The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.
-- Narrator (The Fifth Key)

Importance: This quote, attributed to Socrates, sums up the novel’s moral: starting fresh at any point in life is possible. Lizbet purchases a framed print of this quote as a testament to her dedication to self-growth. Despite still grieving her failed relationship with JJ, Lizbet is determined to get back on track with her life.

Ghosts are souls with unfinished business on earth, and such is the case with Grace. She has tried to just ‘let it go’ and ‘move on’ to her eternal rest—but she can’t.
-- Narrator (Ghost Story)

Importance: Grace’s storyline mirrors Lizbet’s in that they are both wronged by the men they love. In Grace’s case, her sense of indignation is so strong that it keeps her tethered to Earth long past her death. Her haunting...