Essay Questions

Why did the four Delaney siblings fear to report the disappearance of their mother?

The four Delaney siblings feared reporting the disappearance of their mother, Joy Delaney because they thought their father, Stan Delaney, would be the main suspect. Before her disappearance, Joy Delaney fought with her husband. The fight led Joy to flee her matrimonial home for three weeks. Joy sent her children an incomprehensible message. When the police started asking children about Joy’s whereabouts, they (children) were reluctant in giving out the information.

Describe how the themes of relationships and marriages are explored in this book.

The main characters in this book are all involved in certain types of relationships. Stan and Joy are married and have four children. The relationship between the two is cordial until they become retirees. When the couple engages in a fight, Joy flees and returns home after three weeks to sort out issues. The four Delaney siblings also face challenges in their relationships. For instance, Troy is a wealthy businessman but his wife divorces him due to infidelity. Logan’s girlfriend has left him accusing him of being too passive.

What was Savannah Pagonis’ motive when she asked for help to stay with the Delaneys?

Savannah Pagonis comes knocking to the Delaneys house claiming that she has ended up there randomly. She lies to the Delaneys that she has fought with her boyfriend and she needs help. However, after being investigated it was discovered that her real motive was to exact revenge against the Delaneys. Savannah has a food disorder and the Delaneys denied her food when she came for her brother Harry. As a result, she wanted to revenge for that day.