Dicker utilizes a non-linear structure, jumping between three primary timelines to maintain suspense:
: Eight years after the tragedy, as a successful Marcus puts his past under a microscope to write their true story. Key Themes & Elements El Libro De Los Baltimore Joel Dicker epub
: The period leading directly to "The Drama" in 2004. Dicker utilizes a non-linear structure
: Marcus's wealthy uncle Saul, aunt Anita, and cousins Hillel and Woody, who lived a life of glamour and success that Marcus spent his childhood idolizing. and cousins Hillel and Woody
: Marcus's own middle-class family living in a modest house in New Jersey.