Clara is an eight-year-old girl living in Solace. She feels anxious and isolated following the sudden disappearance of her older sister. To manage her stress, Clara relies on strict daily routines like counting her steps and keeping a constant vigil at the window. She takes her responsibility to care for her neighbor's cat very seriously, which brings her into contact with the stranger moving in next door.

Liam is a middle-aged man who travels to the small town of Solace for a quiet holiday following his bitter divorce. He recently quit his accounting job in Toronto and inherited a house from an elderly woman he only vaguely remembers from his early childhood in Guelph. Struggling with a lifelong sense of isolation, he plans to fix up the property and sell it quickly.

Elizabeth is an elderly widow hospitalized with a failing heart. Confined to her bed, she spends her days slipping in and out of memories from thirty years ago when she lived in Guelph. Having suffered multiple miscarriages, she carries a lingering, intense maternal affection for the little boy who used to live next door.

Rose is Clara's sixteen-year-old sister who leaves home following a fierce argument with their mother. She has a history of disappearing for short periods, but her current absence is unusually long, causing severe distress for her family.

Diane is Clara and Rose's mother. She is physically and emotionally exhausted by Rose's disappearance, often retreating to her bed. Her intense grief makes it difficult for her to provide Clara with the reassurance the young girl needs.

John is Clara and Rose's father. He tries to maintain a sense of normalcy in the household, managing Clara's schedule and meeting with her teachers while enduring the daily stress of his missing teenage daughter.

Annette is Liam's mother, seen primarily in Elizabeth Orchard's flashbacks to 1940s Guelph. She is a frequently overwhelmed mother who heavily favors her older twin daughters and views three-year-old Liam as an exhausting burden.

Charles is Elizabeth's late husband. In her hospital reminiscences, he appears as a cautious, supportive partner who gently questions his wife's intense emotional investment in the neighbors' three-year-old son.

Fiona is Liam's ex-wife from Toronto. Their eight-year marriage dissolved into bitterness, and she frequently taunted Liam about his perceived inability to form genuine friendships or show love.

Sergeant Barnes is the local police chief in Solace. He routinely checks in with the Jordon family regarding Rose's case and questions Liam to ensure he is not a threat to the community.

Moses is Mrs. Orchard's extremely timid cat. He spends his days hiding under the living room sofa, only emerging when Clara visits the empty house to feed him and offer affection.

Dan is one of Rose's classmates. He approaches Clara in secret, revealing that Rose made promises to him before leaving town and asking Clara to pass along any messages she receives.

Martha is a patient sharing a hospital room with Elizabeth Orchard. She feels deeply intimidated by the medical staff regarding her upcoming surgery and frequently rants about her family frustrations.

Jim is the local handyman in Solace. He evaluates Liam's bathroom for repairs and suggests Liam help him with other contracting jobs around town in exchange for quicker service.

Ralph is Liam's father. He divorces Annette when Liam is young and moves to Vancouver, establishing a distant relationship with his son years later.

Jo is the town librarian in Solace. She catches Liam's eye during his early days in town, offering homemade ice cream and a quiet, undemanding presence.

Cal is Jim Peake's son. He recently returned home from university in Kingston, feeling homesick and uncertain about his future.