Birdie is a young woman raised in Victorian London who adopts the name Lily Millington to survive. She eventually becomes a celebrated model and muse for a group of bohemian artists. Currently existing as a ghost attached to Birchwood Manor, she observes the estate's modern-day visitors with keen, benevolent interest. She adapts quickly to difficult circumstances and values the few close connections she makes during her brief life.

Elodie is a thirty-year-old archivist working in London. She manages the extensive historical collections of James Stratton. Having lost her mother at a young age, she seeks comfort in historical research and an old bedtime story passed down through her family. Her current engagement feels practical rather than passionate, leaving her ready to throw herself into investigating the mysteries of Birchwood Manor.

Edward is a charismatic Victorian painter and a founding member of the Magenta Brotherhood. He is passionate, deeply invested in his art, and fascinated by the supernatural. His career is heavily influenced by his time at Birchwood Manor and his intense emotional connection to his primary model.

Juliet is a journalist and devoted mother of three who relocates her family from London to the countryside during World War II. She writes columns about village life to bring comfort to her readers during wartime. She remains resilient and deeply loving, prioritizing her children's physical and emotional safety above all else.

Leonard is a World War I veteran and art researcher studying the life of Edward Radcliffe. He suffers from night terrors and immense survivor's guilt over the loss of his brother in the trenches. He seeks a sense of peace and purpose while staying at Birchwood Manor on an art residency.

Jack is an Australian former policeman working as a private detective. He is hired to locate a missing, highly valuable diamond. He carries a heavy emotional burden from a childhood tragedy involving his brother, which drives his ongoing need to help and protect the people around him.

Lucy is Edward Radcliffe's younger sister, a highly intelligent and precocious girl with a deep interest in science and natural history. She is fiercely loyal to her brother but struggles with jealousy regarding his romantic attachments. Later in life, she transforms Birchwood into a boarding school for young ladies.

Ada is an eight-year-old girl born in India who struggles to adapt to her new life at an English boarding school. She later grows up to become a respected archaeologist. As a child, she is strong-willed, observant, and frequently hides from school bullies in the manor's secret architectural compartments.

A prominent Victorian social reformer who amassed the vast historical archives Elodie works with today. During his childhood, he was a sickly boy with a pale complexion who befriended a young street thief. He grows up to dedicate his life to improving the city of London and helping the disadvantaged.

Elodie's late mother, a brilliant and highly successful cellist who died in a car crash when Elodie was six. She was a vibrant presence whose talent and tragic early passing cast a long shadow over her surviving family members.

Elodie's great-uncle and Juliet's youngest son. He is an artist and collector who creates a special charm box for Elodie following her mother's death. As a young boy evacuated to Birchwood during the war, he was sensitive, imaginative, and prone to interacting with imaginary friends.

Elodie's fiancé. He is practical and somewhat emotionally distant, primarily concerned with the logistics, guest lists, and appearances of their upcoming wedding rather than deep emotional connection.

Elodie's father and a dedicated music teacher. He remains deeply devoted to the memory of his late wife, Lauren, even decades after her passing, and shares old recordings of her performances with his daughter.

Elodie's friend and a clothing designer. She is knowledgeable about art history and uses her expertise to help Elodie identify the Victorian origins of the mysterious photograph.

Elodie's elderly landlady. She is warm, poetic, and frequently shares stories about her late husband, offering Elodie a quiet sense of domestic comfort and historical perspective.

Edward Radcliffe's young and wealthy fiancée. She is somewhat haughty and deeply jealous of the attention Edward pays to his artistic models.

A woman running a criminal enterprise out of Seven Dials in Covent Garden. She takes in children for payment and trains them to be pickpockets, exploiting their vulnerability for her own financial gain.

Mrs. Mack's son, a young man involved in his mother's criminal schemes. He is aggressive and constantly watches over Birdie, making her highly uncomfortable with his lingering stares and demands.

A painter and member of the Magenta Brotherhood. He is technically skilled but arrogant, rough, and highly envious of Edward's natural talent and romantic successes.

A photographer and member of the Magenta Brotherhood who actively advocates for photography as a true art form during their group debates.

A former model for Edward and part of the Magenta Brotherhood's immediate circle. She is dreamy, fanciful, and enjoys engaging in discussions about ghosts and the supernatural.

Edward and Lucy's sister, who models for Thurston Holmes. She enjoys the bohemian lifestyle and artistic freedom of the group's summer retreat.

Juliet's husband and a theater actor who leaves to fight in France during World War II. He is loving but occasionally clashes with Juliet over her career aspirations.

Juliet's daughter, who accompanies the family during their evacuation from London during the Blitz.

Juliet's son, who moves to the countryside to escape the bombing in London.

Leonard's younger brother who enlisted alongside him in World War I. His tragic death in the trenches leaves a profound impact on his surviving family and fiancée.

Tom Gilbert's former fiancée who is currently involved with Leonard. Their relationship is fraught, held together primarily by their shared grief rather than genuine passion.

An older student at Miss Radcliffe's School for Young Ladies who routinely torments Ada about her Indian background.

A student at the boarding school who willingly participates in Charlotte's cruel pranks against the newly arrived Ada.