The Lovely Bones Chapter 9 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • Susie's memorial service is tomorrow, two months after her death. Her Grandma Lynn, Abigail's mother, arrives tonight via limo from the airport. She's drinking champagne and wearing her mink coat.
  • Upon arrival, she calls for "stiff drinks" (9.5). Lindsey creeps away to hide, but Buckley is overjoyed.
  • Lynn is very concerned with fashion, thinness, and drinking.
  • Before the murder, she was considered the ultimate bad influence, but now she's a force pulling the numb family out of depression.
  • Right away she gives Abigail a makeover, and then teaches Lindsey to put on makeup.
  • Lindsey sleeps in her makeup so she can wear it to the memorial. When she wakes up, she goes to Susie's room to find something to wear.
  • Grandma Lynn comes in and finds her a dress, which happens to belong to Clarissa, and helps Lindsey with her makeup.
  • Samuel, his brother Hal, Len Fenerman, Clarissa and Brian, and Ruth are at the funeral.
  • Clarissa recognizes her dress on Lindsey, but doesn't say anything.
  • Ray Singh doesn't attend. He stays home looking at the studio shot Susie gave him before she died. He doesn't want to trap Susie by mooning over her picture, but doesn't want to destroy it.
  • So, he puts it in a book of Indian poetry, where he and his mom press flowers.
  • Near the end of the service Lynn looks over at the church door and sees a man standing behind Detective Fenerman. She points, saying, "By the door, that's him."
  • Lindsey looks at the man Lynn's pointing at. They make eye contact, and Lindsey feels a surge of recognition. Then she passes out.
  • While everybody gathers around her, George Harvey walks away.