Adele is a mother who homeschools her three daughters and embraces an alternative, eco-friendly lifestyle. She previously worked as an education coordinator at an arts center but now focuses on raising her girls to be independent and confident within the communal environment of Virginia Park. She frequently opens her home to neighbors and cares deeply for the complex social dynamics of her community.

Pip is an observant twelve-year-old girl who deeply misses her father following his hospitalization. She serves as a keen observer of the Virginia Park community, preferring to spend her time with older residents or animals rather than the local teenagers. She diligently writes letters to her father to process her feelings and document the strange new world of the park.

Grace is a thirteen-year-old girl who harbors anger about her family's sudden relocation and her father's absence. With dark curly hair and a growing interest in romance, she quickly integrates into the social scene of Virginia Park's teenagers. Her desire for a fresh start leads her to distance herself from her family's ongoing struggles.

Clare is a stay-at-home mother trying to hold her family together after her husband's severe mental health crisis displaced them. She struggles with the lack of privacy in Virginia Park and feels entirely overwhelmed by the task of single parenting. She seeks a sense of safety and stability, occasionally looking to other residents for guidance.

Leo is a restaurant consultant who grew up in the Virginia Park community. He possesses a youthful, boyish charm that makes him a popular and attractive figure among the women and girls in the neighborhood. As a lifelong resident of the park, he holds deep connections to the area's history and its longtime inhabitants.

Tyler is a thirteen-year-old girl with long blond hair and pale eyes who has grown up in Virginia Park. She considers herself the leader of the local teenagers and is fiercely protective of her relationships, especially with her childhood friend Dylan. She struggles with the neglectful environment fostered by her mother and acts out aggressively against newcomers.

Chris is a documentary filmmaker and the patriarch of the Wild family. He spends the early parts of the story residing in a psychiatric hospital, undergoing treatment for schizophrenia after suffering a severe episode that forced his family to relocate. Despite his physical absence, his situation heavily influences his family's daily lives and emotional states.

Gordon, sometimes affectionately or begrudgingly called "Puppy" by his family, is Leo's father. He normally resides in Africa with his second wife but has returned to London for medical treatment. He is demanding, often making highly inappropriate comments, and has a reputation among the older neighbors for being overly forward with women.

Cecelia is Tyler's mother and a social worker who grew up in the Virginia Park community. She is frequently absent from her apartment, preferring to spend time with her boyfriend rather than parenting her daughter. She carries a complicated history with Leo Howes from their teenage years and is rumored to be involved in a tragic past event concerning her late sister.

Fern is the thirteen-year-old daughter of Adele and Leo. She is homeschooled and enjoys the freedom her mother's alternative parenting provides, such as dyeing part of her hair blue. She is closely aligned with Tyler in the park's social hierarchy and observes the changing dynamics when the Wild sisters arrive.

Willow is the energetic younger daughter of Adele and Leo. She frequently plays imaginative and physically tiring games in the park, occasionally becoming the target of the older girls' frustration as they navigate their own dramatic social lives.

Catkin is one of the homeschooled Howes daughters. She embraces a wilder physical appearance, notably refusing to cut or brush her matted locks of hair. This reflects her mother's desire to let her children express themselves freely without societal pressure.

Dylan is a handsome teenager who lives in the apartments surrounding Virginia Park. He is considered the most attractive boy in the neighborhood and is known for his kindness, particularly in how he cares for his brother who has learning disabilities. His presence creates a fierce rivalry among the local girls.

Fiona is a resident of the Virginia Park community and the mother of Dylan and Robbie. She remains mostly in the background, managing her household and raising her two sons in the communal living space.

Robbie is Dylan's brother. He has severe learning disabilities and relies heavily on his older brother's guidance and protection when interacting with the other children in the Virginia Park community.

Rhea is an 84-year-old Holocaust survivor and long-term resident of the Virginia Park community. She is currently working on her memoirs with Adele's help, documenting the extensive and sometimes scandalous history of the park and its residents. She provides a safe, quiet haven for Pip away from the chaotic teenagers.

PC David Michaelides is a police officer assigned to investigate a serious incident that occurs in Virginia Park. He conducts interviews with the residents, attempting to untangle the complex web of community relationships and determine a timeline of events.

WPC Tara Cross is a police officer working alongside PC Michaelides. She is tasked with investigating a major incident in the park, interviewing witnesses, and gathering clues about the teenagers' whereabouts during the night in question.

Jo Mackie is a forensic nurse examiner brought in to evaluate medical evidence following a traumatic event in the park. She handles the sensitive task of examining the physical condition of a minor to determine what transpired.

Roxy is a young woman who previously worked on a documentary film with Chris. Known to Clare as "Love-Struck Roxy" due to a past crush, she becomes a vital point of contact for the Wild family when Chris leaves the hospital.

Phoebe is Cecelia's late sister who died of a substance overdose in the park at the age of fifteen. Although she died years before the events of the novel, her tragic history haunts the community and draws eerie parallels to the present-day events among the current generation of teenagers.

Max is a young boy who lives in the Virginia Park community. He inadvertently witnesses part of the chaotic aftermath in the park during the summer party, making him a person of interest when residents try to piece together the events of the evening.

Fergus is Rhea's giant pet rabbit. He serves as a comforting, quiet companion for Pip, who prefers his peaceful company over the dramatic and often aggressive teenagers in the neighborhood.