| Sam |
Barley | Adam Chapman's drinking buddy. |
| Ruth |
Bernard | Emma's acquaintance. |
| Adam |
Chapman | Emma's brother. |
| Alison |
Chapman | Emma's mother. |
| Emma |
Chapman | Ashley's classmate and new friend. Aka: E |
| Judy |
Chapman | Simon Chapman's wife. |
| Roger |
Chapman | Emma's father. |
| Simon |
Chapman | Emma's uncle. |
| Joanna |
Davies | Murdered young woman who resembles Ashley; Adam's ex-girlfriend. |
| John |
Dawkins | Adam Chapman's drinking buddy. |
| Ian |
Fleming | Best-selling author referenced in the story. |
| Claudia |
Gowan | Another girlfriend of Adam Chapman. |
| L. P. |
Hartley | Author of The Go-Between, referenced in the story. |
| Alan |
Hunter | Joanna Davies's ex-boyfriend. |
| Stephen |
King | Best-selling author referenced in the story. |
| Dennis |
Marley | Detective Chief Superintendent leading the investigation. |
| Stuart |
Montgomery | Boy Emma is interested in; Ashley's ex-boyfriend. |
| Daniel |
Parkinson | Roger Chapman's friend; a novelist. |
| Ashley |
Smith | Narrator and protagonist of the story. |
| Rebecca |
Smith | Emma's assumed identity used later in the story. |
| Galyna |
Stupkova | One of Adam Chapman's victims. |
| Danny |
| Ashley's guidance counselor. |
| Dorothy |
| A friendly girl Ashley encounters. |
| Elspeth |
| Ashley Smith's cat. |
| Howard |
| Doorman at the building connected to Ashley. |
| Jeremy |
| Emma's cousin. |
| Jody |
| Ashley's roommate. |
| Maggie |
| Simon Chapman's daughter. |
| Michelangelo |
| Famous Renaissance sculptor referenced in the narrative. |
| Michelle |
| Ashley's former friend. |
| Myra |
| Adam Chapman's pet rabbit. |
| Nick |
| Adam Chapman's friend. |
| Nicola |
| Ashley's academic adviser. |
| Patricia |
| Alison Chapman's old school friend. |
| Phoebe |
| Simon Chapman's daughter. |
| Raphael |
| Artist admired by Daniel Parkinson. |
| Sophie |
| Girl who works at the tea room. |
| Tony |
| Adam Chapman's friend. |
