One by One

Elizabeth, or Liz as she is known in the novel, is the other narrator and the antagonist of One by One. Liz is invited on the ski trip because she is one of the voting shareholders of the music company Snoop. Eva and Topher, the two main shareholders, both vie for her votes, but it is later revealed that Eva has blackmail against Liz and plans on forcing her hand.

Liz is described in a way that highlights her feelings of not fitting in with the rest of the group. When Erin sees her for the first time, she is described as a “woman, in her late twenties, standing hunched in an inconspicuous corner by the fire, as if hoping no one will speak to her […] She’s almost… the word that comes to mind is cowering” (29). Her physical tendency to stand at the periphery, hopefully unnoticed, is further reinforced by her later conflict when getting dressed for the first night at the chalet, when she has an outburst about not knowing what to wear. It is this sense of other that lends itself to Liz not being a suspect. Her awkwardness leads the others to make assumptions about her and her capabilities, allowing her to hide her more nefarious self beneath.

Although she is a murderer, Liz is in many ways a victim too. She grew up in an abusive household, the child of an alcoholic father with a gambling addiction. Her mother was not outright abusive but did enable her husband’s actions. There are several moments in the novel when Liz hears her mother’s voice in her mind, chastising her for popping her fingers or misspeaking. One such example comes early in the book, when Liz is chewing her fingernails: “I have a sharp flash of my mother’s worried voice. Liz, please don’t do that, you know Daddy doesn’t like it” (22). Her impoverished childhood is a major component of why she is initially won over by the members of Snoop when she first works with them, and why she is targeted by the investor. Eva attempts to capitalize on her assault, only for her to receive more incriminating blackmail material than she initially believed. Liz’s history of abuse and entrapment eventually leads her to murder Eva to protect herself from blackmail, then Ani and Elliot to hide it. Understanding Liz’s backstory does not negate the tragedy of what she has done, but it does allow the reader to understand her motivations; in writing Liz this way, Ware makes her a dynamic and compelling character.

One of the cofounders of the tech company Snoop, Topher is described as attractive and charismatic. Very early on, the reader is made aware of his charm when Liz comments on his mannerism before the group reaches the chalet. She notes that “somehow when he makes these pronouncements, you believe him […] you trust him. You sign that check. You make that deposit. You put everything into his hands” (22). Even Erin notes that “his voice is every boarding school boy I’ve ever met. He looks faintly familiar although I can’t place the connection—but maybe it’s just the fact that if you were casting for the CEO of a hip internet start-up, he’s exactly what you’d choose” (27). Topher comes from money and therefore moves through the world with a confidence that Erin recognizes and Liz desires.

Topher is the novel’s primary red herring. In mystery novels, red herrings are clues the writer inserts into the text to draw suspicion away from the actual criminal. Topher is one of the majority shareholders. He and Eva both own 30% of the company but have very different ideas about its future. This tension gives Topher motive for killing Eva, because her death means he becomes the majority voting shareholder of Snoop and can therefore reject the buyout she advocated for. The clues don’t point to him, but the confined nature of the setting still makes him a viable suspect for the others because of his clear motive.

After the events of the novel, Topher does experience growth, highlighted by the email he writes Erin. When he apologizes to her, it marks first time he apologizes in the novel. He also discusses how he understands loss and grief more now, writing, “So I get it now. I get why you didn’t tell us. I get why you couldn’t leave” (364). Just as telling is the fact that he submits Eva’s file of blackmail to the police and does so prior to the company’s bankruptcy. This shows a notable decrease in his sense of self-preservation and suggests he may walk out of this experience a better person.