Point of View

The main storyline of the novel is written in first person from the limited perspective of Gus Landor. The opening chapter is written just hours before Landor is going to die. In this section, he notes the people who are moving about his home. They are all dead already, which may be an indication that Landor is struggling to keep a grip on what is real. Some readers may feel this makes him a less reliable narrator, but some may feel that he able to see more clearly at this point than at any other time. Very early in the novel, Landor admits to a mistake in his memory. He initially writes that Superintendent Thayer's first words were a pleasant greeting, but then corrects himself, saying Thayer actually offered coffee. The reader has to evaluate all these clues to decide if Landor makes a reliable...