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Of the four Hawthorne brothers, Jameson is the most prepared and willing to play the game that Tobias Hawthorne left behind for them. He is adventurous and spirited by nature, a quality that initially gives him an edge over his equally competitive brothers. Unlike Grayson, Avery’s arrival at Hawthorne House does not represent a threat to him. Jameson instead views her as an opportunity and immediately begins connecting with her in the hopes of finding answers about his grandfather’s final actions. This behavior, in addition to the fact that Avery first meets him drunk and balancing atop a balcony railing, highlights his willingness to take risks. For a while, this impulse allows him to get closer to achieving his goal of solving the puzzle at hand. He and Avery are the first to decode the meaning of Tobias Hawthorne’s letter of proverbs, and they quickly uncover the clue hidden in the bridge. 

Jameson’s unstoppable pursuit of a win, however, is not without its consequences. At first, it leads to reckless but largely innocent behaviors such as driving Avery around a racetrack without permission. He then goes a step further and lets his ambition jeopardize his relationship with Avery as he dismisses the kiss that they share in favor of emphasizing her role in the puzzle. The regret that Jameson expresses in the aftermath of this moment foreshadows the immense guilt that he harbors about his competition-based relationship with Emily and her subsequent death. While he and Grayson both believe that they are responsible for what happened to her, Jameson’s extreme reaction to the fact that the clues appear to reference the day she died is yet another reflection of his impulsive nature. He refuses to play the game just as quickly and as completely as he began it. Xander convinces Jameson to do his part in unlocking the door in the secret passageway, but he continues to grapple with his guilt until Xander reveals the true purpose of the game. The swing of emotions that Jameson experiences throughout the novel is ultimately a byproduct of his instinctual hunger and drive.

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