A Talent for Murder

Ethan Saltz is 11 years old when he kills his grandfather. Following a stroke, his grandfather moves into Ethan’s home, kicking Ethan out of his bedroom in the process. Ethan is required to visit his grandfather every day after school and talk to him, a chore that Ethan deeply resents. Ethan also feels anger toward his siblings, whom he views as stupid, and his parents, whom he sees as distant and neglectful.

One night, following a terrible argument between his sister and his parents, Ethan sneaks into his sister Vicky’s room and goes through her private possessions, notably her diary. Ethan decides that his grandfather desires death. He holds his grandfather’s nose and mouth shut, suffocating him. Ethan then casually goes about his business, studying upstairs in his room until his grandfather’s body is discovered.

After the funeral, “Ethan [takes] out his feelings to take a look at them,” eventually deciding that he’s done his family a favor (129). He takes out a piece of paper and writes down his grandfather’s name next to the number 1—the start of his list of kills.