...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!
I've Got You Under My Skin
- 238 statements
- 46 feature instances
- 23 referencing feature instances
| I've Got You Under My Skin | type |
TVTItem | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | label |
I've Got You Under My Skin | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | page |
IveGotYouUnderMySkin | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | comment |
I've Got You Under My Skin is a 2014 crime suspense novel by Mary Higgins Clark and the first book in the Under Suspicion series. It's notably the only book in the series not co-authored by Alafair Burke.Five years ago, surgeon Dr Greg Moran was fatally shot at a playground in front of his three-year-old son Timmy; before fleeing the scene, the killer told Timmy that he and his mother were next. The murderer has never been caught and no one can think of a reason why someone would want Greg and his family dead. Greg's widow, television producer Laurie Moran, has done her best to move on and help Timmy with his trauma, aided by her retired police detective father Leo Farley.Laurie has recently pitched a new reality TV series to her boss, a true crime show titled Under Suspicion that aims to re-investigate and shed light upon high-profile cold cases. The first case she plans to investigate is that of Betsy Bonner Powell and the Graduation Gala: twenty years ago wealthy hedge fund manager Robert Nicholas Powell threw a lavish graduation party for his stepdaughter Claire Bonner and three of her friends, Alison Schaeffer, Nina Craig and Regina Callari. However, the morning after the party it was discovered that Claire's mother Betsy had been smothered to death in her bed. The case has never been solved and just about everyone at the party, including Betsy's own husband and daughter, have been considered suspects at one point or another.Robert, the four graduates, Robert's long-time friend George Curtis and the housekeeper Jane Novak all agree to appear on the programme, hoping to finally clear their names and maybe even solve the case (the generous offer of $300,000 in exchange for participating helps too). It soon becomes clear that Betsy Powell was not well-liked by many of the key attendees of the party and all of them may have had reasons to want her dead. And Greg Moran's killer is still out there, watching Laurie's every move and preparing to make good on the threat he made to her son. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | fetched |
2023-09-10T08:28:29Z | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | parsed |
2023-09-10T08:28:29Z | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_112daba0 | type |
Retired Badass | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_112daba0 | comment |
Retired Badass: Leo Farley had gained the rank of First Deputy Commissioner for the NYPD and could've become Comissioner, but decided to retire to dedicate himself full-time to protecting his daughter and grandson after his son-in-law was murdered. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_112daba0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_112daba0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_112daba0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_12a59731 | type |
Goodbye, Cruel World! | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_12a59731 | comment |
Goodbye, Cruel World!: Regina found her father's suicide note on his body and kept it hidden from the police and her mother, both because she didn't want to break her mother's heart more and later because the contents of the note gave Regina a strong motive for killing Betsy: Regina's father explained in the note he had had an affair with Betsy and she was the one persuaded him to invest everything he had in her husband's hedge fund, which he now deeply regrets after losing it all and realizing Betsy was always using him. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_12a59731 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_12a59731 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_12a59731 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1b4ea159 | type |
The Alibi | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1b4ea159 | comment |
The Alibi: None of the suspects have strong alibis. The night of the Graduation Gala, Nina, Alison and Regina slept over at the Powell mansion, so they would've had just as much opportunity to kill Betsy as her husband, her daughter and the live-in housekeeper. All six of them say they were asleep in their own rooms all night, but consequently no one else can confirm this. Nina and Alison aren't even certain if they did stay in their rooms, as Nina got so drunk she has holes in her memory of that night, while Alison recalls she was sleepwalking. Family friend George Curtis says he went back to his own house after the gala, but it's noted that his house is in walking distance of the Powell mansion, and he did in fact slip back to the mansion that night. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1b4ea159 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1b4ea159 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1b4ea159 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1c8e096e | type |
Childhood Friend Romance | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1c8e096e | comment |
Childhood Friend Romance: Zig-zagged in Rod and Alison's case; they've known each other since kindergarten and even in elementary school Rod was telling his classmates he wanted to marry her someday. Rod was thrilled when they began dating in college and when Alison agreed to marry him after graduating. However, although Rod is still just as much in love with Alison after two decades of marriage, he suspects Alison doesn't feel nearly as strongly and is mostly with him out of obligation. Although she's never told Rod, Alison does admit to herself she wasn't in love with Rod when she accepted his proposal and was with him for his money at the time, though she's stuck by him even though he lost his money. In the end, Alison says she came to realize she's been in love with him for years and they both end up happy together, so the trope gets played straight in an unconventional way. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1c8e096e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1c8e096e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1c8e096e | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1dfd19f9 | type |
Papa Wolf | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1dfd19f9 | comment |
