The central characters in Night of the Whale are Helene Hallewagen, Timmi Romano, Lauren Parmentier, Digger Binns, Breeze Brynofsky, and Warren Umlau. All except Breeze have just graduated from high school in Avon Oaks, Pennsylvania. They are on a graduation trip to Ocean City, New Jersey, where they are staying at a beach house owned by the Hallewagens. All five were on the staff of The Acorn, their high school newspaper.

Helene Hallewagen, called Wags, is the leader of the group. Paralyzed in a skiing accident during her junior year, she is confined to a wheelchair, but in no way allows her inability to walk to handicap her. She is extremely pretty and resourceful.

Timmi Romano was business manager of The Acorn. She worked harder on the paper than anyone else, and she continues to work during the graduation trip, doing most of the...