Ernest Cunningham
Earnest is the narrator and protagonist of the story. The novel begins when Earnest prepares to meet the rest of his family members at the Ski Resort for a regular gathering. Earnest's elder brother, Michael, is also expected to attend the reunion after missing the event for the last three years. Michael has spent three years in prison, and Earnest is responsible for his arrest. When Michael asked Earnest to help him bury a corpse, Earnest did little to help, and he told the police an honest account of what had happened, leading to Michael's arrest and jailing.
During the family reunion, Earnest introduces the family members and tells their histories in bits. In particular, Earnest talks about his father, a police officer, and the circumstances surrounding his death. The reader learns that Earnest's father was a police officer, and he had several murder cases against him before he died. Earnest's narration reveals that all his family members have at least killed one person in their lifetime.
Michael
Michael is Earnest's elder brother. Michael is a hardcore criminal who kills any victim who refuses to surrender and accept his demands. When the story begins, Michael is released from prison after serving three years. The latest crime he committed involved killing a man during a robbery. Michael's situation worsened when Earnest refused to cover up his crime and instead told the police the truth about the murder.
Sofia
Sofia is Earnest’s stepsister and a doctor by profession. When Sofia comes across an unidentified corpse covered by snow, she concludes that the man must have died from sun exposure. However, one of Cunningham's family members committed the murder.
Darius Crawford
Darius is a detective by profession, and his main role is investigating the mysterious murders in his area. However, it is revealed that Darius has never concluded a single case, raising questions about his competence. Earnest does not believe that Darius can investigate the murder of a mysterious man found dead on the golf course.
Mr. Cunningham
Mr. Cunningham is the father of Earnest, Michael, and the other siblings. Before he died, Mr. Cunningham was a police officer. However, Mr. Cunningham committed several murders, and when he died, he was handling several cases involving murder, in which he was the main suspect.
Black Tongue
Black Tongue is the serial killer in the novel. When Sofia finds a corpse covered by snow, she suspects Black Tongue as the main suspect.
