Arrival in Herron Mills

Anna Cicconi, a Brooklyn teen with a troubled past, arrives in the elite Hamptons village of Herron Mills to nanny for the Bellamy family. She's determined to reinvent herself, leaving behind a history of partying and mistakes. The Bellamys' world is one of privilege and order, a stark contrast to Anna's chaotic home life. As Anna settles into her summer job, she's struck by the beauty and strangeness of her new environment, but also by a persistent sense of déjà vu. She's haunted by the feeling that she's been here before, even though she can't recall any specific memories of the place.

Doppelgänger in the Hamptons

Anna quickly learns that she bears an uncanny resemblance to Zoe Spanos, a local girl who went missing on New Year's Eve. The townspeople, especially children and shopkeepers, are startled by Anna's appearance, often mistaking her for Zoe. This resemblance is more than superficial; Anna feels a strange connection to Zoe, as if their lives are intertwined. The Bellamys admit Anna was hired partly because of this likeness, which comforted their daughter Paisley, who was once babysat by Zoe. Anna's sense of self becomes increasingly blurred as she's drawn deeper into Zoe's lingering mystery.

The Missing Girl's Shadow

The mystery of Zoe's disappearance permeates Herron Mills. Through conversations and a local podcast, Anna learns that Zoe was a beloved, high-achieving college student who vanished after supposedly heading to a party. The police initially treat Zoe as a runaway, but her family and friends insist she would never leave without a word. The case is cold, but the community's grief and suspicion remain raw. Anna's presence, as Zoe's lookalike, stirs up old wounds and new questions, especially as she begins to experience flashes of memories that don't seem to be her own.

Podcasting for the Truth

Martina Jenkins, a driven local teen and aspiring journalist, launches a true-crime podcast, "Missing Zoe," determined to uncover what really happened. Martina interviews Zoe's friends, family, and townspeople, exposing flaws in the police investigation and exploring theories ranging from runaway to foul play. The podcast becomes a sensation, drawing national attention and putting pressure on the authorities. Martina's relentless pursuit of the truth makes her both a hero and a target in the community, and her friendship with Zoe's younger sister, Aster, gives her unique access—and responsibility.

Confession Under Pressure

After a summer of mounting anxiety and fragmented memories, Anna is brought in for police questioning. Under intense, prolonged interrogation—without a lawyer or her mother present—Anna confesses to accidentally causing Zoe's death. She claims they were drinking together at Windermere, the Talbot family estate, and that Zoe fell from a balcony. Anna says she panicked, hid Zoe's body in a boat, and sank it in a nearby lake. But her confession is riddled with uncertainty, gaps, and "I don't remembers." The police, eager for closure, accept her story, but Anna's friends and even some locals sense something is off.

Summer of Secrets

As Anna awaits trial in juvenile detention, she's plagued by confusion and guilt. Her memories of New Year's Eve are hazy, and her best friend Kaylee insists Anna was never in Herron Mills that night. Anna's sense of reality fractures as she tries to reconcile her confession with what she actually remembers. Meanwhile, Martina's podcast gains traction, and new evidence emerges: Anna and Zoe had exchanged messages before Zoe disappeared, and Anna's memories of Herron Mills may be rooted in a forgotten childhood connection. The lines between truth, memory, and suggestion blur dangerously.

The Boyfriend Theory

Caden Talbot, Zoe's boyfriend, is scrutinized by both the police and Martina's podcast. Though he has an alibi for New Year's Eve, rumors swirl about his relationship with Zoe and a possible affair with another girl, Tiana. Caden's grief is complicated by guilt and suspicion, and he's further isolated by the town's subtle racism and the pressure of being a person of interest. Anna's interactions with Caden are fraught with tension, as she uncovers evidence of his secrets and wonders if he knows more than he's saying.

The Stable's Hidden Evidence

Anna discovers a hidden flash drive and an apology card in the Windermere stable, both linked to Caden and Zoe. The flash drive contains intimate emails and photos between Caden and Tiana, revealing that Zoe knew about the affair. Anna and Martina realize the flash drive was meant as a warning to Caden, but it also becomes a key piece of evidence. When the stable is mysteriously set on fire, Anna suspects someone is trying to destroy the truth. The fire marks a turning point, escalating the stakes and deepening the mystery.

