Point of View

Schmidt rotates the point of view between four characters throughout the novel: Lizzie, Emma, Bridget, and Benjamin. Each chapter is told from a different perspective, allowing the author to slowly reveal clues as to who killed Andrew and Abby Borden while still fleshing out a rich story filled with complex relationships and fraught with family drama. Because the novel is narrated in the first person point of view of each of these characters, Schmidt is able to explore the complexities of inner thoughts versus outward actions.

Language and Meaning

Though the differences are subtle, Schmidt creates a clear voice for each of the narrating characters with the use of different syntax and sentence structures for each character. Lizzie’s chapters can be characterized by the use of learned word choice and a fragmented structure that lends itself to showing her inner mind, whereas Emma’s...