October 2012, week 4: All She Wrote

[Johanna]

Oh and I have to confess that every time when I read chapter 21 (and especially those four last pages), in the end I realize that I've been holding my breath for the longest time. That's what purring J.X and begging Kit do to me... ;)

[Johanna]

Calathea wrote: "Gardening is a wonderful way to de-stress (when not overdone^^). And aren't pets said to lower blood pressure?"

Umph... I haven't forgotten what you were up to last weekend... and I quote: (hard) garden work, cutting trees and stuff... I'm glad to report that I can still move and no tree branch fell on my head. So obviously you know what you are talking about. *grin* And yes, my jack russell's terrier says "hi" to miss hamster. :)

[Karen]

I think the first time I read ASW I'd become a lazy mystery reader, meaning I'd kind of given up on trying to guess whodunnit after years of reading all sorts of mysteries. Intellectually lazy, but then I'd also been burned by "surprise twists" that were closer to plain old sloppy writing. Josh has since helped to reverse my lazy-reader-syndrome. ASW was the third JL book I read, and my tendency at the time was to always suspect the least likely candidate (excluding the two MCs), so I suppose I was actually leaning towards Rudolph (added later) which in part would explain why he was so devastated by Sara's death, having accidentally caused it. But in afterthought that was much too simple for something by Josh...

[Karen]

Yes, that gorgeous "Naked, he was beautiful to behold..." passage, followed by Kit defusing with his odd combination of "common sense" and humor:

Eventually J.X. was going to see that I was just…me. And that everything he disliked about me was still there no matter how good the sex was. Naturally I was smart enough not to endanger getting laid by expressing any of those thoughts as he helped me undress..."

He's come to far and yet has so far to go. Also really looking forward to seeing how this plays out in H&M3.

[Darkm]

Oh, Kit. We sure hope that Josh will kick some sense into you in H&M #3... What was the Oscar Wilde quote Emanuela wrote on the General News topic last week? Hmmm... here it is: "Never love anyone who treats you like you're ordinary."
Johanna I'm going to quote your every word.
Kit seems so, so scared and hell bent on the fact that this can't work (deep down himself I mean), I hope Josh will kick some sense into him.

And the ladies are right: I'm glad the doctors gave you enough time to rest, try to take care of yourself :)

[Anne]

I haven't had time to continue, that real life we talk about that sometimes intrude, you know :). Shall come back later today I hope.

But one thing I was thinking about that I don't think have been discussed, is the playfulness of the books' titles. (Someone mentioned the playfulness in Josh's writing the other day.)

"Somebody killed his editor", might be a play on the movie "Somebody killed her husband". "All she wrote" could be a play on the TV series "Murder she wrote" and also on the expression, "That's all she wrote". The next book, "The boy with the painful tattoo" is obviously a play on the book/movie "The girl with the dragon tattoo". Don't you think these titles in addition to being playful, seems like homage to the various film- and series makers and authors?

It might be conjure on my part, but I love it :)

[Meep]

Liade wrote: "Not really, I am limping hopelessly behind. But to make up for it, here's the list of all Miss Butterwith titles I could find (both books):


Miss Butterwith Closes the Case
Miss Butterwith Dispe..."

I love the titles, makes me think of Patricia Wentworth and Agatha Christie novels; well 'The Moving Finger' is an obvious homadge to Christie.

[Meep]

Calathea wrote: I hate when they do this! Stick the labels over part of the title or face of the protagonist, argh! Maybe I have to go back on my judgement of Rowland as a nice guy... "

HEAR, HEAR ;)

[Meep]

Johanna wrote: "J.X.'s new pet name for Kit (Mata Holmsi on page 233) made me grin. And Kit did use his best seductive tone, didn't he. ;) Also the admirable speed with which J.X. strips his clothes is always highly amusing. And the way Kit admires J.X.'s naked beauty is touching. This time Kit makes a new kind of observation (page 234):"

Yes. Mata Holmsi made me laugh too and the description was all kinds of wonderful. Beautiful to look at but with an eye to whats important the genuine want, dare we say love.

[Meep]

wow RL gets busy, I check back and you've made all these lovely observations already. Really enjoy reading everyones comments.

I agree that Kit is maturing, but isn't nice the way JX lets him ramble on about the case... and never stops him or tries to push a police perscpective.

