Adam – Strike’s youngest nephew.
Agnes Waite – Dennis Creed’s mother.
Al Rokeby – Strike’s half-brother.
Amanda White (Laws) – Witness in the Margot Bamborough disappearance.
Andy Hutchins – Subcontracted investigator.
Annabel Marie Ellacott – Robin’s new niece.
Anna Phipps – Strike and Robin’s client.
Betty (Elizabeth) Fuller – Witness in the Margot Bamborough disappearance.
Bill Talbot – The first detective inspector who worked on the Margot Bamborough case.
Brian Tucker – Father of missing woman, Louise Tucker.
Carl Oakden – Son of Dorothy Oakden, author of Whatever Happened to Margot Bamborough?
Charlotte Campbell – Strike’s ex-girlfriend of sixteen years.
Clare Spencer – The Athorns’ social worker.
Cormoran Strike – You know who he is.
Courtney – Friend of Jonathan Ellacott.
Cynthia Phipps – Wife and third cousin of Anna Phipps’ father.
Dave Polworth – Strike’s oldest friend from Cornwall.
Deborah Athorn – Witness in the Margot Bamborough disappearance.
Dennis Creed – Serial killer suspected in relation to the disappearance of Margot Bamborough.
Dinesh Gupta – A doctor at the St John’s Medical Practice. Likes fig rolls.
Donna Diamond – Wife of Steven Douthwaite
Dorothy Oakden – The secretary at the St John’s Medical Practice.
Eden Richards – Daughter of Wilma Bayliss.
Elinor Dean – Surveillance subject.
Evelyn Phipps – Mother of Roy Phipps.
Gemma – Shifty’s PA.
George Layborn – A detective inspector at the Met who gets hold of the old Bamborough case notes.
Gloria Conti – A receptionist at the St John’s Medical Practice; last person to see Margot alive.
Greg – Strike’s brother-in-law
Gregory Talbot – The son of Bill Talbot, the detective on the original Bamborough investigation.
Gwilherm Athorn – Father of Samhain and late husband of Deborah Athorn.
Ilsa Herbert – Strike and Robin’s friend.
Irene Bull/Hickson – A receptionist at the St John’s Medical Practice.
Izzy Chiswell – Daughter of Jasper Chiswell, Robin’s contact.
Jack – Strike’s favourite nephew.
Jago Ross – Husband of Charlotte Campbell.
Janice Beattie – The nurse at the St John’s Medical Practice.
Jenny Ellacott – Robin’s sister-in-law.
Jheel Gupta – Wife of Dr. Dinesh Gupta.
Joan Nancarrow – Strike and Lucy’s aunt, who lives in Cornwall.
Jonathan Ellacott – Robin’s youngest brother.
Jonny Rokeby – Strike’s biological father.
Joseph Brenner – A doctor at the St John’s Medical Practice.
Judith Cobbs – Robin’s divorce lawyer.
Jules Bayliss – Husband of Wilma Bayliss.
Katie – Robin’s cousin.
Ken Lawson – The detective who took over from Bill Talbot on the original investigation.
Kerenza – A Macmillan nurse who cares for Joan.
Kevin – Son of Janice Beattie.
Kim Sullivan – Partner of Anna Phipps.
Kyle – Friend of Jonathan Ellacott.
Leda Strike – Strike’s mother.
Linda Ellacott – Robin’s mother.
Luca Ricci – Elder son of gangster Niccolo Ricci.
Lucy Fantoni – Strike’s half-sister.
Luke – Strike’s oldest nephew.
Marco Ricci – Younger son of gangster Niccolo Ricci.
Margot (Margaret) Bamborough – Having disappeared in 1974, she is the subject of Strike and Robin’s cold case.
Matthew Cunliffe – Robin’s husband, who continues to complicate the divorce.
Max Priestwood – Robin’s live-in landlord in Earl’s Court.
Maya – Daughter of Wilma Bayliss.
Michael Ellacott – Robin’s father.
Niccolo Ricci – Gangster and suspect in Margot’s disappearance.
Nick Herbert– Strike and Robin’s friend.
Oliver Bargate – Vanessa’s fiance.
Oonagh Kennedy – Margot’s best friend, who she was supposed to meet before she went missing.
Patricia “Pat” Chauncey – Strike and Robin’s new office manager.
Paul Satchwell – Margot Bamborough’s ex-boyfriend.
Penny Polworth – Wife of Strike’s friend Dave Polworth.
Porschia Dagley – Daughter of Wilma Bayliss.
Postcard – The person sending one of Strike and Robin’s clients postcards.
Prudence Donleavy – Strike’s half-sister, daughter of Jonny Rokeby.
Robin Ellacott – You know who she is.
Roy Phipps – Anna Phipps’ father.
Sam Barclay – One of Strike and Robin’s subcontractors.
Samhain Athorn – Witness in the Margot Bamborough disappearance.
Sarah Shadlock – Matthew’s friend from university.
Saul Morris – Strike and Robin’s new subcontractor.
Shanker– Strike’s contact to the dark side of London.
Shifty – A target who got promoted suspiciously.
Shifty’s Boss “SB” – Surveillance target.
Stephen Ellacott – Robin’s oldest brother.
Steve Douthwaite – A suspect in the Margot Bamborough disappearance.
Ted Nancarrow – Strike’s uncle, who lives in Cornwall.
Theo – Potential witness/suspect in the Margot Bamborough disappearance.
Tom Turvey – Friend of Matthew Cunliffe and fiancé of Sarah Shadlock.
Tudor Athorn – Uncle of Samhain.
Tufty – Surveillance target
Two-Times – One of Strike and Robin’s regular clients.
Vanessa Ekwensi – Detective sergeant and Robin’s friend.
Violet Cooper – Landlord to Dennis Creed.
Weatherman – Strike and Robin’s client.
Wilma Bayliss – The cleaner at both the St John’s Medical Practice and the Phipps’ house.
Zahara – Daughter of Shanker’s girlfriend, Alyssa.