Justin breaks the rule of speaking about the past. Cassie is able to use this to gain information about Justin and his past that they bring her closer to finding out information about LExie.

"I could leave," Abby said. She was watching Daniel intently, her eyes round and very grave. "We could leave". (French 209)

“They don’t like us,” Abby said evenly, reaching over to switch on the windscreen wipers. The street was long and deserted, little pastel houses closed down tight against the rain, dark blur of hills rising behind them. Nothing moved anywhere, only the old man’s slow mechanical shuffle and the flick of a lace curtain down the street. “Drive, hon.”

“That little fuck,” Rafe said. He was clutching his shoe like a weapon, knuckles white. “You should have floored it, Justin. You should have splattered whatever he’s got instead of a brain across this wretched street.” He started to roll down his window.

“Rafe,” Abby said sharply. “Roll that up. Now.”

“Why? Why should we let him get away with-”

“Because,” I said, in a small voice. “I want to go for my walk tonight.”

Excerpt From

The Likeness

Tana French

This material may be protected by copyright." (221)

Further, they are not as trusted or respected by their community, leading to a crack in the friend group from the outside. They are removed from the rest of their society, being both ridiculed and isolated. This separation is also leading to a crack between them and their environment, and causing strife.

Cassie unknowingly breaks this rule, and even if it's something as small as dolls she used to play with, it shows how guarded the group keeps their pasts, their traumas, etc.

I hadn't. I 'd been so wrapped up in Lexie and the Fantastic Four; I'd completely forgotten that what I was supposed to be after was outside the Whitethorn House, not inside, and was very likely also after me." (185).

Each housemate has broken the rules of society in some way, shape, or form:

• Rafe does not want to get a "real job" (i.e., being a rich CEO his father wants him to be).

• Justin is gay.

• Abby's mom is likely a prostitute.

• Cassie jumps into the middle of relationships, not entering the different beginning phases of friendship. Also stood out growing up.

Abby is being really considerate in this moment with Cassie. We can tell their bond is strong enough that she knows something is up just from them not getting chocolate like their normal routine. She knows to keep this information confidential and wants to be supportive right off the bat.

"'Did you tell him about the graffiti?' Daniel asked Abby. 'Or the break-ins?' Abby shook her head. 'He didn't ask, I didn't volunteer. You think...? I could phone and tell him.' Nobody mentioned anything about graffiti or break-ins."

(Daniel and Abby on Page 189)

"...For now, on the whole, I think the best plan is to leave it. If detective O'Neill picked up on the tension, he'll find out about the rest on his own, as well; there's no need to nudge him."

(Daniel on Page 190)

(336, Ebook)

My antennae went up." (334 ebook)

This moment is when Cassie leaves the room rather than change in front of Abby. Maybe this fits more in cracks, but I perceived this as Cassie breaking one of the rules of what it means to be Lexie. Normally, as a rule Lexie would be used to changing in front of Abby but because Cassie has to hide her mic, she breaks the rule to change in a different room. This confuses Abby, but doesn't raise enough suspicion to lead to consequences as Cassie could explain it away if questioned. Regardless, this moment exists in the story to add tension to the overall piece.

"Hello," he said, giving me the finger. Then his chair came down, and his face changed; it froze over, into that haughty, unreadable mask he wore in college and around outsiders. "Dad," he said.

Without an eyeblink, the others drew closer around him; you could feel it in the air, a tightening, a solidifying as they ranged themselves at his shoulders. (162)

"I had heard Abby sing before, but only to herself when she thought no one was listening, never like this. That voice: it was the kind you don't hear these days, a magnificent, full-blown contralto straight out of an old war film, a voice for smoky nightclubs and marcel-waved hair, red lipstick and a blue saxophone." (Pg. 174)

In this scene, it perfectly conveys Frank's goal for Lexie in her first week with these other characters: earning their trust. In this scenario, Abby is letting her whole self come out, with her usually singing to herself, she is allowing herself to shine, revealing her true nature. Which strengths Lexie's bond with Abby, and additionally, Rafe and Justin.

"I'm fairly sure we do need a license officially," Daniel said, "but I think we should leave it, at least for now. I 've had enough of the police for a while..." (182)