Chinese Handcuffs is one half third-person narrative and one half first-person, with letters written by the main character Dillon.

This technique allows Crutcher to get Dillon to "open up " in a way he might not in conversation. Set in italics, there is at least one letter per chapter. The letters present Dillon's thoughts, and they record dialogue in scenes featuring Dillon.

The third-person point of view allows Crutcher to "get into the minds" of his teen characters and provide information about the adult characters. In a chilling short paragraph near the end of the book, Crutcher reveals the history of Jennifer's stepfather which helps to explain his evil nature.

The third-person technique, however, primarily allows Crutcher to take readers into scenes involving different characters over time. Unlike many young adult novels which seem only concerned with the present, the characters in Chinese Handcuffs are characters haunted...