Meredith is a young mother and dedicated doula living in a Chicago suburb. She is passionate about supporting vulnerable women during labor and values her independence. Recently, she receives anonymous, threatening text messages that cause her growing anxiety as she tries to balance her family life with her demanding career.

Kate is an empathetic veterinarian who lives next door to the Dickey family. She shares her historic home with her partner, Bea, and experiences neurotic tendencies regarding the construction workers currently renovating their house. When a series of disappearances occurs in her neighborhood, Kate actively searches for answers.

Leo is Meredith and Josh's son, depicted across two timelines as a sensitive but outwardly cynical young man. As a child, he experiences bullying and feels lonely at daycare. As a teenager, he favors objective subjects like math, externalizes very little emotion, and harbors resentment toward his father's obsessive behaviors.

Bea is Kate's flamboyant, stylish, and assertive romantic partner. A musician by trade, she operates out of a detached garage on their property that she has converted into a recording studio. She acts as the primary decision-maker in her relationship with Kate and projects a confident, carefree attitude within their suburban neighborhood.

Josh is Meredith's husband and a successful businessman who provides a comfortable suburban life for his family. He first met Meredith when he rescued her following a car crash. Following a sudden family tragedy, his mental health suffers as he becomes a workaholic, obsessively following up on leads while struggling to connect with his son.

Carly is a resilient young woman and kidnap survivor who endures eleven years of captivity. During her confinement, she invents an imaginary friend named Gus to cope with severe neglect and abuse. Upon escaping her captors, she faces significant challenges adjusting to the outside world and interacting with the people attempting to help her integrate into society.

Delilah is the six-year-old daughter of Meredith and Josh Dickey. She is an ordinary, playful child who enjoys playdates with her friend Piper before her sudden and unexplained disappearance deeply affects her family and the surrounding suburban community.

Shelby is a young mother who recently delivered a baby under highly traumatic circumstances. She is a client of Meredith's doula practice and plans to file a medical malpractice suit regarding her delivery. Her marriage to her high school sweetheart, Jason, involves frequent arguments and mutual suspicions of infidelity.

Jason is Shelby's husband and high school sweetheart. He projects a rough exterior and often argues with Shelby about finances, but he harbors deep insecurities that she might leave him. He becomes a primary subject of public suspicion when his wife disappears.

Cassandra is a suburban mother who initially appears to have a picture-perfect family. She experiences intense jealousy and suspicion after discovering that her husband kept his collegiate history with their neighbor, Meredith, a secret, leading to a severe fracture in their once-friendly neighborhood dynamic.

Marty is Cassandra's husband and the father of Piper. He briefly dated Meredith during their college years but chooses to hide this past connection from his wife when they end up living in the same neighborhood. His secrecy ultimately causes widespread issues within their social circle.

Piper is the daughter of Cassandra and Marty Hanaka. She is Delilah's childhood friend whose relationship with the Dickey family is disrupted by the adults' conflicts. As a high school senior, she eventually reconnects with Leo.

Dr. Feingold is a dismissive and clinical obstetrician who handles the birth of Shelby Tebow's baby. His obstinacy and refusal to listen to Meredith's warnings during the delivery lead to a medical malpractice lawsuit, making him a person of interest when people begin disappearing.

Detective Rowlings is a police officer assigned to the missing persons cases. She works closely with Josh Dickey over the years, growing personally fond of him and occasionally bending official rules to ease his ongoing distress during the investigation.

Eddie is a criminal who holds a young girl captive in a rural basement. He occasionally sneaks food to his captive without his partner's knowledge, though his overall actions remain deeply abusive, controlling, and sinister.

Martha is a highly abusive captor who verbally berates and severely neglects the young girl trapped in her basement. She demands total submission and uses food deprivation as a primary method of asserting authority.

Charlotte is the local babysitter and daycare provider who looks after young Leo Dickey while Meredith works. She runs a facility out of her home and eventually notifies Meredith about Leo experiencing bullying from an older boy.