One clear overall message in Confessions on the 7:45 is that abusive behavior such as domestic violence, neglect, or infidelity is often replicated and repeated from one generation to the next. In both Pearl’s and Selena’s narratives, patterns of behavior continue to emerge and damage relationships. The text also suggests ways to break these trauma cycles and heal relationships, though doing so requires a conscious effort.

The women in Selena’s family have been suffering the abuse of their fathers and husbands for years. Selena’s father habitually cheated on her mother; they did not get divorced until Selena was an adult. Her parents’ relationship did not set a healthy example for her as she became an adult; she rejected the care and stability that Will offered her for a more exciting relationship with Graham. Living with Graham involves excusing his infidelity and abuse, and as the book’s mystery unfolds, Selena realizes that she chose a partner who behaves just like her father. During the book’s climax, the cycle is on the verge of completion when Graham tries to strangle Selena to death; however, Pearl knocks him out before he can kill Selena, interrupting both the crime and the cycle. Notably, Unger avoids a standard domestic thriller

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