K-9
The traumatic experience Bree and her siblings had in their childhood is also attached to her fear of dogs. In the narrative, the first instance she has with a dog as a detective evokes the memories which trigger a panic attack. She will have to revisit this dark past when she goes back to her hometown where she meets the K-9 handler Matt. Having to work alongside the K-9 Brody, Bree has to face her fears and in turn the traumatic memories. The service dog symbolizes the fear and the ordeal that she will have to overcome to move forward with her life.
Nature versus Nurture
After their father murders their mother and commits suicide, Bree and her siblings are separated from one another. Erin and her younger brother grow up separately from her and barely keep in contact in their adulthood. The incident impacted them differently with Bree becoming a homicide detective and never starting a family. On the other side, Erin got married and had children begging the question of nature versus nature. Their different lives become the focus as Bree investigates the murder of her sister in their hometown.
Grey’s Hollow
Bree returning to Grey’s Hollow triggers the painful memories that are made worse by the recent family tragedy. The town has troubling occurrences within the police force and the community that requires honorable officers to correct them. Grey’s Hollow becomes the epicenter of the crimes that detective Bree and Matt will have to solve. The place becomes her new home after feeling obligated to solve the homicide case and other criminal cases. As a Philadelphia detective, Bree will abandon her former post and town to settle in her birthplace as the new sheriff.
Homicide
The basis of the detective story is the homicide cases that require thorough investigation to find the truth. It consists mainly of police procedurals that range from seeking evidence to finding connections and narrowing down the suspects. Bree and Matt gather evidence through autopsies and objects from the crime scenes to solve Erin’s murder. Homicide is the main motif in the novel as it also opens with the murder of the protagonist’s mother.
Cross My Heart
The title of the novel references the saying “cross my heart (and hope to die)” which emphasizes honesty. When Bree heads to see the body of her dead sister she makes a promise to do the best for her kids. Afterward, she asserts “cross my heart” to assure her that she will do everything in her power to find the killer. The statement symbolizes her commitment to do right by her sister and the children she left behind.
