Throughout the novel, many characters tell lies that on the surface seem suspicious, but they are often intended to cover up something unrelated to the Hadler crime. Describe the lies told by major characters in the novel and the motives behind the lies. What secrets were Luke and Falk keeping? What secret did Grant and Deacon keep? What lies did Gretchen and Jamie tell, and why? How did these lies change characters’ actions and mislead Falk’s investigation?

Teaching Suggestion: Consider allowing students to discuss the prompt in small groups. Suggest that they list all the major characters in the novel and then list the lies each character told and why. Finally, ask students to describe how each lie hindered Falk and Raco’s investigation.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students with special considerations, consider allowing them to pick two to three characters instead of assessing all the characters in the novel. These students may also benefit from the use of a graphic organizer to record and organize details as they identify them.

Character Name - Character 1, Character 2, Character 3

Lies

Motive Behind Lies