Papa Wolf: Leo Farley quit his job with the police to dedicate himself full-time to protecting his daughter and grandson; he always watches Timmy when he's not with Laurie or at school, and he secretly follows Laurie to Salem Ridge to keep an eye on her while she films the Under Suspicion pilot (he doesn't want her to know because she'll kick up a fuss). When he has to go into hospital for heart fibrillations, he gets his old boss Ed Penn to watch out for her instead and has be all but forced to stay in hospital by his doctor. Considering that five years ago some psycho shot his son-in-law dead, threatened to do the same to Laurie and Timmy and then disappeared, it's unsurprising Leo is so protective. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1dfd19f9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1dfd19f9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_1dfd19f9 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_27f10418 | type |
Impersonating an Officer | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_27f10418 | comment |
Impersonating an Officer: In the final third, Blue Eyes pretends to be a cop in order to persuade a camp counsellor to let him take Timmy, under the guise of bringing him to his deathly ill grandfather. The camp counsellor is young and easily intimidated, so he is easily fooled by Blue Eyes. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_27f10418 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_27f10418 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_27f10418 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_2e8875f0 | type |
Misplaced Retribution | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_2e8875f0 | comment |
Misplaced Retribution: Blue Eyes wants to kill the Moran family because he blames Laurie's father Leo for ruining his life by arresting him for drunk driving decades ago; he wants to get revenge by killing Leo's entire family, who had nothing to do with the situation. That's not even getting into how he ruined his own life by making one poor decision after another, plus Leo was only doing his job by charging him with driving under the influence. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_2e8875f0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_2e8875f0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_2e8875f0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_33c2b1e2 | type |
Best Served Cold | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_33c2b1e2 | comment |
Best Served Cold: Enforced in Blue Eyes' case; the reason he waited five years after killing Greg Moran to go after his wife and son was because Blue Eyes was in prison for a parole violation and only got out five months ago. Prior to that, he had to wait thirty years because he was in prison for manslaughter. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_33c2b1e2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_33c2b1e2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_33c2b1e2 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_3b4185fb | type |
Stalker without a Crush | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_3b4185fb | comment |
Stalker Without A Crush: Blue Eyes has been stalking Laurie, Timmy and Leo for months in preparation for killing Laurie and Timmy in the most dramatic way possible. This includes hacking Leo's phone to gain access to his calls and messages, and following the family almost everywhere they go. He even mentions he'd sat on the bus behind Laurie multiple times without her realizing. He gets a job as a landscaper for Robert Powell purely to stay close to Laurie while she films the pilot for Under Suspicion. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_3b4185fb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_3b4185fb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_3b4185fb | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_3f0b2f50 | type |
Make It Look Like an Accident | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_3f0b2f50 | comment |
Make It Look Like an Accident: After Jane is caught red-handed trying to kill Muriel, Rob chases her across the grounds and catches up with her beside the swimming pool, demanding to know if she killed Betsy. When she confirms she did it out of love for him, Rob throws her into the pool, knowing she can't swim, and leaves her to drown. When the police finally find Jane, their attempts to revive her are unsuccessful and it's believed she drowned accidentally trying to escape. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_3f0b2f50 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_3f0b2f50 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_3f0b2f50 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_44989f6f | type |
"Could Have Avoided This!" Plot | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_44989f6f | comment |
"Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: Upon realizing that her father's suicide note - which she insisted didn't exist and gives her a significant motive for killing Betsy - has been stolen from her purse, Regina laments that if she'd done as her son suggested and destroyed it, or just left it at home, then none of this would've happened. It gets especially bad when she finds out Josh Damiano took it and uses it to blackmail her. It turns out that George Curtis thought he saw Betsy's killer in her room around the time of the murder, but he never came clean about it because he would've had to explain why he were at the Powell house after the gala ended, which would've meant revealing he was trying to retrieve the jewellery he gave to Betsy during their affair, potentially resulting in his wife discovering it and leaving him. In the end George realizes hardly anyone knew about his affair save his wife, who forgave him a long time ago, and that everyone could've avoided a lot of suffering for the past twenty years if he'd just come clean about seeing Jane Novak in Betsy's room. George feels so ashamed about his cowardice, he gives the four graduates $5 million each as a way to make up for them being suspected of Betsy's murder. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_44989f6f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_44989f6f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_44989f6f | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_4814d132 | type |
Big Fancy House | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_4814d132 | comment |
