Dervla McTiernan’s professional background as a corporate lawyer informs the novel’s portrayal of the justice system. How does this context set her novel apart from other novels in the genre such as Lisa Jewell’s Then She Was Gone or The God of the Woods by Liz Moore?

How does the novel’s setting in rural Vermont allow McTiernan to explore The Impact of Privilege on the Fight for Justice? How would the novel be affected if McTiernan had chosen a different setting?

The novel’s structure alternates between the first-person perspectives of the parents and a third-person focus on the police investigation. How does this structure impact the novel’s tone and pace? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.

Explore the symbolic inversion of the Fraser family barn. How does its transformation from a space of honest labor into a secret tomb mirror the moral corruption of the Fraser family as they move from victims to perpetrators?

Discuss McTiernan’s portrayal of fatherhood throughout the novel using Andy, Rory, and Matthew as case studies. In what ways does each character contribute to the novel’s thematic exploration of The Tension Between Parental Care and Moral Compromise?

The study guide connects the novel to the real-world Gabby Petito. What literary devices and rhetorical tools does McTiernan use to critique The Use of Social Media to Manipulate Public Opinion?

What impact does Nina’s opening prologue have on the novel? How would the story shift if McTiernan had chosen to start with Leanne’s perspective in Chapter 1 instead?

How does the motif of cell phones and social media function as a technological battleground for narrative control, revealing the precarious nature of truth in the digital age?