A high-ranking homicide detective in the province of Quebec. He resides in the village of Three Pines and enjoys spending the post-pandemic holiday season with his extended family. He values human life deeply, a conviction that clashes with his assignment to protect a speaker advocating for the euthanasia of vulnerable populations.

A seasoned police detective serving as Gamache's second-in-command. He is blunt, honest, and pragmatic. As the father of a young daughter with Down syndrome, he struggles to maintain his professional detachment when assigned to guard a researcher advocating for eugenics.

A statistics researcher from British Columbia. She attracts a fierce following and intense backlash after suggesting that society should euthanize the elderly, chronically ill, and disabled to conserve resources. She presents her arguments with calm, clinical detachment, frustrating those who view her policies as monstrous.

The Chancellor of the university hosting Abigail Robinson's controversial lecture. A guarded and shrewd academic, she has a long-standing personal connection to Abigail's late father and requested Gamache's presence to ensure security at the event.

A local physician and passionate human rights advocate for individuals with disabilities. Known locally as an "asshole saint" due to his abrasive demeanor and misanthropic tendencies, he lives in an isolated cabin near Three Pines and vehemently opposes Abigail Robinson's ideology.

A Sudanese human rights activist visiting Three Pines. Having survived severe trauma and violence in her home country, she is openly hostile toward those she views as cowardly. She is disgusted by the eugenics rhetoric being spread in the community.

Abigail Robinson's lifelong best friend and administrative assistant. She travels with Abigail from British Columbia to Quebec, helping manage her schedule and the sudden surge of public attention surrounding her controversial work.

Gamache's wife and a retired archivist. Warm and perceptive, she provides emotional grounding for her family. She takes on a project sorting through the personal papers of a deceased local woman, applying her professional skills to uncover historical details.

A dedicated officer on Gamache's police force. She works closely with Gamache and Jean-Guy to manage security details and investigate local disturbances, maintaining a professional and observant presence.

Gamache and Reine-Marie's daughter, and Jean-Guy's wife. She is a loving mother to their children, including a daughter with Down syndrome, and provides a strong family anchor during the tense holiday season.

A local man who smuggles a weapon into Abigail Robinson's lecture. He is the primary caregiver for his elderly mother, who suffers from dementia, making him deeply fearful of and hostile toward public policies that target the vulnerable.

Gamache's wealthy, elderly godfather who is visiting Three Pines. As a Holocaust survivor, he holds a profound respect for the sanctity of human life and is disturbed by the eugenics discourse emerging in the community.

Abigail Robinson's late father and a well-known researcher. He died when Abigail was a student, leaving behind complex personal papers and entrusting his daughter's care to his good friend, Colette.

Abigail's late younger sister. She had a severe disability and passed away as a child, a tragic event that significantly impacted her family's history.

A deceased local woman whose surviving children have hired Reine-Marie to sort through her boxes of personal documents. Her papers include repetitive, strange drawings that hint at a troubled past.

Edouard's brother, who shares his deep concerns about their elderly mother's safety in the face of shifting public policies regarding the vulnerable.

Edouard's son, who works as a server at the local inn in Three Pines. He becomes entangled in the police investigation due to his family ties.

Enid Horton's daughter, who brings her late mother's boxes of documents to Reine-Marie in hopes of organizing them.

Enid Horton's son. He is protective of his late mother's privacy and highly wary of outsiders looking into her past.

The caretaker of the university building where Abigail Robinson's lecture is held. He is responsible for managing access to the facility and provides logistical information to the police.

The president of the university. He refuses to cancel Abigail Robinson's event despite the significant security concerns raised by the police force.