Big Fancy House: The primary setting of the novel is a large country mansion in Westchester County, the home of Robert Powell and the place where his wife Betsy was murdered twenty years ago following a gala. One of the reasons Brett Young agrees to greenlight the Under Suspicion pilot is because Robert invites the crew to film on-location at the mansion, with Brett knowing many viewers won't be able to resist a true crime show set in a fancy mansion where a murder took place. It's also large enough to house all the show's participants under the same roof, much as it was twenty years ago. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_4814d132 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_4814d132 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_4814d132 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_51a3ba7 | type |
We Used to Be Friends | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_51a3ba7 | comment |
We Used to Be Friends: The four graduates, Alison, Claire, Regina and Nina, used to be best friends and Nina, Claire and Regina were Alison's bridemaids just months after Betsy's murder, but over the past twenty years they've drifted apart, all moving away and losing touch. Even when they're reunited things are a bit awkward and stilted between them. Besides all their lives going in different directions, the near-constant shadow of suspicion that has hung over them for two decades made staying in contact difficult, especially as many people believed that some or all of them plotted Betsy's murder together. Once Betsy's real killer is revealed and things settle down, the women find it much easier to relax around each other and properly rekindle their friendship. Jane Novak and Betsy Bonner were good friends when they both worked together at a theatre, Betsy as an actress or - more often - an usher when she couldn't get roles and Jane as a cleaner. When Betsy married Robert Powell, she offered Jane a permanent position as a live-in housekeeper. Jane was thrilled with this opportunity, but her friendship with Betsy soon turned sour, as Betsy almost immediately began acting as though she was superior to Jane and treated her merely as 'the help' rather than her old friend, starting with her insistence Jane call her "Mrs Powell" at all times. Jane was also aware that Betsy was cheating on Robert with numerous men and came to resent Betsy, especially as Jane herself fell in love with Robert. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_51a3ba7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_51a3ba7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_51a3ba7 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_52196c03 | type |
Age-Gap Romance | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_52196c03 | comment |
Age-Gap Romance: Betsy and Robert had sixteen years between them; Betsy was 34 and Robert was 50 when they got married. Betsy was specifically looking for a husband with wealth, and Robert had built up a great deal of money managing a hedge fund over the decades. Robert - who had been married and divorced once - was quickly taken in by Betsy's beauty and wit. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_52196c03 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_52196c03 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_52196c03 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_599f943f | type |
Karma Houdini Warranty | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_599f943f | comment |
Karma Houdini Warranty: It looks as though Robert Powell is going to get away with every awful thing he's done in his life, including cheating Regina's father out of his fortune and driving him to suicide, molesting his stepdaughter and murdering Jane in revenge for Betsy's death. However, he then gets hit by a stray bullet fired by Rusty Tillman and drops dead. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_599f943f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_599f943f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_599f943f | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_5abc8612 | type |
Unholy Matrimony | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_5abc8612 | comment |
Unholy Matrimony: Rob and Betsy Powell are both revealed to be thoroughly horrible people, but they did appear to truly love each other, or at the very least Rob was in love with Betsy. Claire is even surprised when she realizes her stepfather really did love her mother and his grief for her is genuine. They both enjoyed manipulating other people and revelled in each other's cruelty and cunning. It's revealed that Robert knew of and encouraged Betsy's affair with Regina's father, with them both laughing together about how gullible Betsy's lover was. Rob apparently didn't know about Betsy's other affairs though, and may not have been impressed to learn this. Upon learning Jane killed his beloved Betsy, Rob is quick to retaliate. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_5abc8612 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_5abc8612 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_5abc8612 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_5fcb9ad1 | type |
Time Skip | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_5fcb9ad1 | comment |
Time Skip: The prologue takes place five years before the main events of the book, while the epilogue takes place six months after the climax. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_5fcb9ad1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_5fcb9ad1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_5fcb9ad1 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_61996785 | type |
Sacrificial Lamb | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_61996785 | comment |
Sacrificial Lamb: Greg Moran is introduced and killed off in the prologue, with the rest of the story taking place five years after his death. He's given just enough characterization to depict him as a kind, brave, selfless man and a loving husband and father, which helps create sympathy for him and his family that his life ended in such a brutal way, as well as establishing the mystery of why anyone would want to kill him and go to the trouble of threatening his wife and son. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_61996785 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_61996785 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_61996785 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_648fe274 | type |
But for Me, It Was Tuesday | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_648fe274 | comment |
