61 pages • 2 hours read
Paula HawkinsA Slow Fire Burning
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2021A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Prologue and Chapters 1-8Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Prologue and Chapter 1 Summary
A woman named Irene is reading a novel. She reads a scene in which a frightened girl is attempting to run away from someone. As the girl runs through woods at night, her pursuer catches up to her. The girl is terrified because she has already witnessed the man hurting a friend of hers. As Irene reads the scene, she becomes irritated and dismissive of the novel, commenting “what utter drivel” (2).
The narrative shifts. A young woman named Laura is bleeding from a wound on her arm. She has just come home and phones her father and asks him to come over. Her father’s wife, Deidre, is suspicious; she and Laura have a tense relationship and dislike each other. Laura hangs up and becomes angry as she thinks about all the people who have been dismissive of her.
Chapter 2 Summary
In London, a woman named Miriam lives on a boat anchored in Regent’s Canal. Early one Sunday morning, she notices that the doors on the boat next to her own are open and goes inside to investigate. Inside, she finds the body of the young man who lives on the boat: His throat has been slit. Miriam calls the police, who come to the scene and question her. Miriam explains that while she lives on her boat permanently, most of the nearby boats are rented for only a few weeks. Miriam tells the police that she barely knew the young man, whose name is Daniel Sutherland.
The narrative reveals that Miriam is lying and has learned something of interest about Daniel’s identity. Daniel’s death presents Miriam with an opportunity: She notes that “now that he was dead, […], it felt as though this was all meant to be” (10). Miriam tells the police that an elegant older woman had visited Daniel several times. She does not tell him that when she found Daniel’s body, there was a key lying next to the body. Miriam stole this key as she recognized it as belonging to a woman named Laura whom she saw returning to Daniel’s boat with him the previous night. Miriam hides the key in her boat, unsure of how to use it.
Chapter 3 Summary
The police go to the home of Carla Myerson, Daniel’s aunt, and break the news to her that her nephew is dead. In shock, Carla notifies her husband, Theo, who does not live with her. While she waits for Theo to arrive, Carla explains that her sister, Angela, (Theo’s mother) died only a few weeks earlier. Carla has been clearing out Angela’s home and last saw Daniel there when he went to retrieve some old books and sketches.
Theo arrives, and the police explain to Theo and Carla that Daniel had likely been dead for between 24 and 36 hours when Miriam found his body. They believe he was killed sometime between Friday evening and Saturday morning. Carla and Theo explain that they were not close with Daniel or Angela and rarely saw them. Daniel’s father is not suspected because he has never been involved in Daniel’s life. They don’t know how long Daniel had been living on the boat or why he moved there. The police note that the lack of communication is interesting given that Daniel’s boat is located quite close to where Theo and Carla live.
Theo abruptly recalls that, early on Saturday morning, he saw a young woman walking on the path outside of his house with blood on her face and clothing. He didn’t think much of this sighting at the time although Carla seems shocked that he didn’t mention it to her. Carla and Theo explain that although they live separately, they still have a romantic relationship. Carla spent Friday night at Theo’s home and was still asleep when Theo saw the young woman.
When the police mention that the woman who found Daniel’s body is named Miriam Lewis, Theo is distressed, and Carla notices that “the color drain[ed] from Theo’s face as [the detective] went on” (19).
Chapter 4 Summary
The police arrive at Laura’s home to question her; she is immediately suspicious and defensive because she has had a history of altercations and minor criminal offenses. Laura reflects that “it’s not like this was her first time in trouble” (20). The police comment on an injury on Laura’s arm, and she explains that when she returned to her home on Friday night, she could not locate her keys. She broke the window to get in and cut her arm in the process. The police also comment on Laura’s limited mobility: She explains that she was hit by a car as a child, and her movement has been impaired ever since. The police note that Laura lives in a somewhat squalid setting and clearly does not have much money.
