John Herman Wade
John is the main character in the novel, a male in his early 40s. John is a rather contradictory character and the reader and narrator are unable to know for sure when John is telling the truth and when he is lying. John had a tough childhood, being raised by an alcoholic father who bullied him in private and who ended up killing himself when John was a young adolescent. From an early age, John was interested in magic tricks and he continued to perform magic tricks in his adulthood. John develops an unhealthy obsession with Kathy and he begins spying on her. Even after John learns that Kathy cheated on him, he still insists on being married to her. John is willing to do everything to climb the social ladder including signing up for war where he took part in the Vietnam massacre. John admits killing an unarmed man but he is among the few who wants to reveal the truth. In the end, his desire to become a politician wins over his desire to reveal the truth and he even tries to make it seem as if he was never with the soldiers who took part in the Vietnam War. John was affected by his time in Vietnam and he continued to have nightmares but he never talked with his wife about it. In the end, it is unsure whether Kathy was killed or if she ran away from Jon.
Paul Wade
Paul was John’s father, a skilled manipulator and an abusive father. John was a beloved member in the community he lived in because of his ability to make the others believe that he was a good man. In his own home, Paul would call his son names and ridicule him for his love of magic and lack of interest in sports. Despite all these characteristics, John loved his father and was devastated when he killed himself. It is also possible that John inherited Paul’s love for drinking as Paul was as well an alcoholic.
The narrator
The narrator of the story is a third person narrator, an unnamed narrator and a former soldier. He is an important character because the reader finds about the characters through the narrator’s eyes. It is implied however that the narrator is not always as reliable as the reader would like him to be.
Tony Carbo
Tony is the man hired by John when he decided to enter politics. While there are not many information given about Tony, it is said that he is a veteran in running campaigns and he is a skilled publicist. It is because of him that John becomes successful and wins the campaigns. Tony admits that he is an unattractive man, overweight and with bad habits. This doesn’t stop him however to pin after Kathy and he even admits that he went to the gym and tried to lose weight in order to impress Kathy. While it is not revealed if his efforts worked or not or if he and Kathy did end up having sex, it is said that he and Kathy kissed one night after partying in Las Vegas.
Kathleen Wade
Kathleen, as most commonly referred to as Kathy, is John’s wife and she is the one who disappears in the beginning. Her disappearance is what drives the plot of the story and she is an important character even though she appears only in a few chapters. Kathy and John meet while they were in collage and the reader is left with the impression that Kathy never really wanted to be in a relationship with John. She knew about his stalking tendencies but kept it to herself and it is implied that she had affairs with other men. She never liked the idea of John being a politician and she resented his profession even more when she had to abort their baby because it would have been a hurdle in John’s quest to become a politician. It is mentioned that she was a skilled swimmer and navigator and that it was unlikely for her to drown. In the end, it remains unclear whether she ran away with a possible lover or if she was killed by her husband.
Claude Rasmussen
Claude is a wealthy elderly man who rents his cabin to John and Kathy. While it is implied that Claude was not one of John’s supporters during his campaign. Despite this, Claude is the man who helps John the most during the investigation. Claude agrees to go with John to look for Kathy on the lake and he gives John his own boat. He even helps John escape to Canada when the investigators begin suspecting John as being the killer. Just like John, Claude has a drinking problem.
Ruth
Ruth is Claude’s wife, a woman thirty years younger than her husband. Ruth refuses to believe that John did anything wrong to Kathy and insists over and over again that he is a good man.
Arthur Lux
Lux is the local sheriff who investigates Kathy’s disappearance. While he remains neutral and sympathetic in the beginning, he starts t suspect John of killing his wife as time passes by and they find no sight of Kathy. He is the one who asks for a court order to dig around the house where John and Kathy stayed before Kathy disappeared.
Vincent Pearson
Vincent is a former Vietnam veteran and Myra’s brother who suspects John of killing his wife. Vincent helps Lux with his investigation and he is among the only characters to openly express his suspicions.
Richard Thinbill
Richard is a soldier John fought alongside in Vietnam. He is among the only character who feels guilty for the things they have done and he is the one who suggests that they confess their wrongdoings. In the end, he is the one who is responsible for reporting the massacre to his superiors and thus ruing John’s reputation.
William Calley
Calley is the Lieutenant who ordered the massacre at My Lai and then bullied his soldiers to remain silent. He is one of the men who don’t show any remorse for the violence he witnessed and who even seemed to have enjoyed it.
Patricia
Patricia is Kathy’s sister who comes to the Lake in the Woods when she finds about her sister’s disappearance. Pat remains there for weeks, searching everyday with John and Claude.
