Escape in the Night

Jasmine, a forty-four-year-old waitress in Wisconsin, orchestrates a tense, clandestine escape from her abusive boyfriend, Glenn. After years of manipulation, violence, and isolation, Jasmine has been quietly saving money and plotting her departure. She drugs Glenn to ensure he sleeps through her exit, packs only what she can carry, and slips out into the freezing night, her heart pounding with both fear and hope. Jasmine's past is marked by neglect and trauma, from a loveless childhood to a string of failed relationships, culminating in Glenn's suffocating control. Her only ally is Anna, a loyal friend who helps her navigate technology and offers support. Jasmine's destination is uncertain, but her resolve is clear: she will never return to the life she's fleeing.

Parallel Lives, Diverging Paths

Stephanie, a successful but unfulfilled news director in Madison, prepares for a business trip to a conference in San Diego. Her life, outwardly polished and stable, is marked by loneliness, a distant adult son, and a longing for adventure. She's surrounded by supportive friends like Robert, her gay neighbor, but feels boxed in by routine and the expectations of her demanding job. Stephanie's internal monologue reveals a yearning for rebellion and connection, a desire to break free from the monotony and rediscover the boldness of her youth. As she packs, she contemplates the possibility of romance or transformation on her trip, unaware that her path is about to intersect fatefully with Jasmine's.

The Flight to Freedom

On a flight from Madison to Denver, Jasmine and Stephanie are seated together. Their conversation is friendly, with Stephanie sharing details about her life, career, and upcoming conference. Jasmine, envious of Stephanie's apparent success and freedom, begins to fantasize about assuming her identity. When Stephanie leaves her purse unattended, Jasmine impulsively steals her ID, setting in motion a plan to follow Stephanie to San Diego and take over her life. Jasmine's desperation and resourcefulness collide as she changes her appearance, buys a ticket to San Diego, and shadows Stephanie to her hotel, all while evading Glenn's increasingly frantic attempts to track her down.

Conference Connections

At the San Diego conference, Stephanie's doppelganger, Diana, an actress hired through a lookalike service, takes her place so Stephanie can secretly vacation in Mexico. Diana, nearly identical in appearance, attends sessions, interacts with colleagues, and maintains Stephanie's digital presence. Meanwhile, Jasmine, disguised and emboldened by her successful theft, infiltrates the hotel, observing Diana-as-Stephanie and plotting her next move. The conference is a swirl of professional posturing, with Trent, a predatory Atlanta news director, fixating on "Stephanie." The stage is set for a collision of identities, ambitions, and hidden agendas.

The Doppelganger's Opportunity

Jasmine, now in possession of Stephanie's ID and knowledge, executes a chilling plan. She sneaks into Diana's hotel room (believing her to be Stephanie), drugs and murders her, and disposes of the body in a weighted suitcase in a secluded lagoon. Jasmine meticulously assumes Stephanie's identity, using her clothes, makeup, and digital devices to attend the conference, interact with colleagues, and lay a convincing trail. She leverages Stephanie's passwords to drain her bank accounts, all while planting evidence to suggest a romantic entanglement with Trent. Jasmine's transformation is both physical and psychological, as she revels in the power and freedom her new life affords.

A Deadly Transformation

Jasmine's impersonation of Stephanie is nearly flawless. She navigates the conference, fools colleagues, and even plants herself in photos and social media posts. After the murder, she plants evidence in Trent's hotel room—hair, blood, and underwear with his DNA—setting him up as the prime suspect. Jasmine then follows Trent to Atlanta, enlisting her old friend Raven to help drug him and further frame him for Stephanie's (and her own) disappearance. She sends carefully crafted texts and voice memos (using AI voice cloning) to Stephanie's friends and coworkers, creating a digital breadcrumb trail that supports her narrative of a whirlwind romance gone wrong.

Laying the Breadcrumbs

Jasmine, now fully inhabiting Stephanie's identity, orchestrates a complex web of deception. She sends texts and photos to Stephanie's neighbor Robert, coworkers, and family, each tailored to their relationship and suspicions. She uses AI to generate voice messages, fakes sightseeing photos in Atlanta, and withdraws large sums of money to suggest a motive for Trent. Meanwhile, Stephanie's colleagues grow increasingly concerned as her messages become erratic and out of character. Lucy, a perceptive digital manager, begins to suspect something is wrong, setting off an internal investigation that slowly unravels Jasmine's scheme.

The Perfect Frame

Jasmine's plan to frame Trent is executed with ruthless precision. She plants Stephanie's and her own belongings in Trent's backyard, sends a fake 9-1-1 call using AI voice cloning, and ensures that all digital and physical evidence points to him. Trent, already disliked for his arrogance and misogyny, is arrested and publicly disgraced. His attempts to defend himself are undermined by his own lies and the mountain of circumstantial evidence. Jasmine, meanwhile, uses a fake passport provided by Raven to flee to Mexico, believing she has escaped justice and secured her freedom at last.

