One by One

“I gaze up at the gray sky through the glass roof above, watching as the snowflakes come spiraling down. The sky is the exact color of Will’s eyes.”

This segment of the novel establishes Erin as the novel’s other narrator and contains two examples of foreshadowing. First, she references the snow, which featured heavily in the first two chapters. Second, she discusses Will, though at this point the reader does not know who he is or why the color of his eyes is so important. This passage ultimately reveals Erin’s grief without fully exploring why she is grieving.

“She reminds me of a bird too, but not a fluffy little chick. There is nothing cute about her. This woman looks more like an owl—a hunted, panicked owl caught in the headlights of an oncoming car.”

This is part of Erin’s first impression of Liz, made when the Snoop group first arrives at the ski chalet. When she initially sees Liz, Erin does not believe her to be a threat and notes that she seems out of place, underestimating her.

“Only one thing is out of place—the thin, pink tracing of a long scar that runs right across her cheekbone, disappearing into her hair. It stretches as she smiles at me, and I’m… surprised, I suppose.”

Liz notes the distinctive scar on Erin’s face, which Erin does not cover with makeup. In many ways, this scar is the physical embodiment of Erin’s grief and guilt over the death of her brother and boyfriend. It is a permanent reminder of the incident and reflects how Erin is trapped by the past, unable to move on.

“But that’s what they always say! [...] ‘Oh, just wear whatever you want,’ and then when you turn up there’s some secret dress code that everyone seems to know apart from me.”

This quote embodies Liz’s discomfort with the rest of the Snoop staff and with socialites in general. It also reinforces her perception that she does not belong here. When she shares this concern with Erin, she receives comfort and pity, which helps further establish that she is out of place and therefore not a threat.

“Suddenly I know what this is. I know what is happening. This is an ambush. No. That’s not the right word. This is a coup.”

Liz observes Eva preparing the group for a surprise presentation. So far in the novel, the only tension among the Snoop staff seems to be directed at Liz because of her sense of unbelonging. Now, however, the reader learns there is something brewing beneath the surface. It is later revealed that this ski retreat was organized to discuss a buyout offer, but the team is split on whether to accept it.

“There are twelve million reasons to vote with Eva. She doesn’t need to make it twelve million and one.”

Liz reveals the stakes underlying this corporate buyout discussion. She owns 2% of the voting shares, which is worth more than £12 million in the buyout deal. This knowledge provides a significant motive for many of the characters because there is a large payday on the line for all those with ownership stakes in Snoop.

“When my alarm goes off, I struggle up out of a deep, disturbing dream—a nightmare of digging, digging, digging through hard-packed know, my hands numb with cold, my muscles shaking, hot blood running down my neck. I know what I’m going to find—and I’m both yearning for it and dreading it.”

This information hints at Erin’s difficult past and her history of being trapped in the snow. Though the reader does not yet know that Erin survived another avalanche, this is a prime example of how her trauma still haunts her after three years. This passage also emphasizes nature’s ubiquitous presence in the novel, as the snow pervades Erin’s dreams.

“And as I step inside the terminal building and the bubble lift doors open, a sense of peace enfolds me. I know what I have to do, and it’s going to be okay. Everything’s going to be okay.”

In the context of this scene, it appears that Liz is having a panic attack about skiing down the difficult conditions at the top of the mountain. However, with the knowledge that Liz is the murderer and an awareness her crimes, it becomes evident that this is the moment she decides to kill Eva. Having spotted Eva ascending the mountain, she places herself in a perfect position to target the woman and remove the threat of blackmail. This exemplifies how Liz is an unreliable narrator, as she selectively divulges information to hide the truth.

“I saw her, when we were coming up in the bubble. It goes right over that black piste—the really steep one […] She stopped for a second on the ridge and kind of raised her hand, waving at me. And I realized, it was Eva […] I recognized her red jacket.”

This piece of dialogue comes from Ani, who tells the group that she saw Eva skiing down La Sorcière. It is a pivotal moment in the plot because it establishes that Eva is missing and plants key information to confuse the others. The reader later learns that it is Liz in the red ski jacket, which she purchased to stoke confusion about her identity after killing Eva. It also paints Ani as a target for later retribution because she stands as a key witness.

“That noise—that horrific, deafeningly soft roar that has haunted my dreams for three years—for a moment I thought it was some kind of flashback, like PTSD. And then I glanced over my shoulder and it was real. A wall of white engulfing the valley. And the strange thing was, I felt nothing but peace, as it came towards me.”

This moment further reinforces the trauma that Erin has lived through and her struggle to overcome it. When she experiences the second avalanche, she can hardly believe it is real. She lives with survivor’s guilt because she was the only one to make it off the mountain three years prior, which is why she feels at peace when she sees the avalanche coming toward her. Part of her thinks that she deserves to be buried in the snow like Will and Alex.

“Eva is dead. I don’t know how the word gets out, but once the whispers start they are like frost creeping across a window.”

In addition to containing a simile that is appropriate for the setting, this quote from Liz is phrased in a way that does not betray her involvement in Eva’s death while also not arousing suspicion in the reader. It is another example of Liz’s unreliable narration, withholding information to hide her guilt.

“When my father said it, there was only one answer you were allowed to give: No, Daddy. And then get out of the way as fast as possible, before the blow landed.”

