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Avery Kylie Grambs

A seventeen-year-old girl from Connecticut who unexpectedly becomes the heiress of a stranger’s 46.2-billion-dollar fortune. As the novel’s protagonist, Avery is at the center of the mysterious game that Tobias Hawthorne left behind for his grandsons, and she must grapple with the realities of her new life. She leans into her passion for statistics and logic puzzles to untangle the clues surrounding her inheritance, growing more invested in finding answers every step of the way. Avery is undeniably resilient, intelligent, and headstrong.

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Jameson Hawthorne

Tobias Hawthorne’s third grandson. Jameson is the boldest of the four brothers, always searching for adventure and desperate to win his grandfather’s games. This quality can get him into trouble, but it also makes him a key partner for Avery as she attempts to find answers about her inheritance. With his thorough knowledge of the house and understanding of Tobias Hawthorne’s puzzles, Jameson is able to pull Avery into and guide her through the mystery.

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Grayson Hawthorne

Tobias Hawthorne’s second grandson. Widely recognized by his family as the “heir apparent,” Grayson initially presents himself in a very formal and closed-off manner. His accusatory tone toward Avery further exacerbates these qualities, but as he becomes involved in his grandfather’s puzzle, he realizes that she is not the con artist he assumed she was. Grayson begins searching for clues alongside Avery, providing a more measured perspective and additional context that Jameson cannot. 

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Xander Hawthorne

Tobias Hawthorne’s youngest grandson. Although Xander is not the most outwardly involved in Avery’s pursuit of answers, he manipulates her and his brothers to ensure that they play the game that Tobias Hawthorne left for them. He describes himself as a human Rube Goldberg machine, and he cares deeply about helping others despite the complicated maneuvers it may require. This quality is what allows him to look past Avery’s sudden arrival at Hawthorne House and focus on solving the puzzle. 

Nash Hawthorne

Tobias Hawthorne’s oldest grandson. With his country flare, Nash is the most laidback of the Hawthorne brothers and seems less than interested in playing Tobias Hawthorne’s games. Instead, he invests his energy in his personal “projects,” or less-fortunate individuals in need of a job and somewhere to go. This desire to provide for others is what pushes him toward Libby as he senses that she is struggling to move on from her past life in Connecticut. 

Tobias Hawthorne

A Texas billionaire and philanthropist who leaves his fortune to Avery rather than his family upon his death. Although he does not physically appear in the novel, Tobias Hawthorne’s grandsons give Avery a sense of who he was through the stories they tell. He loved puzzles and challenged his grandsons to compete and excel in every facet of life, wanting the very best for and from his family. While his actions may initially seem malicious, the outcome of Tobias Hawthorne’s final game highlights his altruistic nature.

Libby Grambs

Avery’s older half-sister. Libby and Avery have the same father, Ricky Grambs, but different mothers. Despite her edgier physical appearance, she has a gentle heart and desperately wants to please everyone around her. This tendency causes Libby to struggle with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Drake, but she ultimately chooses Avery above all else and learns to move on. The bond between Libby and Avery brings them both courage and strength as they navigate the unfamiliar world of the Hawthornes.

Maxine Lu

Avery’s best friend. She typically goes by Max, and despite her overbearing mother, she does everything she can to offer her colorful commentary on the recent developments in Avery’s life. As Avery gets deeper into the mysteries of Hawthorne House, however, Max becomes frustrated that her friend has not given any consideration to how others are being impacted by her rise to fame. The tension that arises in their friendship remains unresolved at the conclusion of the novel.

Alisa Ortega

A representative from the McNamara, Ortega, and Jones law firm, and Avery’s liaison to the Hawthorne estate. Alisa helps Avery understand her position and responsibilities at the Hawthorne House from the moment she arrives for the reading of the will. She almost always presents herself in an extremely professional manner, although Avery manages to learn some personal details about her prior engagement to Nash.