Fire and Fallout

The stable fire draws police attention, but no one is charged. Anna's relationship with Caden deteriorates, and she becomes increasingly isolated. Meanwhile, Aster, Zoe's younger sister, is seen lurking around Windermere and acting erratically. Martina and Anna begin to suspect Aster knows more than she's letting on. The community's grief turns to anger as the investigation stalls, and Anna's mental state worsens under the weight of suspicion and her own unreliable memories.

Fractured Memories

Anna's sense of self shatters as she uncovers the truth about her connection to Herron Mills and Zoe. She learns that she and Zoe are half-sisters, sharing the same father, George Spanos. Childhood memories of summers in Herron Mills, long suppressed by her mother's secrecy, resurface. Anna realizes her memories of Zoe are real, but from early childhood, not the night of Zoe's disappearance. This revelation explains her uncanny familiarity with the town and her deep, inexplicable bond with Zoe.

The Sister's Guilt

After a series of confrontations and mounting evidence, Aster confesses to her role in Zoe's death. She admits to planting the flash drive in Caden's stable as a warning, never imagining Zoe would find it and drink the whiskey laced with her mother's painkillers. Aster panicked when she found Zoe dead, and in a desperate attempt to protect herself and her family, she staged Zoe's disappearance as a runaway, sinking her body in the lake. Aster's actions were driven by love, jealousy, and a tragic misunderstanding.

The Truth in Ashes

With Aster's confession, the pieces finally fall into place. Zoe's death was a tragic accident, the result of a toxic mix of alcohol and medication, not murder. Anna's confession is revealed as a product of police coercion, trauma, and her own fractured psyche. The stable fire, set by Aster to destroy evidence, is exposed. The community is forced to confront the consequences of their assumptions, the failures of the police, and the dangers of seeking easy answers in the face of complex truths.

The Real Anna Cicconi

Freed from detention, Anna returns home to Brooklyn, forever changed by her summer in Herron Mills. She grapples with the aftermath of her false confession, her rediscovered family ties, and the loss of Zoe. Anna's journey is one of self-forgiveness and healing, as she learns to separate her own story from the shadows of others. She reconnects with her mother, her friends, and the truth of her past, determined to move forward.

The Final Podcast

Martina's final episodes of "Missing Zoe" document the unraveling of the case, Aster's confession, and the community's reckoning. The podcast, once a tool for seeking justice, becomes a means of understanding, empathy, and closure. Martina reflects on the power and responsibility of storytelling, the limits of true crime, and the importance of listening to those most affected by tragedy. The podcast's legacy is not just in solving a mystery, but in giving voice to the silenced and the misunderstood.

Justice and Aftermath

In the aftermath, the Spanos family and the town of Herron Mills struggle to heal. Aster faces legal consequences but is shown compassion as a minor who made a terrible mistake. Anna, Martina, and the other young women at the heart of the story reckon with the trauma, guilt, and lessons of the summer. The novel ends with a sense of hope and renewal, as Anna prepares for college and a new chapter, determined to live her own life, not just as a shadow of Zoe Spanos.

Characters

Anna Cicconi

Anna is a seventeen-year-old from Brooklyn, desperate for a fresh start after a troubled adolescence. Intelligent but emotionally fragile, she's drawn to Herron Mills by a job and an inexplicable sense of déjà vu. Anna's resemblance to Zoe Spanos and her fragmented memories make her both a suspect and a victim in the unfolding mystery. Her journey is one of self-discovery, as she uncovers her true connection to Zoe and learns to trust her own story. Anna's psychological complexity—her guilt, confusion, and longing for belonging—drives the novel's emotional core.

Zoe Spanos

Zoe is the beautiful, high-achieving girl whose disappearance haunts Herron Mills. Seen through the memories and stories of others, she is both real and mythic—a symbol of lost innocence and the dangers lurking beneath perfection. Zoe's struggles with anxiety, her complicated relationships, and her secret knowledge of her boyfriend's betrayal make her a deeply human figure. Her accidental death is the tragic fulcrum around which the novel turns.

Martina Jenkins

Martina is a local teen journalist and podcaster, determined to uncover the truth about Zoe's disappearance. Her podcast, "Missing Zoe," is both a narrative device and a symbol of the power—and limits—of storytelling. Martina's friendship with Aster and her evolving relationship with Anna give her unique access to the case. She is both investigator and participant, forced to confront her own biases and the consequences of her pursuit.

Aster Spanos

Aster is Zoe's younger sister, fiercely protective and deeply affected by her loss. Her actions—planting the flash drive, lacing the whiskey, and ultimately concealing Zoe's body—are driven by love, jealousy, and a desperate need to control what she cannot. Aster's confession is the key to the novel's resolution, and her psychological unraveling is both heartbreaking and illuminating.

