I Witness - Characters

 

SPOILERS!!!

These area the characters in this novel for future reference:

• Madison Attallee is the main character. Madison has had a difficult life. While she grew up, her mother, who is still alive, didn't do a good job as she was an alcoholic and brought dozens of boyfriends. It was her headmistress, Jessica Mason, who helped her in her difficult times. Madison became good friends with Marianne, a girl she had beaten up, and her brother, Peter. Madison always loved Peter, but she was afraid to spoil what they had. Peter and Madison went to the police academy together, and she discovered that she loved it. Madison married Rob and they had a child, Molly. The fear that Madison felt that she may hurt Molly made her turn to the bottle, and that was what caused her end. Rob divorced her when she discovered she had slept with Peter, and she lost her job after she drank while on duty. Now she can only see Molly two hours every fortnight. Madison is now a private detective, and Kate Reynolds hires her. At the end of the book Madison is in a relationship with Peter, and she can see her daughter more. 
• DCI Peter Branning is Madison's best friend. They were very close when they were teenagers, and there was always attraction between them. However, Madison never acted on it beause she was afraid to spoil what they had. Madison and Peter slept together when she was still married, and that is why Rob divorced her. At the end of the book Madison seems to have made peace with herself and is in a relationship with Peter.
• DS Deanie Ockahm was Madison's colleague, and she helps in the case Madison investigates in this book.
• Emma is Madison's efficient PA. 
• Molly is Madison's daughter.
• Rob is Madison's ex-husband. He is in a relationship with Janet, someone from his job. 
• Jessica Mason is the headteacher of the school that Madison attended as a young woman. Jessica saw that Madison was brilliant but had problems. Jessica was Madison's saviour and helped her. Jessica became Madison's reference, and she went to her wedding and is Molly's godmother. However, with her last problems Madison has neglected her. 
• Charlotte Attalee is Madison's mother. Madison visits her every week, but the woman hardly registers her presence as she is an alcoholic.
• Marianne and Madison became best friends at school. Marianne beat her up when Marianne mocked her, and when Jessica, the headteacher, told her she needed to apologise, Madison did, and the two girls became friends.
• Kate Reynolds (24) was sent to prison for killing her best friend, Naomi. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Now six years later she is released, and she now thinks she is innocent, and that is why she hires Madison to find out the truth.
• Dean Hall is introduced to us as Kate's therapist and the only one who visited her in prison. Dean turns up to be Kate's half-brother as her mother got pregnant after being raped by her father. Dean was adopted but he always resented his birth mother, who she killed. He killed Naomi as well, and he kept Martha on drugs, forcing her to help him. He tried to kill Martha and Kate, but Anthea stabbed him, and he was charged with the murder of Naomi and attempted murder of Martha and Kate, so he was sent to prison. 
• Naomi Andrews was the teenager who was murdered during a party. She was Kate's friend, but she wasn't good to her. She bossed her around and slept with her boyfriend.
• Anthea Andrews was Naomi's mother. When Kate is released, she is outraged and starts following her, intending to kill her. Then she discovers that Dean Hall killed her, and she stabs him. 
• Damian Andrews is Anthea's husband. 
• James Reynolds is Kate's father. He didn't go to see her when she was sent to prison. Madison discovers that he knew Kate didn't kill Naomi, and he believed his daughter Martha did. Yet, he thought that Kate would be able to survive prison better.
• Marcus Reynolds is Kate's brother. He used to be Naomi's boyfriend. Marcus is cruel to his wife, Claudia and his daughter Bethany. He and his father knew all along that Kate was innocent, and they just protected Martha. 
• Martha Reynolds is Kate's sister. She has been in and out of mental institutions all her life. Her father thought that she had killed Naomi, so he and Marcus took her to a mental hospital, and they let Kate shoulder the blame. The reality is that Martha has no mental problems, but Dean kept her on drugs. 
• Claudia Reynolds is Marcus's wife. She fell for him but shortly after their wedding she discovered that he was no Prince Charming. She put up with his violence because she was afraid for her daughter. In this book she leaves him thanks to Kate's support. Madison hires her in her office, helping Emma.
• DI Tom Malone was Madison's colleague, and he always resented her after she was promoted to DI. When she left the force, he took her place.
• Oliver  Horfield was Kate's boyfriend, and Dean's adopted brother. Oliver is suspected to have killed Naomi when everything points at him, but Madison discovers that he is the wrong brother.
• Ruth Reynolds was Kate's mother. She was always distant, and she killed herself. The truth is that Dean killed her. 
• Annie James was Kate's best friend before she started hanging out with Naomi.
• Hilary Anselm was the headteacher in the school that Naomi and Kate attended. When Madison questions her, she realises that the woman is biased against Kate.
• Martin Wilson is an English teacher who tried to help Kate, but Hilary Anselm ignored his concerns.
• Lizzie is the receptionist at the school that Madison attended.
• Janet is Rob's new girlfriend.
• Dr Abanol is Madison's therapist, but she thinks he is useless.
• Janine was Kate's cellmate who made her life hell.
• Marilynn is the therapist that Anthea and Damian have been seeing. Anthea didn't think she needed help because she didn't want to feel better.
• Liz Martin is the social worker that helps Madison when she investigates the case.
• Amelia Horfield was the therapist who helped Ruth. Amelia adopted the child Ruth had. At present she is very sick after suffering an accident, but Madison discovers that it was Dean's doing
• David Horfield is Amelia's husband.
• Denise is the nurse in the hospital where Martha was.
• Margaret Hanover is Ruth's mother. When Madison visits her, Margaret reveals that the child that Ruth had was not Oliver, but Dean.