book review love stories trent dalton

The Literary Edit

Love Stories by Trent Dalton Book Review

Trent Dalton is an author that can do absolutely no wrong in my eyes. One of the nicest people I’ve met – and also one of the most passionate and vibrant writers around – it’s easy to see why he’s amassed a legion of loyal fans since the publication of his debut novel, Boy Swallows Universe. Having devoured both his novels, when I heard that he had a new non-fiction out at the end of 2021, I eagerly awaited its publication, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. A book of love stories that were collected from passers-by on the side of a street in Brisbane, where Trent sat with a typewriter and a sign that read ‘sentimental writer collecting love stories’, Love Stories is everything and more than I had hoped it would be, and also offers the perfect remedy to the tense and turbulent eighteen months since Covid began.

Love Stories Book Review

My copy of Love Stories arrived the day before its publication, and despite being in the middle of another book, I started it immediately, and was just seven pages in when I first shed a tear. Shortly after the death of his good friend’s mother, Trent was left her old yet treasured typewriter. Moved by the poignancy of this gesture, and armed with his inherited Olivetti typewriter, Trent took to the streets of Brisbane to ask strangers to tell him a love story.

Moving, poignant and wholly profound, Love Stories is Trent at his very best. His warmth and affability truly shine through each and every story, and it’s impossible to read the tales of love, lust, longing, heartache and grief without having your faith in humanity and in love in all its forms restored.

In Love Stories we meet Reuben Vui – a benevolent Kiwi with leaf-shaped fragments of his grandparents’ wedding rings permanently fixed to his teeth; we read about Trent’s own love story and visit the place where he proposed to his now wife; we learn about love stories between friends; and we meet Rwandan busker, Jean-­Benoit Lagarmitte, who – despite being abandoned under a tree as a baby – brings a tangible sense of joy and delight to everyone who encounters his drumming.  

Rich with humanity and hope, Love Stories is a timely reminder of both the importance and power of love. To end, my favourite quote: “Love is knowing when you’ve come home.”

Love Stories Summary

Trent Dalton, Australia’s best-loved writer, goes out into the world and asks a simple, direct question: ‘Can you please tell me a love story?’

A blind man yearns to see the face of his wife of thirty years. A divorced mother has a secret love affair with a priest. A geologist discovers a three-minute video recorded by his wife before she died. A tree lopper’s heart falls in a forest. A working mum contemplates taking photographs of her late husband down from her fridge. A girl writes a last letter to the man she loves most, then sets it on fire. A palliative care nurse helps a dying woman converse with the angel at the end of her bed. A renowned 100-year-old scientist ponders the one great earthly puzzle he was never able to solve: ‘What is love?’

Endless stories. Human stories. Love stories.

Inspired by a personal moment of profound love and generosity, Trent Dalton, bestselling author and one of Australia’s finest journalists, spent two months in 2021 speaking to people from all walks of life, asking them one simple and direct question: ‘Can you please tell me a love story?’ The result is an immensely warm, poignant, funny and moving book about love in all its guises, including observations, reflections and stories of people falling into love, falling out of love, and never letting go of the loved ones in their hearts. A heartfelt, deep, wise and tingly tribute to the greatest thing we will never understand and the only thing we will ever really need: love.

Buy Love Stories from Book Depository or Waterstones .

Further reading

I loved this piece on The Australian: Can you tell me a love story? You can also read about the books Trent would take with him to a desert island here .

Trent Dalton author bio

Trent Dalton writes for the award-winning The Weekend Australian Magazine. A former assistant editor of The Courier-Mail, he has won a Walkley, been a four-time winner of the national News Awards Feature Journalist of the Year Award, and was named Queensland Journalist of the Year at the 2011 Clarion Awards for excellence in Queensland media. His writing includes several short and feature-length film screenplays. His latest feature film screenplay, Home, is a love story inspired by his non-fiction collection Detours: Stories from the Street (2011), the culmination of three months immersed in Brisbane’s homeless community, the proceeds of which went back to the 20 people featured within its pages. His journalism has twice been nominated for a United Nations of Australia Media Peace Award, and his debut novel Boy Swallows Universe was published in 2018.

