| Jay |
Adams | Professional skateboarder referenced in the narrative |
| Tony |
Alva | Professional skateboarder referenced in the narrative |
| Tyler |
Blakewood | Advocated choosing Calder originally |
| John |
Calder | Novelist Olivia attempted to cancel |
| Arthur |
Cameron | Vincent's former literary agent, Lance's father |
| Lance |
Cameron | Vincent's current literary agent |
| Charlie |
Carson | Lydia's lab partner |
| Mr. |
Connelly | English teacher |
| Olivia |
Dumont | Protagonist, a ghostwriter |
| Lionel |
Fooldhardy | Clumsy and accident-prone boy |
| Margot |
Gibson | Poppy's best friend |
| Neil |
Grayson | Vincent's editor |
| Lydia |
Greene | Olivia's mother |
| Dave |
Gunderson | Lydia's ex-boyfriend |
| Olivia Newton- |
John | Singer referenced in the narrative |
| Ms. |
Kantor | P.E. teacher |
| Mr. |
Leahy | School principal |
| Pete |
Mayhew | Lydia's ex-boyfriend |
| Clint |
McGinnis | Lead detective on the Taylor case |
| Charles |
Monahan | Assistant District Attorney |
| Dr. |
Nelson | County coroner |
| Donny |
Osmond | Singer referenced in the narrative |
| JonBenet |
Ramsay | American child beauty queen referenced in the narrative |
| Jack |
Randall | Mark's son |
| Mark |
Randall | Danny's best friend |
| Ricky |
Ricardo | Mr. Stewart's cat |
| Jessica |
Schwartz | Podcast host |
| Tommy |
Snyder | Pot seller |
| Gloria |
Steinem | American feminist journalist referenced in the narrative |
| Paul |
Stewart | Vincent's P.E. teacher and next-door neighbor |
| Danny |
Taylor | Vincent's brother, murdered |
| Edmund Frederick |
Taylor | Vincent's father, Olivia's grandfather |
| Patricia Sampson- |
Taylor | Vincent's mother, Olivia's grandmother |
| Poppy |
Taylor | Vincent's sister, murdered |
| Vincent |
Taylor | Horror writer, Olivia's father |
| Sloane |
Valerian | Publisher of Monarch |
| Mr. |
Wallen | Vincent's teacher |
| Mr. |
Wallen | Ex-military, one of the teachers |
| Lawrence |
Welk | Vincent's friend |
| Robin |
Williams | American actor referenced in the narrative |
| Francesca |
Williamson | Olivia's teacher and adviser |
| Allison |
| Olivia's friend |
| Alma |
| Vincent's caregiver |
| Amelia |
| Mr. Stewart's girlfriend |
| Craig |
| Infamous French downhill skier referenced in the narrative |
| Craig |
| Creepy guy who likes Poppy |
| Dawn |
| Lydia's friend |
| Frances |
| One of Poppy's schoolmates |
| Frank |
| School's custodian |
| Frieda |
| Vincent's German tenant from their old house |
| Joan |
| Margot's aunt |
| Matt |
| Jack's husband |
| Melinda |
| Vincent's assistant |
| Monahan |
| Nurse |
| Ned |
| Camera shop owner |
| Nicole |
| Olivia's literary agent |
| Renee |
| Olivia's real-estate agent |
| Tom |
| Olivia's lover |
