The Widow

Protagonist Simon Latch is a dynamic and round character whose journey from disillusioned professional to a man fighting a wrongful murder conviction forms the novel’s central arc. At the story’s outset, Simon is a burnt-out “run-of-the-mill street lawyer” (1), weary of his stagnant practice and trapped in a failing marriage and mounting debt. His personal and professional dissatisfaction is symbolized by what he calls the Closet—the small, secret apartment above his office where he escapes his domestic life. This pre-existing foundation of secrecy and desperation, which will eventually lead to The Inevitable Collapse of a Life Built on Deception, makes him particularly susceptible to the lure of a quick fortune, positioning him as a man standing on a moral precipice.

The introduction of Netty and her fabricated multimillion-dollar fortune acts as the catalyst for Simon’s moral descent. His immediate reaction to her story reveals deep-seated greed. He views his competitor, Wally Thackerman, as a “slimeball” (11) for overtly writing himself into Netty’s will, yet Simon immediately begins plotting a more sophisticated, but equally unethical, scheme to gain control of the same phantom assets. This hypocrisy highlights his capacity for self-deception.