It would be interesting to see a snippet of JX's pov. He sees Kit very differently to how Kit protrays himself.

Got some reading to do still but:
Burned for that illicit finger on the entrance buzzer of that most private of all private clubs.
Made me laugh. Josh goes purple!

His expression grew reminiscent of those generally worn by villains in illustrations of Edgar Allan Poe’s more macabre works.
I like this too. While their dining.

Notice how Kit for all his insecurities doesn't get jealous of Ricardo but is teasing JX about him?

[Johanna]

Anne wrote: "But one thing I was thinking about that I don't think have been discussed, is the playfulness of the books' titles."

YES!!! :) I think that your thoughts about how the titles reflect films, TV-series and books are spot on. I've always admired Josh's book titles and the playfulness you mentioned is probably the main reason, because it's the playfulness that leads to the fact that the titles have multiple meanings. I think I even mentioned something like this in my review of Lone Star. Anyway, I think it's fascinating. And it's always fun to turn over Josh's book titles (before and after reading the book in question) and discover new hints and meanings. The titles kind of function like mysteries on their own! :)

[Anne]

Johanna wrote: "Anne wrote: "But one thing I was thinking about that I don't think have been discussed, is the playfulness of the books' titles."

YES!!! :) I think that your thoughts about how the titles reflect ..."

I forgot to mention the most obvious of course, that of Holmes and Moriarity. Sherlock Holmes' arch nemesis is Moriarty. Not the same, but still... And J.X. starts like a kind of adversary at first, at least in Kit's mind, but then ...

Endless fun to be had by all :)

[Anne]

A nice little comment in chapter 21, in connection to the discussion in another thread, about whether an author has a distinct voice that shines though everything he writes; when discussing whether Poppy might have hired Arthur to kill her husband as is rumored, Kit is thinking the following: "granted, we're not always what we write, but our storytelling does reveal things about the way our brains work."

ETA: And chapter 22 starts with some more in the same vein, the whole set-up is like one of Anna's written mysteries. The plot thickens :)

[Karen]

Spotlighting a couple of favorite passages before we go on to Chapter 22:

J.X. said in that rough velvet voice, “It’s like this massive turn-on because it’s you and you’re letting me do this to you, and you like it so much—even though you think you shouldn’t.”
I moaned. He had the dynamic down cold, his and mine both.

J.X. and Kit are a good match for each other in also sharing this kind of intelligent perceptiveness. What they do with it is the challenge.

Then the sheer gutsy near-overblown poetry in this description of their lovemaking.

I threw my head back as though in a high fever, arching up from the blankets and sheets in a kind of convulsion of pleasure at the wet, hot burst of life pouring into me, spilling through the cracks and filling up the empty places.

I haven't read anyone else who writes these scenes with quite this balance of graphic detail, emotional content, and literary beauty. More often we get some combination of the sequence and mechanics of sex/lovemaking and overt descriptions of emotions. In more accomplished writers, the lovemaking scenes reflect the emotions of growing attachment as the story progresses. Then there's Josh.

[Antonella]

Karen wrote: "I haven't read anyone else who writes these scenes with quite this balance of graphic detail, emotional content, and literary beauty. More often we get some combination of the sequence and mechanics of sex/lovemaking and overt descriptions of emotions. In more accomplished writers, the lovemaking scenes reflect the emotions of growing attachment as the story progresses. Then there's Josh."


*nods enthusiastically*

[Karen]

Anne wrote: "A nice little comment in chapter 21, in connection to the discussion in another thread, about whether an author has a distinct voice that shines though everything he writes; when discussing whether..."

Thanks for noting this, Anne. I somehow glossed past it and it's very pertinent to this plot and to the other discussion thread.

[Calathea]

Anne wrote: "A nice little comment in chapter 21, in connection to the discussion in another thread, about whether an author has a distinct voice that shines though everything he writes; when discussing whether..."

Coincidence, yes? When I read the talk in the other topic I had kind of a déjà vu-moment, like "Now, where have I read this before?" :)

I haven't read anyone else who writes these scenes with quite this balance of graphic detail, emotional content, and literary beauty. More often we get some combination of the sequence and mechanics of sex/lovemaking and overt descriptions of emotions. In more accomplished writers, the lovemaking scenes reflect the emotions of growing attachment as the story progresses. Then there's Josh.