He was nominated for a 2010 AFI Best Short Fiction screenplay award for his latest film, Glenn Owen Dodds, starring David Wenham. The film won the prestigious International Prix Canal award at the world’s largest short film festival, The Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France. Dalton’s debut feature film screenplay, In the Silence, is currently in production.

Trent also hosted the ABC Conversations show while Richard Fidler was on a Churchill Fellowship.

Other Trent Dalton books

Trent Dalton has also written Boy Swallows Universe and All Our Shimmering Skies .

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Theresa Smith Writes

Delighting in all things bookish, book review: love stories by trent dalton, about the book:.

A blind man yearns to see the face of his wife of thirty years. A divorced mother has a secret love affair with a priest. A geologist discovers a three-minute video recorded by his wife before she died. A tree lopper’s heart falls in a forest. A working mum contemplates taking photographs of her late husband down from her fridge. A girl writes a last letter to the man she loves most, then sets it on fire. A palliative care nurse helps a dying woman converse with the angel at the end of her bed. A renowned 100-year-old scientist ponders the one great earthly puzzle he was never able to solve: ‘What is love?’

Endless stories. Human stories. Love stories.

Inspired by a personal moment of profound love and generosity, Trent Dalton, bestselling author and one of Australia’s finest journalists, spent two months in 2021 speaking to people from all walks of life, asking them one simple and direct question: ‘Can you please tell me a love story?’ The result is an immensely warm, poignant, funny and moving book about love in all its guises, including observations, reflections and stories of people falling into love, falling out of love, and never letting go of the loved ones in their hearts. A heartfelt, deep, wise and tingly tribute to the greatest thing we will never understand and the only thing we will ever really need: love.

Published by HarperCollins Publishers Australia

Released 27 th October 2021

My Thoughts:

Love Stories is the book I never knew I needed until I started to read it. There’s a television series on Amazon Prime called Modern Love, stories of love based on an essay series that originally appeared in the NY Times. Real love stories written by real people. I feel like Trent Dalton has given us an Australian version of this all wrapped up in a gorgeous rose-coloured cloth bound gold embossed book that reads as beautifully as it looks.

I can’t tell you how cathartic reading this book has been for me. I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling the weight of this no end in sight pandemic. Fear has made us all so divided. The vaccinated against the anti-vaxxers; the masked against the unmasked; us against them; me against you – it doesn’t stop, this general all-pervading vibe that if someone doesn’t agree with your stance on something then they are an idiot. It’s easy to forget that we are all people who have things we care about, things we are scared of, things we believe strongly in, things that confuse us. This book brings that back into focus. The things that connect us all at a time when we (*me) need to be reminded about what we have in common, as opposed to why we think we hate each other. I so appreciate the intent of this book, the timing of its publication, and the sheer bloody truth of it. Trent Dalton you are a legend.

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12 thoughts on “ book review: love stories by trent dalton ”.

This is so beautifully said, Theresa. I think the most destructive thing to have come out of the last two years is the division between people, the pernicious loss of human community and spirit. I make special effort with friends and family to talk about anything else, to remind myself that we’re capable of having lives and conversations that are richer and more beautiful than this single-topic society we’ve become. (I’m also largely off SM, and have blocked all news. Can recommend!) I think the light at the end of the tunnel comes when we all collectively remember that human life has infinitely more in it. Dalton certainly is a beloved writer and no doubt this will be a very appreciated book. Lots of love. xx

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His timing is perfect and I really hope a lot of people pick this one up. It’s so life affirming and demonstrates exactly what you’ve said: human life has infinitely more in it. Merry Christmas Kim. Much love to you and yours. xox

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Merry Christmas to you and yours too, Theresa! Big hugs xx

Have I read the other 2 books of Trent Dalton’s that I’ve bought yet? No Do I still want to buy this? Yes Tbh I can see myself reading this one first….maybe I’ll work my way back lol

Good idea! This is an easy one to dip in and out of as well. I love Trent Dalton’s writing. I’d probably buy his shopping list if it were for sale.

Sounds wonderful. Not that I ever get receive for Christmas, but this is definitely top of my wishlist.

It’s a perfect book to give (or receive) as a gift. So beautiful in its presentation too. I’ve actually left it on the coffee table and I’ve been rereading parts.