But for Me, It Was Tuesday: A rare heroic example. Leo Farley arrested Blue Eyes decades ago for drink driving when he was a beat cop and Blue Eyes, or rather Rusty Tillman, was a young man trying to get into the army. Leo never even thought of Rusty again and had no idea he was the man who killed his son-in-law and threatened his family, while Rusty attributes this as being the moment that set the rest of his life on a downward spiral. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_648fe274 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_648fe274 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_648fe274 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_6d9bc945 | type |
Babies Ever After | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_6d9bc945 | comment |
Alison Schaffer has started attending medical school, has found out she's three months pregnant and is pleasantly surprised when Rod tells her he wants to follow in her footsteps and study to become a pharmacist. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_6d9bc945 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_6d9bc945 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_6d9bc945 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_716cdf08 | type |
Vorpal Pillow | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_716cdf08 | comment |
Vorpal Pillow: Betsy Powell was smothered to death with her own pillow; her body was found with the pillow over her face and her hands still clutching the edges of the pillow in a futile attempt to push it away. Jane attempts to smother Muriel with a pillow too, although this time her intended victim is able to sink her fingernails into Jane's hands, giving her just enough time to shove the pillow away and scream for help. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_716cdf08 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_716cdf08 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_716cdf08 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_7f0f19e5 | type |
I Coulda Been a Contender! | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_7f0f19e5 | comment |
I Coulda Been a Contender!: Blue Eyes complains that he could've done anything with his wide skill-set, especially in IT, if it weren't for him getting arrested for drunk driving by Leo Farley, which he attributes to screwing up the rest of his life. Downplayed with Leo Farley. He muses that if he hadn't retired he could've made police commissioner of the NYPD and that he misses police work, but then tells himself that protecting his family is much more important to him. Getting the rank of First Deputy Commissioner is also still an impressive achievement and he remains highly respected by the police. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_7f0f19e5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_7f0f19e5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_7f0f19e5 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_895ec17 | type |
Only in It for the Money | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_895ec17 | comment |
Only in It for the Money: Besides an opportunity to clear themselves of having murdered Betsy, Nina, Alison, Claire and Regina only agree to appear on Under Suspicion because the studio and Robert Powell are collectively offering them $300,000 each (Nina even initiated negotiations to get more money). They see it as compensation for decades of suffering and for all of them the money could make a big difference to their lives: Regina has struggled financially ever since her father died and just wants to live comfortably and get nice things for her son; Alison has always wanted to become a doctor but couldn't hope to afford medical school without getting into debt; Nina is stuck living with her abusive mother and could use the money to get her mother her own place and get her own life back; Claire has been struggling physically and emotionally (including nearly dying from pneumonia, and could use the money to take a break from her work. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_895ec17 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_895ec17 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_895ec17 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_8cb66c2f | type |
Who Murdered the Asshole | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_8cb66c2f | comment |
Who Murdered the Asshole: It comes to light that Betsy had wronged several of the party guests in some way, and all of them had motive and opportunity to kill her. Nina's mother made her life hell because she blamed Nina for introducing Betsy and Rob, thus causing her to lose out on becoming Rob's wife and leaving them struggling financially, especially as Rob had told her to turn down a role in what became an extremely successful sit-com because he didn't want her working so much when they were newly married. Betsy mocked Nina about it at the Graduation Gala and Nina proceeded to drink heavily, to the point she didn't even remember going to bed or some other details of that night save for being furious at Betsy. Claire fervently hated both her mother and stepfather for the way they used and manipulated people, including her friends and their families, and for being so controlling of her they refused to let her board at school. Rob suggests that Claire was jealous of his relationship with her mother, as they were close before Betsy married Rob. It's also revealed Rob was molesting Claire and she knew her mother would never have defended her. Alison lost out on a scholarship that would've put her through medical school because Betsy persuaded the dean to give it to another girl (who later dropped out) in order to impress her mother and get into an exclusive club (Betsy and Rob had a lot of influence due having recently made a large donation to the college). Betsy then rubbed it in Alison's face at the Graduation Gala, prompting Alison to vent to her friends that she was going to "kill that witch". Alison is also a sleepwalker who vaguely recalls going into Betsy's room that night, but can't be certain. Regina's father committed suicide after losing all his money investing in Rob Powell's hedge fund; fifteen year old Regina found his body. Consequently, she and her mother struggled with money and had to move out of the family home they'd lived in for years, with Regina's mother dying several years later from the stress. It's also revealed Regina found out that her father had an affair with Betsy, who persuaded him to invest in the hedge fund to