From Case History #1—The Lands
Victor Land—a minor mathematics professor and the father of the Land sisters; he was 18 years older than their mother, Rosemary; he is recently deceased
Rosemary Land—the deceased mother of the Land sisters
Sylvia Land—aka Sister Mary Lake; the oldest of the Land sisters, 13 years old when her sister Olivia went missing in 1970; she currently resides in a convent
Amelia Land—the second oldest of the Land sisters, 8 or 9 years old when her sister Olivia went missing in 1970; she is currently a teacher
Julia Land—the second youngest of the Land sisters, 5 years old when her sister Olivia went missing in 1970; she is currently an actress
Olivia Land—the youngest of the Land sisters, 3 years old when she went missing overnight from a tent in the family’s backyard where she and Amelia were sleeping in 1970
From Case History #2—The Wyres and Related Characters
Theo Wyre—a former lawyer and partner in firm of Holroyd, Wyre, and Stanton; he’s given up his partnership and hasn’t practiced law since Laura’s murder in 1994
Valerie Wyre—Theo’s deceased wife who died at 34 years old when their daughters were 7 and 2 years old
Jennifer Wyre—the older daughter, a medical student in London at the time of her sister’s murder in 1994; now living in Canada
Laura Wyre—the younger daughter and Theo’s favorite; she had been waiting acceptance in a marine biology program in Aberdeen when she was murdered in the offices of Theo’s law firm in 1994
David Holroyd—Theo’s original law partner; he and Stanton have continued the law firm as Holroyd and Stanton
Jean Stanton—a conservative lawyer who became the third partner in Theo’s law firm and has continued as partner in Holroyd and Stanton; later she becomes a figure in Amelia Land’s life
Emma Drake—one of Laura’s classmates at the time of her murder; she provides Jackson with the information about the Jessops
Stan Jessop—Laura’s 26-year-old biology teacher at the time of her murder; he is said to have had a crush on her; now 36 years old, remarried, with sons
Kim (Jessop) Strachan—Stan’s wife at the time of Laura’s murder; when Jackson finds and interviews her, she identifies the person in the suspect photo from Laura’s murder
Nina Jessop—daughter of Stan and Kim; Laura babysat her for the Jessop’s from time to time
Stuart Lappin—the Jessop’s next-door neighbor who gives Kim Jessop “the creeps”
From Case History #3—The Fletchers and Related Characters
Michelle Rose (Morrison) Fletcher—the mother of a newborn baby who was sentenced to prison for killing her husband by splitting his head with an ax in 1979 when she was about 18 years old; now presumably out of prison after serving 10 years of a 15-year sentence; apparently no one has heard from her in 15 years
Keith Fletcher—Michelle’s husband, who was about 23 years old when he was killed
Tanya Fletcher—Michelle’s baby, who was supposed to have been raised by Michelle’s sister Shirley, but was probably raised by Keith’s parents (Walter and Doreen Fletcher) because Shirley was too young and social services deemed the elder Morrisons unfit; Tanya, who would be about 25 years old now, had started to run away at 12 years old and disappeared at 15
Shirley Morrison—Michelle’s sister, who was 15 years old when her brother-in-law Keith Fletcher was killed; now a pediatric ICU nurse, Shirley hires Jackson to help her find Tanya
Jackson Brodie and Family
Jackson Brodie—a 45-year-old former police officer turned private investigator; his investigations in the book take place around 2004
Marlee Brodie—Jackson’s 8-year-old daughter who is living with his ex-wife, Josie, and Josie’s current boyfriend, David
Josie Brodie—Jackson’s ex-wife, a primary school teacher; they’ve been divorced about 4 years, and she’s currently living with David
David Lastingham—Josie’s current boyfriend
From Case History #4—The Brodies
Robert Brodie—Jackson’s father
Fidelme Brodie—Jackson’s mother, who dies a few months before Jackson’s 12th birthday and Niamh is killed
Francis Brodie—Jackson’s deceased older brother, an apprentice welder; he is 18 when his sister Niamh is killed
Niamh Brodie—Jackson’s deceased older sister; at 17, she is the personal secretary to the manager of a car dealership when she is killed
Jackson Brodie Associates
Deborah Arnold—Jackson’s secretary/office manager
Binky Rain—Jackson’s first client when he started his private investigator business; the widow of Julian Rain, a philosophy don, she’s now over 90 years old and keeps feral cats; her garden backs onto the same lane as the Land’s backyard and is directly opposite
Quintus Rain—Binky’s great nephew who seems to have a problem with Jackson on the occasion of their teatime meeting at Binky’s
Howell—Jackson’s best friend, from back in their Army days; he currently works as a doorman for a hotel in Birmingham
Marian Foster—a former policewoman who might have information about the missing police files from Olivia Land’s case
Nicola Spencer—a 29-year-old flight attendant whom Jackson is tracking for her husband Steve; Steve thinks Nicola is having an affair and wants proof
Others
Caroline Weaver—the 43-year-old head teacher at a primary school in the country; she married Jonathan a couple of years ago, 22 years after her last marriage, but is having second thoughts, even though she is probably pregnant with his child; her birth certificate bears the name Caroline Edith Edwards, but is for a girl 6 years younger who had died before her 5th birthday
Jonathan Weaver—a “dilettante” farmer and member of the untitled aristocracy
Rowena Weaver—Jonathan’s mother who lives in the “dowager house” on the estate
Hannah and James Weaver—Jonathan’s children from a previous marriage, now Caroline’s stepchildren; she considers them “inbred”
Reverend John Burton—the new vicar at St. Anne’s, the country church near the Weaver’s estate; Caroline falls for him practically at first sight
Lily-Rose—a 25-year-old street girl with custard-yellow hair, who admits this is not her real name; she’s encountered at various points by Theo Wyre, Jackson Brodie, Amelia Land, and others; after she shows up for him during his medical emergency and subsequent hospital stay, Theo Wyre invites her to live in his house
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