The police bring up Daniel, and Laura hastily assumes that Daniel has lodged a complaint against her; she becomes defensive and says that Daniel “started it.” Laura is surprised when the police instead explain that they found her fingerprints when searching Daniel’s boat. Laura explains that she went to Daniel’s boat and had sex with him on Friday night. Laura and Daniel met because Laura sometimes helps an elderly woman named Irene who lives in the apartment next to that of Angela, Daniel’s late mother. After Laura and Daniel had sex, he became cold and cruel towards her; they had an altercation, but Laura is vague about the details. She is shocked when the police tell her that Daniel is dead and that his body was found early on Sunday morning. Since Daniel died some time between Friday evening and Saturday morning, his death overlaps exactly with the time that Laura was with him.
Laura anxiously denies having anything to do with Daniel’s death; she states that after they argued, Daniel walked out and left her alone on the boat. The police notice Laura’s bloodstained shirt and a watch that belonged to Daniel. Laura admits that she stole the watch hoping to hurt and annoy him. The police explain that they are going to take Laura into custody for further questioning, take DNA samples to compare to the crime scene, and get a warrant to search her apartment. Laura broods on the negative impression that many people form towards her and on her memory of her anger and hurt when Daniel lashed out at her.
Chapter 5 Summary
At the police station, an officer collects DNA samples from Laura. Laura reflects on how her stepmother, Deidre, often taunted her and said cruel things when Laura was a girl. Laura was hit by a car when she was10 years old, spent time in a coma, and had a lengthy recovery process. The resulting brain injury left her with difficulties with memory and impulse control. As the police question her, it is clear that they think Laura’s disability makes her more likely to have killed Daniel. Laura admits that she became very angry with Daniel and wanted to hurt him: she states, “I wanted to rip his fucking throat out” (37).
Chapter 6 Summary
While Irene is waiting for Laura to arrive, she looks through a box of books, many of which are mysteries and crime novels, that belonged to Angela. Irene has already read most of the books, but she likes looking at them because Angela has included notes and underlined passages indicating her response to the books. As a result, “when you read a book that had previously been owned and read by Angela Sutherland, you became part of a conversation” (41).
As Irene wonders why Laura hasn’t come, she turns on the radio and hears mention of the murder of Daniel Sutherland. Alarmed, Irene decides to go out and buy a newspaper to learn more. As she has grown older, Irene has become more and more isolated; she thinks that people unfairly assume she is senile because she is elderly.
The newspaper doesn’t contain any information about the murder. Feeling reassured, Irene goes back home and thinks about how her life has changed since the death of her beloved husband, William. She also recalls the day when she first met Laura. Irene had accidentally locked herself out of the house in freezing weather and was calling for Angela to come and let her in. Laura was passing by and noticed that Irene was cold and distressed. Laura began trying to help Irene and noticed that there was something strange about Angela’s residence. Laura eventually got Irene inside and phoned the police to tell them to check on Angela’s house. Laura departed, and when the police arrived, Irene watched them enter and inspect Angela’s house. Eventually the police came to tell Irene that Angela was dead: She fell down the stairs and had been lying dead there for some time.
Irene feels guilty that she didn’t realize anything was wrong at the time, and she is suspicious about the death, even though the police ruled it accidental. Because Angela was an alcoholic, it was plausible that she fell, but Irene remembers seeing Angela speaking with a man and crying a few weeks prior to her death. These memories are hazy and don’t provide any details about the man other than that he had a dog. Irene is struck by the possibility that Angela’s son died only eight weeks after his mother.
Chapter 7 Summary
Theo and Carla enjoy a quiet morning together at Theo’s home. Theo discusses his unhappiness with feedback he has received from his editor, and wonders about whether his lost dog might still return home: The dog has been missing for six weeks, so Carla does not think that it is likely. The narrative shifts to provide history about Carla and Theo’s relationship: After they had been married for a few years, Theo published his first novel, which was very successful. He was working on a second when Carla gave birth to their son, Ben.
