Ordinary Evil

The novel demonstrates that ordinary people of all ages are capable of committing horrible crimes. Holly believes that the case with the Harrises was the worst she has ever investigated because the elderly couple represented ordinary evil. First, Holly and others dismiss Roddy and Emily as threats because they are elderly. Even when Holly confirms that Roddy and Emily are involved in the kidnapping and murders, she considers only that they are accomplices, never that they are responsible for the kidnappings and murders. Finally, Holly indicates that Roddy and Emily’s sort of evil is terrifying because there is nothing supernatural about it.

Roddy and Emily are so easily able to abduct their victims because no one expects an elderly couple to be kidnapping and killing. Even though Jorge knows that Emily dislikes him, he does not hesitate to help them because he does not...