We Chase Shadows

“I sell dodgy vitamins in the post, I’m not exactly public enemy number one, am I? No one ever died from too much riboflavin.”

The narrator’s rhetorical question and casual dismissal of his crime’s impact characterize him as a morally flexible figure. This passage establishes the foundation of the criminal enterprise—selling fraudulent health supplements—that drives the plot. It immediately invites the reader to question the reliability and true nature of the speaker.

“And two, I’m going to find out exactly who’s grassed on me. And then I’m going to kill him.”

This moment signals a tonal shift, transforming the narrator from a seemingly harmless con man into a potential murderer. The simple, declarative sentence structure gives the threat a sense of finality and cold determination. It also introduces a key mystery—the identity of the informant—that hangs over the initial chapters of the narrative.

“The wrinkle of it is that they’re not real vitamins. The brain boosters won’t boost your brain, the anti-aging capsules won’t make you younger. They’re just water and powder and nice packaging.”

This confession establishes the novel’s central motif of fake wellness products, emphasizing The Deceptive Nature of Appearances as a key theme in the novel. Vern’s business model is a microcosm of the story’s larger deceptions, where value and identity are fabricated for profit. His casual tone highlights the cynical, accepted nature of this illusion within his world.