Mariana is a 36-year-old widow and group therapist living in London. Still mourning the death of her husband, Sebastian, she travels to Cambridge University to support her niece following the brutal murder of a student. She is a lifelong book lover who romanticizes the world, frequently viewing people and situations through the lens of Greek mythology and classic literature.

Zoe is Mariana’s niece and a student studying literature at Cambridge University. Orphaned as a child when her parents died in a car accident, she grew up with the support of Mariana and Sebastian. The brutal murder of her best friend deeply unsettles her, prompting her to call her aunt to the university for emotional backup.

Sebastian is Mariana's deceased husband, whose memory heavily influences her actions and emotional state throughout the investigation. He died tragically during a vacation on the Greek island of Naxos. Coming from a financially unstable background with divorced parents, his upbringing sharply contrasted with Mariana's privileged life, but they shared an intense, defining connection.

Edward is a highly charismatic and popular professor of classics at Cambridge University. He commands a dedicated following among his students, particularly an elite group of young women known as "the Maidens." He quickly becomes Mariana's primary suspect in the murder investigation due to his proximity to the victims and his intense teaching methods.

Fred is a PhD student in mathematics who studies theoretical math and parallel universes. He is driven by the childhood loss of his mother, hoping his theories might prove she exists somewhere else. Awkward but eager, he becomes immediately infatuated with Mariana and repeatedly offers to help her investigate the campus murders.

Tara is a Cambridge student and a member of the elite group known as the Maidens. Her brutal murder sets the plot in motion. Before her death, she was struggling personally and exhibiting signs of fear regarding her relationships on campus.

Veronica is the wealthy and privileged daughter of a US senator studying at Cambridge. She is a prominent member of Edward Fosca's exclusive group and stars in a campus theatrical production of *The Duchess of Malfi*.

Serena is a member of the elite Maidens at Cambridge. She is fiercely loyal to Edward Fosca and openly hostile toward Mariana's attempts to investigate the group's dynamics.

Henry is a deeply troubled patient in Mariana’s therapy group. He struggles with severe boundary issues, a history of self-harm, and exhibits increasingly aggressive behaviors toward Mariana, demanding her constant attention.

Clarissa is a kind, patient widow in her late seventies who was once Mariana's professor. She provides Mariana with lodging on the Cambridge campus and offers academic insights that connect ancient Greek tragedies to the modern murders.

Julian is an old psychotherapy classmate of Mariana's who now works as an expert for true-crime documentaries. He is actively involved with the police investigation at Cambridge and presents a demeanor that Mariana finds slightly artificial.

Sadhu is the police inspector in charge of investigating the gruesome murders at Cambridge. He is strictly professional and highly protective of his crime scenes, frequently warning Mariana to stop interfering with his official duties.

Conrad is a lumbering, expressionless young man with a history of drug dealing and aggravated assault. He is a friend of Tara's and an early suspect in her murder, though he insists he loved her and blames her friends for her downfall.

Mr. Morris is a polite, formal porter at Cambridge University whose grandfather held the same position during Mariana's student days. He assists Mariana with her lodgings but harbors his own secrets within the university ecosystem.

Elsie is a local woman who works as a "bedder" (cleaner) for the Cambridge students. She trades campus gossip for flattery, providing Mariana with insights into the social dynamics between Tara, Zoe, and the Maidens.

Ruth is Mariana’s training therapist and current supervisor in London. She helps Mariana process her complex feelings of grief and offers professional insight, suggesting Mariana might be projecting her own father issues onto Edward Fosca.

Theo is a forensic psychotherapist who offers professional opinions on the theatrical nature of the campus murders. He senses that Mariana is hiding from her own internal fears and encourages her to look closer at herself.

Nikos is the passionate young director of the campus production of *The Duchess of Malfi*. He is furious and devastated when the show is cancelled following the disappearance of his lead actress.