ruin him while making her husband richer. Jane Novak was friends with the Bonners for years and was thrilled when Betsy hired her as a housekeeper after marrying Rob Powell, only for Jane to be treated as a mere servant from that point on. Jane also fell in love with Rob and so was bitterly jealous and resentful towards Betsy, knowing she was mostly with Rob for his money and was well aware Betsy wasn't even faithful to him. Family friend and neighbour George Curtis had an affair with Betsy while going through a rough patch with his wife. Betsy began pressuring him to get a divorce, but George decided to stay with Isabelle after she told him she was pregnant with twins, they having previously suffered four miscarriages. Betsy blackmailed George to pay her $25 million or she would tell Isabelle everything. George was terrified of losing Isabelle and their future children, and even though he could easily afford the $25 million, he knew how Betsy loved to toy with people and feared she wouldn't keep her end of the deal. He also secretly returned to the Powell mansion after the party intending to take back the jewellery he'd given Betsy to hide the evidence of their affair, which was around the same time Betsy was killed. Even Betsy's husband Robert Powell isn't above suspicion; while all appearances suggest he was devastated by Betsy's death and he readily agrees to host the Under Suspicion pilot at his home, Laurie and Alex speculate it could be an act to throw suspicion off himself, pointing out that despite his room being next to Betsy's he claimed not to have heard anything (he says he's a heavy sleeper) and that there was clearly something going on in the household that prompted Rob's stepdaughter to sever all contact with him. Some of the characters also speculate on whether Rob knew about Betsy's affairs and what he might've done if he found out. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_8cb66c2f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_8cb66c2f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_8cb66c2f | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_9298d265 | type |
Jaywalking Will Ruin Your Life | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_9298d265 | comment |
Jaywalking Will Ruin Your Life: It's revealed that Blue Eyes was pulled over and arrested for drinking and driving in his youth. Consequently, he couldn't get into the army, which he'd been planning to join to get out of crime, returned to crime due to being unable to find other work and then got an even tougher sentence for inadvertently (he claims) killing an old woman during a botched burglary. Blue Eyes complains that the cop who pulled him over could've just cut him a break and his life would've been better, although driving under the influence is a pretty serious matter considering the amount of accidents it causes; Blue Eyes thinks it's incredibly unfair though. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_9298d265 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_9298d265 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_9298d265 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_92f674e5 | type |
Revenge | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_92f674e5 | comment |
Revenge: 'Blue Eyes', the man who fatally shot Greg Moran and plans to do the same to his wife and son, makes it clear in his narration his motive is vengeance; the police also deduce he has a vendetta against the family, though they can't determine why. It's eventually revealed that Rusty Tillman, the real identity of Blue Eyes, is a former convict with connections to the mob and is in fact seeking revenge against Greg's father-in-law Leo Farley, who Rusty blames for ruining his life by arresting him for drink driving decades ago; he feels it's only fair to ruin his life in return by killing his entire family. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_92f674e5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_92f674e5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_92f674e5 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_94e4c8ab | type |
Betty and Veronica | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_94e4c8ab | comment |
Betty and Veronica: Twenty years ago, George was caught between his wife Isabelle (the Betty) and his lover Betsy (the Veronica). Isabelle is a gracious and even-tempered Proper Lady, but isn't a push-over either. Betsy was vivacious and daring, but could also be vengeful and cruel. George and Isabelle had drifted apart over the years due to relationship problems; he was drawn in by the excitement of having an affair with Betsy, who was Isabelle's opposite. However, when it came down to it, he found himself dragging his feet about leaving Isabelle for Betsy, especially as he became more aware of Betsy's darker side. He chose to stay and make things work with Isabelle after learning she was pregnant, which Betsy didn't take well. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_94e4c8ab | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_94e4c8ab | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_94e4c8ab | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_973d220f | type |
Never My Fault | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_973d220f | comment |
Never My Fault: Rusty Tillman blames Leo Farley for his life being ruined to an unreasonable degree. He chose to drive drunk, resulting in Leo arresting him and the army refusing to let him join. Rusty says that afterwards he had no choice but to return to working for the mob (who he'd started working for beforehand) and then got jailed for three decades for a burglary gone wrong. He blames Leo for all of this, saying he should've just cut him a break that day. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_973d220f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_973d220f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_973d220f | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_9d12bbc1 | type |
Foreshadowing | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_9d12bbc1 | comment |