Double and triple yes!
spilling through the cracks and filling up the empty places. This is so beautiful it makes me ache.

[Anne]

Calathea wrote: "spilling through the cracks and filling up the empty places. This is so beautiful it makes me ache.

..."

I agree, I noticed this sentence too. And that is what distinguish Josh's sex (or love) scenes from so many other in this genre or any other, they are so beautiful, and he never forgets it is not only about the physical, but also emotions. And the descriptions read like poetry sometimes.

[Darkm]

I agree with all of you :) and I think his scenes aren't only good and poetic, but they feel real as well.
Sometimes when I read books I think "this makes no sense", or " this would never happen in reality", with his books, I never had this "problem".
If anything, they are too "raw" and real when they portray the fear people have, the walls they build to protect themselves, but whom end up leaving them alone.

[Lori S.]

What I like about Josh's scenes is that he puts in details that other authors either ignore or gloss over in their rush to get to the "good stuff". The way he describes actions, touch (who else mentions the feel of eye lashes on skin in their scenes?), the feeling of joy that comes from two people sharing the moment.

The sharing is always full of life and warmth, even if the the two characters are at odds with each other at other points in the story.

[Meep]

Basically a ditto to what everyone else has said. That line of filling in the cracks is very evocative.
Too many authors settle for writing out the bare mechanics or fall into the trap of purple prose, while Josh does turn poetical it's judged right. You feel the heat and the bonding without there really being that much detail, and it's part of the story because it's so firmly about the characters, it says a lot about them.
That scene is so very Kit. It's a release, a recognition of things missing in his life and how given a chance JX would make things right/complete.
I do like love scenes that are about the characters rather than paint by numbers.

[Calathea]

Some more lines from chapter 22 (that I didn't get to post yesterday because of falling asleep^^).

A classic, twisty mystery novel—the kind of thing Anna wrote.(p. 237)

Anne wrote "The plot thickens." I'd say by now it's nearly concrete. ;) “The responsibility lies with whoever killed Sara and is trying to kill Anna,” I said. (p. 250)

I scowled at the ornate bronze grapevines twisting through the green velvet draperies. They seemed very symbolic at the moment. (p. 239)

Is there any symbolic meaning in grapevines and green velvet? Or is it because it's twisting like Kit's thoughts or the case?

He smiled.
Smiled right into my eyes with such unguarded warmth and affection that I felt winded. I couldn’t remember the last time anyone had looked at me like that—anyone who wasn’t J.X.
“Oh, it’s you,” I said, as though I’d only now noticed him curled around me. (p. 240)

Kit's usual behavioral patters show up once more. He is heavily affected by J.X.'s affection and tries to pull a wall up by being funny. But it's not as crass anymore and shortly after that he admits it.

That deserved a quick and honest answer. “No. I’m…off balance.”

I'm glad. He's doing his best and more often than not catches his slips. There's a lot going on in his mind, though.

Because right now it feels like a need. Because I don’t just like it, I love it. But I didn’t say that. Couldn’t. Not even to J.X. Not even to my lover. Why? (p. 241)

The whole inner monologue on this page shows how shaken he is by the experience and his own feelings. I'm not sure exactly why he's hung about developing "a taste for, well, sexual submission". He mentions the trust issue, but I'm not sure he made the connection to the fact that until now he just didn't trust anyone that much (and espc. David).

“Thinking of crossing over to romance?” (p. 242)

*g*

He looked like a porn model. Except no porn model ever wore that meditative expression.

Oooooh, a porn model with brains. ;))

It occurred to me that was one of the things I liked about J.X. He was good-natured even when he didn’t get his way. I really hadn’t had a lot of that in my life.(p. 243)

Just another detail why to love J.X. :)

[Calathea]

And on to chapter 23 and the ghastly realization of who exactly killed Sarah.

She gave a short, slightly exasperated laugh. “Don’t you start. It’s bad enough with Rudolph defending her. The terrible truth is that Sara was a clever and talented sociopath. She took us all in.” (p. 252)

How does Anna come up with all this lore? Is she consciously fabricating it with a certain goal in mind or is she gone too far (as in: out of her mind, crazy) that she really believes the stuff she's making up?

But Anna didn’t seem hurt. She seemed… “How long did Sara work for you again?” I inquired.
“Nearly five years. But…as you know, we never really know anyone.”