When Ben was three, Carla had to go away for a brief business trip; Theo initially suggested that he and Ben accompany her, but Carla did not like the idea. Then, Theo proposed that Ben stay with his parents so that he and Carla could go away as a couple. Carla was concerned about the logistics of the plan and decided that Ben should stay with Angela instead. While Carla and Theo were away, Ben died in a tragic accident at Angela’s home: He had fallen through the broken railings on a dilapidated balcony, even though Angela was usually very careful to close the door the led to the balcony. Daniel, who was eight at the time, saw his cousin fall and called for help.
In the aftermath of the accident, police established that Angela was asleep when Ben fell. Theo was quick to assume that Angela must have been drunk, and he confronted Angela, making it clear that he blamed her for Ben’s death. Theo and Carla also blamed themselves for the decision to leave Ben; since his death, “their hearts were broken, shattered forever, and no amount of love, no matter how deep, how fierce, would be enough to mend them” (61).
Chapter 8 Summary
Eventually, the police let Laura leave the station. Exhausted, hungry, and fearful, she goes home to her flat, where she recalls her childhood: After growing up working-class in London, she and her parents moved to a country town in Sussex. Laura was happy in her new town, but her mother was unhappy and distained her husband for having given up his artistic ambitions to pursue more stable work. After a few months, Laura’s mother, Janine, began to take art classes and seemed to become much happier. One snowy January day, Laura was riding home from school on her bicycle when she was struck by a car not far from her home. Janine was close enough to see the accident happen but not close enough to save Laura. Laura largely recovered but was never the same: “she was slower, angrier, less lovable” (67).
Back in the present day, Laura goes to her job at the laundromat, and her boss is angry that Laura missed her previous shift. She fires Laura without letting her explain. This news is devastating because Laura is already in a financially precarious situation. Laura returns home and calls her mother, who is on vacation in Spain. When Laura asks Janine for money, Janine is hesitant to give her any and seems preoccupied with her husband, Richard. In despair and frustration, Laura calls her father and leaves him a message explaining what has happened.
Chapters 1-8 Analysis
The plot of A Slow Fire Burning revolves around the central mystery of Daniel Sutherland’s murder. The discovery of Daniel’s body kicks off the inciting action of the plot and begins the suspense arc that will drive the plot forward. The discovery of “the boy—not a boy, young man, really—lying on the floor, blood everywhere, a wide smile carved into his throat” (8) leaves no doubt that Daniel was murdered. The word choice of “carved” implies both intentionality and brutality on the part of the murderer, while the metaphor describing the fatal wound as a “wide smile” ironically juxtaposes ideas of joy with a scene of grotesque violence.
While Daniel’s death is clearly murder, the death of his mother, Angela, adds a secondary, interrelated mystery. Angela’s death is potentially suspicious but could be accidental: Irene reflects that “mother and son, eight weeks apart?” seems entirely too coincidental. Angela’s death introduces the theme of The Loneliness and Alienation of Marginalized Individuals; Angela was quite isolated as an older, single woman without much money. Her history of alcohol addiction further stigmatizes her and makes it more likely that her death would be written off without a thorough investigation. As Irene recalls, the police “didn’t seem interested. Angela was an alcoholic. She drank too much, she fell, she broke her neck” (50). By contrast, everyone is very interested in Daniel’s death and in uncovering an accurate narrative of what happened. This juxtaposition reflects differences in positionality and social capital: As a young man, Daniel is more important than an older woman, and thus his death is considered more compelling.
The novel is told from alternating points of view, providing insights into the minds and experiences of different characters. The omniscient narrator has access to the inner thoughts and feelings of multiple characters and can reveal, for example, that Laura “had taken the watch out of spite, yes, but strangely out of hope, too” (31). The admission that Laura wanted to see Daniel again is not something she would admit out loud, however, having access to this interiority makes Laura a more complex and sympathetic character. The omniscient narrator allows for the development of multiple characters’ points of view since there is not a clear singular protagonist.
