The Lovely Bones

by Alice Sebold

Timeline

Susie Salmon introduces readers to her murderer. She also states how and where she was killed.
Susie explains what Heaven is like for her and how she had always pictured it before she'd arrived.
Ruth Connors acknowledges Susie's presence in the early chapters of The Lovely Bones, but does not realize it is Susie.
Mr.Salmon suspects his neighbor, Mr.Harvey for the killing of his daughter.
Detective Len Fenerman fails to make Mr.Harvey a lead in the investigation.
Lindsey Salmon is given sympathy in school because of her sister's death.
The Salmon family slowly grows apart. Mrs.Salmon has an affair and moves out of the house. Grandma Lynn keeps the household going and raises her two living grandchildren with the help of Mr.Salmon.
With no leads after years, Detective Fenerman puts Susie Salmon's case to rest.
Lindsey graduates from college and pronounces her engagement after coming back home.
Mrs.Salmon decides to come back home after hearing from Ruana Singh, that one of her family members was rushed to the emergency room. Mrs.Salmon's children now hate her for leaving them.
Mr.Harvey lives on with his killing of women and girls.
Ruth Connors and Ray Singh accompany each other to the sinkhole, where Susie was buried, Susie takes over Ruth's body and falls in love with Ray all over again.
Ray visits the Salmon's house after Susie returned back to heaven, and tells them about Susie's visit. Life went on from there.

" Stones and bones; snow and frost; seeds and beans and polliwogs. Paths and twigs, assorted kisses, We all know who Susie misses" (278).

Characters

Susie Salmon is a fourteen year old girl who was sexually abused then murdered. She is full of hope and not willing to give up on her loved ones to find her murderer.
Jack Salmon is Susie's father, and much like Susie, he too will not quit on finding her murderer. He does not care how many people call him crazy, he is confident about who he thinks killed his daughter.
Lindsey Salmon is Susie's younger sister. Lindsey doubts her father, but later realizes that he is right. She is not as outgoing as Susie was until later in the novel.
Abigail Salmon is Susie's mother. Mrs.Salmon keeps everything held inside of her while her daughter's death is the main subject of the town. She has an affair and moves away so that she can avoid everything. She wants happiness.
George Harvey is Susie's murderer and many other women and young girls' also. He is the Salmons' neighbor. Mr.Harvey built a cavity in the middle of a cornfield near his home, he raped and murdered Susie Salmon there.
Grandma Lynn keeps the Salmon family from falling apart completely after Abigail Salmon left. She keep the spirit alive in the house.

Setting

On December 6, 1973 Susie Salmon was murdered in a cornfield on her way home from school. Her and her family lived in the suburbs in a small, quiet town. Murders were not likely to happen where Susie Salmon and her family loved, but it did and the town was overwhelmed.