Foreshadowing: Claire Bonner immediately moved out following her mother's death, has cut off contact with her stepfather and refuses to take money from him. She lives a quiet life away from the limelight, works as a social worker for troubled youth, and tends to dress in a plain or drab manner that downplays her attractiveness (including often wearing clothes that cover her completely and refusing to wear makeup). She also hates both her mother and stepfather, though she tries to keep that to herself. It all makes a lot more sense when you learn Claire had been molested by Rob in her teens. Criminal defense lawyer Alex Buckley and Salem Ridge police captain Ed Penn both find Robert Powell's gardener 'Bruno Hoff' vaguely familiar. Greg Moran's killer was always assumed to be a former patient or relative of a patient of Greg's, but he's actually motivated by revenge against former cop Leo Farley, Greg's father-in-law; Penn eventually recalls Leo arresting Rusty Tillman for drink driving as a beat cop, while Alex doubtless recalls him being convicted in the death of an old woman whose house he burgled. Notably, 'Bruno' also tends to fixate upon Leo and how much he will suffer after Laurie and Timmy are dead, barely ever mentioning Greg and treating him like an afterthought when he does, which is another subtle hint that Leo is the true source of his ire. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_9d12bbc1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_9d12bbc1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_9d12bbc1 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_acf33d00 | type |
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_acf33d00 | comment |
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Jane's attempt to murder Muriel in the climax proves highly beneficial. Firstly, no one knew for certain that she was Betsy's killer and there was little evidence tying the crime to her; Robert confesses that until she was caught red-handed trying to kill Muriel, he believed it was one of the four graduates. Subsequently, Josh's attempt to blackmail Alison, Regina and Nina in exchange for not revealing information that could tie them to Betsy's murder falls apart because Jane's actions prove none of them are guilty (the police quickly determine that Jane acted alone). Finally, because of the murder attempt and the retrieval of Jane's body, the local police are on high alert and hanging around near the Powell estate, allowing them to swiftly intervene when they learn Blue Eyes is on the property with a kidnapped Timmy, foiling his plot to kill Laurie and Timmy. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_acf33d00 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_acf33d00 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_acf33d00 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_aed65980 | type |
All for Nothing | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_aed65980 | comment |
All for Nothing: Jane murdered Betsy partly out of resentment and jealousy, and partly because she hoped she'd finally have Betsy's husband all to herself. She put on a big act of grieving for Betsy and let several innocent people be suspected of the crime, all in the hopes that it would get Robert Powell to love her. Unfortunately for Jane, over the past twenty years Robert has never once thought of her as anything than a faithful servant and was too deep in mourning for Betsy to even consider another relationship. He's so oblivious to Jane's feelings it never even occurred to him that she could've killed Betsy. And then when he finally cottons on after Jane tries to kill Muriel (out of fear she'll 'steal' Robert from her) Robert has nothing but contempt for Jane's love confession and murders her to avenge Betsy. Jane's obsessive devotion to Robert and her desperate attempts to win his love were a utter waste of time. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_aed65980 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_aed65980 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_aed65980 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_b77808f2 | type |
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_b77808f2 | comment |
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue: The epilogue takes place six months later and reveals what happened to the main cast. Nina Craig finally got her awful mother out of her hair and has gotten engaged to Grant Richmond. Regina Callari's real estate business has picked up, she and her son have gotten closer and she takes a certain glee in knowing her ex-husband and his current wife are going through an acrimonious divorce. Claire Bonner finally went to therapy regarding the abuse she endured at her mother and Robert Powell's hands. She feels able to tell her friends about it, accepts that it wasn't her fault, and has starting feeling comfortable enough to wear make-up again. Alison Schaffer has started attending medical school, has found out she's three months pregnant and is pleasantly surprised when Rod tells her he wants to follow in her footsteps and study to become a pharmacist. George Curtis realizes Robert never suspected his affair with Betsy, while Isabelle knew all along yet forgave him. He chastises himself for prolonging his suffering via cowardice and is happy to still have his wife and kids. He also gave the four graduates the $5 million Robert promised each of them before his death. Josh Damiano gets arrested after Alison, Nina and Regina went to the police about his attempt to blackmail them. Laurie Moran gains massive success with Under Suspicion, saving her career. She, Leo and Timmy have also begun to heal properly since Greg's death now that his killer has been dealt with. Alex Buckley has fallen deeply in love with Laurie; although he knows it's too soon to confess his feelings right now, he's willing to wait as long as it takes for the right time. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_b77808f2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_b77808f2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_b77808f2 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_bec0417c | type |
Happily Married | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_bec0417c | comment |
