Susan is a bright, ambitious editor in her mid-forties working for Cloverleaf Books. Unmarried and happily independent, she has edited Alan Conway's successful mystery series for years. When she discovers that the final chapter of his latest manuscript is missing and that Alan has died, she steps into the role of amateur detective to uncover the truth.

Alan is the wealthy, famous, and notoriously difficult author of the Atticus Pünd mystery novels. He grew up with an abusive father and spent years as a teacher before finding literary fame. Despite his success, he deeply resents being pigeonholed as a mystery writer and wishes he were respected as a literary fiction author. His sudden death is initially ruled a suicide, sparking a real-world mystery.

Charles is the distinguished, old-fashioned head of Cloverleaf Books. He plays the cello, appreciates classic literature, and maintains a warm friendship with Susan Ryeland. As Alan Conway's publisher, he relies heavily on the success of the Atticus Pünd series to keep his small publishing house afloat.

Atticus is the famous private detective in Alan Conway's fictional universe. A German immigrant and concentration camp survivor, he has lost most of his family and maintains few personal connections. Given only months to live, he travels to the sleepy village of Saxby-on-Avon to solve what will likely be his final case.

Mary is a busybody housekeeper at Pye Hall whose sudden fall down a flight of stairs sets off the mystery in Saxby-on-Avon. Outwardly involved in the church and community, she secretly maintained a journal detailing the unsavory secrets of her neighbors, earning her many silent enemies in the village.

Robert is Mary Blakiston's 28-year-old son. He works as a mechanic after losing a prestigious apprenticeship due to a bar fight. He lost his younger brother to a drowning accident years earlier and had a loud, public argument with his mother shortly before her death, casting local suspicion upon him.

Magnus is the wealthy, arrogant, and universally disliked owner of Pye Hall. He inherited the entirety of his family's estate, leaving his twin sister with nothing. His plans to sell local land to developers and his cruel treatment of his staff make him a prime target for violence.

James is Alan Conway's much younger ex-boyfriend. An aspiring actor and former sex worker, he felt suffocated by life in the country with an older, controlling partner. Though they broke up shortly before Alan's death, James stands to inherit Alan's house and fortune. He is the real-world inspiration for the character James Fraser.

John White is Alan Conway's wealthy neighbor. He and Alan recently had a falling out over a failed financial investment. He serves as the real-world inspiration for the fictional petty criminal Johnny Whitehead.

Claire is Alan Conway's sister. They bonded during a difficult childhood under an abusive father, communicating by tapping on walls. She moved closer to Alan after her husband died but was entirely unaware that he was terminally ill. She strongly suspects her brother did not take his own life.

Donald is an aspiring writer who previously took a creative writing workshop with Alan Conway. He firmly believes Alan stole the core concept for one of his bestselling mysteries from him. He works as a waiter to make ends meet and remains bitter about the alleged plagiarism.

Tom is the local vicar who conducts Alan's funeral, a position secured by a large financial donation from the author. He attended boarding school with Alan and suffered cruel pranks and bullying at Alan's hands during their youth.

Mark is a television producer working on adapting the Atticus Pünd novels for the screen. He found Alan exceptionally difficult to work with and stands to have an easier production process following the author's death.

Melissa is Alan's ex-wife. They met while both were working as teachers. She originally encouraged Alan to abandon his dreams of writing literary fiction to focus on commercial mystery novels. Alan later left her for a younger man, leaving her humiliated and angry.

Freddy is the teenage son of Alan and Melissa Conway. He deeply resents his father for abandoning the family and has maintained almost no contact with him in recent years. He is the inspiration for the fictional Freddy Pye.

Jemima is the office assistant at Cloverleaf Books. Her sudden departure from the publishing company shortly after Alan Conway's death raises Susan's suspicions regarding the timeline of the manuscript's arrival.

Andreas is Susan's boyfriend, a Greek schoolteacher who previously taught at the same school as Alan Conway. He is eager to leave London and wants Susan to move to Crete with him to run a small hotel. He views Alan's books as low-quality trash and worries about Susan's safety as she investigates.

James is Atticus Pünd's assistant in the fictional manuscript. A former aspiring actor, he now helps the famous detective solve cases across the country. He serves as an energetic and somewhat naive foil to the brilliant, reserved older detective.

Joy is a receptionist at the local medical clinic and Robert Blakiston's fiancée. Determined and deeply loyal, she travels to London to beg Atticus Pünd to investigate Mary's death in order to clear Robert's name. She clashes with Mary's memory and just wants to save money for an Italian honeymoon.

Robin is the local vicar of Saxby-on-Avon. Though he publicly praises Mary Blakiston, he privately worries about something she saw on his desk before her death. He is intensely angered by Magnus Pye's plans to sell the nearby woods, Dingle Dell, to property developers.

Henrietta is the attractive, late-forties wife of the vicar. She is highly protective of her husband and openly critical of the hypocrisy surrounding funerals. She suffers from a severe nightshade rash from spending time in Dingle Dell.

Emilia is the respected local doctor in Saxby-on-Avon. She formed an unlikely friendship with Mary Blakiston before her death. Emilia becomes deeply concerned when a bottle of potentially lethal medication goes missing from her dispensary, a fact she reluctantly shares with investigators.

Arthur is Dr. Redwing's husband of thirty years. He abandoned a promising career in architecture to become a painter, though his artistic endeavors have largely been unsuccessful. He paints portraits of various wealthy locals.

Frances is the Lady of Pye Hall. She is trapped in a loveless marriage with Magnus, remaining with him entirely for the sake of financial security and social standing. She seeks comfort in an extramarital affair with a man from London.

Freddy is the wealthy, privileged son of Magnus and Frances Pye. He stands to inherit the estate following his father's death.

Clarissa is Magnus Pye's twin sister. Following the sudden death of their parents, Magnus claimed the entirety of the estate, leaving Clarissa penniless. She spent time working as a tutor in America before returning to live in a modest house in the village, harboring deep resentment toward her brother.

Jack is a London finance worker who is engaged in a secret affair with Frances Pye. Though charming, he suffers from a string of bad investments and lacks the financial means to support Frances if she were to leave her husband.

Neville, usually referred to just as Brent, is the groundsman and gardener at Pye Hall. He lives alone in a cottage perfectly preserved since his parents' death. He frequently clashed with Mary Blakiston and holds crucial information about the comings and goings at the estate on the nights of the murders.

Matthew is Mary Blakiston's estranged husband. Following the tragic drowning of their youngest son, Tom, Matthew felt pushed away by his grieving family and relocated to Cardiff. He appears tired, old, and deeply alone.

Raymond is the local police detective assigned to the grisly murders in Saxby-on-Avon. He became a policeman because he values order, and he deeply resents how murder disrupts the peaceful rhythm of village life. He relies heavily on Atticus Pünd's superior deductive abilities.