Armand Gamache is the Chief Inspector for the Sûreté du Québec. He approaches homicide investigations with an empathetic perspective, preferring to understand the people and emotions surrounding a case rather than relying solely on cold logic. He takes pleasure in simple observations and values teamwork over individual ambition.

Clara is a disorganized but intuitive middle-aged artist living in Three Pines. She is Jane's next-door neighbor and serves on the local art jury. Following Jane's sudden death, Clara struggles with deep grief and channels her turbulent emotions into her artistic projects.

Ben is a quiet, unassuming man who recently inherited a large house on the outskirts of Three Pines following the death of his mother. He maintains a professorial appearance and leads a highly passive life. He owns the local archery club with his family and often complains about discrimination against Quebec's anglophones.

Jane is a 76-year-old retired schoolteacher and a beloved resident of Three Pines. Just two days before her death in the woods, she decides to publicly exhibit her artwork for the first time. She is fiercely protective of her privacy, refusing to allow anyone past the kitchen of her home.

Yvette Nichol is a recently certified agent assigned to her first homicide case with the Sûreté du Québec. Driven by a fierce desire to ascend the ranks, she is highly competitive. Her ambition often causes her to act aloof, preventing her from integrating smoothly into Gamache's collaborative team structure.

Ruth is an elderly, acclaimed poet and the head of the local volunteer fire department in Three Pines. She presents an embittered, abrasive face to the world, though her poetry suggests deep emotional sensitivity. She offers the fire hall as a headquarters for the police investigation.

Beauvoir is Inspector Gamache's second in command at the Sûreté du Québec. He is highly logical and practical, serving as a grounded counterpart to Gamache's more philosophical methods. He quickly grows frustrated with Agent Nichol's lack of team spirit.

Peter is an artist and Clara's husband. Unlike his wife's chaotic process, Peter works methodically on his pieces. He is highly protective of Clara and shares a long-standing bond with his childhood friend Ben Hadley, though he struggles with occasional bouts of jealousy.

Yolande is Jane's niece and next of kin. She runs a real estate business in nearby St. Rémy and maintains an immaculate, highly curated lifestyle. Estranged from her aunt, she shows little emotional reaction to Jane's death and quickly focuses on taking possession of the estate.

Matthew Croft is a resident of Three Pines and a former student of Jane Neal. He is an avid bowhunter and reader of poetry whose family life is under immense strain due to his teenage son's erratic behavior.

Philippe is the teenage son of Matthew and Suzanne Croft. Over the past several months, his grades have plummeted and he has grown increasingly withdrawn and aggressive, alienating himself from his bewildered parents.

Suzanne is Matthew Croft's wife and Philippe's mother. She is visibly anxious and overwhelmed by the recent tension in her household, especially when the police investigation turns toward local archery equipment.

Olivier is the co-owner of the local bistro and a bed-and-breakfast in Three Pines. Openly gay, he navigates occasional local prejudice with grace and resilience, maintaining his role as a central social figure in the village.

Gabri runs the local bistro alongside his partner, Olivier. He acts as a warm, nurturing presence in the village, readily offering food and comfort to both locals and the visiting police officers.

Myrna is a former psychologist who left her practice in the city to open a bookstore in Three Pines. She frequently analyzes human behavior, noting that many people prefer comfortable stagnation over the hard work of personal change.

Timmer is Ben Hadley's mother, who passed away about a month before Jane Neal. She was an intelligent and perceptive woman, though some villagers viewed her as manipulative and intimidating. Her recent death from cancer looms heavily over the local community.

Isabelle Lacoste is an efficient and capable agent on Gamache's police team. She conducts thorough physical searches of local properties, uncovering vital evidence to aid the ongoing homicide investigation.

André is Yolande's husband and Bernard's father. He shares his wife's superficial values and has a history of reckless behavior, recently acquiring a local bow-hunting permit.

Bernard is the teenage son of Yolande and André. He is a cruel youth who uses his parents' lack of oversight to bully others, particularly targeting vulnerable kids in the village with blackmail and intimidation.