Seventeen-year-old Ryan is forced to return to her hometown under a new alias. As the biological daughter of a notorious serial killer, she uses the name Ryan Shipley to avoid public hostility. She maintains a guarded exterior to protect her secret identity and struggles to adapt to her senior year at Crockett High. She has a strong interest in nature photography.

Chase is a brooding student at Crockett High with a reputation as a delinquent. He rides a motorcycle and works as an apprentice mechanic to help support his mother. Behind his rebellious exterior, he is highly perceptive and fiercely loyal to the few people he trusts. He is skeptical of Ryan's sudden integration into his social circle.

Everett is the popular, handsome quarterback at Crockett High. He presents a flawless golden boy image to the town, though this masks the deep trauma of losing his mother at a young age. He pursues a relationship with Ryan, though his persistence sometimes makes her uncomfortable given the secrets she carries.

Gabriel, known as the Starling Slayer, is a convicted serial killer awaiting execution on death row. He was an artist who lured multiple women to their deaths, claiming he wanted to protect them like pretty sparrows. His horrific crimes cast a long shadow over the town of Starling and force his daughter to live in hiding.

Logan is a self-proclaimed true-crime expert. He runs a popular podcast and an online forum called Free the Sparrows, which obsessively dissects Gabriel Thorn's crimes. He is opportunistic and emotionally detached, treating real human tragedies as entertainment for his half-million subscribers.

Jasmine is Ryan's sixteen-year-old cousin and Connor's twin sister. Preoccupied with cheerleading and social status, she is deeply concerned about the stigma of being related to a notorious killer. When a massive reward is offered for locating Gabriel Thorn's victims, she becomes obsessed with amateur sleuthing to find the bodies.

Connor is Jasmine's sixteen-year-old twin brother. In contrast to his sister's dramatic nature, he is level-headed, easygoing, and pragmatic. As a gay teenager in a small town, he offers quiet support and a stable presence in the chaotic Shipley household, refusing to participate in his sister's morbid treasure hunts.

Maggie is Ryan's estranged aunt who works in real estate. She orchestrates the elaborate cover story to hide Ryan's true identity from the town and even her own children. Driven by regret over her fractured relationship with her late sister, Sarah, she is fiercely determined to protect her family from public scrutiny.

Dan is Ryan's uncle, a counselor for at-risk youth. He is a quiet, empathetic man who provides Ryan with a non-judgmental ear when she struggles with her past. He carries his own burdens and guilt regarding the family's history and his past struggles with alcohol.

Nikki is Everett's younger sister and Jasmine's close friend. She is hostile, volatile, and struggles with the long-term impact of her mother's early death. She exhibits self-destructive behaviors, including substance use and stealing, and frequently lashes out at those around her.

JP is Everett and Nikki's father. He runs the local animal shelter and offers Ryan a part-time job. He appears as a gentle, permissive parent who enables his daughter's destructive behavior out of a misguided attempt to compensate for the loss of their mother.

Sarah is Ryan's late mother and Gabriel Thorn's seventh victim. She was murdered after discovering her husband's horrific secrets. Her memory is a source of immense grief for Ryan, who keeps a cremation diamond locket as her only physical connection to her mother.

Agent Foster is an FBI investigator assigned to the Gabriel Thorn case. Eager to solve his first major case, he is determined to locate the missing bodies of Thorn's victims. He aggressively pursues Ryan, convinced that she holds the key to the mystery.

Mar is an artsy student at Crockett High who becomes one of Ryan's first friends in Starling. She is interested in photography and, like many in the town, holds a morbid fascination with the Gabriel Thorn murders, entirely unaware of Ryan's true identity.

Ty is a student at Crockett High who forms a casual friend group with Ryan and Mar. He is heavily influenced by the town's true-crime obsession, eventually teaming up with other students to search for the victims' bodies in hopes of claiming the reward money.

Leah is Everett and Nikki's late mother, who died when they were young. She is central to the James family's lingering trauma, and her absence casts a long shadow over their lives. She previously dated Dan Shipley in high school before marrying JP James.

Natalie is the daughter of Lydia Singh, one of Gabriel Thorn's first victims. She remains desperate to locate her mother's remains for closure and is deeply emotionally affected by the ongoing true-crime circus surrounding the case.

Sofia is Everett's ex-girlfriend. She is possessive and resents Ryan's presence, confronting her aggressively at a party and trying to reclaim Everett's attention.

Georgia is Chase's hardworking mother who works long hours as a nurse. Since her husband's death from cancer, she relies on Chase to help support the household.