Vera Stanhope

Vera is the main character in the narrative. She is the detective in charge of finding Lorna's and Constance's killer. Joe, Holly, and Charlie are her core team members. She is related to Juliet by blood and to Harriet by Harriet's marrying into the family.

Vera is clever, has good instincts, and is good at her job. She deducts that Neil is the killer and that he took Thomas to Jinny's Mill. She is also a lonely woman and is married to her job. Her team members are part of her family. This causes her to expect her them to put their job before their personal lives. She calls Joe even though it is his night off. She calls Holly after Holly has settled in for the night. Her team members respect her and Holly and Joe act like children as they try to please her as...