Awww Theresa ❤️ this review has warmed my heart!! Beautifully said!!

Thank you! ❤

I love Trent Dalton’s writing and I’m keen to get my hands on this one after your review. Another for the TBR. Many thanks

This is quintessential Trent. You’ll love it!

I’m sure I will.

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bookish nooks

• Mar 13, 2022

Book Review: Love Stories, by Trent Dalton

Updated: Oct 21, 2022

In the middle of a Brisbane lockdown, Trent Dalton decided to drag a trestle table, chairs and an old typewriter across Southbank so that he could sit outside on the river and collect love stories. Extraordinary stories from ordinary, extraordinary people, in which love is found, lost, cherished and strengthened. The selfishness and fear of COVID-19 brewed a determination in Trent to find the everyday beauty – and the love stories – in everyday experiences.

This synopsis alone could probably stand as my review – the stories made my chest hurt in such a good way. I was so sick of reading news headlines that made my heart flutter with anxiety; I was so sick of feeling afraid and bitter, and seeing that reflected in other people. This book gave me so much hope, and I felt this overwhelming sense of relief because it shows that humans are intrinsically good, not hurtful, beings.

We’re capable of a lot of hate and horror, but we’re also capable of vibrant love and incredible selflessness. That was so beautiful to read, and I'm so grateful that Trent thought to bring that to his publisher.

Maddy holds up a copy of Love Stories, by Trent Dalton, in 2021. Photo: Madeleine Corbel.

The structure of Love Stories is very episodic. Sometimes, a person will get a whole chapter or section for their story. Sometimes, their stories are combined with others'. And sometimes, Trent migrates for a moment to his own life, his own reflections on his personal history and what it feels like to be in his body, sat on the open street in Brisbane.

Some of my favourite passages were the moments that Trent noticed and noted – the leaves on the street, the murky brown colour of the river's water, the father at the streetlight, holding his daughter's hand.

Some of these, however, felt a little self-congratulatory. In my very personal opinion, Trent felt sometimes like the sole narrator of the world – he went to great lengths to describe the beauty of singular moments, without accounting outwardly for the privilege of being an author.

I had a big discussion with my sister about this (which was another beautiful outcome of the book): we were talking about the role of the author and how it can be romanticised. As if the author is on high, looking down on the rest of society, the rest of the world.

Lindsay Ellis contemplates the theory behind the death of the author in literature. Video : 'Death of the Author', by Lindsay Ellis.

I will keep thinking on this though – to me, Trent Dalton seems like a wonderfully down-to-earth person who's had to work extremely hard to get to the position where he is able to sit on a street corner and listen to strangers' tales. I'm very sure that it's my own bitterness and scepticism that got in my way during some of those flowery passages, because his writing is a joy to read.

It's almost as if I'm searching for something to cricitise – I was so thoroughly moved by this book and its 'characters'. I'll be definitely recommending it to friends and family as a tonic to lockdowns and stress. It was easy to read, lovely to pick up and put down, beautifully structured and so bloody powerful.

I feel like one of the only Australians who's never read Boy Swallows Universe , so I'll definitely be rectifying that mistake this year! A wonderful author, a beautiful collection of people and an important, poignant book. I'm so glad and grateful that I got to read it.

As always, thanks a bunch for reading with me,

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TRENT DALTON Love Stories. Reviewed by Suzanne Marks

Tags: Australian love stories / Brisbane / love stories / Trent Dalton / true stories

The bestselling novelist brings together real-life love stories in this collection.

How this book came together is as intrinsic to its existence as the 150 love stories it contains. It opens with Dalton’s letter to his friend Kathleen Kelly, who has ‘bowed out to death on Christmas Day’. She is his mate Greg’s mother and as dear to him as family. On the day of her funeral, Greg gives Dalton Kath’s beautiful sky-blue Olivetti Studio 44 typewriter, and tells him that she especially wanted him to have it. Deeply moved, he immediately vows to use that typewriter to write something special. With Love Stories he has more than kept his vow.

