The Witch

Caroline is the protagonist of the 1692 timeline, serving as a historical parallel to Julia and the source of Pemberton’s foundational secrets. She begins her story as a devout and dutiful Puritan wife, whose primary goal is to please her husband, Archie, and provide him with an heir. Her kindness and compassion are evident in her care for the ailing Judith, her loyalty to her ostracized friend Hitty, and her tenderness toward the stray cat she names Gideon. These very qualities, however, make her a target within the oppressive patriarchal society of colonial Woodhaven.

Caroline’s journey is one of radical disillusionment and survival, as her initial faith in her husband and her community is destroyed. She’s betrayed Archie; her servant, Molly; and the town’s male leadership, who use the witchcraft hysteria to condemn her. Her wrongful conviction and subsequent escape force her to abandon her identity and the societal expectations that defined her. This transformation is central to the novel’s exploration of The Endurance of Patriarchal Oppression Across History, as Caroline must fake her own death to escape a system designed to control and destroy her.

Caroline’s relationship with Jonas marks her transition from a dependent wife to an equal partner. Initially fearing him as the rumored Night Reaper, she comes to see him as a fellow victim of injustice and, ultimately, her savior and partner. Together, they subvert the fates assigned to them, burying their oppressors and stealing their identities. By becoming “Molly Howe,” Caroline performs the ultimate act of self-preservation, seizing the name of a woman who sought to destroy her and using it to build a new life of freedom and, eventually, love. Her story concludes with her triumphant return to Pemberton decades later as its rightful matriarch.

Celia, who lives under the identity of Ethel Eldridge, is the novel's primary antagonist. She’s a static character who embodies the insidious nature of long-held secrets through the long-term consequences of a single, ruthless act. For over 50 years, she successfully maintains the facade of the stern, reclusive great-aunt, a performance that masks her true nature as a calculating murderer. Her initial motivation stems from a place of powerlessness; as a young woman with a criminal record and no prospects, she sees murdering the real Ethel and assuming her identity as a path to a secure life. This extreme act of self-interest hardens into a cold, pragmatic cruelty that defines her for the rest of her life.

Celia is highly manipulative and resourceful. As a young woman, she preys on Letty’s grief and desperation for a child to make her an accomplice in covering up Ethel’s death. Decades later, she exploits Julia’s childhood fear of ghosts by orchestrating an elaborate fake haunting with Mick’s help, complete with cold spots, mysterious noises, and faked evidence for the ghost hunter. This scheme is designed to drive Julia away and prevent the sale of Pemberton, which would inevitably lead to the discovery of the real Ethel’s body. Her ability to maintain this deception for so long speaks to her cunning.

Ultimately, Celia’s downfall is caused by the very secrets she has tried to bury. Letty’s deteriorating memory, combined with what the narrative implies is the real Ethel’s spiritual influence, begins to unravel her carefully constructed world. When her deceptions are finally exposed, Celia doesn’t hesitate to use lethal violence, murdering her loyal accomplice, Mick, and attempting to kill Julia. Her final actions reveal the depth of her depravity; she’s a woman who will sacrifice anyone, even the man who loves her, to protect the life she stole.

Archie is the primary antagonist of the 1692 timeline and a key figure in the novel’s exploration of Respectability as a Shield for Corruption. He’s a static character whose public persona as a handsome, wealthy, and respected merchant conceals his true identity as the serial killer known as the Night Reaper. To Caroline, he initially appears to be the ideal husband: gentle, a good provider, and affectionate. This facade is what makes the eventual revelation of his monstrosity so shocking. He’s a master of duplicity, using his social standing and the community’s trust as a shield for his horrible acts.

Archie’s motivations are rooted in sadistic impulses and a need for control. He admits to Caroline that he rapes and murders young women, including his first wife, Temperance, because “[he] can never help [him]self” (305). His sadistic misogyny is intertwined with a rigid adherence to social hierarchy, viewing women of lower socioeconomic status as the most easily disposable. This viewpoint is illustrated when he justifies murdering his pregnant lover, Molly, stating that he “could not marry a servant girl!” (314). His hypocrisy is highlighted when he allows his innocent wife, Caroline, to be tried and convicted of witchcraft, feigning disgust at her fabricated actions while concealing his own heinous crimes. He manipulates the town’s superstitions and legal system to dispose of women who have become inconvenient to him.

Molly is the initial antagonist of the 1692 timeline and a foil to Caroline. As a servant in the Eldridge household, she’s ambitious and resentful of Caroline’s status. She exploits the witchcraft hysteria by providing false, sensationalized testimony against Caroline, accusing her of consorting with the devil. Her motivation is to usurp Caroline’s position and marry the wealthy Archie, with whom she’s having an affair. Her treachery is visually symbolized when she wears Caroline’s peacock-blue dress to the trial. Ultimately, she becomes another victim of Archie, murdered by him when her pregnancy becomes an inconvenience.

