Stephen Rojack
Stephen Rojack is the main character and his feelings are revealed throughout the book. On the outside, Rojack has had and still has a perfect life: he is a war hero turned uptown man, married to one of the wealthiest heiresses in town. Yet, he carries burdens and demons no one could imagine. He doesn't respect women and life, which is a consequence of a night he killed four men during the World War II, which is also the reason he kills his wife because he is fed up of their relationship.
Cherry
Cherry is the woman Rojack believes he is in love with. In Rojack's eyes, Cherry is the perfect woman and embodiment of the ideal female. She is described as a "brown skinned blonde" and is usually sexualized through the eyes of Rojack. She is nonetheless not perfect, as it is clear she is human from the mistakes and choices she makes throughout the story. In the end, Cherry is brutally killed as a means to an end.
Deborah Kelly
Deborah Kelly is the girlfriend turned wife, divorced wife and finally dead wife of Rojack. Rojack found her intimidating, while Deborah's friends and family adore her as the apple of their eyes. Deborah had a fetish for spies and war heroes, as she was turned on by the mischief and mystery of these types of men. It is also revealed that she had an affair with her father.
Shago Martin
Shago is a musician who is trying to climb the social ladder. Leznicki reveals that Shago Martin was the boyfriend to Cherry. Shago later fights with Stephen in Cherry’s sister apartment. He is one of the famous black musicians in the city. Shago Martin was also the former boyfriend to Cherry’s sister.
Robert
Robert is a police detective who questions at the scene of car accidents before taking him back to the apartment. He also persuades Stephen to confess killing Deborah but Stephen refuses.
O’Brien
He is also a police detective who questions Stephen when he is at the police station.
Leznicki
Leznicki is another police detective who interviews Stephen at the police station. He also asks him why he strangled Deborah because tests show that her hyoid bone is broken. Notably, it is Leznicki who reveals that Cherry is the girlfriend to Shago Martin.
Eddie Ganucci
A prominent wanted criminal involved in organized crime. Eddie was caught in the scene of the accident because he was a passenger of the car that hit Deborah’s body. He is an uncle to Tony.
Tony
He is the nephew to Eddie and was also a passenger of the car that was involved in the accident. He asks Cherry to perform another piece when they are at the club.
Ruta
Ruta served as a maid to Deborah. She was in the apartment when Stephen quarreled with Deborah and strangled her. It also clear that Ruta is equally a mistress to Kelly. Ruta intends to marry Kelly so as to become rich. Moreover, the novels reveal that Ruta has unconventional sexual preferences when she acknowledges that she “looks for men who will beat her” whenever she drinks.
Barney Kelly
Kelly is the father to Deborah Kelly, the wife of Stephen Rojack. He is a symbol of power and class in the novel. He stole the savings of his family and established his own empire. Kelly also married her wife because she was rich. His life in high society has transformed him. Although the riches should make him happy, he has acknowledged that rich man’s “boredom is infinite in its dimensions.” This infinite boredom is what drives him to seduce his own daughter.
Deirdre
She is a pretty girl and daughter to Stephen. Stephen acknowledges that she was “the only agreeable part of [his] marriage.” She has an intelligent and cool personality.