Dalton collected his material by walking Brisbane’s streets for two months and asking passers-by to tell him their love stories. Then for two weeks he set up a collapsible table, two second-hand chairs and his beautiful Olivetti typewriter on a busy corner of Brisbane’s CBD with a sign reading Sentimental writer collecting love stories. Do you have one to share?

Like his two highly acclaimed novels, Boy Swallows Universe (2018)and All Our Shimmering Skies (2020), Love Stories reminds us of the value of humanity, and the love and hope we bring to the world. Despite global pandemics, wars in faraway places and climate change disasters threatening to extinguish hope and turn us against each other, these stories reveal our enduring capacity to love, nurture, and hold fast to those we hold dear.

Some of the most beautiful and tender narratives come from Dalton himself. We see how alive he is to this world he inhabits:

You would not believe the things people tell you when you take the time to shut the hell up and listen. The wisdoms, the secrets and stories so heartbreaking, triumphant, romantic, exhilarating, hilarious, tragic and wondrous, just like this life.

Story one is titled ‘Two Believers’, about Helen and her husband Norman Clark, who died six years before. ‘I believe in love,’ Dalton tells Helen as she settles into the collapsible chair. ‘Oh me too,’ she replies as she starts to unravel the unlikely events that brought her and Norm together. Despite driving her home every week, it was two long years before ‘he first delivered his first perfect and delicious kiss’. When she asked him why it took him so long, he replied: ‘Because I never had a chance. You always had a cigarette hangin’ from your mouth.’ Helen deeply mourns all those lost kisses and shakes her fist in frustration at the time they wasted. Dalton now knows what love is: ‘It is two years of not being kissed by Norm Clark.’

Then in ‘Love is Blindness’, Rene and her dog Cassie stop by. Rene wraps her arms around Cassie’s neck cooing, ‘I dooooooo love you soooooo. ’ Rene suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited eye disease that started to set in at age 36. Knowing that blindness was coming, she committed every feature of her daughter’s face to memory – the contours of her cheekbones, her eye colour, ‘what her daughter’s lips do when she smiles’. But she sorrows that she has never seen her 11-year-old grandson’s face. Dalton muses that if by some quirk of the universe Rene was granted five minutes of sight , she would commit every second to memorising every detail of her grandson’s face.

We meet Will and Sarah, who, within the first few hours of meeting, shared their first kiss bouncing on a trampoline under a perfect starry sky as ‘the man in the moon was eating his popcorn’. They have two little boys and exude the weariness of young parents. Will is a merchant seaman, which frequently takes him away on long sea voyages. He tells how, when he is heading for home and first sees land, he knows that it is home because home is where Sarah is.

In ‘YES’, Chloe recalls the time she was at the top of the Eiffel Tower and heard a gasp from the tourists standing behind her, and the sound of a girl crying. She turned to see that the girl’s boyfriend had dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him. Through the girl’s tears Chloe heard her say oui, and she ruminates on how her father proposed to her mother in a bar after a soccer match. ‘Where would you do something like that in Brisbane?’ she asks. Dalton agrees there is no Eiffel Tower in Brisbane, but ‘we do have Thurlow Street’, where he proposed to his wife, from the gutter, and goes on to tell the story.

I recommend that you take time to read the table of contents. For me it was the ball of string by which I followed Dalton as he wove his way through the labyrinth of anecdotes to find what love is, in all its various manifestations. Intriguing titles include ‘The Actress Breaking Up With Her Boyfriend in Her Underwear After a Two-Day Drive from Tasmania’; ‘The Importance of Bear Hugs and Falling in Love with a Married Man Back When Telephones Were Still Stuck on the Wall’, ‘Love and the Institute of Chartered Accountants, 1913’ and ‘Waiting for the Icicle to Fall’.

On this ordinary Brisbane street, in the midst of everyday life, engaging with people going about their daily lives, Dalton has chronicled an array of human experience that confirms again and again that, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual identity, personality type and context, we humans are filled with love and a willingness to believe that it can also shape our world. This is how we stay connected to what is indestructible in ourselves; it is love, loyalty and compassion that keep us connected to our hearts, to each other, and thus to what is best in ourselves. This book will stay on my keeper shelf for many years to come.