Wiser words... and all that.

I’m not sure what I said in response. I felt numb in the wake of appalling realization. (...)
My knees gave out and I sat down on the boulder-sized leather-covered ottoman. He squeezed my shoulder comfortingly.
“Sara was the target all along.” (...)
I said dully, “I think Anna killed her.”
“Kit—”
“And I think I helped her.” (p. 254 f.)

OMG, imagine that! Imagine, you realize that somebody you've known for ages killed another person. Not just killed, but murdered her. It must feel like your world is turned up side down and nothing is like you knew it.
And as if that is not enough you realize that you were used in this plot, that you unwittingly helped to further the plan.

“I do. I care for your sake how it’s going to sound because if this gets into the papers and there isn’t any proof against Anna, you’re going to sink your career for nothing.”
I stood still.
He said quietly, “Think. I know you’re upset, but stop and really look at this objectively.” (p. 259)

Luckily, J.X. is there to prevent Kit doing something rash and stupid.

This chapter was very grim. Quite a difference from all the light hearted banter and funny lines in earlier chapters.

[Karen]

Chapter 22

Smiled right into my eyes with such unguarded warmth and affection that I felt winded...

Loved the morning-after dialogue (and Kit's internal monologue) and the lines Calathea quoted. I'm trying to recall another author who pays so much attention to what one says aloud vs. what one is thinking. I know there are a few.

Kit is increasingly introspective, questioning why he responds the way he does, and honest introspection can be a precursor to change. As Calathea notes, he's doing a lot more thinking before he speaks, for Kit at least.

Grapevines, like many vining plants, twist and turn and wrap around their supports with their multiple tendrils in such a way as to be almost impossible to untangle. I assume that's the allusion.

As Kit begins to realize what he's been missing he's still weighing possible suspects...

...it dawned on me why I kept feeling like I was missing something obvious. Everything that had happened since Anna had first phoned to tell me of her plight had been exactly like something out of a mystery novel. A classic, twisty mystery novel—the kind of thing Anna wrote.

...and considers Rudolph before seeing him in person again at breakfast:

Besides, face to face with Rudolph, the idea that he was capable of murder was ludicrous. It was like suspecting Jimmy Stewart. Hell, it was like suspecting Harvey the invisible rabbit.

[Karen]

Oh, and there's Kit's response to the pinch:

I laughed. It sounded nervous to my ears. Unsurprising, I guess. It was fun but also disconcerting to be treated like…well, like J.X. treated me. It was a long time since I’d thought of myself as young or sexy.

The references to Nero Wolfe and Archie Godwin are meant to correlate detective-sidekick roles with Kit and J.X., or referring to speculation about the nature of Nero and Archie's relationship?

[Johanna]

I couldn't agree more with all of your thoughts on the sex/lovemaking scenes Josh writes. You girls described beautifully why those scenes are so unique. No other author writes them quite that way — the feel of ease is very tangible.

There is nothing phony or unreal about them. The sex always happens for a reason and every couple acts like themselves in bed — with all their personal quirks and flaws and traits. There is worry and joy, playfulness and seriousness, talk and thoughts. It's about sharing the moment (like Lori said earlier).

Karen wrote: "Smiled right into my eyes with such unguarded warmth and affection that I felt winded...

Loved the morning-after dialogue (and Kit's internal monologue) and the lines Calathea quoted. I'm trying to recall another author who pays so much attention to what one says aloud vs. what one is thinking."

Oh yes! And I loved the lines Calathea AND Karen quoted!!! ;)

And I also liked the sentence that starts chapter 22 (page 237):

I woke to one of those rare moments of perfect mental clarity.

The kind of mental clarity that comes with sharing a perfect moment with someone, just like Kit had shared with J.X. Like watching a beautiful scenery in front of you and not wanting to leave. And having someone special to share it all with you. I always associate the mental clarity like this with the peace of mind. Moments like that are rare and they won't last long, but at best they can be transformational.

And I thought that this was cute too (page 238):

J.X. stirred, his arms tightening around my waist. I absently kissed his forehead.

Absently! How wonderful!!!

Karen wrote: "Grapevines, like many vining plants, twist and turn and wrap around their supports with their multiple tendrils in such a way as to be almost impossible to untangle. I assume that's the allusion."

