Character Analysis
Johnny Sinclair Dennis
Carrie's son and Cadence's cousin. Cadence describes Johnny as "bounce, effort, and snark" (4.5), and says, "He refused to be serious, he was infuriatingly unserious, but he was as committed to the things that mattered to him as anyone could possibly be" (82.38). Johnny dies on the second floor the night Clairmont burns, and is the first of the Liars Cadence hears screaming.
Mirren Sinclair Sheffield
Mirren is Bess's daughter, Cadence's cousin, and one of the other Liars. Cadence says Mirren is "irritable. And bossy. But always funny about it. It was easy to make her mad, and she was nearly always cross with Bess and annoyed with the twins—but then she'd fill with regret, moaning in agony over her own sharp tongue" (82.45). When Cadence first introduces her to us, she describes Mirren as "sugar, curiosity, and rain" (4.6). Mirren dies on the third floor of Clairmont during summer fifteen.
Tipper Taft Sinclair
Tipper is wife to Harris, mother to the aunties, and grandmother to the littles and the Liars (except for Gat—of course). Tipper lives in Clairmont with Harris until she dies of heart failure shortly before summer fifteen.
Penelope (Penny) Sinclair Eastman
Penny is one of the three Sinclair sisters, or "the aunties," and Cadence's mom. Penny is a breeder of Golden Retrievers and the owner of Bosh, Poppy, and Grendel; she lives in Windemere and Burlington, VT.
Carrie Sinclair Dennis
Carrie is one of the three Sinclair sisters, or "the aunties." She had Johnny and Will with her first (and only) husband William, is now partner to Ed, and lives in Red Gate and New York City.
Bess Sinclair Sheffield
One of the three Sinclair sisters, or "the aunties," Bess is the mother of Mirren, Liberty, Bonnie, and Taft, and lives in Cuddledown and Cambridge, MA.
Taft Sheffield
Taft is Mirren, Liberty, and Bonnie's younger brother and Cadence's cousin; he's one of "the littles."
Will Dennis
Will is Johnny's younger brother and Cadence's cousin; he's one of "the littles."
Liberty Sheffield
Liberty is Mirren's younger sister, Bonnie's twin sister, Taft's older sister, and Cadence's cousin; she's one of "the littles."
Bonnie Sheffield
Bonnie is Mirren's younger sister, Liberty's twin sister, Taft's older sister, and Cadence's cousin. One of "the littles," she's the twin who enjoys reading books about the dead.
Sam Easton
Sam is Cadence's dad, a professor of military history who divorces Cadence's mom at the beginning of the book. He moves to Colorado and takes Cadence to Europe during summer sixteen.
Ed Patil
Ed is Carrie's partner and Gat's uncle. An art dealer, he proposes to Carrie, but she says no, because Harris wouldn't like her marrying an Indian man.
Thatcher
Thatcher is Harris's attorney who runs into Harris and Cadence in an art gallery in Edgartown.