Point Dume is the coastal setting for the fatal car crash involving Anthony Matthews, a friend of the narrator’s circle. Its role is brief but decisive: the accident offers a stark counterpoint to the book’s pattern of violence and uncertain explanations, insisting that one death can be an ordinary human mistake rather than part of a hidden design.

Setting and Journey

During the final weekend of Christmas vacation, Anthony and Doug Furth drove separately toward Jeff Taylor’s father’s place in Malibu. They had met in Westwood to see Taps at the Avco Center, then planned to spend the night at the Colony. By the time they reached Interstate 10, it was nearly seven in the evening. Rain had left the highway unusually quiet as they approached Point Dume, with Anthony driving his Camaro ahead of Doug’s BMW.

The Accident

According to Doug, Anthony was speeding, though not in a way that appeared dangerous, and neither man was under the influence. The crash unfolded within seconds. Doug first saw the Camaro’s taillights shift toward the side of the road in the rainy darkness; when he drew closer, his headlights revealed that the car had left the highway and struck the cliff. Anthony had been thrown onto the wrecked car and was dying when Doug reached him. The account presents the collision as a straightforward loss of control, not as an assault or a concealed act.

Narrative Significance

The narration explicitly separates Anthony’s death from Robert Mallory and the Trawler: it was an accident, without mystery or larger meaning. That distinction matters in a story where missing animals, home invasions, and killings invite patterns and suspicions. At Point Dume, the book instead allows miscalculation and chance to remain sufficient explanations. The location thus marks a boundary between the crimes the narrator tries to connect and a tragedy that, however devastating, belongs to no conspiracy.