54 pages • 1 hour read
Megan MirandaA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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Prior to the start of Chapter 6, details about Farrah Jordan’s disappearance are supplied in a fact sheet. Farrah went missing on January 16, 2019. Her last known location is the Shallow Falls trailhead in Cutter’s Pass.
Trey and Abby find photographs on the flash drive, and Abby recognizes a stone structure near Shallow Falls in the pictures. Abby remembers the details surrounding the police investigation into Farrah’s disappearance. Farrah worked as a nature photographer. She was last seen at the trail’s entrance, but because she was not dressed for a hike and did not carry a backpack, police believe she never ventured onto the trail. However, the date and timestamp of the digital photos place Farrah near Shallow Falls on the day of her disappearance. Abby realizes that someone must have taken her camera for Landon to have found these photographs. Trey and Abby also read Landon’s unfinished article titled “A Notorious History” (the novel’s Prologue).
Trey believes that Landon hid this flash drive because he was in danger. He thinks someone harmed his brother and attempted to destroy all evidence of the crime (including Landon’s cell phone and notebook) but missed the hidden flash drive. Knowing only so many people have access to the rooms, Abby realizes that she, Georgia, and Celeste will be suspects if an investigation takes place. Abby offers to call Patrick and picks up the lobby phone, only to discover the phone line is down again. She makes a mental note to call Harris in the morning. Trey briefly considers contacting the FBI but decides to hike to Shallow Falls with Abby as planned. Abby feels insulted when Trey remarks negatively about the police search for Landon, as she knows how much effort went into the investigation. Simultaneously, Abby feels responsible for Landon’s disappearance and desperately wants to know what happened to him. She agrees to hike with Trey.
Unable to sleep, Abby investigates Cabin Three as it adjoins Cabin Four. Trey reported hearing scratching noises from Cabin Three the previous evening. Abby retrieves the key from the front desk and leaves from the back entrance to avoid triggering automatic lights. Since it’s pitch black, Abby relies on her memory while feeling her way across the rear patio to Cabin Three. She discovers the window and screen unlocked and ajar. Though out of character for Georgia, Abby suspects her of overlooking the unlocked window during her last cleaning, allowing an animal to enter and make noise. Abby hears Trey clean Cabin Four. She reflects on the loss of her mother 10 years prior when Abby was 18 years old, causing her to sympathize with Trey’s grief.
Early the following morning, as Abby prepares for her hike to Shallow Falls with Trey, Abby considers how infrequently she guides hikers compared to when she first arrived in Cutter’s Pass. She acknowledges a certain amount of fear she carries from the people who vanished on the same path. Typically, Abby depends on Cory or Jack to lead the Passage Inn’s guests on hikes. Abby’s hiking gear comes from the inn’s lost and found, including Abby’s backpack, which she has used for the past decade.
While hiking, Trey hypothesizes that the trail to Shallow Falls ties all the missing people together. Abby disputes this claim by explaining how most missing people were last seen in town. Aside from Farrah, it is impossible to confirm if they did enter the woods. Abby and Trey encounter Celeste on her morning hike. Celeste subtly warns Abby to be careful while warmly greeting Trey. Trey and Abby continue toward Shallow Falls, and Trey asks why Celeste feels safe hiking alone. Abby provides a brief history of Celeste: She and Abby’s biological uncle (Vincent) both dreamed of building the inn in Cutter’s Pass as they loved hiking the trails daily. People in town carry a high level of respect for Celeste, which extends to Abby. Abby remembers arriving in Cutter’s Pass shortly after her mother’s death and how Vincent passed away several years later. The townspeople warmed to Abby immediately for being associated with Celeste and shared stories with Abby about Vincent, illustrating their admiration and respect for the man.
As they approach Shallow Falls, Abby imagines the landscape in winter when Farrah took her final photos before disappearing. She realizes how visibility in the woods is enhanced during winter when the vegetation is dormant.
Unlike Celeste, Abby realizes how discomforted she feels about Shallow Falls after participating in the searches for the missing people. She remembers Cory making light of the situation and dismissing Abby’s more serious feelings by saying, “Baby’s first disappearance” (106). Abby sees a single red flower cut at the stem and laid intentionally by the water’s edge and several cairns (decoratively collected piles of rocks).
