Charles is a sixteen-year-old white teenager living in the racially segregated American South. Four years ago, he fell into an icy creek and was rescued by Lucas Beauchamp, an event that left him with a lingering, unresolved sense of indebtedness due to Lucas's refusal to accept monetary repayment. Despite his own internalized biases, Charles finds himself compelled to take dangerous, extrajudicial action to help the accused man.

Lucas is an elderly, proud African American man who refuses to conform to the subservient expectations of his deeply racist society. Accused of murdering a white man, he faces the immediate threat of a lynch mob. Rather than panic, he maintains a defiant, dignified demeanor and strategically calls upon Charles to help prove his innocence when the legal system writes him off.

Miss Habersham is an elderly, respectable white woman from an older Southern generation. Having grown up in close proximity to Lucas's wife, she feels a profound loyalty to his family. She leverages her status as a "Southern lady" to protect Lucas, knowing the white mob will hesitate to use violence against her.

Gavin is Charles's uncle and the local lawyer. He represents the bureaucratic, intellectual side of the legal system, frequently theorizing about the South's history and racial dynamics. Initially pessimistic about Lucas's chances against the mob, he prefers to negotiate a reduced sentence rather than fight the murder charge, though he is slowly drawn into his nephew's quest for truth.

Aleck is a young African American boy and Charles's close companion. He was present on the day Charles fell into the creek and helps Charles navigate his complex feelings about Lucas. When Charles decides to embark on a dangerous nighttime mission, Aleck bravely accompanies him despite the severe risks a Black teenager faces in the tense environment.

Hampton is the local sheriff tasked with maintaining order in a town on the brink of mob violence. He is caught between the procedural requirements of his job and the extrajudicial reality of a lynch mob gathering outside his jail. He must use clever, unorthodox tactics to keep his prisoner alive.

Vinson is the youngest son of the notorious Gowrie family from Beat Four. His death by gunshot sets the plot in motion, leading to Lucas's arrest and the immediate threat of a violent racial reprisal.

Mr. Gowrie is Vinson's father, a one-armed patriarch from the rough area known as Beat Four. He is a formidable and intimidating figure who demands access the cemetery and is deeply concerned with his family's honor and the burial of his son.

Crawford is the second eldest Gowrie son. A former army deserter who served time in prison, he now deals in timber and cattle. He is known to possess a German automatic pistol from World War I.

Jake is a timber buyer from Crossman County. He is known to have connections to the local timber trade and a troubled history, having had to lie low after an incident at a restaurant he operated.

Molly is Lucas's late wife, described by Charles as a small, doll-sized woman. Though she passes away before the main events of the novel, her enduring memory connects Lucas to Miss Habersham, fundamentally influencing the older white woman's decision to intervene in the crisis.

Charles's mother is a protective but ultimately supportive figure in his life. Though she worries about his lack of sleep and the dangers he faces, she steps up to help Miss Habersham guard the jail, utilizing her status as a respected white woman to deter the mob.

Charles's father is a background figure in the boy's life. During the crisis involving Lucas, he dislikes feeling that he has no control over the escalating and dangerous situation.

Will is a local police officer tasked with guarding Lucas at the jail. He watches cars circle the building and frankly admits he does not expect to be able to stop a determined lynch mob.

Vardaman is one of Vinson Gowrie's older brothers and a twin to Bilbo. He joins his family in their armed confrontation at the cemetery.

Bilbo is Vardaman's twin brother and part of the imposing Gowrie family from Beat Four.

Paralee is Aleck Sander's mother. She represents the quiet, domestic presence of African Americans in the town who are largely forced into hiding during the heightened racial tensions.

Edmonds is a friend of Charles's father. It is on his property and suggestion that Charles goes hunting on the day he falls into the creek. Legend states that his father deeded the land to Lucas.