▁of ▁je alous y ▁or ▁the ▁product ▁of ▁an ▁O ed ip us ▁complex . ▁ ▁Their ▁clos eness ▁is ▁made ▁apparent ▁from ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁book , ▁however , ▁as ▁Arnold ▁tele ph ones ▁Brad ley , ▁wor ried ▁that ▁he ▁has ▁killed ▁his ▁wife , ▁Rach el , ▁in ▁a ▁domestic ▁row . ▁ ▁Brad ley ▁att ends ▁with ▁his ▁former ▁brother - in - law , ▁Francis ▁Mar lo e , ▁in ▁to w . ▁T ogether ▁they ▁calm ▁the ▁injured ▁Rach el ▁and ▁restore ▁peace ▁to ▁the ▁B aff ins ' ▁household . ▁ ▁Yet ▁Brad ley ▁begins ▁to ▁get ▁tra pped ▁in ▁a ▁growing ▁dynamic ▁of ▁family , ▁friends , ▁and ▁associ ates ▁who ▁collect ively ▁seem ▁to ▁th wart ▁his ▁attempts ▁at ▁ach ieving ▁the ▁isol ation ▁he ▁feels ▁necessary ▁to ▁create ▁his ▁' master pie ce '. ▁His ▁inter vention ▁in ▁the ▁B aff ins ' ▁marriage , ▁for ▁instance , ▁prompt s ▁Rach el ▁to ▁fall ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁him . ▁His ▁de pressed ▁sister , ▁Pr isc illa , ▁leaves ▁her ▁ab us ive ▁husband , ▁demand ing ▁that ▁her ▁brother ▁shelter ▁her . ▁The ▁B aff ins ' ▁young ▁daughter , ▁Julian , ▁decl ares ▁her ▁adm iration ▁for ▁Brad ley ▁and ▁beg s ▁him ▁to ▁t utor ▁her . ▁Even ▁Christian , ▁Brad ley ' s ▁ex - w ife , ▁inv ades ▁his ▁life ▁by ▁seeking ▁to ▁repair ▁their ▁long - def unct ▁relationship . ▁ ▁Brad ley ▁attempts ▁to