Leo Marsden, who operates under the alias “Bryan,” is the novel’s antagonist. A static character, his malevolent nature and motivations remain unchanged, though initially hidden by behind the bumbling persona of “Bryan.” This false identity is a calculated act of deception designed to disarm both his fellow guides and the guests, making his eventual violent turn all the more shocking. His patchy beard, ill-fitting clothes, and feigned clumsiness are all part of a costume that conceals the cunning and predatory killer beneath. This deception highlights his meticulous planning and psychological manipulation, as he exploits the social dynamics of the guide team to position himself as a non-threatening outcast.

Leo’s primary motivation is a narcissistic obsession with infamy, rooted in misogynistic incel ideology. He is the true perpetrator of the original Camas Creek murders, having framed fellow guide Kellen Stroop seven years prior. He resents that Stroop received credit for his “opus” and orchestrates the second massacre to reclaim his legacy and broadcast his name to the true-crime communities that fascinate him. His calm whistling is a motif that emphasizes his detachment and the pleasure he takes in the hunt; it is the auditory signature of a predator toying with his prey. 

Leo’s ability to successfully orchestrate two massacres, years apart, by manipulating his own narrative of victimhood makes him a modern villain, skilled at manipulating others’ perceptions in online forums even as those same forums have shaped and skewed his own worldview. His downfall comes not because his plan is flawed, but because he underestimates the collective will of his intended victims. The final confrontation, where Macy uses their shared “Fight Night” memory against him, is a symbolic turning of the tables, as his prior, feigned weakness provides the women with a blueprint for how to defeat him.

Allie is a deuteragonist and a proxy for the audience’s—and the wider culture’s—fascination with true crime. As a high school librarian and the moderator of a subreddit dedicated to the Camas Creek murders, she begins the trip with a sense of morbid excitement. Her initial questions about the massacre irritate the other members of the group, who regard her interest in the murders as prurient. Once Leo’s violent intentions emerge, however, Allie’s detailed knowledge of the previous murders becomes a vital resource. Her journey is a dynamic one, moving from a spectator of tragedy to a participant in a fight for her own life. 

The editor’s guidance highlights Allie’s transformation from an internet-obsessed voyeur to a terrified but brave survivor. Her initial reaction to being on the Garnet River is almost one of thrill, as if she has entered the set of her favorite story. However, once the violence begins, her academic interest evaporates, replaced by visceral terror and, later, deep guilt. She berates herself for not recognizing Leo sooner, stating, “I should be able to spot a psychopath” (181). Her arc demonstrates that a deep knowledge of a killer’s patterns offers no protection from the violence itself.

Despite her fear, Allie proves courageous and loyal. She is instrumental in the group’s survival, from contributing her dry bag of supplies to actively participating in the decoy plan. Her past as the “captain of my intramural softball team” (18) foreshadows her physical capability, which culminates in the critical moment she hits Leo with a rock, disrupting his attack. Her final act is one of sacrifice; she is shot with an arrow while trying to protect the others, and her last words to Kaia are an urging to “Go help them” (287). Through Allie, the novel suggests that true engagement with tragedy requires not just knowledge, but empathy, action, and ultimately, a willingness to fight for the humanity of others.

Macy is a senior rafting guide who undergoes a significant dynamic shift from a seemingly superficial “cute-as-a-button blonde” (12) to a tenacious and fierce leader. Initially, she embodies the carefree, cliquey culture of the river guides, participating in the hazing of Bryan and maintaining a professional but somewhat detached demeanor. However, following the massacre at Camas Creek and her own near-fatal encounter with Leo’s razor wire trap, she is stripped of her youthful naivete. Her survival and arduous journey back to the group demonstrate her resilience.

Her transformation is most evident in her leadership. Gravely injured and traumatized, she nonetheless takes command, her knowledge of the river becoming a valuable asset to the group. Her ability to guide them through treacherous rapids and devise strategies, even while horrifically wounded, showcases a deep well of inner strength. She becomes a symbol of the will to live, her fight to survive embodying the theme of Survival as Collective Resilience. Her final confrontation with Leo, where she uses the “Fight Night” tactic to help overpower him, is a moment of poetic justice, turning a tool of casual bullying into a weapon for survival.

Deborah is a round, dynamic supporting character, a source of pragmatic strength and emotional gravity for the group. Traveling with her sister, Beth, she is initially presented as outspoken and good-humored, her matching pixie cut with her sister symbolizing their close bond. Her personality is grounded and motherly, and she quickly forms a connection with Kaia.

The murder of her sister is a key moment that transforms her grief into a fierce determination to survive. While devastated, she does not succumb to despair. Instead, she channels her pain into action, becoming one of the most reliable and powerful rowers and a staunch supporter of the group’s efforts to fight back. Her pragmatism and refusal to be intimidated, even when facing death, make her a pillar of the collective, reinforcing the theme of Survival as Collective Resilience.

Pam is a round and largely static character whose calm competence subverts initial expectations. Kaia first dismisses her as a wealthy woman in a designer “PALM BEACH swim shirt” (16), but Pam is revealed to be a veterinarian whose professional experience makes her invaluable. She remains steady under pressure, tending to Imani’s and Macy’s catastrophic injuries with a reassuring and practical demeanor that helps keep the group from panicking. Her background has equipped her to handle trauma and gore with a level-headedness that the other women lack. She draws on the same skill set in constructing the dummies that deceive Leo. Pam’s character demonstrates that appearances can be deceiving and that strength comes in many forms. In the final confrontation, her practicality is again on display as she uses her paddle and elbow as weapons to help drown Leo, proving to be a quiet but essential force in the group’s survival.

Imani is a supporting character whose will to survive after a horrific, life-altering injury makes her a living symbol of the group’s will to protect one another. She is the only survivor from the raft that entered the Anvil first, as everyone aboard hit the razor wire without warning. Kaia’s group finds her amid the bodies of shipmates, alive but bleeding dangerously from a severed arm. She weakens as the day wears on but never loses her determination, and her vulnerability necessitates a collective effort, forcing the women to act with compassion and care even amidst their terror. Her ordeal crystallizes the theme of Survival as Collective Resilience. After the women return home, Imani’s husband leaves her and their children, and Pam drives “through the night to show up at her door the next morning” (298), evidence that the supportive bond the women have forged will outlast their trauma.

Parker, Kaia’s late husband, is a flat character who appears only in Kaia’s memories and as a guiding voice in her head, an instance of the psychological phenomenon known as Third Man Syndrome. This voice symbolizes Kaia’s deep love, her unprocessed grief, and her own powerful survival instinct. It provides her with practical advice and emotional encouragement, becoming a tangible manifestation of the strength she drew from their relationship. Parker is the catalyst for Kaia’s journey, and his memory is the anchor she clings to as she navigates the parallel traumas of his death and her own fight for life.