Henry serves as the primary love interest in the present-day storyline. He’s a round character who initially appears as a charming but single-minded museum curator focused on acquiring Pemberton. His old-fashioned clothing, manners, and interests, which at first seem quirky, are later revealed to be a product of being raised by his grandparents after his parents’ deaths. This backstory provides insight into his character, particularly his staunch skepticism regarding the supernatural. His disbelief in ghosts is deeply personal, rooted in his rejection of the empty platitudes offered to him about his deceased parents watching over him.

As a character, Henry is a foil to Julia’s growing belief in a haunting. He consistently provides logical, scientific explanations for the strange events at Pemberton, from the cause of Julia’s streak of white hair to the psychological roots of the Salem witch trials. However, he isn’t dismissive of Julia herself. Despite his skepticism, he becomes her most important ally, using his resources and historical knowledge to help her uncover the truth about her family. He looks up the identity of Celia Caine, facilitates the carbon dating of the bone, and arranges the DNA test, all actions that are instrumental in solving the mystery.

Henry’s development is marked by his shift in priorities. While he never abandons his disbelief in ghosts, he learns to take Julia’s fears seriously, recognizing that the danger at Pemberton is real, even if its source is human. His decision to call the police when he fears that Julia is in danger demonstrates that his concern for her has completely superseded his professional goal of acquiring the house. His relationship with Julia evolves from a professional negotiation to a genuine partnership built on trust and mutual respect.

Jonas is initially presented as a feared antagonist in the 1692 timeline. Accused of being the Night Reaper, he’s introduced as a mysterious and menacing stranger. His journey is one of vindication, as he transforms from a suspected villain into a tragic hero, framed for crimes he didn’t commit. Jonas is characterized by his intelligence, resilience, and pragmatism. While imprisoned, he methodically plans an escape, cleverly faking a seizure to disarm Deputy Strickland. His actions are driven by a strong sense of justice and a promise made to Hitty to protect Caroline.

Jonas’s relationship with Caroline is the emotional core of the historical narrative. He risks his own safety to defend her from Deputy Strickland’s assault in the jail and ultimately saves her life by killing the real murderer, Archie. This act of violence is portrayed as a necessary measure to ensure their mutual survival. He’s a man forced to commit terrible deeds to escape an unjust system. His plan to fake their deaths and assume the identities of Archie and Molly is a masterful act of subversion, allowing them to escape their prescribed fates and build a new life together.

Jonas shows a form of masculinity that contrasts with the toxic power exhibited by Archie and Deputy Strickland. He treats Caroline as an equal, respects her agency, and works with her as a partner. His feelings for her develop from a sense of duty into a deep, abiding affection. By taking on the name of his enemy, Archibald Eldridge, he reclaims the legacy of Pemberton, transforming it from a house of horrors into a home for a happy family.

Letty is a key character whose vulnerability is central to the novel’s present-day conflict. Her fragmented memory—a symptom of dementia—serves as an unreliable but important link to the family’s buried secrets. Her confusion, particularly her tendency to mistake Julia for Ethel and her occasional mention of the name Celia, provides the initial clues that the family’s accepted history is flawed. Letty is a tragic figure, having been manipulated by Celia into covering up her own sister’s murder. This decades-old secret, combined with her grief and deep desire for a child, has left a permanent mark on her psyche.

Despite her cognitive decline, Letty becomes an unwitting agent of justice, as the narrative suggests that she’s guided by the spirit of her murdered sister, Ethel. This connection compels her to dig up the grave in the backyard, physically unearthing the secret she helped to bury. In the novel’s final confrontation, she sheds her confusion and acts with surprising clarity, saving Julia’s life by striking Celia with a shovel. This moment shows a reclamation of agency, as she finally avenges her sister and protects the next generation, resolving a trauma that has haunted her for over 50 years.

Mick is a tragic figure, defined by his unrequited and lifelong devotion to Celia. He serves as her loyal accomplice for over five decades, helping her cover up Ethel’s murder and later participating in the elaborate “haunting” to scare Julia away. His loyalty is absolute, stemming from the fact that he was once engaged to Celia before she stole Ethel’s identity. However, Celia wrongly assumes that Mick has betrayed her by leaving clues for Julia to find, such as Ethel’s letters and the name “Celia” on the EVP recording. She murders him on the strength of this suspicion, revealing how little protection his decades of devotion offer when she perceives him as a threat.