The Hooded Figure: A Psychological Mastermind

The Hooded Figure. The number one mastermind in the series…and Hannah and Rafa’s most dangerous nemesis. Always concealed, this mysterious figure wears a dark hooded jacket, gloves, and carries knives or guns. They are the catalyst who alters Hannah’s outlook on life, driving her into a new, darker reality. Beginning with Deadly College Murders, the Hooded Figure could be anyone—someone with inside access to faculty records and class schedules, moving unseen through the campus while pulling strings from the shadows.

He or she is the one who works closely with the series’ main antagonist. They are responsible for orchestrating evidence and false leads to ensure Hannah is framed for every crime they commit. Typically, an early riser, they’re often up before 5 a.m., eager to begin the day and take deliberate steps to guarantee the murders occur as planned.

Under direct orders from the main antagonist, they are the ones who send Hannah and Raf the riddles. If either of them answers a riddle incorrectly, the consequence is severe: it results in the possible demise of Hannah or Rafael, or both.

Hannah often dreams of the hooded figure murdering her and Rafael, a recurring nightmare that leaves her unsettled long after she wakes. Some of the villains in the book subject Hannah to psychological torture, probing her fears and unraveling her sense of safety. It might be someone she once trusted as her closest friend, or it could be a stranger whose sinister nature she gradually uncovers through small, chilling clues.

The hooded figure is the one responsible for ensuring Hannah goes to jail; if their plan falters, they find other ways to try to make certain she ends up behind bars. All in all, the hooded figure will always be one step ahead of Hannah. It falls to her and Rafael to play this dangerous game of chess. One thing Hannah remembers often, though not always clearly, is that...

“In life unlike chess, the game continues after checkmate.”