Group Read -Under the Harrow Part 2 spoilers welcome

[Ann]

Under the Harrow: Part two Marlowe. If the first to post could please briefly summarize to guide the discussion it will be appreciated. Spoilers welcome on this topic for part two of three.

[Sandi]

22-28

Nora fashions her plan to stalk Keith since she thinks he is hiding something but also continues to look for Rachel's attacker from fifteen years ago.

Nora remembers how she and Rachel used to go to court hearings in York and Hull in their quest to find the attacker.

Nora uses Rachel's library card to check out a book of illustrated German fairy tales and finds Rachel has two overdue books. The latest by Jo Nesbø and Camilla Läckberg. Afterwards she heads to the police station to check in and ends up telling the DI about her breakup with her boyfriend.

Nora travels to York to the same courthouse she and Rachel used to visit and takes in a trial.

Back at the inn Nora encounters Sarah, the journalist, and they talk about how families cope with the aftermath and Nora asks about Keith the plumber. Sarah asks about what happened to the dog.

Nora remembers how Rachel felt Nora was a social climber and how Nora wanted to lose her Northern accent. Nora tells her friend about how she is keeping busy doing research though her friends feels the police are paying to much attention to her.

Nora goes to the store but gets into it with a woman in a hunting jacket and massive dogs. Nora takes her groceries home but is overwhelmed and just leaves them outside and drinks whisky in bed.

[Ann]

Sandi: thanks for the summaries!!
Nora is understandably feeling disconnected and obsessed with finding what happened to Rachel, but still seems off. Her leaving home behind to stay in the town during the investigation seems to be what the police expect of her, but abandoning her support system (what little she had with her sister gone) seems extreme and investigating on her own seems risky.

[Sandi]

Yes, she seems to have cut herself off from everyone except the police and if the case is not solved I not sure how she would be able to go on with her life.

[Sandi]

29-37

Nora continues her observations of Keith.

Nora meets with a friend/co-worker of Rachel's from the hospital but learns nothing.

Nora continues her research on the perp from fifteen years ago and comes across a suspect, Paul Wheeler. She sets up a meeting claiming to be a journalist. The meeting is tense and he lets her know that they have met before.

Nora wonders if Wheeler has confused her with Rachel.

Nora is till not coping well.

Nora remembers a visit to the Tate with Rachel.

The town is closed for the funeral of local man who everyone thinks was a great guy but, Rachel told Nora, beat his girlfriend.

Nora sees Keith at the grocer's and he drops his full basket at the checkout line and flees. Later she meets up with Sgt. Lewis and goes for a walk. Afterwards she continues to walk and notices that the village Rachel moved to is almost the twin of the one they grew up in.

After going to a cafe, Nora comes back to the inn and there are flowers at her door from Paul Wheeler.

[Sandi]

38-51

The DI lets Nora know that they are searching the house again and asks her if she ever bought anything at the Whistlestop at Paddington Station.

Nora remembers playing tennis with Rachel and realizes that Rachel got the rackets from Keith the plumber. Nora then confronts him at the pub.

Nora picks up a man.

Nora goes to the village fundraiser and observes Keith with his family. She then calls Rachel's friend and asks her if Rachel had been seeing anyone. Nora comes across Keith again and he tells her he is keeping a log and she will be caught for stalking. Nora taunts him and he slaps her.

Nora finds out where Keith's wife works and confronts her.

Nora meets up with Sgt. Lewis and they spend the day walking then go out to eat.

The police search Keith's house and Nora finds out his wife found pictures of Rachel and then called the police.

Nora goes and finds Keith's wife who is staying with her mother.

The police release Rachel's body.

Nora spreads Rachel's ashes in Cornwall and remembers their trip and that Rachel was reading Clarice Lispector and she was reading John Fowles and detective novels.

Nora stays in Cornwall then goes back to await the Crown Prosecutor's decision on whether to charge Keith.

Nora drives by Keith's deserted house and decides that Rachel would never had had an affair with him.

Sgt. Lewis lets Nora know that CPS has decided not to charge Keith. The evidence was not strong enough. Nora despairs that the case will never be solved.

While sitting outside the inn Nora sees Keith approaching and he sits down across from her. She tells him that he killed her but he counters that she is the one who was covered in blood and wonders why the police never looked at her for the crime. Nora claims she would never hurt Rachel but Keith reminds her that she threw a bottle in her face once.

[Ann]

Sandi: I think that Nora is really spiraling down as she seeks suspects. Her relationship with Rachel may have been complicated, but Rachel seems to have been extremely important to Nora from the vivid memories. I don't know how long she can keep going like this, for her sanity or safety.
Her outside contact with Sgt. Lewis seems a bit unusual considering the circumstances.

[Carol/Bonadie]

Sandi wrote: "After going to a cafe, Nora comes back to the inn and there are flowers at her door from Paul Wheeler...."

The flowers from Paul Wheeler was a creepy move. Is he trying to come on to her, threaten her, or express sympathy?

I thought it odd that the police asked her to stay in town, but don't really know if that means anything. It's just that usually the police don't want the family butting into the investigation/continually asking for updates, and they can easily reach her if they have follow up questions.

[Carol/Bonadie]

Is it just me or is it odd that Rachel (and sometimes Nora) went to such lengths to track down her attacker? Attending trials/visiting possible suspects in jail seems a bit over the top, and maybe gives us a clue as to Rachel's personality.

[Sandi]

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Is it just me or is it odd that Rachel (and sometimes Nora) went to such lengths to track down her attacker? Attending trials/visiting possible suspects in jail seems a bit over the top, and maybe ..."

Yes, Rachel did seem a bit single minded on tracking down the attacker even though the odds would seem to be against her in ever finding him. I also wondered about how the police treated Nora during the aftermath. Letting her hang around did not seem to follow any procedure that I have usually seen.

[Carol/Bonadie]

Sandi wrote: "I also wondered about how the police treated Nora during the aftermath. Letting her hang around did not seem to follow any procedure that I have usually seen. ..."

Yes. A simple "let us know where we can find you" seems like it would have sufficed, given she was a visitor to the area and didn't have a lot to add about Rachel's day-to-day.

[Jack]

Nora has a bit of a creepy feel in this section with her obsession with keith. Although it was warranted in finding out their affair.

It seems nora has a selective memory like the scene where she met paul wheeler. Im not sure if its alcohol related or a psychological problem blacking out bad things.

Her blissful view of her sister seemed too good to be true and it seems keith knows some secrets about their relationship and that she will be a suspect now.
I dont see why she would hang around if she was involved with the murder.
Paul wheeler is the loose end and im surprised she didnt tell the cops what happened with him.

Curious to find what happens and is getting good now.

[Ann]

Jack: I was also very curious at this point and there is a creepy feel to Nora's actions while she is looking for the murderer.
If she does have selective memory for previous events and her relationship with Rachel, then what else has she forgotten begs a question.