Two Can Keep a Secret

Mystery novels have a tendency to rely on stock characters—the plucky hero, the brooding teen, the suspicious authority figure, etc.—and Two Can Keep a Secret is no exception. How do the characters in this book fit into that tradition? What sets them apart?

In the closing chapters of the novel, it’s revealed that Katrin acted to protect her father after she discovered his involvement in Brooke’s disappearance, though Malcolm notes that she’s a victim of her father’s in her own way. Is Katrin a victim or a culprit? How does her portrayal in the novel reflect this role?

What is Ellery’s motivation for being so invested in the crimes of Echo Ridge? Do you think this motivation is resolved at the end of the novel?