Yes! And there has been many different occasions and many pretty groundbreaking things happening and thoughts forming while Kit has been staring those bronze grapevines twisting through the green velvet draperies.

Calathea already quoted this part (below) from the middle of chapter 22 (page 243), but I only want to add, that the way J.X. landed on his feet when he rolled out of the bed made me think that the trait of his that is described here, could have something to do with the fact that he always seemed to land on his feet (not literally, but figuratively speaking). After he'd been in a difficult situation (any kind), he was willing to let it go. Or maybe this is too far fetched...

He laughed and sat up. "All right. You win." He rolled out of the bed, landing on his feet. It occurred to me that was one of the things I liked about J.X. He was good-natured even when he didn’t get his way. I really hadn’t had a lot of that in my life.

I haven't read chapter 23 and 24 yet, so I'm going to comment on those tomorrow. I still have one question about chapter 22, though. Who/what is Harvey the invisible rabbit?!

[Lori S.]

Harvey is the invisible best friend of a mild mannered man named Elwood P. Dowd in the movie Harvey .

The classic stage hit gets the Hollywood treatment in the story of Elwood P. Dowd who makes friends with a spirit taking the form of a human-sized rabbit named Harvey that only he sees (and a few privileged others on occasion also.) After his sister tries to commit him to a mental institution, a comedy of errors ensues. Elwood and Harvey become the catalysts for a family mending its wounds and for romance blossoming in unexpected places.

[Johanna]

Lori wrote: "Harvey is the invisible best friend of a mild mannered man named Elwood P. Dowd in the movie Harvey."

Ah. Thank you, Lori! :)

[Karen]

Johanna wrote: "Who/what is Harvey the invisible rabbit?!"

Harvey is the pooka, a mythological creature, who functions as Jimmy (James) Stewart's invisible friend in the 1950 film Harvey. Stewart's roles included those in which he was upstanding and bighearted, while perhaps a bit gullible (wanting to see the best in others whether or not it was there) or somewhat eccentric. The overall image he projected was of the quintessential self-effacing American hero, seemingly mild-mannered but with a core of steel in the face of injustice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_(...

[Karen]

Jinx! Hi guys.

[Johanna]

Hello there! :)

ETA: And thank you, Karen, too! ;)

[Johanna]

Don't you feel a little sad that we've almost read ASW? I was reading bits and pieces of Come Unto These Yellow Sands the other night and I really wish we could read and discuss it this way some time...

[Karen]

Johanna wrote: "Don't you feel a little sad that we've almost read ASW? I was reading bits and pieces of Come Unto These Yellow Sands the other night and I really wish we could read and discuss it this way some ti..."

I'm feeling the same way. I know the Come Unto These Yellow Sands discussion thread is here, but it isn't the same as these chapter-by-chapter discussions. I realize they're not everyone's cup of tea, but obviously I love them!

[Johanna]

Karen wrote: "Johanna wrote: "Don't you feel a little sad that we've almost read ASW? I was reading bits and pieces of Come Unto These Yellow Sands the other night and I really wish we could read and discuss it ..."

Maybe we should give Josh some time to rest before we discuss another one of his books with a magnifying glass. I imagine that he isn't exactly suffering from this, but... Anyway, I would LOVE to discuss CUTYS chapter-by-chapter with you ladies!!! :)

[Antonella]

Johanna wrote: "Don't you feel a little sad that we've almost read ASW? I was reading bits and pieces of Come Unto These Yellow Sands the other night and I really wish we could read and discuss it this way some time..."

Well. I thought we had already decided this ;-). That we would alternate Josh's books and other books, and we would read Josh's books chapter-by-chapter.

[Johanna]

Antonella wrote: "Well. I thought we had already decided this ;-). That we would alternate Josh's books and other books, and we would read Josh's books chapter-by-chapter."

Well, If we haven't decided it already, we can sure do it here and now... ;)

[Antonella]

LOL! I'm in favor!

[Karen]

Me too, bet you could have guessed.

[OkayKim]

I originally gave ASW a 4 star. Please...no throwing popcorn at me.
I've change my rating to a 5 star since we started this BOM discussion.
I just have to say that I really enjoyed ASW "more" with all the different perspectives.
Picked up a lot that I missed the first time around.
So if there are any more BOM chapter reads.
I'm in.