In the initial chapters of the novel, the alternating points of view introduce a cast of characters who all have a connection to Daniel. Because of this connection, all of them will play some role in the murder investigation and have some stake in the resolution of the crime. Their shared connection also implies that one of them is the killer. Incriminating details surface around multiple characters: Laura’s injury when she arrives home echoes the state in which Daniel’s body is found, hinting that she might be either a killer or a victim herself. Theo is also subtly incriminated through his connection to Angela and his son’s death. Theo owns a dog, which resonates with Irene’s recollection of a man with a small dog visiting Angela, and Theo’s dog “went missing six weeks ago” (53), two weeks after Angela’s death. Timing is an important factor in mysteries since it reveals key details, and the opening chapters are specific about the timelines around Angela and Daniel’s deaths. Laura was with Daniel right before he died, and Theo had his dog prior to Angela’s death.
While details of past events and potential connections between characters emerge in this section, readers also learn of older traumas and losses. These plotlines add additional complexity to the characters and their possible motivations for committing a violent crime. Laura’s troubled history includes “public intoxication, petty theft, trespass, vandalism, disorderly conduct” (20) as well as “impulse control problems [that mean] you can’t help yourself, you lash out at people, you try to hurt them” (37). The language of “hurting people” is ambiguous as to whether it refers to verbal or physical assaults. This context, as well as Laura’s own admission of the anger she felt towards Daniel and her presence at the crime scene make her guilt plausible. However, this context also shows that Laura is an easy target and that it is convenient for the police to pin her as a possible suspect.
As Hawkins establishes the cast of characters, a strong focus on marginalized and disempowered women emerges. Laura is physically and psychologically impaired as a result of the injuries she suffered during her accident. Irene’s elderly age makes people quick to dismiss her; she reflects wryly that “young people made assumptions […] they assumed you were deaf, blind, weak” (43). While a friendship between Irene and Laura might seem unlikely, Laura’s experiences as a person with a disability may give her insight into how Irene faces ageism and stigma. Miriam notes that she is often perceived as a “fat old spinster […]” (9), which makes her uninteresting and easy to dismiss.
All three women live alone and have few relationships: Irene is widowed, Laura has a strained relationship with her parents, and Miriam lives on a houseboat full time. None of them has children, and importantly, all three of them experience financial precarity. Laura, in particular, is vulnerable because of her lack of financial stability; when she loses her job, “she had seven pounds and fifty-seven pence in her bank account […] all she had in the world” (68). The hyper-precise accounting shows just how aware Laura is of her financial precarity; while contemplating her lack of funds and the risk of becoming homeless, Laura vomits, showing the real terror she feels.
Hawkins plays with the stereotypes the women face when Carla remarks to Theo, “a woman without a man or a child or a puppy to love, she’s cold, isn’t she? Cold and tragic, in some ways dysfunctional” (55). Carla is advising Theo on how to make a character in his latest novel more sympathetic, but the dialogue is metafictional since Hawkins has herself introduced a number of female characters who lack these socially sanctioned markers of appeal and therefore may be seen as capable of murder.
In contrast, Carla is beautiful, elegant, wealthy, and in a long-term romantic relationship. When Miriam describes Carla to the police, she states that Carla “looked expensive” (10). The statement makes clear a connection between class and beauty; it costs money to meet the aesthetic standards the social world of the novel largely demands. Carla’s poise and elegance contrasts with Laura’s lack of self-regulation and foreshadows a central irony: Laura tells the truth throughout the novel but is viewed as suspicious because her transparency leads her to revealing information that casts her in a negative light. Carla, on the other hand, avoids suspicion because she can more smoothly perform social roles and expectations, particularly around class and gender, but this very quality makes it easy for her to lie and cover up the crime she has committed.
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