Caden Talbot

Caden is Zoe's boyfriend, a biracial Yale student caught between suspicion and sorrow. His complicated relationship with Zoe, his affair with Tiana, and his isolation in the wake of her disappearance make him a figure of both empathy and ambiguity. Caden's struggle with grief, guilt, and the town's subtle racism adds depth to the novel's exploration of privilege and prejudice.

Kaylee Harrison

Kaylee is Anna's best friend from Brooklyn, fiercely loyal but also blunt and unsentimental. She challenges Anna's memories and pushes her to confront the truth about New Year's Eve. Kaylee's own guilt over a friend's disappearance in Brooklyn parallels Anna's journey, highlighting the novel's themes of memory, responsibility, and the limits of friendship.

Max Adler

Max is a Brown graduate and minor love interest who becomes a person of interest in the case. His flirtation with both Zoe and Anna, his presence at key moments, and his self-serving behavior make him a classic red herring. Max's testimony ultimately helps clarify the timeline and exonerate Anna.

Meredith Talbot

Caden's mother, Meredith, is a once-vibrant woman now struggling with mental illness and the decline of the family estate. Her love for Zoe and her desire to protect Caden make her both a sympathetic and unsettling presence. Meredith's actions—her warnings, her isolation—reflect the novel's themes of family, loss, and the corrosive effects of secrets.

George Spanos

Zoe and Aster's father, and secretly Anna's biological father, George is a figure of both authority and failure. His inability to confront the truth about his past and his daughters' connections contributes to the novel's central tragedy. George's grief and guilt are palpable, and his eventual acknowledgment of Anna is both a moment of healing and regret.

Paisley Bellamy

The Bellamys' young daughter, Paisley, is both a source of comfort and a catalyst for Anna's involvement in the mystery. Her memories, observations, and emotional needs drive key plot points, and her innocence stands in stark contrast to the adult world's complexity and pain.

Plot Devices

Dual Timelines and Unreliable Narration

The novel alternates between "Then" and "Now," blending Anna's present-day experiences with flashbacks and podcast transcripts. This structure creates suspense and mirrors Anna's psychological state, as her memories are revealed to be unreliable, manipulated by trauma, suggestion, and suppressed truths. The reader is kept off-balance, forced to question what is real and what is imagined.

The True-Crime Podcast

Martina's podcast, "Missing Zoe," serves as both a plot device and a commentary on the ethics of true crime. It exposes the failures of the police, the dangers of public speculation, and the power of storytelling to shape reality. The podcast's transcripts provide exposition, multiple perspectives, and a sense of immediacy, while also critiquing the genre's limitations.

Doppelgänger Motif and Identity Confusion

Anna's resemblance to Zoe is both a literal plot point and a metaphor for the ways in which young women's identities are shaped, borrowed, and erased by others' expectations. The motif of mistaken identity, déjà vu, and suppressed childhood memories underscores the novel's exploration of selfhood, trauma, and the search for belonging.

Red Herrings and Misdirection

The narrative is filled with red herrings—Caden's affair, Max's flirtations, the stable fire, Anna's confession—that keep the reader guessing. Each apparent solution is complicated by new evidence, unreliable memories, and shifting perspectives, reflecting the complexity of real-life investigations and the dangers of easy answers.

Thematic Use of Setting and Symbolism

The Hamptons setting is both idyllic and menacing, a place of privilege hiding rot beneath the surface. Water—lakes, pools, the ocean—recurs as a symbol of memory, danger, and the unconscious. The Windermere estate, with its decaying grandeur and hidden secrets, embodies the novel's gothic undertones and the corrosive effects of secrets.

Analysis

I Killed Zoe Spanos is a sophisticated, psychologically rich mystery that interrogates the nature of truth, memory, and justice in the age of true crime. Kit Frick uses the conventions of the genre—missing girls, unreliable narrators, podcasts, and red herrings—not just to entertain, but to critique the ways in which stories are constructed, consumed, and weaponized. The novel's central mystery is less about "whodunit" than about how trauma, guilt, and secrecy can warp reality for both individuals and communities. By centering the voices of young women—Anna, Martina, Aster—the book explores the pressures of perfection, the dangers of being unseen or misunderstood, and the desperate need for connection and forgiveness. Ultimately, the novel argues that justice is not just about punishment, but about truth, empathy, and the courage to face the past, no matter how painful.

Last updated: May 15, 2025