In the Midst of Winter by Isabel Allende Summary: A Tale of Secrets & Survival
Isabel Allende brings together three unlikely people during a paralyzing snowstorm in Brooklyn, each carrying burdens that stretch across continents and decades.
What follows is a story shaped by migration, secrecy, and the weight of history.
Whether you are deciding if this book matches your reading interests or need a clear reference for discussion, this article breaks down the story without interpretation or personal commentary.
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TL;DR: Three Strangers, One Storm, One Secret
In January 2016, a historic snowstorm hits Brooklyn.
A fender bender between a professor and an undocumented nanny leads to the discovery of a dead body in a car trunk.
The novel follows three people — Lucia Maraz, Richard Bowmaster, and Evelyn Ortega — as they decide what to do with that secret. Their individual histories from Chile, Brazil, and Guatemala surface throughout the story.
The plot centers on a risky trip to the Catskills, a late-life romance, and a resolution involving a human trafficking investigation.
The book ends in May 2016 with the characters emerging from their long emotional winter.
Characters In This Book
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| Lucia Maraz | Chilean writer and NYU visiting professor who survived exile, cancer, and divorce. |
| Richard Bowmaster | NYU academic chairman and Lucia’s landlord who lives with deep guilt over his family’s deaths. |
| Evelyn Ortega | Young undocumented Guatemalan nanny whose life has been shaped by violence and silence. |
| Kathryn Brown | Physical therapist and murder victim found in the trunk; Frank Leroy’s lover. |
| Frank Leroy | Evelyn’s employer, a violent man involved in human trafficking. |
| Cheryl Leroy | Frank’s wife who reveals she accidentally shot Kathryn Brown. |
| Frankie Leroy | The Leroys’ thirteen-year-old son with cerebral palsy who bonds silently with Evelyn. |
| Anita Farinha | Richard’s late Brazilian wife who died by suicide after losing her children. |
| Bibi | Richard’s daughter, killed in the car accident Richard caused. |
| Pablo | Richard’s deceased son. |
| Enrique Maraz | Lucia’s brother who disappeared during the 1973 Chilean coup. |
| Lena Maraz | Lucia’s mother who searched for Enrique until her death. |
| Daniela | Lucia’s daughter, a marine biology student in Miami. |
| Joseph Bowmaster | Richard’s 96-year-old father, a former actor and activist who escaped the Nazis. |
| Ivan Danescu | Frank Leroy’s associate revealed to be an undercover FBI agent. |
| Horacio Amado-Castro | Richard’s best friend who helped him rebuild his life in New York. |
In the Midst of Winter Summary: A Collision in the Snow
Spoiler warning: This section reveals major plot points, including the ending.
The novel opens in Brooklyn during a January 2016 snowstorm that paralyzes the city. Richard Bowmaster, driving to save his poisoned cat, rear-ends a white Lexus. The driver, a small young woman named Evelyn Ortega, is visibly agitated and flees the scene.
Later that night, Evelyn appears at Richard’s door, paralyzed with fear. Richard cannot communicate with her due to her extreme stammer and his limited Spanish. He calls Lucia Maraz, his Chilean tenant and a visiting professor at NYU, for help.
Together, they coax the truth from Evelyn. There is a dead body in the trunk of the Lexus, which she had taken without permission to buy diapers for a sick child. The body belongs to Kathryn Brown, a physical therapist for the child Evelyn cares for.
Afraid to call the police because Evelyn’s undocumented status would likely lead to deportation or wrongful accusation, Lucia and Richard decide to help her. They identify Evelyn’s boss, Frank Leroy, as a violent and mysterious figure who may be the murderer.
The trio embarks on a harrowing drive through the snow to a remote cabin in the Catskills owned by Richard’s friend, Horacio.
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During the drive, they narrowly avoid discovery at a police stop. Richard’s stress-induced ulcer worsens, adding physical strain to the dangerous journey. At the cabin, the forced proximity leads to an emotional thaw. Richard finally opens his heart to Lucia, sharing the guilt he has carried for twenty-five years.
Richard reveals that he accidentally ran over his young daughter Bibi in Rio de Janeiro while driving with a hangover.
His wife Anita never recovered from the loss and died by suicide. Lucia shares her own losses from the 1973 Chilean coup and her years in exile.
The two form a late-life romance. The group then moves Kathryn’s body to the Subaru and tips the Lexus into a deep part of the lake. They decide that Kathryn’s family deserves closure, so they do not let her become another disappeared person. Guided by what Evelyn believes is a mystical jaguar spirit, they perform a makeshift funeral ritual.
They leave Kathryn’s body in the Sanctuary of the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, where it will be found during the spring thaw. In the aftermath, they send Evelyn to Miami to hide with Lucia’s daughter, Daniela.
