All In

Dean Redding, who serves as a deuteragonist, or secondary protagonist, is a dynamic, round character whose internal struggles provide a counterpart to Cassie’s. Dean’s defining trait is the psychological weight of his lineage; as the son of an infamous serial killer, he is perpetually haunted by the fear that he has inherited his father’s capacity for evil. This internal battle is the source of his quiet, contained demeanor and his reluctance to form deep attachments. His role as a profiler is both a tool and a torment, as his method requires him to inhabit the UNSUB’s mind: When Dean profiles, “he imagined being the killer. Doing the killing” (28). Each case becomes a trial in which he must confront his deepest fear, reinforcing the symbiotic link between his talent and his trauma.

Despite his internal turmoil and difficulty with physical intimacy, Dean is the anchor of the Naturals team. He possesses a quiet perceptiveness that allows him to see past the facades of others, particularly Cassie’s. Their romantic relationship is built on a foundation of unspoken understanding; he recognizes her pain without her needing to articulate it and provides a steady, non-judgmental presence. While Michael provokes and Lia deflects, Dean grounds the group with his measured observations and unwavering loyalty. His protectiveness is demonstrated in quiet, significant actions: shielding Cassie from Lia’s pointed remarks, intuiting when to give Michael space, and providing silent support to Sloane. His character arc is one of gradual healing, as he slowly allows himself to accept and offer affection, learning that his past does not have to dictate his future.

Dean’s development is most evident in his evolving relationship with Cassie. Initially, he struggles to initiate contact, but he learns to reach out, offering comfort through shared silence and, eventually, physical touch. He is the first person Cassie confides in about her mother’s body; in response, he does not try to solve her pain but simply shares its weight. He recognizes her pattern of isolating herself and gently profiles her, stating, “letting anyone be there for you would have been a betrayal” (62), thereby giving her permission to break that pattern with him. By seeing the good in Cassie, Dean begins to see it in himself, slowly dismantling the belief that he is destined to become a monster. His journey underscores the theme of The Redefinition of Family Through Shared Trauma and Trust, as his connection with the Naturals provides him the emotional safety needed to confront the monster in his past and choose a different path.

A deuteragonist and foil to Dean, Michael Townsend is a dynamic and round character whose charisma and emotional intelligence mask deep-seated trauma. Michael’s talent lies in his ability to read micro-expressions, a skill he developed as a means of survival against a physically abusive father, making him a prime example of The Relationship Between Talent and Trauma. Michael wields this ability as both a shield and a weapon, manipulating situations to maintain control and keep others from getting too close to his vulnerabilities. His outward persona is often that of a careless, cocky provocateur, a mask he uses to hide the pain and self-loathing that drive his more self-destructive behaviors.

Michael’s primary coping mechanism is to seek out conflict, particularly when he feels hurt or rejected. After Cassie chooses Dean, he deliberately returns to his dangerous home environment, coming back with bruises that he attributes to his father’s mistreatment. Provoking his abuser is a way for Michael to reclaim a sense of power, turning his pain into “leverage” (61). He constantly tests the boundaries of authority, baiting Judd and goading Dean. However, this antagonistic behavior is a performance. Underneath, Michael is fiercely loyal to the Naturals. His decision to start a fight with a man abusing his young son at the pool reveals Michael’s true character: He is driven to protect the vulnerable because he knows what it is like to be helpless.

Throughout the novel, Michael struggles with his own worth and his place within the group. He feels like a “liability” (141) and often acts in a way that seems designed to get himself kicked out, a preemptive strike against the rejection he fears. When the killer marks him as the next victim, Michael is forced to confront his own mortality in his role as bait. This forces him to drop his defenses, particularly with Cassie, to whom he admits that she is the “first friend” (293) he ever truly let in. This confession marks a significant step in his development, as he moves from hiding behind a facade of indifference to acknowledging his need for the genuine connection his found family offers.

Sloane Tavish is a deuteragonist, and a round and dynamic character, whose journey from insecurity to empowerment is central to the novel’s plot and thematic explorations. Sloane’s defining trait is her reliance on numbers, statistics, and patterns to make sense of a world that often feels emotionally overwhelming. For Sloane, mathematics provides the order and predictability that human relationships lack. This cognitive strength, however, is deeply intertwined with her personal trauma; she recites pi or rattles off obscure facts as a defense mechanism when faced with anxiety. Her pivotal role in solving the case by identifying the Fibonacci sequence as the killer’s methodology highlights how her mind sees structure and pattern, directly engaging with The Inevitable Collapse of Ordered Systems of Violence.

