b inger ▁of ▁death . ▁She ▁also ▁bel ieves ▁that , ▁just ▁as ▁years ▁ago ▁an ▁unknown ▁man ▁appeared ▁in ▁her ▁family ' s ▁house ▁before ▁her ▁younger ▁brother ' s ▁death , ▁so ▁Robert ' s ▁appearance ▁for et ells ▁a ▁death . ▁▁ ▁High sm ith ▁ended ▁her ▁relationship ▁with ▁Mar ij ane ▁Me aker ▁about ▁the ▁time ▁she ▁started ▁work ▁on ▁this ▁novel , ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁Me aker ▁told ▁an ▁inter v iewer ▁that ▁High sm ith ▁mode led ▁the ▁character ▁of ▁Nick ie ▁after ▁her ▁as ▁an ▁act ▁of ▁" ret ali ation ". ▁ ▁The ▁novel ▁is ▁dedicated ▁only ▁to ▁" D . W .", ▁an ▁apparent ▁reference ▁to ▁D ais y ▁W inst on , ▁High sm ith ' s ▁former ▁lo ver ▁and ▁neighbor ▁in ▁New ▁Hope . ▁ ▁Plot ▁summary ▁ ▁Following ▁a ▁pain ful ▁divor ce ▁from ▁his ▁wife ▁Nick ie , ▁Robert ▁For ester ▁leaves ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁moves ▁to ▁small - town ▁Lang ley , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁where ▁he ▁develop s ▁an ▁ob session ▁for ▁ 2 3 - year - old ▁Jen ny ▁Th ier olf . ▁He ▁sp ies ▁on ▁her ▁through ▁her ▁kitchen ▁window , ▁enjo ying ▁" the ▁girl ' s ▁pla cid ▁temper ament , ▁her ▁obvious ▁affection ▁for ▁her ▁rather ▁ram sh ack le ▁house , ▁her ▁content ment ▁with ▁her ▁life ". ▁He ▁is ▁surprised ▁when ▁she ▁inv ites ▁him ▁into ▁her ▁house ▁after ▁spot ting ▁him ▁one ▁night