Is there ever any particular spot where one can put one’s finger and say: ‘It all began that day, at such a time and such a place, with such an incident?
-- Mike (Book 1, Chapter 1)

Importance: Although the reader does not realize it at this point, Mike is searching for the spot at which he began his descent into becoming a person of pure evil.

Some sort of a tale. I dunno rightly. One says one thing, one says another.’ And then he went on, ‘Anyway, it’s where the accidents take place.
-- Unnamed Old Man (Book 1, Chapter 1)

Importance: Mike asks a local man about the plot of land up for auction known locally as Gypsy’s Acre. It is at this point that Mike learns that this place has a reputation of being a place where accidents happen and people die for unexplained reasons. A place like this will work well in Mike and Greta’s plan to make...