2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Sam and Nick soon learn that the Senator had an unconventional sex life. The details of how he was murdered suggested that the killer might have been a disgruntled ex-lover and a woman. Were you persuaded at the time that might be most likely the case? Did any of his ex-lovers make it to your suspect list? If so, who and why? If not, why not?

It sure looked like that at first, but none of the ex's were good suspect material.

I was on the fence. It sure leaned heavily towards something a woman would do but neither Tara or Elin came close to being suspects. Now Natalie? Yeah.

I cannot remember what my initial suspicions were from my first read-through. This time I knew who the killer was so I didn't actually have a suspect list.

Having this prior knowledge, did enable me to notice elements of the murders that I didn't the first time, and one question that remains unresolved is how Thomas was able to get close enough to John to dismember him. Was John asleep when Thomas attacked him? Then how did he come to be sitting up? If he was awake, why was there no sign of a struggle?

Lauren, I didn’t remember who killed him!!! Go figure but it’s been almost ten years.

I definitely thought it was someone he knew.

I didn't remember Thomas killed him either! Maybe John was expecting Patricia. That is the reason I can come up with for him being nude and in bed and didn't fight back. He was expecting a booty call.

That’s right. Thomas came there on tickets booked under Patricia’s name.

Maybe he also e-mailed John under Patricia's name that he was coming.

And he had a key.

Jonetta wrote: "Lauren, I didn’t remember who killed him!!! Go figure but it’s been almost ten years.

Yes, it has. I think we read it together on Shelfari 😉

I only remember because I write some info for each book I read in notes.

Anita wrote: " That is the reason I can come up with for him being nude and in bed and didn't fight back. He was expecting a booty call."

Plausible. But why did he remain there once he saw it was Thomas not Patricia?

It is clear from the act that Thomas was in a rage. I find it difficult to accept that John just sat there at let his son attack him with a knife.

I'll admit that is a pretty big plot hole. Maybe he was drunk or otherwise impaired? I do think that is was very strange there were no defensive wounds. No matter who it is shock only lasts so long and then you automatically fight back.

Anita wrote: "Maybe he was drunk or otherwise impaired?.."

IIRC, the medical examine said the tox screen was clear.

Like Lauren, I remembered who killed the Senator from the first time I read this book, so I really didn't have a suspect list. I'm also questioning why John didn't fight back. Did he always sleep in the nude? Maybe he woke up when Thomas entered the room, then sat up to talk to him.

I like that take, Robin.

I thought it was Natalie from the moment she was introduced, and then I switched to Patricia when Sam was upset that she didn't suspect her.

Regarding Thomas, I agreed with Sam that the killer was waiting in the house for John or came in quietly later with the key. Either of these scenarios would work for Thomas. If he came in when John was asleep, John would sit up to hug him. Everything indicates that John loved his son.

I didn't see a plot hole because they mentioned that there wasn't a struggle because he would be in shock after the dismemberment.

It would be easy for Thomas to sit next to John on the bed and dismember him, then jump up and stab him in the back. I didn't think twice about how he did it. He was so good at confusing his grandfather.

Robin wrote: "Maybe he woke up when Thomas entered the room, then sat up to talk to him.."

That seems the most plausible although I still think there would have been defensive wounds on his hands and arms at least.

Also, the ME said the dismemberment occurred before death and he would have been in excruciating pain. That suggests to me a lot of writhing around. There was no evidence of that in the scene description.

Thomas might have cleaned up but that goes against the idea that he was in a rage.

Lauren wrote: "Also, the ME said the dismemberment occurred before death and he would have been in excruciating pain. That suggests to me a lot of writhing around. There was no evidence of that in the scene description.
..."

Excellent point. I missed that completely.