How does Megan Lally use characterization and plot to develop the theme of The Deceptive Nature of Appearances? How does Lally’s use of genre conventions relate to this theme?

How does Lally use diction, descriptive detail, and character reactions to create a creepy atmosphere around Alton and Wayne’s fishing cabin? What purpose does this atmosphere serve?

Lola is dead by the time the novel begins and thus never makes an actual appearance in the narrative. In what sense is she still a character? Which motifs, character reactions, and plot events create a sense of Lola’s “ghost” haunting the narrative?