[Darkm]

I have to say I'm definitely not good at quoting words and phrases, but I'm enjoying a lot you doing so.
It makes me "feel" the book a lot more :)

[Anne]

Antonella wrote: "LOL! I'm in favor!"

So am I!

[Anne]

Darkm wrote: "I have to say I'm definitely not good at quoting words and phrases, but I'm enjoying a lot you doing so.
It makes me "feel" the book a lot more :)"

So true.

[Meep]

Skipping to the end - because I finished the book but don't tend to highlight things so will just enjoy all your quotes ;)

The confrontation. How aware of the consequence do you all think Kit is?

Miss Butterwith sounds like she takes after Miss Marple et al, and for all that lady's soft shawls and mild manner she was tough. Being british I place that character as someone whose lived through a world war and that means a resiliance and practicality that can appear unsentimental at times. A good 'cosy' can have that hard edge to it - justice that doesn't have to be via courts (I'm blanking on examples but there are several)

If Kit is channeling his own heroine he might on some level have known he was signing Anna's death warrant, or at the least set her up for further confrontation. I'm not saying he planned cold blooded murder, more of a living in the novel sort of thing, getting the facts out there. Justice served by a different means.

He's tense as he hears the news but undramatic, there's no expression of suprise.

That 'I used to' regarding liking mysteries, it's like a coming of age. I wonder what his next book will be now he's faced this Anna-contrived reality.

[Johanna]

OkayKim wrote: "I originally gave ASW a 4 star. Please...no throwing popcorn at me.
I've change my rating to a 5 star since we started this BOM discussion.
I just have to say that I really enjoyed ASW "more" with all the different perspectives."

That's exactly what happened to me when we discussed The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks chapter-by-chapter last February. I added a star to my review of the book after the re-read. :)

[Johanna]

The two last chapters of the book... and the mystery unfolds itself. Here are at first some thoughts about chapter 23.

Kit might not be a master in expressing his feelings, but he sure has been through a wide range of moods during this story. When Kit realizes the grim truth about Sara's murder, J.X. is there to comfort him and to lend his shoulder:

"She used our friendship. She used me. She used me to commit murder."
He pulled me into his arms. "I know." He kissed my temple. Kissed the bridge of my nose. The warmth was real and tangible. I felt an unfamiliar and alarming desire to howl my anger and hurt and guilt onto his broad and capable shoulder. It was almost liberating to know that I could have a moment of weakness and it would be met by sympathy and that J.X. wouldn't think anything the worse of me for breaking down. (page 259)

What would be a more comforting thought than that? That you can safeIy be yourself, feel what you feel as openly as you like and still know that you are accepted as you are, liked and loved as you are, no matter what.

I can't help it, but the famous Marilyn Monroe quote comes to mind: “I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.”

Calathea wrote: “I do. I care for your sake how it’s going to sound because if this gets into the papers and there isn’t any proof against Anna, you’re going to sink your career for nothing.”
I stood still.
He said quietly, “Think. I know you’re upset, but stop and really look at this objectively.” (p. 259)

Luckily, J.X. is there to prevent Kit doing something rash and stupid.

Oh yes. J.X., the ex-cop, rather chooses to save Kit and take him home than to let him run to the police department. Once again, J.X. sees the big picture more clearly while Kit struggles with overwhelming feelings. It's almost funny to notice that even though Kit is the one doing A LOT of reasoning about EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME, J.X. is still often the voice of reason. Even though Kit is very cautious about the choices he makes in his personal life (career and relationship), he doesn't think twice about throwing himself in fire for a bigger cause.

It's going to be very interesting to see how these two men will balance each other in the future.

Here is only one more quote from chapter 23. This is when Anna and Rudolph are leaving for the funeral:

"I'm truly grateful for all you tried to do, Christopher. I know this hasn't been easy for you. You've been a dear, loyal friend to me in my hour of need."
I'm not sure what I said in response. I felt numb in the wake of appalling realization.
Anna checked her diamond-studded wristwatch. "I have to go. Rudolph is waiting. We'll see you in a few hours."
I couldn't think of anything to say. I nodded.
J.X. nodded too. He was smiling but his eyes looked like chips of obsidian. (page 254)

This was the crucial moment before J.X. told Kit about the coroner's report on Sara. Kit is already starting to realize the horrible truth by himself — even before J.X. tells him the news about Sara's poisoning. This might be rather far fetched idea, but when Anna's diamond-studded wristwatch and J.X. eyes that looked like chips of obsidian are mentioned so close to each other, it left me thinking.

