The Secret History of Twin Peaks

For me, the story of Twin Peaks is the story of Laura Palmer.

Her murder and the horrors the subsequent investigation revealed are what drew me to Twin Peaks way back in 1990.  That first episode remains one of the most powerful and disturbing bits of television I have ever seen. After the network insisted on an answer to who killed Laura--or, perhaps, an answer people would understand--I felt the show derailed.  I'm not alone in that.

Fire Walk With Me--the prequel leading up to Laura's murder--also disappointed at the time. In the passing years, I've grown to like the movie more because of how it builds the foundation of this cold universe of dark woods, arcane symbols and unrelenting horror that Mark Frost and David Lynch were creating. I didn't like the portrayal of Laura in this film (but still loved Sheryl Lee's chilling performance) because I felt it showed Laura's murder was inevitable. In a sense, that she played a role in her own demise because of her behavior. If it wasn't BOB possessing her father that killed her, someone else would have done it. It was just a matter of time.

I felt this decision undercut the horror of the first season of the show, which was very much about the  shock and grief  unleashed upon a small town over the loss of one of its most beloved children. I can see the narrative appeal of showing the seedier side of small towns, of showing how even the prom queen is corrupt and broken--but it was unnecessary.

Which brings us to The Secret History of Twin Peaks.

This novel by Mark Frost has quite a bit in common with Twin Peaks: The Return:

1. It doesn't spend a lot of time in Twin Peaks.

2. It touches upon Laura Palmer's death, but it is not the focus.

3. Twin Peaks is simply an entryway for the cosmic mythology Frost and Lynch are creating.

These aren't criticisms. I was fascinated by The Return, and I really enjoyed Secret History.  The care that went into both endeavors--and the fact that they even got made--are amazing.

The framework of Secret History is built around the discovery of a lockbox by the FBI. Inside are several documents that relate to Twin Peaks and events around the town over the years. Gordon Cole tasks Agent Tammy Preston to review these documents and prepare a report. Her notes as she goes through the lockbox make up the novel. It's clear that this a test by Cole, which Tammy must have passed, since she is working alongside Cole in Twin Peaks: The Return.

The notes date back to the Lewis and Clark Expedition and extend through the 20th century up to the disappearance of Agent Cooper after Laura Palmer's death. Preston dutifully--and often sarcastically--makes her way through everything in the box. There are photographs, old newspaper clippings, even a menu from the Double R Diner. A picture is painted wide across the conspiracy theory landscape of America. Part of the fun of the book is simply wondering where it's going next. Towards the end, the focus does return to a certain northwestern small town, and to the death of its prom queen.  And then we learn that there are yet more files to go through in the next book.

I enjoyed the book quite a bit. The care that went into creating old manuscripts, Fifties era science fiction typesetting, and even garish pop psychology paperbacks deserves a round of applause. The design of the book makes it a joy to read.

Still, as a Laura Palmer fan, it's clear that her murder was just collateral damage from the real threat facing humanity. That threat is where Frost and Lynch's focus now lies. But Palmer's death was a concrete event (or was, depending on how you see The Return) that you can pin a story to. There is a reality to it. The Lynch/Frost universe of Lodges and BOBS and Dragonball Z Laura Palmer globes is nebulous and open to interpretation even to the point of it being all someone's dream. There can be no finality or resolution because even the idea of anything being real is questionable. The Lynch/Frost Universe and Palmer's death are different stories, and it's clear which one they want to tell now.

And that's fine. There is really nothing quite like Twin Peaks, and I treasure it for that, despite my grumblings.