SPOILERS!!!
These are the characters in the novel for future reference
Regular characters:
- Kate Shackleton (31) is the main character in the series. Kate is a widow. Her husband, Gerald, was a surgeon in the army during the First World War, and he was reported missing. Since nobody has come to tell her about the last moments of Gerald, she can't believe he is dead. Yet, he had Gerald declared dead after four years. Kate was a VAD during the war, and after the war she helped some acquaintances who had some relative missing, and she found it. Now after Tabitha Braithwaite asks her to investigate her father's disappearance, she decides to become a professional investigator. Kate is adopted; her parents couldn't have children, but when Kate was seven, her mother got pregnant and had her twin brothers. Kate's father is a police superintendent, so this curious spirit may come from him.
- Jim Sykes is the ex-policeman who Kate hires as her assistant. Sykes is married and have three children.
- Mrs Sugden is Kate's housekeeper.
- Superintendent Hood is Kate's father.
- Virginia Hood is Kate's mother. She would like Kate to go and live with her and her husband or at least nearer, but Kate values her independence.
- Berta Pocklington is Kate's aunt. She lives in London and is quite rich.
- Albert Pocklington is Kate's uncle.
- James Pocklington is Kate's cousin
- Hope Pocklington is James's wife
- Malcolm Pocklington is Kate's cousin
- Penelope Pocklington is Malcolm's wife
- Captain Gerald Shackleton is Kate's late husband. He died from a bomb drop, but his body was never recovered.
- Sookie is the cat that belonged to Lizzie Kellet and now Kate has adopted him.
Characters in this novel:
- Joshua Brithwaite is the man, owner of the local mill, whose disappearance Kate investigates. She finally discovers that Joshua died when his wife confronted him as he was running to his lover. Evelyn hit him with his crop and the horse got startled and trampled over Joshua. Scared, Evelyn went for help, and Neville and Kellet helped him leave the body in the site of the Low Moor explosions.
- Tabitha Braithwaite (30) is a woman who Kate met during her time at the VAD. Tabitha writes to her because she wants her to find out what happened to her father who went missing in 1916. When Kate discovers the truth, Tabitha is so upset that she won't talk to her. At the end of the book Tabitha marries Hector, her fiancé, and they sell the mill.
- Evelyn Braithwaite is Tabitha's mother. She is a very attractive woman. Her marriage was shambles as her husband turned to other women, and she blamed him for pushing their son to join the war and gotting him killed. Evelyn had an affair with the local doctor. It was Evelyn who killed Joshua when she went after him on her horse, and the horse trampled over him.
- Neville Gawthorpe is Joshua's cousin, and after his disappearance he takes charge of the mill. Neville and Joshua were very close, but he got upset when Joshua wanted to run to his lover, and he beat up Joshua. Neville covered for Evelyn, who he was in love with, when she killed Joshua accidentally. Joshua was afraid that Kellet would discover the truth and killed him, and he tried to kill Kate too. At the end of the book he dies when he falls into the machine in which he tried to push Kate into.
- Agnes Horrock was Lizzie's Kellett's lodger while her husband was in the war. She had an affair with Joshua and got pregnant and had a boy. Then she went away and started working in the munition factory, and when the explosions took place, Joshua was on his way to her when he met his death. Agnes died a couple of years later thinking that Joshua had abandoned her.
- Lizzie (Luck) Kellett is a local woman. Agnes was her lodger when her husband was in the war. Lizzie sent Agnes's mother money when she died a few years after leaving. The money she used came from Neville who paid her more to buy her and her husband's silence. Lizzie was killed by Arthur Wilson who knew she was paid more and he thought he was the one who deserve that money.
- Paul Kellet worked for Joshua, and he helped Evelyn and Neville to make Joshua's body disappear. That is why Nevilled paid him more. Neville killed him because when Kate started asking around, he was afraid he would betray him.
- Hector Gawthorpe (20) is Tabitha's fiancé, and they eventually marry at the end of the book. Hector was one of the boy scouts who found Joshua Braithwaite floating on the river, after which it was thought that he had tried to commit suicide. The truth is that he and Neville have quarrelled and Neville had pushed him into the river.
- Dr Gregory Grainger is a local psychiatrist who opened a hospital to treat soldiers during the war. Joshua was sent to him when he was found almost drowned at the stream, and from the hospital Joshua ran away. Gregory and Evelyn had an affair for years, but it ended when he closed the hospital and moved to London. At the end of the book he tells Kate that he would like to court her, but Kate turns him down.
- Arthur Wilson is the weaving manager and he invented a loom picker to make work in the mill easier. Joshua promised to have the contraction patented but he failed to register Wilson's name. He is the one who kills Lizzie.
- Nacy Horrock is Agnes's mother, and when Kate comes to see her, she is afraid she is after her grandchild.
- Frederick Horrock (7) is Agnes's son.
- Beatrice Horrock is Agnes's sister
- Marjorie Wilson is Arthur's wife.
- Constable Mitchell is the local policeman who helps Kate in the investigation.
- Eric Duffield is the newspaper librarian who helps Kate with her investigation.
- Edmund Braithwaite was Tabitha's brother who died on the Somme. Evelyn blamed Joshua for his death.
- Becky (18) is the maid in the Braithwaites' household.
- Mr Wardle was the scout master who reported Joshua for suicide.
- Catherine Stoddard was Neville's wife. She died shortly after Joshua's disappearance.
- Anthony is Marjorie's chauffeur.
- Professor Padmore is the doctor who offers a position to Dr Granger in London.
- Dr Alex Fraser is the local pathologist.
- Mr Murgatroyd is the Braithwaites' solicitor
- Miss Conway is Mr Murgatroyd's secretary.
- Charlie is Marjorie's dog, and he saves Kate when Neville tries to kill her.
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