Months later, news reports reveal that Frank Leroy was part of a massive human trafficking ring. He fled to Mexico and was killed in a shootout with the FBI and Mexican military.
However, the final twist occurs when Lucia visits Leroy’s widow, Cheryl Leroy.
Cheryl confesses that she accidentally shot Kathryn Brown during a confrontation over Kathryn’s affair with Frank and her pregnancy with Frank’s child. Cheryl had hidden the body in the trunk, never expecting Evelyn to use the car.
The book ends in May 2016. Richard and Lucia are living together in a mature love.
Evelyn has found a safer life in Miami. They all decide to leave the secret of Kathryn’s death buried, concluding that natural justice was served since Frank Leroy paid for his many other crimes.
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Summary by Chapter
Spoiler warning: This section covers the entire narrative arc through grouped chapters.
The Inciting Incident & Setup
A historic Brooklyn blizzard brings three separate lives into collision after a minor traffic accident. Richard Bowmaster rear-ends a white Lexus driven by Evelyn Ortega, who flees the scene in panic. Later that night, Evelyn appears at Richard’s door in a state of terror.
The three eventually confront the truth: a dead body lies in the trunk of the Lexus.
The Weight of History
The narrative moves back in time to reveal the backstories that shaped each protagonist. Lucia’s family is defined by the 1973 Chilean coup, which led to her brother’s disappearance and her seventeen years in exile. Evelyn’s childhood in Guatemala was shattered by MS-13 gang violence and a dangerous journey north.
Richard’s past holds a devastating accident in Brazil that claimed his daughter’s life and led to his wife’s suicide.
The Perilous Road Trip
Fearing what the police would do to undocumented Evelyn, Lucia and Richard decide to help her dispose of the body. They drive through dangerous icy roads toward a remote cabin in the Catskills.
They narrowly avoid discovery at a police checkpoint, and Richard’s stress-induced ulcer worsens.
Thawing Hearts in the Catskills
Inside the isolated cabin, the emotional defenses each character has maintained for decades begin to fall.
Richard shares the full weight of his guilt from Brazil with Lucia, and Lucia reveals her losses in Chile and her long years of exile. This forced proximity and shared vulnerability lead to an unexpected intimacy between them.
Closure and Invincible Summer
The group completes their task by seeking a respectful resting place for Kathryn’s body, guided by Evelyn’s spiritual intuition. They leave the body at the Omega Institute where it will be found in the spring.
In the aftermath, Frank Leroy’s crimes come to light, and Cheryl Leroy confesses to the accidental shooting. Richard and Lucia begin a new life together.
The Ideas That Shape the Story
| Theme | How the Book Presents It |
|---|---|
| Isolation and Loneliness | Each of the three main characters lives emotionally isolated before the snowstorm forces them together. |
| Migration and the Refugee Experience | Evelyn’s journey from Guatemala through Mexico to the U.S. shows the dangers faced by undocumented immigrants. |
| Trauma and Resilience | Lucia, Richard, and Evelyn each carry past trauma — from exile, accidental death, and gang violence — yet continue forward. |
| Aging and Second Chances at Love | Richard and Lucia, both past sixty, form a romantic relationship after years of emotional winter. |
| Political Repression and State Violence | Lucia’s family is marked by the 1973 Chilean coup, her brother’s disappearance, and her exile. |
| Natural Justice vs. Legal Justice | The characters choose to hide Kathryn’s death while Frank Leroy faces consequences for other crimes. |
FAQ
How does In the Midst of Winter end?
The novel ends in May 2016 with Richard and Lucia living together in a mature love, Evelyn finding safety in Miami, and the group deciding to leave Kathryn’s death buried after Cheryl Leroy confesses to the accidental shooting. Frank Leroy is killed in a shootout in Mexico after his trafficking ring is exposed.
What is In the Midst of Winter about?
In the Midst of Winter follows three strangers — a Chilean professor, an American academic, and an undocumented Guatemalan nanny — who discover a dead body in a car trunk during a Brooklyn blizzard and must decide what to do with that secret.
Who are the main characters in In the Midst of Winter?
The three main characters are Lucia Maraz, a Chilean writer and visiting professor at NYU; Richard Bowmaster, an NYU academic chairman; and Evelyn Ortega, a young undocumented Guatemalan nanny. Their backstories span Chile, Brazil, and Guatemala.
Is In the Midst of Winter based on a true story?
In the Midst of Winter is a work of fiction. However, it incorporates real historical events such as the 1973 Chilean military coup, the Pinochet regime, and gang violence by MS-13 in Guatemala.
What genre is In the Midst of Winter?
In the Midst of Winter is classified as contemporary literary fiction. It also contains elements of historical fiction and romance woven through the characters’ backstories.
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