Trey shares more theories with Abby about the disappearances, including how the hikers continued past Shallow Falls and disappeared closer to the Appalachian Trail. Additionally, he retells legends about a man living alone in the woods who could be responsible for all disappearances. Abby refutes Trey’s speculation, and Trey asks Abby to share her theories about the disappearances. Abby hesitates to answer. If all the disappearances were unconnected, random fatal accidents, investigators would have most certainly found the bodies of at least some of the missing people. On the other hand, too much time has passed between the disappearances, and the people who went missing have no observable connection. Abby tells Trey that sometimes people disappear intentionally, but Trey does not believe Landon would hurt his family by vanishing without any explanation. He agrees to surrender Landon’s flash drive to Patrick. He and Abby agree that Landon hiding his flash drive proves he was in danger before disappearing.
Abby calls Rochelle and sets up an appointment with Patrick and Trey. Abby enters the inn’s lobby, discovering the phone line down and Georgia neglecting the front desk. She asks Georgia to cover the front for an additional hour before calling Harris about the phone line. Harris lives just outside Cutter’s Pass on his family’s land; he moved back to the area five years prior.
Cory startles Abby on the way to her room. He is in a storage closet clearing out Vincent’s boxes, a task assigned to him by Celeste. Abby shares her plans to help Trey, and Cory advises maintaining distance and not getting too involved in Trey’s investigation. Abby realizes how distracted she is by Cory’s arrogance. She recalls her initial attraction to him being born more out of desperation amid grief than natural desire. Abby knows Cory can be vulnerable and honest, but she has always observed him grow secretive when discussing the disappearances.
Abby drives Trey to the police station in the car Celeste gifted her 10 years prior. Abby remembers her sorrow when her mother’s car broke down shortly after moving to Cutter’s Pass. Celeste helped Abby to fill a void through her practical support and emotional guidance. Rochelle greets Trey and Abby, and Abby briefly remembers Rochelle’s theory about the missing people: She believes they fell into the ravine past Shallow Falls and that animals recovered their bodies.
Patrick leads Trey back to his office. Rochelle begins to caution Abby away from Trey, but Abby leaves the sheriff’s office as the phone rings. Rochelle typically treats Abby like an outsider, which Abby dislikes. Abby believes Trey can uncover the truth about the missing people, and she enjoys knowing about the flash drive before anyone else in Cutter’s Pass.
Abby drives to an outdoor adventure business in town per Georgia’s request. She books a horseback riding tour for guests with Sylvie, the owner’s daughter. Abby notices how young Sylvie looks, acknowledging Sylvie is now as old as Abby was when Abby first arrived in Cutter’s Pass. Sylvie asks about Trey, revealing how quickly word has spread about his stay at the inn.
When Abby relieves Georgia from reception, Georgia mentions a group of hikers who have not returned from Shallow Falls yet. The women commiserate about Cory’s presence at the inn. Harris arrives to repair the downed phone lines. Abby feels relaxed around Harris, seeing him as kind and helpful. Abby notices a beaded handmade bracelet with stars, and she asks after Harris’s three-year-old daughter, Elsie.
Abby leads Harris to the bottom floor, where he can access the junction box. They run into Cory as he finishes his work. Cory looks like he’s about to say something to Abby but stops himself upon seeing Harris. Cory and Harris do not get along, and Abby assumes this is because Cory is jealous of Harris’s steady job, marriage, and fatherhood. Harris does not request payment for his visit, telling Abby he only had to reconnect a cable and he happened to be driving past the inn anyway. Harris subtly suggests that someone, Cory, tampered with the phone line.
The group of hikers returns. One of the hikers has a badly cut knee, and Abby feels grateful that the woman was not hiking alone. Georgia arrives with groceries, and Abby proposes they keep track of anyone who accesses the basement. This suggestion startles Georgia. Patrick attends happy hour at the inn again. He dismisses the photographs, claiming they will not add anything to Landon or Farrah’s investigation. Abby tries to argue with Patrick, believing the pictures are significant, but Patrick leaves abruptly.
