of this will be subverted, as Jenna turns out to be friendly and helpful to Nic, it also hints toward the damage that she will do to Nic and Kasey. Right from the start, Jenna’s dangerous personality is foreshadowed.