Raleigh Whittier Hayes

Raleigh is the chief protagonist in the story. He lives in a housing development named Starry Haven, a part of Thermopylae, North Carolina. His wife is Aura and they have sixteen-year-old twin girls. The quiet and controlled suburban life appeals to Raleigh, but he must change due to the request of his father, Earley, who wants him to collect certain objects and gather certain people, and bring them all down to New Orleans within a month.

Almost immediately, Raleigh finds himself in compromising and dangerous situations. He must deal with Mingo, his friend from childhood, who constantly makes mistakes and suffers from cowardice and paranoia. Yet Raleigh changes for the better during his reluctantly faced adventures. He becomes more like his father and half brother Gates, both risk-takers and adventure lovers.

Raleigh learns about life, love and the blues during his journey from Thermopylae to the...