The Web Unravels

Back in Madison and Atlanta, the cracks in Jasmine's story begin to show. Stephanie's colleagues, especially Lucy, piece together inconsistencies in her texts, voice memos, and behavior. The discovery of a doppelganger at the conference, combined with surveillance footage and the testimony of a nosy neighbor in Atlanta, leads investigators to suspect that neither Stephanie nor Jasmine is who they seem. Raven, facing her own legal troubles, betrays Jasmine to the authorities, providing evidence of the passport scheme and the plot to frame Trent. The net tightens as law enforcement closes in on Jasmine's true identity and whereabouts.

The Truth Surfaces

The real Stephanie, having returned from her secret trip to Mexico, comes forward to the police, revealing the existence of her doppelganger and the elaborate deception. With the help of digital forensics, eyewitness accounts, and Raven's confession, authorities track Jasmine to Puerto Escondido, Mexico. In a dramatic confrontation at a beach bar, Stephanie and the police confront Jasmine, who is moments away from repeating her deadly pattern. Jasmine's past crimes, including a long-buried murder from her youth, are finally exposed. She is arrested, her dreams of freedom and reinvention shattered.

Justice and Betrayal

Jasmine's arrest brings closure to the victims' families and exonerates Trent, though his reputation is irreparably damaged. Stephanie, wracked with guilt over her role in the deception and the unintended consequences, resigns from her job and tries to rebuild her life. Raven, having betrayed Jasmine to save herself, faces her own reckoning. The story's survivors are left to grapple with the fallout: the fragility of identity, the dangers of envy and desperation, and the unpredictable consequences of even the smallest choices.

Aftermath and Reckoning

Months later, Stephanie works in public relations, haunted by the events but determined to move forward. Trent, disgraced and unemployed, seeks to profit from the scandal but finds no willing partners. Jasmine, imprisoned and abandoned, reflects on the choices and resentments that led her to ruin. The story ends with Stephanie rejecting Trent's offer to co-author a book, declaring that "bastards can't win," a final assertion of agency and moral clarity in a world where justice is often elusive.

The Bastards Can't Win

The novel closes with Stephanie's resolve to honor the memory of the innocent and to resist the cynicism and opportunism embodied by Trent and Jasmine. The story's intricate web of deception, ambition, and survival is ultimately unraveled by the persistence of truth and the courage of those who refuse to be complicit. The lesson is clear: while evil may flourish in the shadows, it cannot escape the light forever.

Characters

Jasmine Littleton

Jasmine is a woman shaped by trauma, neglect, and abuse. Her early life is marked by a loveless family, poverty, and a sense of being unwanted. As an adult, she endures a series of toxic relationships, culminating in her entrapment by Glenn, a violent and controlling partner. Jasmine's psyche is a mix of vulnerability and cunning; her survival instincts are honed by years of hardship. When she seizes the chance to escape, her desperation morphs into ambition and ruthlessness. She is both a victim and a perpetrator, capable of empathy but ultimately driven to murder and deception in her quest for freedom. Jasmine's psychological complexity is central to the novel: she is haunted by guilt, envy, and a deep-seated belief that the world owes her a better life.

Stephanie Monroe

Stephanie is a successful, middle-aged news director whose outward confidence masks deep loneliness and dissatisfaction. Divorced, with a distant adult son and a close but platonic friendship with her neighbor Robert, Stephanie longs for adventure and connection. Her psychological profile is marked by a tension between responsibility and rebellion, a desire to break free from routine and rediscover her youthful boldness. Stephanie's decision to hire a doppelganger for a secret vacation is both a symptom of her restlessness and the catalyst for the novel's central tragedy. Her journey is one of reckoning—with her own choices, the consequences of deception, and the limits of control.

Glenn

Glenn is the embodiment of toxic masculinity and coercive control. He isolates Jasmine, monitors her every move, and uses violence and manipulation to maintain dominance. Glenn's psychological makeup is a volatile mix of insecurity, entitlement, and rage. He is both a product and a perpetrator of cycles of abuse, and his presence looms over Jasmine's every decision. Glenn's eventual downfall is orchestrated by Jasmine and her allies, but his legacy of trauma persists.

Anna

Anna is Jasmine's oldest friend, a survivor in her own right. She provides practical support and emotional comfort, helping Jasmine navigate technology and offering financial assistance. Anna's loyalty is tested as she becomes entangled in Jasmine's schemes, forced to lie and cover for her. Psychologically, Anna is pragmatic, street-smart, and deeply empathetic, but she is also haunted by guilt and fear as the consequences of Jasmine's actions spiral out of control.