Trent Dalton Love Stories Fourth Estate 2021 HB 352pp $32.99

Suzanne Marks is a member of the Board of the Jessie Street National Women’s Library and the Sydney University Chancellor’s Committee. Her professional life has been in equity, human rights, teaching and conflict resolution.

You can buy  Love Stories  from Abbey’s at a 10% discount by quoting the promotion code NEWTOWNREVIEW.

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Tell me a love story

Love Stories by Trent Dalton

October 25, 2022 by Caesar's Wife 2 Comments

Trent Dalton is a local legend in Brisbane, an award winning and renowned author who has brought great acclaim to our little Aussie city.

During the pandemic, Dalton decided to pen his next novel. But it’s not a story of fiction or auto-biographical, like his previous work. This time, he collected and shared the love stories of others. He set up a typewriter and a card table in the CBD of Brisbane and started collecting stories. He spoke to people of all creeds, backgrounds, religions… immigrants, scientists, unhomed people, the elderly, the young. An aging gigolo, a priest, a tattooed survivor of horrific juvenile detention, non-native English speakers, his own wife… every story collected and shared is unique and personal and funny and tragic and charming and hopeful.

What he compiled is the most earnest collection of stories I’ve ever had the pleasure to hear. Spoken by Dalton himself, the audio book recording conveyed Dalton’s soft heart in every word of every story. Some may find the cloying, but listening to this on the walk to work each morning reliably set me up for a positive start to the day.

The fact that the book is quintessentially Brisbane made it all the more enjoyable to me. The next time I walk past a woman doing traffic control, I’ll wonder if she’s the immigrant who arrived in Brisbane on the day of the January 2011 floods, who despite the carnage fell in love with that body of water… Every time I see a chugger trying to get passers-by to sign up for their charity of choice, it’ll remind me of the hopeful broken hearted man who was trying to make ends meet. I’ll pass the Jamaican drummer reliably working outside the casino and wonder if things worked out with his ‘twin flame’.

The small insights this collection of stories gave into the hearts and minds of the people I walk past every day was exactly the right type of book for me, though YMMV if you hail from elsewhere. If you are, at your heart, a bit of a softy, then give Love Stories a try.

4 engraved wedding rings out of 5. (or 5/5, if you are a Brisbane local!)

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Cynthia Morahan reviews  Love Stories  by Trent Dalton, published by HarperCollins.

Cynthia says:  This is a perfect book for people who hate small talk. It’s poetic, with little definitions of love throughout.

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A Night with Trent Dalton: A Literary event to remember: WORD Christchurch

I was fortunate enough to attend an incredible WORD Christchurch event featuring the iconic Australian author Trent Dalton at the stunning and glamorous Christchurch Art Gallery.

 The evening began with lively chatter, as attendees mingled, many clutching their beloved Trent Dalton books, eager to hear his story firsthand. The event was expertly hosted by Alex Casey , journalist and writer.

Trent is celebrating the release of his new work of magical realism Lola in the Mirror . Speaking about his books outside of Australia for the first time (besides a few posh dinners in London), Dalton praised our beautiful country, joking that Christchurch might just claim second place in his heart as the best city — right after Brisbane, of course.

Dalton's Journey: From Boy Swallows Universe to Lola in the Mirror

Though the event was primarily to celebrate Lola in the Mirror , Dalton delved deeply into the personal stories that inspired Boy Swallows Universe . It felt fitting to honour the novel that started it all and paved the way for more of Dalton's beautiful literary fiction. Boy Swallows Universe quickly became a best-seller and the fastest-selling debut novel in Australian history. His latest novel, Lola in the Mirror , has already earned accolades, including the ABIA award for Literary Fiction Book of the year (2024). National treasure Kim Hill described Dalton's writing as "glittering," a sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with. Dalton's prose truly sparkles on the page.

Childhood Memories: The Roots of Dalton's Writing

Growing up in Brisbane, Dalton faced a difficult and sometimes frightening childhood. He spoke about his 12-year-old self and the innocence with which he viewed the world. As he matured, he sought to understand his city through journalism, drawn to writing about hard-hitting subjects. Dalton believes every patch of grass, pebble, and corner of a city holds a story. When he talks about Brisbane, it's like a love story, despite his tumultuous relationship with the city growing up. These experiences shaped him, and he poignantly described the "little black stone" in his belly, a symbol of his past traumas.