What do we know about diamonds? Well, first of all, they are luxurious and expensive. And they are extremely hard material. Now, Anna, she is used to being treated like a queen and no doubt only the best of everything is good enough for her. The very moment (quote above) also reveals how very, very hard person Anna really is. Extremely hard.

Obsidian, on the other hand, is also a tough material, but brittle as well. A good description of J.X. in a nutshell?

[Karen]

Calathea and Meep, thanks for initiating the conversation on the last two chapters.

Chapter 23. Kit converses with Anna while J.X. surreptitiously gets his update from local law enforcement, and then:

I’m not sure what I said in response. I felt numb in the wake of appalling realization.

J.X. appears to convince Kit to back down from taking his accusations to the police, and then as Kit fully recognizes the enormity of Anna's betrayals, J.X. comforts him... in a rather distracting manner. I can't say why this works but it does — Josh injects a snippet of comic relief. (I cut out a large section of this for posting purposes, but it deserves being re-read in its entirety.)

“She used our friendship. She used me. She used me to commit murder.”
He pulled me into his arms. “I know.” He kissed my temple. Kissed the bridge of my nose. The warmth was real and tangible...
“I know.” He nuzzled my ear.
“I fell right into it.” He was nibbling my earlobe.
“Your timing is off.” I pushed him away.
J.X. sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “I know. Speaking of timing, we need to get out of here.”

Another comparison between literature vs. real life:

Anna had been crying, but she was smiling now and gazing up at Rudolph with unselfconscious affection. It was a completely unguarded moment and I could see the love she felt for him. My stomach knotted. That’s the problem with real-life villains. Rarely are they black and white.

An additional somewhat sinister note near the end of this chapter when Anna questions whether it's OK with law enforcement for Kit and J.X. to get out of Dodge... almost as though she's trying to hedge her bets by having at least one other possible suspect on hand for Sarah's murder? Convoluted, but not something I'd put past Anna.

[Karen]

Johanna wrote: "The two last chapters of the book... and the mystery unfolds itself. Here are at first some thoughts about chapter 23"

Ha, jinx again — you posted while I was still writing. And of course we all quoted some of the same passages.

[Johanna]

Chapter 24

There are some truly chilly moments in the beginning of the chapter. This is Kit confronting Anna:

"Do me the courtesy of sparing the bullshit. You faked a bunch of tries on your life to make Sara's murder look like a backfired attempt to kill you. You framed Sara for her own murder."
Anna smiled, the smile I remember from the classrooms long ago, when a student, against all odds, had managed to get something correct. (page 264)

That smile. *shivers*

I had a sudden, shocking urge to shove her out that lovely picture window. It took a second or two before I could ask, "Did you do it for Rudolph or was it for Death and Her Sisters ?"
Anna's face changed again. "I can't believe the little bitch submitted that manuscript without talking to me first. After everything I did for her."
"You mean like killing her?" (page 264)

Yeah, Anna. Could you be any more obnoxious?!

"[...] What I still don't get is why you dragged me across the country to be a part of this?"
Her eyes darkened with emotion. "If anyone should understand, it's you."
"What should I have understood?"
"What it's like to be a has-been," she cried, and now she seemed to be appealing to me. "What it's like to know your career is over. To lose your lover to someone younger and stronger. To lose everything." (page 265)

and a little later on the same page:

Even if I'd tried, I couldn't have hid my feelings—and I didn't try. Anna snapped, "You know nothing about it. Right now you feel magnanimous toward David because of J.X. but J.X. won't stay with you. Why would he? He'll be gone to greener pastures as soon as the novelty wears of, as soon as it becomes clear to him that your careers—your lives—are going in two different directions."
"Even if that's true, it wouldn't justify—it wouldn't change anything."
She said with utter certainty, "Oh, it's true. And it will change everything ." (page 265)

Damn you, Anna, for planting that seed of doubt in Kit's mind just when he started to get over it! And how strange it is to realize, that the whole story — both mystery and Kit's personal story — were in fact about relationship and career. Love and jealousy. If Kit hadn't found J.X. (or actually the other way around) would he become as bitter as Anna over time?

