A Talent for Murder

Lily asks her parents if they know anyone at Shepaug University, trying to find sources of information about Josie Nixon. After inquiring further, Lily’s father gives her the name Libby Frost, who he says can probably be found at the local bookstore, Stone’s Throw.

Lily heads to Stone’s Throw and meets Libby, who immediately recognizes her. Lily casually asks her about the teacher-training conference at Shepaug, saying that the “husband of one of [her] dearest friends” had attended the conference (73). Unprompted, Libby brings up Josie’s suicide, asking Lily whether she’s heard about it.

Libby tells Lily what she knows about Josie: that Josie didn’t leave a suicide note; that she’d been looking for sexual partners at the conference; that her husband came to town insisting on an investigation, believing that Josie would never have died by suicide; and, finally, that Josie was naked when she jumped from the balcony.

At home that night, Lily researches everything she can find regarding Josie and her husband, Travis. She creates an Instagram profile of a fake investigative reporter and messages Travis, who’s been posting daily, trying to get justice for his late wife. Lily asks whether Travis will be available for an interview regarding Josie’s death.