In his 30s, Dalton had a revelation: by polishing this "stone," it could become gold. This beautiful symbolism reminds us that we can grow from our traumas. It took Dalton 20 years, but he eventually harnessed his strength through writing, beginning with Boy Swallows Universe . For Dalton, writing was therapeutic, allowing him to express and transform his pain into incredible stories.

The Netflix Call: From Page to Screen

When Trent Dalton received that unbelievable phone call from Netflix, he was speechless. Humble and down-to-earth, Dalton has been pinching himself since the early days when more than five people were reading his book. The Netflix adaptation of Boy Swallows Universe was an opportunity to give back to Brisbane and the world, creating a show he would have needed as a 12-year-old boy.

Dalton poured his heart into his book, and with its transformation into a series, he felt a real sense of vulnerability, as his writing is semi-autobiographical. He shared behind-the-scenes stories, including a trip to Ipswich with Art Director Michelle McGahey to visit a childhood home that inspired the show. The current owner, who had a large staffie, showed them a "secret room," a pivotal element in the series.

Despite the pain associated with that home, Dalton always finds beauty in the mundane, like a kitchen where the scariest and most beautiful moments occur. That night, Dalton helped me reconnect with my city and find the magic in my own backyard, a feeling I believe resonates with many who fall into Dalton's world.

Lola in the Mirror: Dalton's Latest Masterpiece

As the evening progressed, the discussion shifted to Dalton's newest novel, Lola in the Mirror , a story that depicts homelessness and houselessness while serving as another love letter to Brisbane. The idea for this book stemmed from Dalton's experiences in social affairs journalism, where he encountered vulnerable women and heard their stories.

Dalton shared that the novel is deeply influenced by his mother's toxic and abusive relationships, with 'The Monster' serving as a metaphor for her boyfriends. 'The Monster' also features in the incredible illustrations by Paul Heppell. Dalton candidly explained that 'The Monster' haunted his dreams for 20 years, but writing helped him conquer these nightmares. He poured his soul onto paper, processed his emotions, and ultimately killed 'The Monster.' He won, and he wants readers to know that they too can overcome their monsters.

Trent Dalton's talk was not only inspiring but also a reminder of the transformative power of storytelling. His journey, from a challenging childhood to becoming a celebrated author, is a testament to resilience and the magic of finding beauty in the everyday.

Jemimah Hapori, Tūranga

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Will Trent Season 2's Backstory Reveal Explained: How It Changes The Show & What It Means For Season 3

Will trent season 2's mark-paul gosselaar update leaves me really disappointed, seal team ignored the perfect way to keep clay alive for season 7 (despite max thieriot's exit).

The following article contains mentions of sexual abuse and spoilers from the Will Trent season 2 finale, "Do You See the Vision?"

• Crystal is revealed as the serial killer targeting sex offenders during the Will Trent season 2 finale.
• Angie's arrest for Lenny's murder cover-up leads to the end of her relationship with Will.
• Will ran away to somewhere unknown in the Will Trent season 2 finale's final moments.

Will Trent season 2 began with a bang (literally and metaphorically) and it somehow ended on a more shocking note as Will Trent, Faith Mitchell, and Michael Ormewood investigated a string of murders of pedophiles in the finale. The ABC police procedural crime drama television show, created by Liz Heldens, Karin Slaughter, and Daniel T. Thomsen, follows the professional and personal life of GBI special agent Will Trent. Since Will Trent 's beginning, it has proven to be one of the more captivating and well-made shows on television, and the polarizing Will Trent season 2 finale further demonstrated its quality.

The story in the last episode of Will Trent season 2 began in the previous hour, which featured Faith and Ormewood trying to solve a murder case. However, by episode 9's end, the two characters realized they had a serial killer on their hands, directly leading into the finale's central storyline. At first, the serial killer case didn't seem like it would be the catalyst for several season-ending twists. But if viewers thought Will Trent season 2, episode 1's ending was shocking, they were in for an even greater surprise during the last 20 minutes or so of the finale.

Angie Discovered Crystal Was The Female Serial Killer Murdering Sex Offenders

Crystal had been killing men for months.