The return to her hometown of Las Vegas forces Sloane to confront the source of her emotional fragility: her dysfunctional biological family. As the illegitimate and secret daughter of powerful casino mogul Grayson Shaw, Sloane has internalized a deep-seated feeling of being an inconvenient mistake. Her painful awkwardness around her father and her desperate, hopeful attempts to connect with her half-brother, Aaron, reveal a profound craving for the acceptance she has always been denied. The stark contrast between the cold rejection of her biological father and the unconditional support of the Naturals underscores The Redefinition of Family Through Shared Trauma and Trust. It is within her found family that Sloane is not just tolerated but valued for the very eccentricities that make her feel “not normal” (282).

Sloane’s character arc is one of growing self-worth. She begins the story timid and apologetic, but as her skills become crucial to the investigation, she finds her voice. After her father dismisses her theory about the Grand Ballroom, she asserts herself, recognizing that his inability to see the pattern does not invalidate its existence. Shocked by the murder of her brother, she channels her grief into a relentless, methodical pursuit of justice, accepting that her worth is not determined by those who refuse to see it.

As a supporting character, Lia Zhang is a static but round figure who serves as the team’s human lie detector and a source of provocative dark humor. Lia’s defining characteristic is the impenetrable fortress she builds around her emotions, using sarcasm and a cultivated air of indifference as her primary defenses. She is a master of deception, not just in detecting it in others but in crafting personas to suit any situation. This skill, while an asset to the team, is also a product of a traumatic past, hinted at when she reveals during a game, “I grew up in a cult” (144). Her cynicism and deep-seated distrust of others are survival mechanisms honed from a young age.

Despite her abrasive exterior, Lia demonstrates a fierce and unwavering loyalty to her found family, the Naturals. Her affection is shown through action rather than sentiment. She pushes Cassie to “put on your big-girl panties” (92) not out of cruelty, but from a pragmatic need to keep the team functional in the face of overwhelming emotion. She is especially protective of Dean and Sloane, subtly steering conversations away from their triggers or offering jarring distractions to pull them out of moments of pain. Her romantic relationship with Michael is a complicated dance of two deeply guarded individuals who understand each other’s defenses better than anyone, allowing them to communicate in a language of barbs and unspoken truths. Lia’s role is to challenge the team and the reader, forcing them to look past appearances and see the truths hidden underneath.

Judd Hawkins functions as the team’s guardian and mentor. A former marine sniper, he is a round, static character whose motivations are rooted in the murder of his daughter, Scarlett. This loss defines his role as the Naturals’ protector; his primary objective is not to solve cases but to ensure the physical and emotional safety of the teenagers in his care. He acts as a surrogate father, his gruff demeanor belying a deep, empathetic understanding of trauma. When he tells Cassie that to keep the team safe he can “be a real bastard” (131), he reveals that his hard-line authority stems from a place of profound love and a desperate need to prevent history from repeating itself. His steadfast presence provides the team with a sense of stability and security that many of them have never known.

Judd’s personal history with the killer Nightshade becomes a critical plot point, forcing him into an impossible position between seeking justice for his own family and protecting his new one. His knowledge of loss allows him to connect with Cassie on a level that the others cannot, and he gives her the space to grieve while ensuring she is not alone. As the story unveils the existence of a larger cult of killers, Judd’s steadfast focus remains on the kids, grounding the narrative’s ever-expanding scope in immediate, human stakes.

As the primary antagonist, Beau Donovan is a round character who serves as a dark reflection of the Naturals. Like them, he is a product of immense trauma, having been abandoned in the desert as a child by the very cult he seeks to impress. His entire identity is shaped by this rejection, and his string of murders in Las Vegas is a violent, elaborate performance designed to prove his worthiness to the “family” that cast him out. His crimes are not random acts of violence but a meticulous, intellectual display. By layering the Fibonacci spiral onto the cult’s established murder rituals in several ways, Beau attempts to demonstrate his superiority, making him a chilling embodiment of The Inevitable Collapse of Ordered Systems of Violence. He is a master of manipulation, orchestrating events from the shadows and framing others to conceal his involvement. Ultimately, Beau’s character is a tragic exploration of how the desperate need for belonging, when twisted by trauma and rage, can manifest as monstrousness.

A minor but pivotal character, Aaron Shaw functions as a catalyst for Sloane’s emotional arc and a representation of the potential for blood family to be a support rather than a burden. As Grayson Shaw’s legitimate son and heir, he is trapped within a powerful, toxic family system. However, unlike his father, Aaron shows a capacity for empathy and kindness. He is intrigued by Sloane and attempts to connect with her, suggesting a desire to break free from his father’s cold legacy. His secret romantic relationship with Tory Howard further complicates his character, positioning him as a figure caught between duty and genuine emotion. His murder is a tragic turning point, serving as the devastating consequence of his father’s hubris and the catalyst that galvanizes the team to finally unmask the killer.