Plot Summary
Twin Bonds, Fractured Lives
Cady and Dana, identical twins, have always shared an unbreakable bond, their lives intertwined from birth. Their closeness is both a comfort and a source of tension, as each strives for individuality while fearing separation. Cady, the driven event planner, and Dana, the nurturing school counselor, have built adult lives filled with love, family, and ambition. Yet beneath the surface, old patterns persist—Cady's intensity and need for control, Dana's desire for peace and connection. Their relationship is tested by the choices they make, the promises they keep and break, and the silent competition that simmers between them. The stage is set for a devastating rupture, one that will force both to confront the limits of love, loyalty, and self-understanding.
The Day Everything Changed
On a frigid Valentine's Day, Cady's world is upended by a phone call: Dana has been in a car accident. Racing through Chicago's icy streets, Cady is consumed by dread and regret, haunted by their last argument and the words left unsaid. At the hospital, she learns Dana and her unborn child are gone. The loss is immediate and total, plunging Cady, her family, and Dana's husband Sean into a vortex of shock and sorrow. The event fractures the family's sense of safety and identity, leaving Cady stranded between the past she can't reclaim and a future she can't imagine. The accident becomes the axis around which all their lives now spin, forever dividing before and after.
Grief's Unbearable Weight
In the aftermath, Cady is paralyzed by grief, unable to process the enormity of losing her twin. Her marriage to Matt grows strained as she withdraws, unable to articulate her pain or accept comfort. The family, once close-knit, is now a constellation of isolated mourners, each struggling with their own version of loss. Cady's guilt over her last fight with Dana festers, and she becomes obsessed with the details of the accident, searching for meaning or someone to blame. The world continues on, indifferent, while Cady's internal world collapses. She finds herself unable to work, to connect, or to move forward, trapped in a cycle of memory and regret.
Watching From Afar
Unable to let go, Cady begins to watch Morgan, a stranger she encountered in the hospital waiting room whose son died the same day as Dana. Morgan's grief becomes a mirror for Cady's own, and she is drawn to the woman's quiet suffering. Cady's "watching" starts innocently—driving by Morgan's house, imagining her life—but soon becomes compulsive. She justifies her actions as harmless, but the line between empathy and intrusion blurs. This voyeurism is both a symptom and a cause of Cady's unraveling, as she seeks solace in the pain of another, desperate for connection but unable to reach out in healthy ways.
The Guilt That Lingers
Cady's grief is complicated by guilt—not just over her last words to Dana, but over deeper, unspoken resentments and wishes. She confesses to herself that, in a moment of envy, she wished Dana's pregnancy would end, unable to bear her own infertility and the breaking of their childhood pact to raise children together. This admission haunts her, fueling her sense of unworthiness and self-destruction. Cady's inability to forgive herself becomes a barrier to healing, and she projects her pain onto others, sabotaging relationships and opportunities for comfort. The guilt festers, isolating her further from those who might help.
Family Torn Asunder
The family's attempts to cope with Dana's death reveal fractures that were always present but now gape wide. Cady's relationship with her parents is strained by differing approaches to grief and forgiveness, especially regarding the driver who caused the accident. Sean, Dana's husband, and Cady clash over the past, each blaming the other for Dana's choices and unhappiness. Matt, struggling with his own secrets and the collapse of his business, finds himself unable to reach Cady or save their marriage. The family, once united by love and tradition, is now a collection of individuals nursing private wounds, unable to bridge the chasms between them.
Seeking Solace, Finding Morgan
Cady finally approaches Morgan, and the two form a tentative friendship rooted in mutual loss. Their Sunday coffees and grief group sessions become a lifeline for Cady, who finds in Morgan a kindred spirit—someone who understands the unique pain of losing a part of oneself. Yet the friendship is fraught with imbalance and unspoken need. Cady's intensity and boundary issues resurface, as she tries to "fix" Morgan's life, even creating a fake dating profile for her. Morgan, grateful but wary, is both comforted and unsettled by Cady's devotion. Their bond becomes a crucible for both women's unresolved pain.