This quote further establishes Liz as a victim of past abuse, exposing more of her history. There are similar snippets throughout the book, which paint Liz in a sympathetic light that deflects any suspicion about her involvement in the murders, distancing her from the crimes she has committed.

“Everyone has been thrown off-kilter by the strangeness of our setup here. Are we fellow survivors, or still holidaymakers and staff? [...] Someone needs to be in charge, and to be perfectly honest, I’d prefer it if that someone were me, not Topher.”

Just as the avalanche buried the paths to town, it also buries the socioeconomic boundaries between the characters. Erin internally struggles with the division of labor and behavior of the group following the avalanche. In attempting to establish new boundaries with the others, she steps into a position of authority to help handle the situation, inverting the prior social and power dynamics.

“‘We tell them the truth,’ Danny says […] ‘We’re the only people who can’t possibly be suspected. We didn’t know any of them before they came here. We weren’t up on that mountain.’”

Following Elliot’s death, Danny and Erin have an intense confrontation about whether to tell the others about their suspicions. This places them in a unique position of power because they hold the truth in their hands. Ultimately, Danny convinces Erin to share the truth, citing their indisputable innocence and the importance of honesty.

“We heard his end of the conversation, yes. But how do we know he actually made the call? I mean it’s a but suspicious full stop that he managed to get reception when none of the rest of us did.”

Erin overhears Rik talking to Miranda, expressing his concern over Inigo’s effort to contact emergency responders. This quote showcases how paranoia is settling in among the inhabitants of the chalet. Additionally, it contains a red herring, pointing suspicion at Inigo.

“Oh God. My stomach is churning with unease. I have a horrible feeling that what Ani can’t remember may be very, very important. It might be the clue to the killer’s identity. It might be the one thing that gives them away.”

The night before Ani is murdered, she seeks out Liz, imploring that she sleep in the same room as someone else to stay safe. It is in this private discussion that Ani realizes she never saw Liz descend on the bubble lift, thus implicating her in Eva’s murder. When Liz speculates on what Ani knows, her thoughts are phrased in a way that makes it seem like Liz is frightened of being hurt. In reality, Liz is afraid that Ani has realized something that proves her crime.

“I’m saying, this isn’t the first time our little Erin has been involved in a fatal skiing accident.”

Topher exposes Erin’s history, showcasing the group’s rising paranoia. Erin has no reason to target anyone at Snoop and could not have caused the avalanche that has trapped them in the chalet, but logic is pushed aside in favor of fear. While Topher’s speculations are eventually rebuffed, it is evident that high tensions are causing the group’s relationships to fragment.

“Owls are not slow. They are fast—lightning fast. And they are not confused. In their own element—the dark—they are swift and merciless hunters.”

When Erin thinks of Liz as an owl earlier in the novel, this characterization is presented as sympathetic. After Erin begins to suspect Liz of murder, the author revisits this description, framing Liz as dangerous, like a predator. This sparks worry for Erin because of her entrapment, her injury, and her isolation with Liz.

“In a way, it is a relief to have it out in the open. I could tell there was something wrong, and I have always hated trying to read between the lines […] Now we both know where we are. Which is a relief. But it is also a problem. Because I liked Erin. No, that’s wrong. I shouldn’t be using the past tense. Not yet.”

Liz, now revealed to be a murderer, speculates about Erin’s fate as she begins to tell her story. This moment shows how much Liz has struggled to connect to others and the importance of her connection to Erin. The suspense of this moment heightens the rising action because the reader knows Liz has the means and capability to kill Erin.

“No. She needed to make herself safe forever. She needed to get rid of the person who started all this, the only person who knew her secret. She needed to kill Eva.”

Erin understands Liz’s motive for killing Eva and, subsequently, Elliot and Ani. Hearing Liz’s story from Erin’s perspective allows the reader to understand the complexities of the situation while also clearly understanding the line Liz has crossed.

“But it’s not a run so much as an obstacle course—a twisting, turning slalom of boulders and tree trunks, hard enough to navigate in the daylight, let alone with no light but the moon.”

This description of the Secret Valley off-piste trail highlights the danger Erin faces and the high stakes of the climax. If Erin stays at the chalet, Liz will surely kill her, but attempting to flee is also extremely hazardous. This is yet another moment where dual conflicts are at work—man versus nature as well as man versus man.

“And suddenly, out of nowhere, I am hit with a sickening, jolting flashback—the most vivid I’ve had since those first, awful days when I woke up sweating every morning, fresh from a relived nightmare […] I’m not sure if it’s pain, or exhaustion, or the memory of Will’s and Alex’s deaths that’s getting to me the most. Maybe it’s all three. But I can’t allow myself to rest. I can’t.”

To survive, Erin must confront her past as she attempts to dig herself free of the snow and continue skiing down the Secret Valley trail. As her past collides with her present, she finds the strength to overcome her guilt. Erin experiences a powerful moment of growth and, as a result, survives the ordeal.

“Because here’s the thing. They are all right. Liz was a victim. And just like she said, she never wanted any of this. She was just a poor, confused kid, in the wrong place at the wrong time. But I can’t forget that second, extra pus. And I can’t forget little, trusting Ani. Perhaps Liz was both.”

Erin speculates on the dual nature of Liz—how she is equal parts victim and assailant. The author underscores the complexity of human beings here, noting that Liz’s actions are not excused by her past while also providing perspective as to why she acted the way she did.