Happily Married: Regina describes her parents as being "one soul" in an interview and says they were incredibly happy together until Regina's father took his own life; Regina's mother was devastated and only outlived her husband by several years. It turns out that their marriage may not have been quite as perfect as Regina tries to present it, as her father had an affair with Betsy Powell. However, he deeply regretted this, to the point it was a contributing factor in his suicide. Regina hid this from her mother to spare her more pain. Despite their rocky start and Rod's belief that he loves and needs Alison far more than she does him, Alison and Rod appear to have a solid relationship; they both always support each other as best they can, they don't express any resentment towards each other even though there are several reasons for them to feel this way, and they work well as a team both at their pharmacy and when solving problems. Rod has been deeply in love with Alison for most of his life and in the end Alison realizes she's come to truly love him as well. George and Isabelle Curtis have been married for over thirty years and have a loving, affectionate relationship and an idyllic life together. However, it wasn't always this way: twenty years ago they were going through a rough patch, due in part to fertility struggles and miscarriages, and were practically living separate lives. George began an affair with Betsy, but he was reluctant to take the next step of leaving his wife for her, then realized he still loved Isabelle and wanted to make things work with her when she told him she was pregnant with twins. They've been happy together ever since, although George is terrified that if his affair is revealed during the filming of Under Suspicion, Isabelle will leave him, or worse still, he might be suspected of killing Betsy, as she had threatened to tell Isabelle. It turns out that Isabelle already knew about the affair, but decided to forgive George and have a fresh start. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_bec0417c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_bec0417c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_bec0417c | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_bf9163d9 | type |
Blonde, Brunette, Redhead | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_bf9163d9 | comment |
Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: Applies to the four graduates, helping to make them as distinct visually as they are in personality and potential motive for murder: Claire Bonner has ash-blonde hair, Regina Callari has midnight-black hair, Alison Schaeffer is a brunette, and Nina Craig is a redhead. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_bf9163d9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_bf9163d9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_bf9163d9 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_c49935fa | type |
20 Minutes into the Past | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_c49935fa | comment |
20 Minutes into the Past: The novel was published in 2014, though it's retroactively established in the sequel, The Cinderella Murder, that it takes place a year earlier in 2013. In The Cinderella Murder it's stated that it's been nearly a year since the episode covering the Graduation Gala murder aired and it's also established that the Cinderella Murder occurred twenty years ago in 1994, firmly placing the second novel in 2014. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_c49935fa | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_c49935fa | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_c49935fa | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_c75df49a | type |
Shout-Out | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_c75df49a | comment |
Shout-Out: When Grace and Jerry are discussing theories as to who killed Betsy, Grace brings up Murder on the Orient Express when she suggests all the suspects could've done it. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_c75df49a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_c75df49a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_c75df49a | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_ca7ec334 | type |
Two Lines, No Waiting | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_ca7ec334 | comment |
Two Lines, No Waiting: The book divides itself easily between Laurie and her crew's investigation of the Graduation Gala murder and the plotline involving Laurie's stalker; upon learning of Laurie's TV show, the stalker, under the name Bruno Hoff, takes a landscaping job at the Powell mansion to keep a close eye on Laurie right under her nose. He plots to kill her and Timmy on camera during the final day of filming, so the climax of both plotlines come together almost simultaneously. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_ca7ec334 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_ca7ec334 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_ca7ec334 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_cad80e66 | type |
Blame the Paramour | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_cad80e66 | comment |
Blame the Paramour: Downplayed with George's wife Isabelle, who reveals she's known for years about his affair with Betsy. She privately forgave him and decided to never bring it up because they were happy together afterwards, plus she knew George chose her over Betsy, although she did punish him to a degree by letting him stew over whether she would find out for twenty years. Isabelle has nothing but contempt but Betsy, who she dismisses as a manipulative slut. Isabelle even says she doesn't care if George killed Betsy and will cover for him if necessary. Considering that Isabelle overheard Betsy blackmailing George for $25 million in exchange for not telling Isabelle about the affair, and mockingly adding that if she did maybe the shock would cause the pregnant Isabelle to miscarry again, Isabelle's hatred for Betsy is very understandable. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_cad80e66 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_cad80e66 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_cad80e66 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_cd33644f | type |
Incriminating Indifference | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_cd33644f | comment |
Incriminating Indifference: One of the main reasons the police and many members of the public believed one (or more) of the four graduates were involved in Betsy's death was because of how calm and emotionless they appeared in the immediate aftermath; not even Claire appeared outwardly upset by her mother's murder. The irony is that the culprit was actually Jane Novak, who reacted very dramatically to the discovery of the body and screamed for someone to call 911, although it's later observed that her reaction seemed entirely centered on Robert, rather than Betsy. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_cd33644f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_cd33644f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_cd33644f | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_dcb9c541 | type |
Ship Tease | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_dcb9c541 | comment |
