Unlike the playlists from my previous novels, this one includes only one song mentioned in the book. That one is “Instant Kharma.”

Instead, this is a small collection of songs related to the book or, in some cases, songs that were written out of the manuscript.

“Gravity,” by John Mayer, so perfectly describes the pull of sin dragging someone, in this case, Brian, down. “Vice,” “Broken Halos,” and “Demons” express similar themes.

“Tell Me Why,” sung here by Pat Benatar, is the lullaby I had in mind when Brian overhears Melanie singing to her children at bedtime. My own children have heard me sing this many, many times.

“Yahweh,” by U2, originally was part of the scene in which Brian is sickest and Melanie is recruited to “babysit” him, as he says. It is one of my favorites from U2.

Similarly, “Crazy Love” – Michael Bublé or the original Van Morrison recording, take your pick – was included in a marriage proposal scene that was deleted and re-written.

“Instant Kharma” was a very late addition to the bunch.