Perhaps the revelation that Crystal (the teenager who killed Lenny in Will Trent season 1) was murdering sex offenders shouldn't be too shocking given her history. However, the support group meeting scene where Crystal told the story about picking out little toys (which the police found stuffed in the victims' mouths) from the dentist's office's treasure chest certainly made a few jaws drop. Of course, Crystal was killing men who reminded her of Lenny, justifying murder because they "deserved it." But having Angie be the one to discover this disturbing revelation made the twist all the more gripping and heartbreaking.

Will discovered the killer was female (given how she was murdering her victims — by drugging them and sitting on their chests until they suffocated to death) at the beginning of Will Trent season 2, episode 10.

The Will Trent season 2 finale jumped back in time after Will and Faith found Angie where their suspect was meeting their next victim. Amanda Wagner visited Angie a few days before to tell her the GBI was interested in hiring her. Those career aspirations quickly came crashing down, though, once Angie saw Will, Faith, and Ormewood's case board. She put together the details (like the little toys and victim M.O.) and realized Crystal could be a serial killer. After looking through Crystal's laptop, Angie learned where Crystal was and raced there to confirm her suspicions.

Will Trent finally pieced together the fragmented memories Will has had since the season 2 premiere, and it will undoubtedly change the show.

Why Crystal Died

The young teen slipped & hit her head while running from angie.

Once Angie found Crystal with her next victim (whom she lured through "MeetaPeach.com"), the detective scared him off and confronted the teenager in Will Trent season 2, episode 10. Crystal ran away from Angie, and as the older woman chased after her, Crystal tried jumping on a rock to cross a river but slipped and fell, hitting her head. The blow made Crystal fall face-first into the water, and Angie frantically followed her body as it was swept downstream. Angie eventually got to Crystal, but it was too late as the teenager had already bled out and died.

[Angie] was at the highest she had ever been, so, the writers had to kill Crystal to ensure Angie hit rock bottom fully at the end of Will Trent season 2.

Discovering that the young girl she had been protecting since season 1 was a serial killer was undoubtedly a significant blow to Angie's mental state. However, also killing Crystal further sent Angie into a spiral, just as she was finally in a good place. Angie and Will's relationship was seemingly going well for the first time in forever, and she was about to accept a job with the GBI. She was at the highest she had ever been, so, the writers had to kill Crystal to ensure Angie hit rock bottom fully at the end of Will Trent season 2.

How Will Found Out Angie Lied About Killing Lenny In Season 1

Crystal's case led will to re-examine lenny's death.

After Will and Faith found Angie in the woods in Will Trent season 2's ending , they questioned her back at the GBI headquarters about how she came to believe Crystal was the serial killer. Still distressed and wanting to protect her secret (that she covered up Lenny's death), Angie deflected, but Will could see right through her. He could tell that Angie knew Crystal was capable of murder, which is why she suspected the teenager in the first place. This gave Will the first inkling that something wasn't right with Lenny's case, resulting in him digging up the files.

Lenny sexually abused Angie when she was a child, and he continued his crimes when he began dating Diane and started assaulting her daughter, Crystal.

Will did what Will always does and imagined himself at the crime scene, talking out what happened on his tape recorder and walking through that day's events. Angie claimed she went to Lenny and Diane's house for a wellness check, but Crystal and Diane were at a movie. Lenny attacked Angie, resulting in her killing him in self-defense. However, Will noticed that Angie had no defense wounds, meaning she didn't defend herself, which wasn't like her. Will correctly deduced that Crystal and Diane were there, Crystal murdered Lenny, and Angie covered it up to protect the teenager.

Why Will Arrested Angie

Angie was arrested for covering up lenny's murder.

Once Will learned Angie had lied about Lenny's murder in Will Trent season 2, episode 10, he was forced to make one of the most difficult choices he would ever make in his life. Will first confirmed his suspicions about Crystal killing Lenny while speaking with Diane, and then he made his way up to the Atlanta Police Department's floor. At first, the ABC crime drama showed what could have been Will's life if he didn't arrest Angie. They would get married, have kids, and grow old together. But, instead of asking her to marry him, Will arrested Angie.

