The Therapist

Debbie invites Alice to move in with her until the tenants of the Harlestone cottage move out. The next day, Thomas calls Alice to check on how she is. He says he has his son Louis with him, as he and his former wife have alternate care of their child at weekends. Alice suggests that Nina’s murderer could have had a long hair “fetish.” Thomas agrees this is possible, pointing out that cutting off women’s hair has historically been used as a method of condemning perceived immorality. For example, French women who slept with German soldiers during World War II were punished this way. Thomas ends the call, telling Alice he has to read six-year-old Louis a bedtime story.

Researching hair fetishism, Alice discovers several French newspaper articles about a murder in Paris. In 2017, 31-year-old Marion Cartaux’s long blond hair was cut off before she was strangled. Meeting Eve for lunch, Alice tells Eve about the times she has woken up in the night, convinced someone is in the room. Eve reveals that Nina had the same experience on several occasions not long before she died. Alice realizes that the presence she felt may not be Nina’s spirit after all.

Concerned that someone is prowling the house at night, Alice books a room at a hotel nearby. She goes back to the Circle to collect some clothes. Alice notices that, once again, her shoes have been pushed aside at the bottom of the wardrobe. Remembering how she and her sister used to hide in wardrobes as children, she realizes that someone has disturbed her shoes while concealing themselves inside. Alice recalls the smell of aftershave and assumes Leo is the culprit.

Standing on a chair to reach a shelf in the wardrobe, Alice screams and falls when she finds a severed blond ponytail. She initially believes the killer must have stashed Nina’s hair there after murdering her. However, she soon realizes that the hair is synthetic and concludes that Leo put it there to frighten her. When Alice sends a text declaring, “the hair is pathetic!” (264), Leo curtly responds that he did not expect her to like it. In the kitchen, Alice notices more hair on the worktop. On closer inspection, she realizes that the loose blond strands are also synthetic. She assumes Leo is trying to scare her into leaving.

Alice moves into the hotel and calls Thomas. She tells him about Marion Cartaux’s murder and asks if the deaths could be related. Complimenting Alice on her detective work, he says he will get his team to investigate. He offers to come to the Circle the following day to update her.

The next day, Alice returns to the Circle to see Thomas. She bumps into Will, who suggests it is unsafe for her to stay in the house when both she and Nina sensed an intruder. Alice points out that Nina’s murderer was supposedly Oliver. However, Will admits that Alice’s questioning of events has made him believe the killer could still be at large.

Suspicious of Will’s motives, Alice says she is now convinced Oliver was guilty. She claims that her initial obsession with the case was motivated by a desire for attention from her new neighbors. 

Thomas arrives, claiming that Helen’s condition is worse. Showing Alice an old photograph of him and a young woman, he reveals that he once dated Helen, but they are now just good friends. Thomas says that he has no further information on the French murder but does not think the culprit was caught. Alice then tells him about the conversation she overheard between Eve and Tamsin. Alice suggests Tamsin may be feeding her “misinformation,” recounting her story about Connor trying to kiss Nina.

Thomas reveals that he and his wife divorced three years earlier. Alice tells the private investigator about her sister and how the loss motivated her to find out more about Nina’s murder. She also reveals that she is moving back to Harlestone the following weekend. Alice is pleased when Thomas implies he would like to continue seeing her.

Alice shares her theory that Leo has been prowling around the house at night, mentioning that Nina experienced something similar. She tells him about finding the blond ponytail and how Leo has been scattering hair everywhere. Alice admits she initially thought it was her own hair, as she suffered hair loss after her parents and sister died. When Thomas asks, she admits that this is why she wears her hair up. Thomas points out that Leo is an unlikely culprit and asks if anyone else has keys to the house. Unsure, Alice says she will ask Leo. Feeling a strong connection to Thomas, Alice is sorry when he leaves. She believes the attraction is mutual. 

Alice calls Leo, who denies visiting the house at night or any knowledge of the ponytail in the wardrobe. Alice argues that he admitted to planting the hair in order to upset her in response to her text. Leo explains he thought she was suggesting that his beard and shorter haircut were a “pathetic” attempt to impress her. Leo reminds Alice that, when they first moved in, he had the strong conviction there was an intruder in the house. He is alarmed by Alice’s revelation that she has sensed a presence on several occasions, and Nina experienced the same feeling. When Alice asks if anyone else has keys to the house, Leo recalls giving a set to Will. Alice ends the call abruptly.

Alice visits Eve’s house, discovering that Will, Tamsin, Maria, and Tim are also there. She claims that her friend Debbie is coming to stay, and she would like to give her the spare set of keys. Will seems unperturbed at the request but cannot find Alice’s keys. Meanwhile, Eve claims she did not know of their existence. Looking at the group of neighbors assembled in the kitchen, Alice realizes any one of them could have taken the keys.

Alice returns to the hotel. She speaks to Ginny, who says that Leo is worried about her. Alice dismisses his concerns, claiming he is exaggerating.

The therapist has a new, confident client and anticipates she will be a challenge. The therapy room has pale pink walls. The client seems unimpressed by the standard therapist jargon. She claims she has no problems but wants to experience what therapy is like. The therapist is disappointed when she reveals her marriage is a happy one. She also dismisses the Henry David Thoreau quotation as nonsense.

Alice checks out of the hotel and returns to the Circle. She decides that she will ensure her safety by staying awake all night. As she walks through the gated community, Tim watches from his window. Edward is in his garden, and Alice breaks the news that she will soon be moving away. Edward waves at Tim, whispering to Alice that she should not tell anyone when she is leaving.

