Summary
Harlan Coben’s Shelter works best when it focuses on the human connections, either the friendship between Mickey, Ema, and Spoon or the show’s central romances. But when the writers switch to the ridiculous mystery elements and outlandish plot twists, it’s really hard to take this show so seriously.
We recap the 2023 Prime Video series Harlan Coben’s Shelter Season 1 Episode 4, “Phantom Threads,” which contains spoilers.
The investigation into the disappearance of Ashley Kent (Samantha Bugliaro) continues in “Phantom Threads.”
Teens Mickey (Jaden Michael), Ema (Abby Corrigan), and Spoon follow the clues once more while the other students audition for the new high school musical.
Harlan Coben’s Shelter Season 1 Episode 4 Recap
In the previous episode, Mickey was handed a photograph of a Nazi known as the Butcher of Lodz. He seemed to look exactly the same as the paramedic who tended to his father, Brad, during the car crash. Mickey thinks back to that traumatic event.
He remembers the paramedic having a butterfly tattoo on his arm. Mickey realizes that he has seen this specific butterfly image many times before. He shows the photograph to his friends.
They both agree that it is impossible that the Nazi and the paramedic are the same person. Mickey feels like they think he is crazy.
READ: Harlan Coben’s Shelter Season 1 Review
They show him footage of Rachel breaking into Ashley’s locker. Mickey goes to confront the cheerleading captain right away. She promises to tell him everything later that day.
After this chat, Rachel apologizes to Troy, but he is still upset with her. A further flashback reveals that Rachel shot Octoface.
Next, Mickey and Shira attend the Basketball Orientation Breakfast. Shira can’t stop thinking about her hot kiss with Hannah. She is surprised to see her at the breakfast meetup as well.
Hannah makes a speech, where she coaxes Shira into embarrassing herself again, this time in front of everyone.
This triggers flashbacks that explore more of Hannah and Shira’s past. They were secretly in love with one another at high school. Back in the present, Hannah invites Shira out for ice cream. They discuss their romance. Shira admits that she always liked Hannah.
READ: Will there be a Harlan Coben’s Shelter Season 2?
Before The Phantom of the Opera auditions get underway, Mickey shows Mrs. Friedman the photograph of the Butcher of Lodz. Mrs. Friedman points out that the picture is fake, showing Mickey the real photograph in a textbook.
How does Spoon’s audition go?
Afterward, school bully Buck wows Mrs. Friedman with his voice at the auditions while Troy cheers him on from the stalls. Spoon stresses over his own audition and starts off terribly. Troy and Buck laugh and jeer in the audience. Ema feels forced to duet with Spoon to help him out. She has a stunning voice, though, and blows Mrs. Friedman away. As always, Whitney is also impressed with Ema.
Ema tells Mickey that the Butcher photograph has been photoshopped. They research the paramedic further, using the ambulance logo to find more clues.
It is revealed that the ambulance was stolen the night before the crash, and that particular man was never part of their staffing.
Meanwhile, Chief Taylor is tipped off about a grave in Bat Lady’s garden. She covers the dead body of Mr V with the corpse of a dead deer to avoid being arrested.
Ken doesn’t find the dead body and apologizes for wasting her time. Bat Lady implies that she knew Ken from his childhood as well.
The cast list goes up. Ema lands the lead role of the Phantom. Spoon will be playing Raoul, and Buck got the role of Christine. Spoon is excited about the production, but Ema refuses to get involved. Whitney’s enthusiasm convinces Ema to eventually take on the lead role, though.
Spoon hears that Mrs. Kent has gone missing. He breaks into Mr Kent’s office to continue the investigation. Spoon finds a file on Dylan Shakes, who was being abused by his father, but no one seemed to stop this crime from taking place back in the nineties.
Who is the paramedic with the scar on his face?
Bat Lady and Sunglasses Man meet with Mrs. Friedman to threaten her. They tell her to stay away. This conversation reveals many more clues about their shared past. Bat Lady was fond of Brad. The paramedic with the scar on his face was called Luther. Mr. V trafficked children and sold Ashley Kent as part of this trafficking ring.
Defending herself, Bat Lady says that she did the world a favor by killing Mr. V. She then makes Mrs. Friedman feel guilty about what happened to Dylan, but this remains vaguely open-ended.
Harlan Coben’s Shelter Season 1 Episode 4 Ending Explained
Where is Ashley Kent?
The episode ends with Mickey interrogating Rachel at her home. She explains what happened the day Ashley went missing. The cheerleaders bullied Ashley about her dance moves, Rachel didn’t stop them. She felt guilty afterward and went to apologize. Here, she saw Ashley being abducted and kidnapped. Rachel helped Ashley get away though. She promised to help her out and kept Ashley safe, hidden at her own home in the pool house.
Back in the present, Octoface breaks into Rachel’s property. He then races after Ashley. They try to phone the police, but there is no signal and then the power cuts out. Mickey goes to stop Octoface.
What did you think of Harlan Coben’s Shelter season 1, episode 4? Comment below.
