Paddy is an interesting character. She fights to fit in with her family and their values, which are for her to marry and be a good wife. Paddy really wants to have a good career and be a wife, but figuring out how to respect her strict Catholic upbringing and get a career is not a simple proposition. Further complicating the matter is her fiancé’s unwillingness to change. So Paddy must make tough choices and all the while she is also trying to figure out how to lose weight so she can "fit in" with the crowd at work. This is a story about working people, and the internal struggles brought on by change bring them right off the page into vivid life.

Paddy’s overpowering self-scrutiny serves as an awakening as her investigation continues through the last chapter. Failed weight loss attempts, lack of resolve and willpower, as well as her continuing need for support and approval from her family dominate her thoughts and self esteem. Solving the crime is a cathartic experience that allows Paddy to set aside her unfavorable self judgments and resist the continuous demands from her family.