Lies We Tell Ourselves
As Cady's obsession with Morgan deepens, so do her lies—to Morgan, to Matt, to herself. She fabricates stories in grief group, claiming to have lost a child as well as a sister, desperate to belong and to have her pain validated. She hides her surveillance of Morgan, her financial troubles, and her failing marriage. Matt, in turn, conceals his own business crisis and emotional distance. The lies are born of good intentions—to protect, to connect, to survive—but they ultimately corrode trust and intimacy. The truth, when it emerges, is devastating, forcing Cady to confront the damage she's done.
Obsession and Self-Destruction
Cady's need for control and connection spirals into self-destructive behavior. She neglects her business, alienates her staff, and drives Matt away. Her fixation on Morgan becomes all-consuming, culminating in boundary violations that shatter their friendship. Cady's attempts to "help" Morgan backfire, exposing her own instability and driving Morgan to cut ties. The loss of Morgan, on top of Dana and Matt, leaves Cady utterly alone, her life in ruins. Even her beloved dog, Champ, is lost—another casualty of her distraction and neglect. Cady is forced to confront the reality that her good intentions have led only to harm.
The Limits of Forgiveness
As the family prepares a memorial for Dana, questions of forgiveness and closure come to the fore. Cady struggles to forgive the driver who killed her sister, to forgive Matt for his secrets, and most of all, to forgive herself. The memorial becomes a crucible for these unresolved emotions, as Cady is forced to face William, the remorseful driver, and to reckon with the impossibility of undoing the past. The event is both a celebration and a reckoning, offering a chance for connection but not for erasure of pain. Forgiveness, Cady learns, is not a single act but a lifelong process, and sometimes it is out of reach.
Trying to Move Forward
In the aftermath of so much loss, Cady begins to seek help—therapy, honest conversations, and new beginnings. She attempts to rebuild her business with a new, more meaningful focus, and to reconnect with Matt, though the wounds between them are slow to heal. The process is halting and imperfect, marked by setbacks and relapses into old patterns. Yet there are glimmers of hope: a new business venture, a possible reconciliation, the tentative possibility of motherhood through IVF. Cady learns that moving forward does not mean forgetting, but carrying loss with her in a new way.
The Last Good Intentions
As the anniversary of Dana's death approaches, Cady is confronted with the full weight of her actions and their consequences. She makes amends where she can, letting go where she must. The cycle of watching Morgan is finally broken, not by a dramatic revelation but by the slow dawning of self-awareness and acceptance. Cady's last "good intention" is to stop trying to control the uncontrollable, to allow herself and others the space to grieve, to heal, and to change. The story ends not with resolution, but with the possibility of redemption and the hard-won wisdom that love, even when flawed, is worth the risk.
Truths Revealed, Consequences Faced
The truth about Cady's lies, obsessions, and the accident with Morgan's son finally comes to light. The fallout is immediate and severe: Morgan severs all contact, Matt's trust is shattered, and Cady is left to reckon with the reality of her actions. The confrontation with William, the driver, brings no peace—only the recognition that some wounds cannot be healed by apologies. Cady's journey through shame and accountability is brutal but necessary, forcing her to accept responsibility and to seek forgiveness not just from others, but from herself.
Memorials and New Beginnings
The memorial for Dana becomes a turning point, a chance for the family and friends to gather, remember, and celebrate a life cut short. Cady's efforts to create a meaningful event are both a tribute and an act of penance. The gathering is bittersweet, filled with laughter and tears, old stories and new connections. In the aftermath, Cady and Matt tentatively explore the possibility of reconciliation, while Cady's new business venture offers a sense of purpose. The cycle of loss gives way, at last, to the hope of new beginnings.
The Cycle of Loss and Hope
As time passes, Cady learns that grief is not something to be conquered, but to be lived with. The pain of losing Dana, the failures and betrayals, the broken relationships—all remain, but they are joined by moments of joy, connection, and growth. Cady's journey is not one of triumph over tragedy, but of learning to carry both sorrow and hope. The story closes with the possibility of new life, new love, and the enduring power of good intentions, even when they go awry.
