Hal is a twenty-one-year-old fortune teller living in Brighton, barely surviving on the meager income from her seaside tarot booth. Following the sudden death of her mother, she falls into crippling debt with a local loan shark. When she receives an unexpected letter naming her as an heir to a wealthy estate, pure financial desperation pushes her to travel to Cornwall and use her cold-reading skills to pose as the rightful beneficiary. She possesses a sharp eye for human behavior but struggles intensely with the guilt of her deception.

Ezra is Hester Westaway's youngest son. He has lived away from his family in the south of France for twenty years, managing a small photography gallery. Widely known as his mother's favorite child, he displays a detached, laconic demeanor that contrasts with his brothers' anxiety. He appears unbothered by the complex legal situation surrounding the will and frequently bickers with his siblings.

Abel is Hester's middle son, working as a lobbyist for children's charities. Unlike his brothers, he responds to Hal's sudden arrival with empathy and actively welcomes her into the family fold. His gentle personality masks a deep history of emotional abuse inflicted by his mother regarding his sexual orientation, driving him to create the loving environment he lacked growing up.

Harding is Hester's oldest son and a wealthy, successful businessman. He spent his life fruitlessly attempting to earn his mother's approval through professional achievement. Upon learning that an unknown young woman is named the primary beneficiary of the estate, he reacts with outrage and immediate threats of legal action to contest the document.

Hester Westaway was the cruel, controlling matriarch of Trepassen House. She emotionally abused and manipulated most of her children, leading them to flee the estate as soon as they reached adulthood. She continues to exert power over her family from beyond the grave through an unexpected and highly disruptive will designed to force her surviving relatives back together.

Maud is Hester's missing daughter and Ezra's twin sister. She left Trepassen House decades ago under mysterious circumstances after securing a university placement. The family and the estate's lawyers assume Hal is Maud's child, instantly making her past the focal point of the current inheritance dispute.

Maggie is Hal's deceased mother, a tarot card reader who raised her daughter alone in Brighton before dying in a hit-and-run accident. During her youth, she stayed at Trepassen House as a distant cousin. A diary from 1994 reveals her frightening, isolated experiences living under Hester's strict rule during a difficult pregnancy.

Mrs. Warren is the elderly housekeeper at Trepassen House who relies on a cane to walk. She is fiercely loyal to Hester's memory and acts with open hostility toward almost everyone, particularly Hal. She harbors many of the estate's oldest secrets and clearly favors Ezra above the other brothers.

Mitzi is Harding's wife, a grounded woman whose warm demeanor contrasts sharply with the tense Westaway family dynamics. She recognizes Hal's vulnerability immediately and offers her practical care, food, and emotional support when the family's aggressive questioning becomes overwhelming.

Mr. Treswick is the estate lawyer responsible for executing Hester's final will. He is professional but somewhat nervous, particularly regarding the aggressive magpies around Trepassen House. He operates under the assumption that Hal is Maud's daughter based on the specific address provided in the will.

Edward is Abel's partner and a medical doctor. He travels to Cornwall separately to support Abel during the difficult family gathering. He provides a calm, rational presence in the chaotic house and offers Hal basic medical attention.

Kitty is Harding and Mitzi's teenage daughter. She possesses a direct, irreverent communication style but lacks her father's underlying hostility. She actively engages with Hal and requests a tarot reading, showing curiosity rather than suspicion about the new arrival.

Freddie is Harding and Mitzi's young son. He provides innocent distractions during the heavy family discussions and inadvertently prompts Hal to share details about her life.

Mr. Smith is a dangerous loan shark operating in Brighton. While largely unseen, his criminal influence drives the entire plot, as he demands extortionate interest payments from Hal and uses the threat of physical violence to force her compliance.