Lenora is the thirty-year-old eldest Magrath sister who serves as the primary caretaker for their grandfather in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. She struggles with persistent insecurity regarding her physical appearance and romantic history. Her thirtieth birthday passes largely uncelebrated as she attempts to manage her family's escalating legal and medical crises.

Meg is the twenty-seven-year-old middle sister who returns to Mississippi from Los Angeles. She projects a confident exterior and tells stories of a successful singing career to mask her internal fears and lack of actual progress. She carries significant trauma from discovering her mother's body years prior, an event that deeply influenced her reckless choices.

Babe is the youngest Magrath sister, who currently faces serious legal consequences after shooting her husband in the stomach. She initially claims she fired the gun because she disliked his looks, intentionally withholding the full context of the incident. She faces potential imprisonment or commitment to a psychiatric facility as she refuses to cooperate fully with her defense.

Chick is a twenty-nine-year-old first cousin to the Magrath sisters who lives next door. She is highly preoccupied with public appearances and social standing in their small town. She frequently judges her cousins, operating as a critical voice regarding their unconventional life choices and past scandals.

Doc is a thirty-year-old local man who walks with a slight limp resulting from a roof collapse during Hurricane Camille. He previously pursued a romantic connection with Meg before her move to California, a relationship that ended when she left town. He currently boards horses at his farm and remains a familiar presence in the Magraths' social circle.

Zackery is Babe's husband, who is recovering in the hospital after suffering a gunshot wound to the stomach. He represents a looming legal threat to his wife and wields considerable power in their marriage. He utilizes private detectives to gather compromising information against Babe to secure his advantage.

Lloyd is a local lawyer who takes on Babe's defense following the shooting. He brings intense personal motivation to the case due to a long-standing vendetta against Zackery for ruining his father. He meticulously reviews legal files to build a defense strategy despite his client's initial reluctance to cooperate.

Willie Jay is a fifteen-year-old local boy whose presence at Babe's house sparked a physical altercation with her husband. Babe prioritizes keeping his name out of the legal proceedings, determined to shield him from further consequences or violence.

Lucille is Zackery's sister who closely monitors his recovery and medical updates at the hospital. She actively works against Babe by hiring a private investigator to gather photographic evidence to ensure a criminal conviction or commitment to an asylum.

Charlie is a man Lenora briefly dated after joining a Lonely Hearts Club. Their connection ended due to Lenora's physical insecurities and fear of rejection, though the memory of their time together continues to occupy her thoughts as she turns thirty.

The grandfather of the Magrath sisters who currently resides in the local hospital due to failing health. He played a significant role in raising the women after they lost their parents. His tendency to play favorites heavily influences the sisters' actions and prompts Meg to fabricate stories of success.

The deceased mother of the Magrath sisters whose past actions cast a long shadow over the family. She took her own life along with a yellow cat after her husband abandoned the family. Her highly publicized death deeply scarred her daughters and shaped their individual psychological struggles.

The absent patriarch of the Magrath family who abandoned his wife and young daughters years prior to the events of the story. His departure precipitated the central family tragedy and instilled lasting feelings of abandonment and resentment in his children.