Maeve is a practical, risk-averse academic who recently served as the primary full-time caregiver for her ailing mother. Following the funeral, she discovers she has lost her inheritance to a televangelist and is abruptly fired from her university teaching position. Stripped of her carefully constructed stability, she reluctantly agrees to travel to Ireland to authenticate a family heirloom. The journey forces her to confront her deep-seated anxieties and reconsider her rigid approach to life.

Therese is Maeve's impulsive older sister and a perpetually struggling actress. She leads a nomadic lifestyle marked by failed auditions and frequent requests for financial support from their late mother. Her outward defiance masks a deep vulnerability and a growing desire for permanence. When she discovers that their family portrait might be a highly valuable masterpiece, she aggressively pushes for the trip to Ireland to secure their financial future.

Kathleen is the historical focal point of the novel, an 18-year-old Irish immigrant who fled County Wicklow under a cloud of scandal. Raised on the aristocratic Tarrymore estate under special protection, she was abruptly forced to escape following a violent altercation in the manor. Her descendants uncover her history through a series of preserved letters, revealing a resilient young woman who endured severe hardship in 1920s New York.

Liam is the charismatic head distiller at the Tarrymore estate. He possesses a degree in chemical engineering but abandoned a boring corporate job to pursue his passion for crafting single pot Irish whiskey. Deeply connected to the local community, he provides Maeve with vital historical context while gently challenging her fear of uncertainty.

Delia is a fiercely principled aristocrat living at Tarrymore House in 1926. Recognizing Kathleen's true lineage, she defies the rigid social hierarchy of her era by raising the girl at the estate and securing her passage out of Ireland. She secures Kathleen's future by providing her with stolen family jewels and a prized portrait moments before a fatal confrontation with her own relatives.

Esme is an eccentric and prickly descendant of the aristocratic Rossington line, now living in a dilapidated gardener's cottage on the Tarrymore estate. She spends her days at The Willow Tree pub, closely guarding the secrets of her family's declining empire. She responds to the Dunagin sisters' inquiries with intense hostility, actively stonewalling their attempts to learn about the 1974 IRA art heist that occurred at the manor.

The recently deceased mother of Maeve and Therese. Previously known for her frugality and level-headedness, her daughters are shocked to learn she fell victim to a predatory televangelist during her mental decline. She drained her life savings and mortgaged her home, leaving only a coffee can of cash specifically designated for her daughters to take a reparative trip to Ireland.

Scotty is a diligent and competent lawyer in Savannah who takes on the Dunagin sisters' complicated legal crisis. He investigates the televangelist and the negligent bank that allowed Mary Helen to drain her estate. His steady, reliable demeanor provides a sharp contrast to the flighty men Therese typically pursues, making him an unexpected anchoring presence in her life.

Geoffrey is the entitled male heir of the Rossington family line. He has been estranged from his sister Esme for decades, only resurfacing to aggressively demand money after reading about a valuable portrait auction in the newspaper.

The widow of Lord Edward Rossington. She is a cruel and conniving matriarch who seeks to consolidate her power at Tarrymore by forcing her sister-in-law out of the home. She actively endangers Kathleen, refusing to acknowledge the girl's connection to the family.

One of Fiona Rossington's sons in 1926. He is an entitled aristocrat who views the vulnerable Kathleen as prey, prompting Delia's desperate plan to smuggle the young woman to America.

Fiona Rossington's other son. He operates in tandem with his mother and brother to enforce the family's cruel hierarchy and ensure Delia is pushed out of the ancestral home.

Maeve and Therese's uncle, a pharmacist who has long provided quiet support for the family. As the executor of Mary Helen's will, he bears the difficult responsibility of informing the sisters about their mother's secret mortgage and enforcing her peculiar final wish.

A charismatic televangelist who operates the Showers of Blessings ministry. He uses generic form letters and promises of spiritual salvation to systematically target and drain the finances of vulnerable, elderly individuals.

Esme's fiercely loyal English cocker spaniel. She serves as her owner's constant companion in the isolated gardener's cottage and instinctively distrusts anyone who poses a threat to the property.

Esme's alcoholic handyman. He lives in a squalid, rat-infested toolshed on her property. He is well-known to the local police for public drunkenness, petty theft, and indecent exposure, and his unreliability causes constant friction with his employer.