Ship Tease: During the filming of Under Suspicion, Laurie becomes close to Alex Buckley, a famous defense lawyer they've hired to host the show and interview the guests. Alex admires Laurie's keen intellect and eye for detail as they discuss theories together, takes her out to dinner, comforts her when her father is hospitalized, empathizes with her loss of her husband and comes to feel personally invested in the case, including using his own investigator to do background checks out of concern for Laurie's safety. They also both think the other is attractive. The epilogue confirms that Alex has fallen in love with Laurie, although he feels it's too soon to let her know yet. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_dcb9c541 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_dcb9c541 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_dcb9c541 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_defabcb9 | type |
Creepy Blue Eyes | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_defabcb9 | comment |
Creepy Blue Eyes: After his father was killed, all Timmy could recall about the murderer was that he had intense blue eyes. As such, Blue Eyes became the name used to refer to killer due his identity being completely unknown. As it turns out, his eyes aren't naturally blue as he wore contacts, which adds to the uncanniness. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_defabcb9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_defabcb9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_defabcb9 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_ee22ccb3 | type |
Lecherous Stepparent | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_ee22ccb3 | comment |
Claire Bonner immediately moved out following her mother's death, has cut off contact with her stepfather and refuses to take money from him. She lives a quiet life away from the limelight, works as a social worker for troubled youth, and tends to dress in a plain or drab manner that downplays her attractiveness (including often wearing clothes that cover her completely and refusing to wear makeup). She also hates both her mother and stepfather, though she tries to keep that to herself. It all makes a lot more sense when you learn Claire had been molested by Rob in her teens. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_ee22ccb3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_ee22ccb3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_ee22ccb3 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_f4f3252e | type |
Law of Inverse Fertility | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_f4f3252e | comment |
George and Isabelle Curtis have been married for over thirty years and have a loving, affectionate relationship and an idyllic life together. However, it wasn't always this way: twenty years ago they were going through a rough patch, due in part to fertility struggles and miscarriages, and were practically living separate lives. George began an affair with Betsy, but he was reluctant to take the next step of leaving his wife for her, then realized he still loved Isabelle and wanted to make things work with her when she told him she was pregnant with twins. They've been happy together ever since, although George is terrified that if his affair is revealed during the filming of Under Suspicion, Isabelle will leave him, or worse still, he might be suspected of killing Betsy, as she had threatened to tell Isabelle. It turns out that Isabelle already knew about the affair, but decided to forgive George and have a fresh start. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_f4f3252e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_f4f3252e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_f4f3252e | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_f8c08650 | type |
Motive = Conclusive Evidence | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_f8c08650 | comment |
Motive = Conclusive Evidence: Given that there were 300 people at the Graduation Gala and a patio door was left unlocked – meaning an intruder could've easily entered and exited the house after the party ended, and/or potentially blended in with the guests – almost anyone would've had the opportunity to sneak upstairs and smother Betsy to death. The murder also occurred twenty years ago and the crime scene was contaminated by lots of people rushing into the bedroom and attempting to revive Betsy, so there's not a whole lot of physical evidence to go on. As such, the creators of Under Suspicion aim to uncover potential motives from the persons of interest to see who is the most likely suspect. As it turns out, almost everyone had a motive and they all try desperately to avoid revealing too much to the crew, each fearing that they will end up arrested. Heck, people were pointing fingers at Betsy's daughter and her friends even without an obvious motive. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_f8c08650 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_f8c08650 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_f8c08650 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_fd497706 | type |
Accidental Murder | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_fd497706 | comment |
Accidental Murder: Blue Eyes was sentenced to thirty years in prison for causing an old woman's death. He'd broken into her house to burglarize it and claims he didn't know she was home; when she caught him the shock caused her to have a fatal heart attack. He insists her death wasn't really his fault and that he didn't deserve thirty years, though as we only have his word to go on it's not too clear what really happened. | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_fd497706 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_fd497706 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_fd497706 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_name | type |
ItemName | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_name | comment |
||
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_name | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_name | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin | hasFeature |
I've Got You Under My Skin / int_name | |
| I've Got You Under My Skin / int_name | itemName |
I've Got You Under My Skin |
The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.
Copyright of DBTropes.org wrapper 2009-2013 DFKI Knowledge Management. Imprint. - Thanks to Bakken&Baeck for hosting. Contact.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.