Abby recalls meeting Farrah briefly before her disappearance. Farrah stopped by the inn, asking questions about Alice Kelly and mentioning that she met her briefly years ago. Abby believed Farrah to be “nothing but [a] trauma tourist” and spoke politely but dismissively to Farrah, which she now regrets (146). Consequently, Abby feels determined to accept any inquiries at the inn, even if the decision makes her unpopular.
Abby looks at Farrah’s photographs again. She realizes the images lack intention, which is unusual for Farrah’s photography. Abby browses Farrah’s Instagram account, noticing a new commenter with the handle “AliceKellyWasHere” (149). Abby follows this account, learning that Alice’s sister, Quinn, manages the page. Abby discovers an older picture of Quinn preparing for a hike, and Abby identifies the backpack in the image as the same one she claimed from the lost and found 10 years ago.
Trey’s search for answers about Landon’s disappearance in Cutter’s Pass develops the theme of Closure Amid Loss and Grief. All other characters, Abby included, feel eager to uncover Trey’s purpose for being in Cutter’s Pass. Celeste advises Abby: “Family members […] put everyone on edge, more than most. They shook and rattled, driven more by desperation than logic. Compelled by something deeper” (37). Trey admits to having a tumultuous relationship with his brother and judging him harshly for his career choices. His presence in Cutter’s Pass and desire to uncover the truth about Landon highlight Trey’s grief and need for closure. Abby relates to his tremendous sorrow and loss when she reflects on her car shortly after arriving in Cutter’s Pass: “[M]y car, the very last thing that had once belonged to my mother, was dying. I didn’t want to admit it. Of all the things I had lost, the car shouldn’t have hurt as much as it did” (127). Abby dismisses Trey after he trashes Cabin Four; however, she accommodates his search for new evidence because she relates to his need to understand while grieving.
Celeste is no stranger to loss and grief. She finds closure in Abby for many reasons, primarily in dealing with losing her husband, Vincent. Abby reflects, “When I arrived, I could still see his shadow in everything. His loss was tangible in the things that suddenly fell to disrepair. Vincent came into focus in these gaps […] I grew into the places that Vincent had left vacant” (101). Abby and Celeste enter each other’s lives while struggling to make sense of a world without their closest family member. They depend on each other for practical reasons: Abby needs a home and a job, and Celeste needs a dependable manager for the inn. However, their bond is amplified by the care and understanding they show each other as a found family. Abby and Celeste share secrets while simultaneously hiding truths from each other. Later, when Celeste and Abby speak honestly with each other, their relationship will strengthen even further.
Miranda uses misdirection by having Abby characterize Harris as kind and trustworthy while misinterpreting Cory’s animosity with Harris. Abby considers Cory’s more manipulative nature while highlighting his relationship with alcohol: “This was how he got the tips. That gosh-darn attitude, I’ll tell you my secrets for a beer, friend. It wasn’t true. Cory Shiles would take his secrets to the grave” (24). In comparing Cory to Harris, Abby establishes that Cory can be crass, irresponsible, and brazen. These characteristics and the fact that Cory lived in Cutter’s Pass as an adult for most of the disappearances adds suspicion to his character. Meanwhile, very few details surface about Harris aside from the fact that he maintains a stable lifestyle for his small family. Miranda hides Harris and his connections to Alice, Farrah, and Landon behind Abby’s judgments of the other characters.
As a narrator, Abby maintains her own secrets and only reveals certain information as it becomes relevant. Abby admits regret in treating Farrah similarly to how the insiders of Cutter’s Pass treat outsiders, and she shows how this experience changed her outlook toward visitors of the town: “In the three years since, I’d gone to great lengths not to send anyone away who set foot in the inn” (147). Like the people of Cutter’s Pass, Abby guards her narrative. Abby feels reluctant to mention anything she knows about the missing people. She justifies withholding Farrah’s connection to Alice by protecting Celeste and the inn from negative media attention. Abby feels unsettled by her dishonesty and resolves to be more cooperative and indulgent with out-of-town guests. While her consideration for strangers elevates Abby’s morality, she continues to hide her ties to the Fraternity Four from the community members, like Cory and Rochelle, whose lives have been influenced by the disappearances.
By Megan Miranda
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