| Jane |
Austen | English novelist referenced. |
| Sarah |
B. | Friend of Toni Baker. |
| Malcolm |
Baker | Man who becomes Emma's romantic interest. |
| David |
Bowie | English singer-songwriter and actor referenced. |
| Dr. |
Brenton | Emma's physician. |
| Bill |
Bridges | Kate's acquaintance. |
| Will |
Burnside | Jude's on-and-off boyfriend. |
| D.S. |
Butler | Police officer involved in the discovery of the baby's remains. |
| Mrs. |
Carr | Harry's teacher. |
| George |
Clooney | American actor referenced in narration. |
| Leonard |
Cohen | Canadian singer-songwriter referenced. |
| John |
Davies | Friend of Barbara Walker. |
| John |
Davies | Site manager connected to excavation work. |
| Princess |
Diana | Princess of Wales referenced. |
| Dr. |
Earnley | Doctor who worked in the maternity ward. |
| Dr. |
Earnley | Angela Irving's physician. |
| Sheena |
Easton | Scottish singer and actress referenced. |
| Anita |
Ekberg | Swedish actress referenced. |
| Gloria |
Gaynor | American singer referenced. |
| Dr. |
Grundy | Doctor treating Emma. |
| Suzanne |
Harrison | Emma's best friend. Aka: Harry. |
| Angela |
Irving | Alice's grieving mother. |
| Nick |
Irving | Alice's father. |
| Joe |
Jackson | Young trainee journalist. |
| Mandy |
Jackson | Joe Jackson's mother. |
| Mick |
Jagger | English musician and songwriter referenced. |
| Peter |
James | Member of the police investigative team. |
| Brian |
Jones | English musician referenced. |
| Marian |
Laidlow | Nurse connected to the investigation. |
| Mr. |
Lawson | An acquaintance of Jude. |
| Emma |
Massingham | A nervous, middle-aged woman suffering from severe anxiety. |
| Judith |
Massingham | Emma's mother. Aka: Jude. |
| Katherine |
Massingham | Emma's deceased child. |
| Paul |
McCartney | English musician referenced. |
| Walter |
Mitty | Life magazine employee, referenced. |
| Donny |
Osmond | American singer and dancer referenced. |
| Simon |
Pearson | Editor at Kate's newspaper. |
| Isaac |
Pitman | English publisher and educator referenced. |
| Dennis |
Potter | English television dramatist referenced. |
| Len |
Rigby | Detective Inspector assisting the investigation. |
| Anne |
Robinson | Woman living near the burial site. |
| Sarah |
S. | Friend of Toni Baker. |
| William |
Shakespeare | English playwright and poet referenced. |
| Andy |
Sinclair | Detective Inspector working on the case. |
| Alistair |
Soames | Convicted serial rapist. |
| Bob |
Sparkes | Detective Inspector leading the investigation. |
| June |
Speering | Elderly resident of Howard Street. |
| Colin |
Stubbs | Reporter working at the newspaper. |
| Colin |
Stubbs | Reporter covering developments in the case. |
| John |
Travolta | American actor referenced. |
| Wendy |
Turner | Family Liaison Officer. |
| Desmond |
Tutu | South African bishop and theologian referenced. |
| Barbara |
Walker | Jude's housemate. |
| Kate |
Waters | Investigative journalist. |
| John |
Wayne | American actor referenced in narration. |
| Oscar |
Wilde | Irish author and poet referenced. |
| Prince |
William | Prince of Wales, referenced. |
| Gordon |
Willis | Senior journalist at the paper. |
| Alice |
| Infant stolen from a maternity ward in 1970. |
| Carrie |
| Resident of Howard Street. |
| Charlie |
| Jude's ex-partner. |
| Darrell |
| Emma's love at first sight. |
| Derek |
| Lynda's husband. |
| Erica |
| Senior clerk at Bowen and Bailey Solicitors. |
| Flora |
| Kate's acquaintance. |
| Freddie |
| Jake's younger brother. |
| Gemma |
| Friend of Toni Baker. |
| Graham |
| Local pub landlord. |
| Hiawatha |
| Legendary precolonial Native American leader referenced. |
| Jake |
| Kate's eldest son. |
| Jill |
| Friend of Toni Baker. |
| Louise |
| Angela's younger daughter. |
| Lynda |
| Emma's acquaintance. |
| Madonna |
| American singer-songwriter referenced in narration. |
| Madonna |
| American singer-songwriter referenced. |
| Mick |
| Photographer covering the investigation. |
| Nina |
| News desk secretary. |
| Ophelia |
| Tragic heroine from Shakespeare's Hamlet, referenced. |
| Patrick |
| Angela's son. Aka: Paddy. |
| Paul |
| Supportive husband of Emma Massingham. |
| Peter |
| Young man who discovered human remains. |
| Rita |
| Emma's classmate. |
| Sarah |
| Daughter of June Speering. |
| Shorty |
| A dog. |
| Sue |
| Wife of Colin Stubbs. |
| Terry |
| News editor at Kate's newspaper. |
| Toni |
| Graham's partner. |