John Oren

The head of Tobias Hawthorne’s, and ultimately Avery’s, security detail. Oren is deeply loyal and willingly honors Tobias’s final request to serve on Avery’s behalf despite the shocking news of her inheritance. Due to the repeated threats on Avery’s life, he shadows her virtually everywhere she goes. This close proximity means that he bears witness to a number of the novel’s more surprising and dramatic moments, but Oren respectfully refrains from getting involved in Tobias Hawthorne’s game.

Emily Laughlin

Rebecca’s older sister who passed away due to her weak heart. Although Emily never appears physically in the novel, she is one of the primary forces shaping the various relationships among Avery and the Hawthorne brothers. She had a reputation for wanting to have it all, and this refusal to compromise extended to her treatment of the boys. The shocking and tragic nature of Emily’s death continues to haunt Grayson and Jameson, especially when they suspect that it influenced the game their grandfather left behind for them. 

Rebecca Laughlin

Emily’s younger sister. Avery notices that Rebecca is very quiet and reserved when she first meets her at school, and this characterization continues throughout the rest of the novel. Growing up in the shadow of her sick sister, Rebecca learned at a young age that she must put the needs of others before her own. She eventually goes so far as to hide her relationship with Thea for Emily’s benefit, an act which highlights the hesitation she feels about putting her own happiness first. 

Thea Calligaris

Zara’s niece and a classmate of Avery’s at Country Day. Thea is very forward and does not try to hide her negative opinion of the Hawthorne brothers, especially once she finds herself staying with her aunt at Hawthorne House. She does whatever she can to make the boys suffer and attempts to justify her actions by suggesting that she is doing what Emily would have wanted. While Thea’s presence complicates Avery’s ability to form relationships with the boys, her warnings are not enough to keep her from playing the game. 

Skye Hawthorne

Tobias Hawthorne’s younger daughter and mother to Nash, Grayson, Jameson, and Xander. Skye is a rather unconventional figure, presenting herself as a flighty, carefree woman with a passion for fashion and astrology. Behind this character, however, is a woman who deeply resents the fact that her father disinherited her and her children in favor of a stranger. She proves to be just as manipulative and cutthroat as her sister, Zara.

Zara Hawthorne-Calligaris 

Tobias Hawthorne’s older daughter and Thea’s aunt. Unlike Skye, Zara makes no attempt to hide her distrust and disdain for Avery. She and her second husband, Constantine, immediately take aggressive steps to challenge her father’s will, and even once she realizes that nothing will change, she refuses to engage with Avery in any meaningful way. Zara believes that Avery poses a threat to her life’s work with the Hawthorne Foundation and chooses to distance herself as a result.

Pearl O’Day

Tobias Hawthorne’s mother-in-law, affectionately known as Nan. Nan makes few appearances throughout the novel, but she plays a key role in foreshadowing the events of the sequel by showing Avery a locket with Toby’s picture in it. 

Andrew and Lottie Laughlin

The primary caretakers of Hawthorne House and grandparents to Emily and Rebecca. Avery initially suspects that they had a hand in the shooting at the Black Wood due to their cold attitude toward her, but the kindness they display in its aftermath changes her opinion. They care deeply about the Hawthornes and their respective roles at the house. 

Drake Sanders

Libby’s abusive boyfriend. Although Avery distrusts him immediately, Drake is able to manipulate Libby and pressure her into staying with him. He tells the press about Avery’s inheritance in order to punish Libby for leaving without an explanation, and he hopes to take advantage of their situation for his own gain. Drake functions as the embodiment of the threat that the outside world poses to Avery once she becomes the Hawthorne heiress.

Harry

A homeless man with whom Avery plays chess every morning in the park. Their relationship may be full of smack talk and banter, but Avery cares about Harry and helps him when she can.

Mellie

A servant at the Hawthorne House and one of Nash’s “lost souls.” After seeing her reaction to Nash being in Libby’s bedroom, Avery suspects that Mellie may have had a hand in the shooting at the Black Wood.

Landon

The media consultant whom Alisa brings in to teach Avery how to engage with the press.

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