Beck entering Joe’s bookshop
Joe seeing Beck is the opening scene of the book, as he is casually working in his bookstore, when this beautiful girl walks in. He instantly knows that she is someone he wants to get to know better, and actually date- which we later learn essentially means “own” in Joe’s world. This scene is special, as even though we get a glimpse into Joe’s head for the first time he seems completely normal, which shows how to rest of the world perceives Joe as well.
Joe killing Benji
Benji is Beck’s ex-boyfriend. He is a major playboy and doesn’t care for how Beck might feel knowing that he has cheated on her. Beck lets him step on her anyway and is aware that he is using her for sex alone. However, she wishes to be accepted and loved so much that she doesn’t stop him. When Joe sees this, he decides to kill Benji and the reader understands for the first time how insane Joe really is. It is one thing stalking a person, but cold-blooded murder is another level of psychopath.
A new girl entering Joe’s bookshop
Joe ends up killing Beck in self-defense, as he realizes, after killing all the people Beck loves and she realizes who he really is, that Beck is a lost cause. Therefore, she might be better of dead. Joe moves on from his obsession rather quickly and thinks of it as a loss of love instead of a devastating story, which is what it really is. This shows the total lack of empathy he has. Which further proves that the story is not over, and that he will keep on stalking, is when a new girl walks in, and Joe falls in love yet again.
