Are all the mysteries, in fact, explained at the end?

Are all the mysteries, in fact, explained at the end? Are there things that still puzzle you?

I am still puzzled about the murder and the reason behind it. I have some questions about the medal and also the money that was stolen. The ending was a surprise that wasn't fully believable.

I tend to agree. I loved this book and felt the pain of a slowly deteriorating mind but I have never understood murder committed because someone was going to reveal something. It isn't something I can wrap my mind around

I felt that we never really cleared up what the son was up to.

I felt that after all the build-up, the murder and the reasons for it were a little of a letdown. Definitely not the book's best driver. Also the way in which the reveal happened felt rushed and out of sync with the rest of the plot's movements.

I agree that the ending seemed hurried and the motive for murder appeared vague and insubstantial. I also think that Mark's role was left hanging....what happened to his need for more money? Was he gambling? An alcoholic? Or just irresponsible?

I (retroactively) figured Mark was a red herring, his money troubles more obvious than whatever issues his sister may have had. It did seem possible that Fiona would have impulsively lashed out and accidentally killed someone--and it did seem entirely in character for Amanda to judge others harshly and seek to bring them down for their perceived sins. Ultimately the ending worked for me because it seemed to be more about a mother protecting her child, even if it's with the final act of her disintegrating mind, than the murder itself.

As I see it, this was not really a murder, but an accident brought on by Fiona being distraught over Amanda's threats to reveal how James got his money. I'm not sure that Mark's outcome is all that important; I agree with Erin that he was a "red herring"--I did suspect him of foul play may times throughout the book. I have thought about Fiona's future, how she would spend the rest of her life, dealing with what she did to Amanda and what she let her mother do for her.

Lack of resolution of some of the 'mysteries' made the story more tantalizing (instead of frustrating); in some ways, like the rest of the relationships in the book, the 'mysteries' were fragmented memories.

While I agree that the end seemed rushed or even forced, it seems to me that life often doesn't answers all our questions and we are left wondering.

Since the story's told through the perspective of someone with dementia I'm not completely surprised some loose ends were left hanging. Normally this would bother me to no end but for whatever reason it just didn't in reading this particular novel. Mark is the one I'm left wondering about, though. My impression is he was a real snake, taking advantage of his mother's disease in order to squeeze money out of her. I greatly disliked him.

I agree that we never really got to understand what the son (Mark) was up to.

However, I don't feel like we were really left completely hanging at the end.

I agree with the comments on the rushed ending. I think it was an accident and I also wonder how Fiona will deal with this the rest of her life. Mark - ? I guess that is a loose end, but never gave it much thought.

The surgical removal of fingers - not! This never seemed real to me - to contrived - hand surgeon, best friend, murdered, no memory... weak link in book - but I keep saying -- the murder could have used so much more effectively. Wish it had been!

I also agree with the comments on the rushed ending. However, it didn't upset me, I guess because of the dementia premise. My understanding was not only was Amanda going to reveal where the money came from...but that this would result in those funds being lost, and then either her having responsibility for taking care of her mother OR not having the money when her mother was gone. The whole issue with the medal was a bit spotty, as well.