Letting Go, Holding On
In the end, Cady comes to accept that some things cannot be fixed, that some losses are permanent, and that forgiveness—of others and of herself—is a daily practice. She lets go of the need to control, to watch, to atone endlessly, and instead chooses to live, to love, and to remember. The final act is not a grand gesture, but a quiet commitment to keep moving forward, to honor the past without being imprisoned by it, and to hold on to the lessons learned through pain, love, and the enduring, complicated bonds of family.
Analysis
A modern meditation on grief, guilt, and the complexity of loveGood Intentions is a raw, unflinching exploration of the aftermath of sudden loss and the ways in which even the best intentions can lead to harm. Through Cady's deeply personal and often unreliable narration, the novel examines the psychological fallout of trauma, the dangers of obsession, and the impossibility of perfect atonement. The story is as much about the limits of forgiveness as it is about its necessity—how our attempts to help, to fix, to connect can cross into self-destruction and violation. The book interrogates the myths of closure and forgiveness, suggesting that healing is not a destination but a process, one that requires honesty, humility, and the willingness to let go of control. In a world obsessed with happy endings and redemption arcs, Good Intentions offers a more honest, if messier, vision: that love endures not because it is perfect, but because it persists in the face of imperfection, loss, and the relentless passage of time.
Review Summary
Good Intentions by Marisa Walz follows Cady, a luxury event planner whose identical twin Dana dies in a car accident. Instead of mourning normally, Cady fixates on Morgan, a grieving mother she briefly meets at the hospital. Reviews praise Walz's debut as a gripping psychological thriller with an unreliable narrator, exploring grief, obsession, and moral ambiguity. Readers found Cady compelling yet disturbing—a narcissistic character whose "good intentions" justify increasingly unhinged behavior. While some noted slow pacing and excessive internal monologue, most appreciated the atmospheric tension and shocking ending. The book resonates as an unsettling exploration of loss.
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Characters
Cady McKenna
Cady is the novel's narrator and emotional center, defined by her fierce love for her twin Dana and her relentless drive for control and perfection. Her identity is inextricably linked to Dana's, and her inability to separate self from sister fuels both her devotion and her destructiveness. Cady's psychological complexity is revealed through her compulsions—her need to watch, to fix, to atone—and her struggle with guilt, envy, and self-loathing. Her relationships are marked by intensity and boundary issues, as she oscillates between self-sacrifice and self-destruction. Over the course of the story, Cady is forced to confront the limits of her good intentions, the consequences of her actions, and the possibility of forgiveness and change.
Dana Stoll
Dana, though absent for much of the narrative, is a constant presence in Cady's mind and heart. She is the "good" twin—empathetic, steady, and selfless—serving as both a mirror and a foil to Cady's intensity. Dana's choices, from her career as a school counselor to her marriage and pregnancy, reflect her desire for connection and stability. Her death is the catalyst for the novel's events, exposing the fragility of the family and the depth of Cady's dependence. Dana's memory haunts Cady, both as an ideal to live up to and as a source of unresolved conflict and guilt.
Matt McKenna
Matt is Cady's husband, a successful real estate developer whose own life unravels in the wake of Dana's death. He is patient and loving, but increasingly bewildered by Cady's withdrawal and self-destructive behavior. Matt's own secrets—financial troubles, emotional distance—mirror Cady's, and their marriage becomes a battleground for unresolved grief and unmet needs. Matt's attempts to help are often rebuffed, and his eventual departure is both a consequence of and a catalyst for Cady's reckoning. His character arc is one of endurance, disappointment, and the search for a way back to love.
Morgan Hess
Morgan is a stranger whose son dies the same day as Dana, becoming the object of Cady's obsession and, eventually, her friend. She is reserved, wounded, and wary, struggling to survive her own loss while navigating Cady's intense attention. Morgan's grief is both a comfort and a challenge to Cady, forcing her to confront the universality and uniqueness of suffering. Their friendship is fraught with boundary violations and unmet expectations, ultimately collapsing under the weight of Cady's neediness and deception. Morgan's journey is one of survival, self-protection, and the painful necessity of letting go.
Sean Stoll
Sean is Dana's widower, left to grieve both his wife and unborn child. He is practical, rational, and often at odds with Cady, whom he sees as controlling and toxic. Sean's grief is complicated by anger—at Cady, at fate, at himself—and his attempts to move forward are hampered by the family's inability to communicate honestly. His relationship with Cady is a microcosm of the novel's central tensions: love and rivalry, blame and forgiveness, the impossibility of closure.
