The Final Gambit

These chapters provide greater clarity regarding the book’s A plot, revealing it to be a revenge plot. This is made clear by the letter Avery receives, which spells out words like “Revenge” and “Vengeance” (49). The topic of revenge is also touched on by Skye, who comments that Toby’s theft of Tobias’s disk was effective; though Skye herself doesn’t know what the disk is, nor why Toby sought revenge against their father, she knows that his actions drove Tobias to interrogate her, proving the disk’s importance. The conversation with Skye adds depth to the themes of The Dangers of Wealth and Power and, to a lesser extent, The Tricky Nature of Inheritance.

In Chapter 13, Avery describes how Tobias used his power to pin the blame for the fire on her aunt; Skye further illustrates Tobias’s character, mentioning that Tobias—her own father—saw no value in her because she was not a “power player.” Neither Skye nor Tobias seem to see the Hawthorne boys as people in their own right, either; instead, they are pawns in the game of wealth and inheritance. Though Skye is uninvolved in this particular revenge plot, and though she has removed herself from the game, she did not step back from the family fortune because she sought a humble life; instead, she chose to retain greater control over a smaller amount of wealth.

Throughout this cluster of chapters, the book more firmly establishes itself in the mystery-thriller genre. The narrative elevates tension and boosts suspense as the life-and-death nature of the threat against Avery, Toby, and the entire Hawthorne family becomes clear. Oren reveals that 13 members of his security team and close associates were offered jobs, indicating that someone has been plotting to get to the Hawthornes; with no leads on who might’ve kidnapped Toby, Avery and her group must assume that there is a threat to their safety. The photograph of Toby, bruised and beaten, reiterates that human lives are at stake.

In addition to building suspense, the author also uses these earlier chapters to place red herrings—false clues that lead the book’s detective, Avery, in the wrong direction. Avery at first believes that her mother’s family, the Rooneys, may be responsible for Toby’s abduction out of revenge for Tobias blaming them for the fire. However, this theory is quickly ruled out. Skye Hawthorne is another false lead—which is also ruled out, but adds details that will deepen the context of later revelations about Toby, Tobias, and the family secrets. By including these red herrings, fake clues, and creating false leads, the author creates a more dynamic narrative.

While the A plot is gradually being built up in terms of tension and complexity, the author also introduces a B plot that will, eventually, merge with the primary plotline: The introduction of Eve to the Laughlin family. Eve’s striking resemblance to Emily, the dead Laughlin daughter, allows her to easily manipulate Mallory Laughlin—and Grayson, who loved Emily and is still heartbroken over her death. Eve seems to care about the Laughlins and Grayson now, but later, it will be revealed that she’s simply trying to get information about the Hawthorne family through them—in service to the villain who’s kidnapped Toby for a revenge plot (the A plot). Eve’s presence, and the tension it rouses between Jameson and Grayson, illustrates The Complexity of Love. Jameson openly accuses Grayson of bias toward Eve because of her resemblance to Emily; the tension between them clearly increases as the story progresses. This is made worse by two things: Avery’s defense of Grayson, and Skye’s attitude toward her sons.

Avery, like Jameson, does not trust Eve. She and Jameson both acknowledge that they have nothing but Eve’s word to go off of—allowing her inside the house is a dangerous move. Despite this, Avery is much softer on Grayson than Jameson is. She recognizes that both of them are affected by Eve’s resemblance to Emily, but that Grayson is suffering more; her lingering feelings for him cause her to support and defend him, even when he gets irrationally defensive. The already-brewing tensions worsen when Skye essentially blames the boys and her father for her own behavior; she claims that, because Tobias had such influence over them, she had no strong connections to them anyway. Rather than choosing to stay close to her sons, Skye sought a smaller “kingdom” for herself. Her words and actions remove her from the main storyline; they also have a strong impact on the boys, especially Grayson and Jameson, and showcase the warped perspectives of those who seek wealth above all else.