The Disappearance
In December 1973, 14-year-old Susie Salmon, a high school freshman with aspirations of becoming a photographer, vanished without a trace. The day had begun like any other. Ray, a boy she had long admired, asked her out. As she walked home through a cornfield, Susie encountered her neighbor, George Harvey, who invited her to see an underground hideout he had built.
Feeling uneasy inside the structure, Susie attempted to leave. What followed was never fully seen—only implied. The scene faded as she ran past her classmate Ruth Connors, appearing disoriented and frantic.
Aftermath and Realization
When Susie failed to return home, her parents, Jack and Abigail Salmon, grew increasingly concerned. Jack initiated a search, while Abigail contacted the police. Susie was seen watching them, but her calls went unanswered. She returned home, confused, only to see Harvey bathing, and discovered blood in the sink alongside her own bracelet. In that moment, she understood she had not escaped. She had been murdered by Harvey.
Susie was then drawn into the “In-Between,” a realm suspended between life and the afterlife. There she met a girl named Holly, who encouraged her to accept her fate and move on to Heaven. Susie, however, resisted, choosing instead to remain and watch over her grieving family.
The Investigation
Detective Len Fenerman was assigned to Susie’s case. Jack believed his daughter had been murdered and suspected someone close to their family. His suspicions turned toward George Harvey, but no evidence could be found. Harvey had removed all traces of the crime. Abigail, overwhelmed by grief, began to drift from her husband. Her own mother, Lynn, moved in to help. Eventually, Abigail left home and traveled to California, needing distance to cope.
During this time, Susie observed Harvey identifying her sister, Lindsey, as his next victim. She also learned that Holly had been among several girls Harvey had murdered before. Susie’s body had been sealed inside a large safe in Harvey’s basement.
A Father’s Pursuit
One night, Jack followed Harvey into the cornfield, carrying a baseball bat. Instead of finding Harvey alone, he stumbled upon two teenagers, Clarissa and Brian. Misunderstanding Jack’s intentions, Brian attacked and nearly beat him to death as Harvey looked on from a distance.
As Jack recovered in the hospital, Lindsey began to act. Breaking into Harvey’s home, she discovered a notebook filled with sketches of the underground den, along with a lock of Susie’s hair and newspaper clippings. Harvey returned before she could leave, but she managed to escape and ran home, where she found Abigail had returned.
The evidence was passed to Lynn, who notified the authorities. Harvey, sensing danger, fled the area, taking the safe containing Susie’s body with him.
A Final Wish
Susie’s afterlife continued to evolve, and she encountered the other girls Harvey had killed. Holly again urged Susie to accept her death and join the others in Heaven. Susie resisted, stating that she had one final act to fulfill.
On Earth, Ruth and Ray—Susie’s friend and former crush—were near a sinkhole site on the Connors’ property when Harvey arrived. He dumped the safe into the sinkhole. In that moment, Susie returned to the physical world by entering Ruth’s body. Ruth collapsed, and Ray realized Susie had briefly returned. They kissed—completing Susie’s last earthly desire.
Her purpose fulfilled, Susie returned to the In-Between and was drawn toward Heaven.
Justice and Closure
Sometime after, Harvey approached a young woman outside a diner. He offered her a ride. She declined. As he watched her leave, an icicle fell from a tree branch and struck his shoulder, causing him to stumble and fall from a cliff to his death.
Susie, from her vantage point in the afterlife, watched her family begin to heal. The pain of her absence had left behind “lovely bones”—connections and growth that filled the void.
A Final Goodbye
As the story closed, Susie offered her final thoughts. She stated her full name—Susie Salmon, “like the fish”—and recalled the day of her murder. She had lived for a moment and then was gone. Her final wish was simple: that those left behind would live long and happy lives.