William Fahey
William is the man whose distracted driving causes Dana's death. He is haunted by remorse, seeking forgiveness from the family and from Cady, but finding none. His presence in the story is both literal and symbolic—a reminder of the randomness of tragedy and the limits of justice. William's suffering is genuine, but it offers no solace to those he has harmed. His interactions with Cady force her to confront the futility of blame and the impossibility of undoing the past.
Jamie
Jamie is Cady's assistant at Eventually, the only staff member to remain loyal as the business collapses. She is competent, eager, and increasingly overwhelmed by Cady's absence and instability. Jamie's eventual resignation is both a consequence of Cady's neglect and a symbol of the broader unraveling of her life. Jamie represents the cost of Cady's self-absorption and the importance of trust and delegation in relationships.
Moira
Moira leads the bereavement group Cady and Morgan attend, offering blunt, practical wisdom and a no-nonsense approach to healing. She is both a guide and a challenger, pushing Cady to confront uncomfortable truths and to take responsibility for her actions. Moira's own history of loss gives her credibility and empathy, and her presence is a stabilizing force in the chaos of Cady's life.
Cady and Dana's Parents
Cady and Dana's parents are secondary but significant figures, embodying the generational impact of loss. Their attempts to hold the family together are hampered by their own grief and by the changing dynamics among the survivors. They represent both the comfort of tradition and the pain of its disruption, and their journey is one of adaptation, forgiveness, and the search for meaning.
Ben
Ben is the man Cady finds for Morgan through a dating app, representing the possibility of new love and healing. His interactions with Cady (posing as Morgan) are both comic and poignant, highlighting the absurdity and desperation of seeking connection in the aftermath of loss. Ben's disappointment and kindness serve as a mirror for Cady's own longing and her inability to let go.
Plot Devices
Unreliable Narration and Confessional Structure
The novel is told through Cady's first-person narration, blending direct address to Dana with confessional asides and self-justifying rationalizations. This structure immerses the reader in Cady's psychological state, making her both sympathetic and suspect. The use of letters, imagined conversations, and therapy sessions blurs the line between reality and fantasy, highlighting the unreliability of memory and the ways we rewrite our own stories. The confessional tone invites empathy while also exposing the limits of self-awareness and the dangers of unchecked good intentions.
Obsession as Narrative Engine
Cady's obsession with Morgan—and, by extension, with control and atonement—drives the plot forward. Her compulsive watching, both literal and metaphorical, serves as a metaphor for grief's refusal to let go and for the ways trauma can warp perception and behavior. The escalation from innocent curiosity to boundary-crossing surveillance is foreshadowed early and paid off in the novel's climactic confrontations. This device also allows for suspense and ambiguity, as the reader is never sure how far Cady will go or what she is capable of.
Parallel Losses and Mirrored Relationships
The novel uses parallel structures—Cady and Dana, Cady and Morgan, Cady and Matt—to explore the universality and uniqueness of loss. The mirrored experiences of losing a twin and losing a child create a web of empathy and misunderstanding, highlighting both the connections and the chasms between survivors. The use of pacts, promises, and broken bonds underscores the theme of irreparable loss and the impossibility of returning to what was.
Foreshadowing and Nonlinear Revelation
The narrative is punctuated by hints and partial revelations—Cady's guilt, the accident with Morgan's son, the true nature of her lies—that are gradually brought to light. The use of therapy sessions, group meetings, and internal monologue allows for a nonlinear unfolding of truth, building suspense and deepening the reader's understanding of character motivation. The final revelations are both shocking and inevitable, the product of choices made long before the story began.
The Limits of Closure and Forgiveness
The novel resists tidy resolutions, emphasizing the ongoing nature of grief, guilt, and healing. The memorial for Dana, the confrontation with William, and the attempted reconciliations with Matt and Morgan all offer moments of connection but not of erasure. The narrative structure mirrors this refusal of closure, ending not with a return to normalcy but with the acceptance of ambiguity and the commitment to keep trying.