Once Will learned the truth, his relationship with Angie would never be the same, and they could never be the happy couple Will envisioned them to be.

Even though it pained him to do so, Will had to stick to his morals (and his duty as a GBI agent). He couldn't help Angie continue covering up the truth behind Lenny's death as it probably would have haunted him for the rest of his life. Once Will learned the truth, his relationship with Angie would never be the same, and they could never be the happy couple Will envisioned them to be. Plus, Diane had already threatened to sue the APD for the cover-up in Will Trent , so, others would eventually find out who really killed Lenny anyway.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar appeared as Paul throughout Will Trent season 1, and producers have an upsetting update regarding his involvement in season 2.

Where Did Will Run Away To At The Finale's End?

Will disappeared with betty after arresting angie.

Just when the audience thought the surprises were over and there would be no more cliffhangers, the Will Trent season 2 finale ended with Amanda going to Will's house, where Nico told her that Will had packed up a duffel, grabbed Betty, and left. Will didn't say where he was going, but he had given Nico enough money to cover utilities for "a while." Will also permitted Nico to move into the main house. It's unclear where Will escaped to, and the writers don't even know yet. While speaking with TVLine , co-showrunner Daniel Thomsen said:

"No decisions have been made yet, but if you're ranking places that Will would want to go, [Puerto Rico] definitely up there."

Will's uncle Antonio moved back to Puerto Rico in Will Trent season 2, episode 9, and he may have run away to visit his uncle on the island. He was so distraught after arresting Angie that he seemingly had to get away. However, viewers will have to wait until Will Trent season 3 releases to learn where Will is and how long he'll be gone.

Ormewood Is Heading Into A Custody Battle With His Soon-To-Be Ex-Wife

Gina returned after their daughter's appendix burst.

The Will/Angie/Crystal storyline took up most of the hour, but one more shocking piece of information slid its way into Will Trent season 2, episode 10. Ormewood's daughter's appendix burst, and after she got out of surgery, Gina returned. As fans recall, Gina left her family earlier this season to check herself into a facility to work on her mental health. During the season 2 finale, Gina claimed she had gotten better, but she also informed Ormewood that she would be moving away, divorcing him, and filing for custody of their kids.

Ormewood, who has made his fair share of mistakes in the past, has been working on being a better man for his wife and children throughout Will Trent season 2. He has undergone major character development during the 10 episodes, so, learning Gina wanted to take his son and daughter from him lit a fire under Ormewood. Ormewood told his soon-to-be ex-wife, "I'm really glad that you're feeling better. But there is no way in hell you're taking my kids." Viewers can expect Ormewood to fight desperately for custody of his children in Will Trent season 3 .

How The Will Trent Season 2 Finale Sets Up Season 3

Abc has already renewed will trent for season 3.

The Will Trent season 2 finale perfectly sets up the renewed Will Trent season 3 . Will ran away; Angie was arrested for tampering with evidence and covering up a murder; Ormewood's wife told him she was filing for custody of their kids; Faith finally committed to a relationship with Luke; and Amanda was (and is) trying to hold everything and everyone together. Every character has issues to work through in future episodes, and the conflict in the show is at an all-time high.

Will Trent season 3 is set to premiere in early 2025.

Will must face the complicated decision he made to arrest Angie. Angie will go through a trial and her future in law enforcement is certainly at risk. Ormewood will fight for his children, especially after putting in the effort to be a better father and finally forming a good relationship with his son and daughter. Faith and Luke's relationship will continue to grow. Finally, Amanda will likely search for Will in season 3.

The Real Meaning Of Will Trent Season 2's Ending

The finale seemingly ends will & angie's romantic relationship for good.

The most significant part of the season 2 finale was Will arresting Angie, leading one to believe there is no hope for their romance. It would be difficult to recover what was broken when Angie was arrested, so, hopefully, they can move on with their lives and seek happiness. Perhaps Will Trent season 3 will give Ramón Rodríguez's character a new love interest (after he's done grieving his relationship with Angie). Nevertheless, the events of Will Trent season 2, episode 10 were seemingly put in place to sever Will and Angie's bond, while also setting up enticing storylines for season 3.

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Source: TVLine