Robert

Robert is Stephanie's neighbor and confidant, a gay man whose warmth and humor provide a counterpoint to the novel's darker themes. He is fiercely loyal, caring for Stephanie's cat and offering emotional support during her crises. Robert's psychological profile is marked by resilience, optimism, and a longing for connection. He becomes an unwitting participant in Jasmine's deception, his concern and persistence instrumental in unraveling the truth.

Trent McCarthy

Trent is an ambitious, egotistical news director from Atlanta, whose charm masks deep-seated misogyny and entitlement. He is predatory toward women, manipulative with colleagues, and obsessed with maintaining his image. Trent's psychological makeup is defined by narcissism, insecurity, and a lack of empathy. He becomes the perfect fall guy for Jasmine's scheme, his own flaws and lies making him an easy target for suspicion and public outrage.

Raven

Raven is Jasmine's childhood friend, a survivor who has learned to navigate the margins of society through cunning and adaptability. She is loyal to Jasmine up to a point, but her primary allegiance is to her own survival. Raven's psychological profile is marked by pragmatism, moral flexibility, and a willingness to betray even close friends when the stakes are high. Her decision to turn on Jasmine is both a self-preservation tactic and a final act of betrayal.

Lucy

Lucy is a young, tech-savvy colleague of Stephanie's, whose intuition and analytical skills are crucial in uncovering the deception. She is empathetic, persistent, and unafraid to challenge authority. Lucy's psychological makeup is defined by curiosity, integrity, and a strong sense of justice. Her role as a digital detective highlights the novel's themes of technology, identity, and the search for truth.

Diana

Diana is an actress hired to impersonate Stephanie at the conference, unwittingly becoming the target of Jasmine's murderous plot. She is ambitious, trusting, and eager for opportunity, but ultimately naive about the dangers she faces. Diana's fate is a stark reminder of the collateral damage wrought by deception and desperation.

Bill

Bill is the general manager of Stephanie's TV station, a figure of authority and stability. He is pragmatic, ethical, and deeply invested in the well-being of his staff. Bill's psychological profile is marked by a commitment to order and a struggle to balance compassion with accountability. He is forced to navigate the fallout of the scandal, making difficult decisions about loyalty, reputation, and justice.

Plot Devices

Dual Narratives and Shifting Perspectives

The novel employs a dual narrative structure, alternating between Jasmine's and Stephanie's points of view, with interludes from other key characters. This device allows readers to see the same events from multiple angles, deepening the psychological complexity and building suspense. The shifting perspectives also highlight the contrasts and parallels between the two women, underscoring themes of envy, identity, and reinvention.

Impersonation and Identity Theft

Impersonation is the central plot device, with Jasmine stealing Stephanie's identity and Diana impersonating Stephanie at the conference. The device is used to explore questions of authenticity, privilege, and the fragility of selfhood. The ease with which Jasmine manipulates digital and physical evidence—using passwords, social media, and AI voice cloning—reflects contemporary anxieties about technology and trust.

Foreshadowing and Red Herrings

The narrative is laced with foreshadowing, from Jasmine's early references to past violence to Stephanie's musings about escape and reinvention. Red herrings abound, as characters misinterpret clues and pursue false leads, mirroring the confusion and uncertainty that pervade the investigation. The use of AI-generated voice messages and staged photos further blurs the line between reality and illusion.

The "Perfect Crime" and Its Unraveling

Jasmine's scheme is presented as a "perfect crime", meticulously planned and executed. However, the plot device of the unraveling—through technological glitches, human intuition, and betrayal—serves as a reminder that no deception is foolproof. The gradual exposure of Jasmine's lies, aided by the persistence of secondary characters, drives the novel's climax and resolution.

Social Commentary and Satire

The novel satirizes the world of local TV news, with its egos, politics, and performative diversity. It also offers a biting critique of class privilege, gender dynamics, and the American obsession with reinvention. The interplay between the "haves" and "have-nots" is both a source of tension and a lens for exploring deeper psychological wounds.

Analysis

The Business Trip is a psychological thriller that interrogates the American dream of self-reinvention and the corrosive effects of envy and trauma. Through its dual protagonists—one desperate to escape her past, the other yearning for meaning—the novel explores how the desire for a better life can curdle into resentment, deception, and violence. The story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition, the fragility of identity in a digital age, and the ways in which privilege and desperation can collide with tragic consequences. Ultimately, the novel suggests that while evil may flourish in the shadows, it cannot escape the light forever: truth, though often delayed, will out. The final message is clear—no matter how clever the scheme, "the bastards can't win."

Last updated: May 20, 2025