2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1 discussion

Dalmadge dies of a heart attack just as he’s confronted by Joe. Were you disappointed that he didn’t receive a different kind of justice? Why do you think Gerard decided to end him this way?

I would have liked to see him sent to prison. I'm not sure why the author decided to end the story with his death from a heart attack. Of course, it wasn't out of the blue. He had chest pains throughout the whole book.

Because of those chest pains, I knew he would die before being arrested. So, I thought about why for most of the book. I think Gerard wanted Joe to separate vengeance from justice, which he had to do when Dalmadge died in his arms. He even had to administer CPR. Joe had to let go and did, including all of his other baggage.

Good point, Jonetta. I hadn't thought of that.

The obvious health problems all through the book made me wonder what Dalmadge was thinking. He had to know he was not in good health. He should have folded and slinked off into the night like the weasel he really was. I figured he would die before being arrested too. The scandal it would have caused when his crimes came to light would have been awful for everyone involved.