Summary

In Chapter 1, “The Quick Death” (1), the novel’s third-person narrator describes the morning Astrid Strick witnessed the death of a longtime acquaintance she disliked, Barbara Baker. Astrid arrived early for a scheduled hair trim with Birdie Gonzalez at the Shear Beauty salon. Sitting in her parked car in a roundabout in the town of Clapham, Astrid observed locals frequenting restaurants and stores. She also examined herself in her car’s rearview mirror to gauge her appearance and to check for signs of skin cancer. She took note of what she considered the eyesore of the town, an empty building that had been sold but remained under mysterious ownership.

Barbara was standing next to a mailbox in front of Shear Beauty. As Astrid watched, wondering what Barbara was doing there, Barbara stepped into the street. The Clapham Junior High School bus sped past, knocking...