Poe is a 30-year-old woman living in Burlington, Vermont, who hosts a wildly popular true-crime podcast. She lives an isolated life, using her platform to explore the minds of criminals while hiding her own traumatic past. Having witnessed her mother's murder at age thirteen, Poe carries deep psychological scars and relies on alcohol to protect herself from vulnerability.

Ian is a gaunt, menacing caller who contacts Poe's podcast with shocking claims about her past. He knows intimate, unreleased details about her mother's murder and leverages this information to stalk and threaten her. Operating from the shadows, he takes a sadistic pleasure in manipulating Poe and attempting to force her to broadcast her darkest secrets to her audience.

Leopold is the man who engaged in an affair with Poe's mother before brutally murdering her. He is a ruthless, thrill-seeking predator who traumatized a young Poe by forcing her to witness the aftermath of the crime. For years, he exists as a haunting specter in Poe's life, driving her to search for him in New York under the alias Leonard Avery.

Kip is Poe's boyfriend and the producer of her podcast. He handles the technical and editing aspects of the show, helping to manage its massive success. Though he cares deeply for Poe, he grows increasingly frustrated with her emotional distance and the secrets she keeps from him, pushing for a more honest and open relationship.

Poe's father is a man hollowed out by the murder of his wife seventeen years ago. He lives a quiet, isolated life with his cat, struggling with alcohol dependency and relying on sleeping pills. Despite his deep grief and struggles with guilt over his own past infidelity, he remains fiercely protective of his daughter and serves as her primary source of unconditional support.

Margaret is Poe's late mother, a woman who enjoyed a close relationship with her daughter before her marriage began to suffer. Feeling lonely and disconnected from her husband, she sought affection elsewhere, leading to a fateful affair. Her brutal murder in her own home remains the central tragedy of her family's life.

Alice is the owner of the Stone Rose coffee shop and a two-time survivor of attempted murder. Having endured significant trauma and media scrutiny, she understands the dark side of true-crime obsession. She serves as a mentor figure to Poe, offering practical advice on dealing with stalkers and demonstrating how to find peace after surviving horrific violence.

Bailey is Poe's black Labrador, named after her mother's love of espresso martinis. She provides Poe with much-needed companionship and a sense of security in her secluded home.

A middle-aged man who appears as an anonymous guest on *Tell Me What You Did*. He uses the platform to confess to stealing his ex-girlfriend's new partner's puppy years ago out of a desire for petty revenge.

Gadecki is an officer with the Burlington police department who becomes involved in Poe's case as the stalking escalates. He attempts to provide security for her and advises her on how to handle the increasingly dangerous situation.

Jack is a stalker who became obsessed with Alice Hill following renewed media interest in her childhood trauma. He tracked her down and stabbed her on Halloween night, adding to the cold cases in the area.

Effia is a childhood friend of Poe. Poe was sent to her house on the day of the murder, but left early to catch her mother in the act, inadvertently putting herself at the scene of the crime.

Grimm is Poe's father's pet cat. He lives a quiet life in the Manchester house, providing companionship to a man deeply isolated by grief.

Tiger is an inmate who briefly attempts to participate in Poe's podcast while incarcerated, though she backs out by claiming innocence regarding the arson she was convicted of.