Meep wrote: "How aware of the consequence do you all think Kit is?"

That's an interesting question. I think that he certainly knew that there would be consequences. He knew that Rudolph would comprehend it all sooner or later and that he would act based on his knowledge. But Kit probably thought that Rudolph would go to the police. Or how do you girls see it? And was that exactly what Rudolph was going to do, but he confronted Anna first? Did he leave Anna with only two choices: to really lose everything and go to prison or to kill herself. Or do you think that Rudolph concretely killed Anna? And did Rudolph know that Kit knew what Anna had done?

And what did you think about the car accident? I thought that it was a very clever addition to the storyline that it actually was an accident. Life is stranger than fiction...?

Meep, I liked your thoughts about justice that doesn't have to be via courts, but that is served by a different means.

I found it touching that on the very last pages, while Kit is pondering on the things Anna had said to him about J.X. not staying with Kit for long, J.X. is at the same time feeling quite emotional and unsure about Kit feelings:

"Are you flying straight back to Frisco?"
His honey-colored skin turned a darker shade. "Uh, no. I'm flying to L.A. with you." I didn't say anything and he said cautiously, "Is that all right?"
"Sure."
"I mean, we've got some things to talk over. We might as well do it while we're both in the same room."
"Right."
"Like..." His voice cracked.
I stared at him. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Something's wrong. You're beet red and your voice—"
He interrupted, "I know this isn't the time for this discussion, but we're going to pursue this, right? We agreed."
"I—right."
He relaxed. Gave me a quick, happy smile. A big white smile.
I wondered what the hell I'd agreed to. (page 269)

Lots of things going on there! Every time I read that dialog, I assume that J.X. is going to ask Kit to move in together with him. :) J.X. seems to know Kit so well already that he's afraid to let him go before they have discussed their future together face to face. He clearly remembers too well how difficult it was to get Kit to commit to relationship while they were apart. And don't you just love that smile of J.X.'s?! It's lovely!

And Kit, you wondered what the hell you'd agreed to. You agreed to love him, you big silly!

Anyway, it turns out that I've typed for so long that my wrists hurt. This book has literally made me understand Josh better. ;)

[Johanna]

Karen wrote: "Ha, jinx again — you posted while I was still writing. And of course we all quoted some of the same passages."

I've noticed that it does save a lot of time if some of you have already commented on a chapter that I'm about to comment on, because all the quotes that I would have used are typed already! :) The next time we do this kind of chapter-by-chapter discussion, we can just take turns/days writing our comments and quotes and the ones who aren't typing at the moment can just nod and agree... LOL.

And by the way, I seem to have quoted quite a bit today. Sorry about that...

Karen wrote: "An additional somewhat sinister note near the end of this chapter when Anna questions whether it's OK with law enforcement for Kit and J.X. to get out of Dodge... almost as though she's trying to hedge her bets by having at least one other possible suspect on hand for Sarah's murder? Convoluted, but not something I'd put past Anna."

*nod nod* I agree. :)

[Karen]

Chapter 24. Trying to organize my thoughts on everything here.

Despite everything Kit can't resist having some last words, seeking some explanation, digging for a confession. Apparently he does this without remembering that Anna has a gun. I wondered what kind of convoluted (twisty, like those grapevines) story she could come up with for shooting Kit. Scary thought.

Interesting that Kit and others seem focused on career damage outcomes, rather than threats to life and limb. Anna doesn't need a gun to threaten Kit with mortal wounds; she can just kill his career.

Anna claims her motives were based on love not career, but I'm not sure I entirely buy that. I'd say more a mix of both, twisted together (again) like the grapevine. Creepy that someone so self-absorbed would pay enough attention to Kit's recent troubles to make some correlation and plot to involve him. It's also creepy that Anna was intuitive/observant enough to guess that Kit might take the bait, that she would see his intrinsic goodness, his loyalty, as weaknesses to exploit. Ironically, it would seem that the mental gymnastics needed to pull off this story might have been channeled into reviving her writing instead.

Finally, Josh pulls off a neat switch — a story that began with elements of a cozy ends as a noir. So many clever touches here — how Kit knows exactly when to hold his tongue; our MC's swift (with an airport layover) escape from the haunted house; J.X. being asleep while Kit listens to the radio news; and of course those wonderful, teasing closing lines.