Alice wonders if Tim is the murderer or if he innocently watches people due to his professional interest in psychology.

She recalls a news story about a possible murder victim who turned out to have run away with her therapist. Going online, she finds an article about Justine Bartley, a 31-year-old solicitor. Justine disappeared in Hampstead in 2016 and was reported missing by her husband. A friend then revealed that Justine was having marital problems and was in love with her therapist, Dr. Smith. Neither the therapist nor Justine were found, but the police concluded they had run away together. Like Nina and Marion Carteaux, Justine had long blond hair. Alice calls Thomas, suggesting that Nina and Justine could have been seeing the same therapist and were both killed by him. Thomas says he will look into it.

Alice receives an unexpected visit from real estate agent Ben Forbes. Referring to the layout changes Leo made, Ben hints that he would like to see the upstairs rooms. Alice tells him she is moving out, but Leo will be happy to show him at a later date. Soon afterward, Will comes by. He presents Alice with their set of keys, explaining they were buried under clutter.

Alice spends the night in the sitting room watching TV and dozing. She hears a noise and blocks the doorway with a table. Alice questions her ability to stay another week, admitting to herself that she wanted to solve Nina’s murder and see more of Thomas before she left.

When morning comes, Alice decides to return to Harlestone that day. Instinct tells her there is something out of place in the kitchen, but she cannot detect what it is. Alice realizes that the keyring Will returned does not include a key for the kitchen’s French windows. She calls Leo, who says there are only two keys for the French windows: one in the kitchen and a spare in the desk drawer of his study. Leo says that when he bought the house, Ben gave him all the keys in his possession. However, he admits that he did not change the locks on the French windows after buying the house. Alice suggests Ben could have kept a key and may be the intruder. Leo tells Alice she cannot continue making random accusations. However, she assures Leo that her investigations are over and she is leaving. 

Alice packs her clothes, remembering the disappearance of her sundress and other strange incidents. She calls Leo and asks him if he washed her sundress, placed their “New Home” cards face down, or left a white rose for her. Leo denies doing any of these things. He also claims he did not buy the champagne in the fridge. Alice realizes that the intruder has been leaving “calling cards.”

Alice messages Debbie to let her know she will arrive in Harlestone that evening. She also calls Thomas and tells him her theory that Ben Forbes could be the intruder. Thomas says he will come over before she leaves.

Ginny calls Alice, revealing Leo is researching Nina Maxwell’s murder and has also been trying to contact Ben. Alice meets Eve, Tamsin, and Maria for lunch and tells them she is leaving the Circle. When she asks about the identity of Nina’s therapist, Tamsin confirms the therapist was a man, but Nina never gave her his name. He came to Nina’s home on Wednesday afternoons when the rest of them were at yoga.

Alice becomes annoyed when Tamsin mocks her continued obsession with the murder. Alice reveals that she overheard Tamsin assert that Oliver was not Nina’s killer. Tamsin accuses Alice of inventing the gatecrasher at the drinks party for attention. In turn, Alice denounces the women for their lack of interest in seeking justice for Nina despite claiming to be her friends. Declaring that she was trying to find out the truth on behalf of Oliver’s sister, Alice storms out of the restaurant.

On the way back to the Circle, Alice receives a call from Thomas. He tells her that he has discovered Will Jackman was in Paris at the time of Marion Cartaux’s murder. Alice ignores repeated calls from Tamsin and Eve and does not listen to her voicemail. She waves to Tim, who is standing in his window.

While Alice is waiting for Thomas to arrive, Tim comes by to say that he does not know the name of Nina’s therapist. Alice keeps the chain on the door, claiming she does not have time to invite him in. She wonders if Tim was Nina’s therapist.

In the kitchen, Alice notices a photograph of Nina Maxwell has appeared on the fridge. She calls Thomas, and he reveals he has found evidence to support a conspiracy between Ben Forbes and Tim. Ben sold Nina and Oliver the house and also happens to be Tim’s friend. Thomas says he has called the police and instructs Alice not to let anyone else in until he arrives.

Alice realizes her mistake in telling everyone from the Circle she is leaving. Making sure all the doors are locked, she anxiously waits for Thomas. From the window, she watches Eve and Tamsin return to the Circle, deep in conversation. Standing outside, Tamsin calls Alice again. At that moment, the doorbell rings, and Alice lets Thomas in. When Alice observes that she did not see him approach via the square, he claims he walked around the Circle’s perimeter.

Tamsin continues to call, and Alice finally answers her phone while they wait for the police. Tamsin tells Alice that she knew Oliver well and he did not have a sister. She also suggests that the gatecrasher at the drinks party may be the murderer. Alice ends the call and claims she needs to text Leo to tell him what time she is leaving. She sends an urgent message asking Leo to find out if Oliver had a sister. Leo responds that he will try, also revealing that he has found out Ben did not sell the house to the Maxwells. Shocked, Alice tries to appear calm, placing her phone face down so Thomas cannot see the screen.

Alice tries to act naturally as she considers the possibility that Thomas could be the murderer. Meanwhile, Thomas says that he is looking forward to introducing Alice to Helen, and he would also like her to meet his parents. Alice realizes that the woman in the photograph with Thomas could be anyone. She also recalls that Thomas has always visited her on a Wednesday afternoon when everyone else is at yoga: the same time when Nina saw her therapist. Alice is suddenly certain that Thomas is the therapist.