Elena Richardson
Elena is a writer whose work appears in the local newspaper, She is a third generation resident of Shaker Heights and respected in the community. She has four children but feels closer to Izzy than she does to the others which is ironic because her preoccupation with the way in which her family looks to outsiders makes a distance between Izzy and herself because Izzy is considered the black sheep of the family.
Elena is loyal to her friends and angry with Mia for trying to take her friend's adopted child away from her. She has a journalist's ability to put snippets of information together until she finds the truth that she is looking for, which is why she is able to so easily find out about Mia's history. She tries to help Mia economically but her kindness is interpreted as condescension.
Bill Richardson
Elena's husband is a prominent lawyer in Shaker Heights and he represents the McCulloughs in the court case with Bebe Chow. His ability as a lawyer and his knowledge of the law allows him to win the case,but by the time he has presented it to the court he is not sure that he really believes in his clients and he is leaning towards sympathizing with the Chows.
Mia Warren
Photographer Mia has lived a transient life and because of this her daughter has as well. Originally a paid surrogate for an affluent childless family, she decided that she could not give up the child once it was born; when Pearl arrives she tells the couple that she miscarried and that there is no child to give them. So that her lie is never discovered she takes Pearl and leaves home, never speaking to her parents again, although at the end of the novel she resolves to go home and introduce them to Pearl, and to try to rebuild their relationship.
Mia sees condescension in a great deal of the kindness that is extended to her. She does not feel comfortable with Pearl looking up to the Richardsons because she doesn't like her idolizing the affluent.She is worried that she is being exploited, and since this is a feeling that Izzy has as well, the two become close quite quickly. Mia leaves again at the end of the novel, heading back to her parents.
Pearl Warren
Pearl is Mia's daughter. She was conceived for an affluent couple but has never been given any information about the circumstances of her birth. She hopes to meet her biological father one day. She has led a very transient life which she tolerates but secretly envies the Richardson siblings for the stable life they have enjoyed. Pearl idolizes the Richardsons and has a crush on Tripp which develops into a sexual relationship. Although Izzy sees this as her brother's exploitation of Pearl, Pearl feels strongly about Tripp and is as much of a part of their sexual relationship as he is.
Lexie Richardson
Lexie is the oldest of the Richardson children. She leans on Pearl when she finds that she is pregnant and wants help when she gets an abortion. She uses Pearl's name at the abortion clinic because she doesn't want there to be any paperwork with her details on it. Lexie is sometimes manipulative and can be viewed as a user but can also be considered a pragmatist. She takes advantage of the fact that Pearl looks up to her.
Moody Richardson
The youngest Richardson son has a crush on Pearl from the moment that they meet. He is so furious after he sees her holding hands with Tripp that he never speaks to her again, blaming her for being attracted to his brother but not to him. Moody is a feisty young man who wants to experience everything that his older siblings have done. He throws Tripp under the bus when his mother questions him about Pearl's believed pregnancy, and he tells her that she is talking to the wrong son.
Tripp Richardson
Tripp is attracted to Pearl although he knows that his younger brother is crazy about her. He is sexually motivated and acts as though he is Pearl's boyfriend so that she will feel comfortable sleeping with him. Tripp does have genuine feelings for Pearl but not quite to the degree that she feels for him.
Izzy Richardson
The Richardson family black sheep sees many faults in her own family. She is drawn to both Mia and Pearl far more than her own mother and sister. She connects deeply with Mia because they both feel that Pearl is being taken advantage of by Izzy's siblings. Izzy is a difficult girl with behavioral issues that border mental health problems. She is a firestarter although the fires that she starts on each of her siblings' beds are intended to be a metaphor for what they have done they end up burning the house down and making it uninhabitable.
Izzy runs away at the end of the novel, headed to visit with Mia's parents and wait for Mia and Pearl there. She vows that however many times she is found and returned home, she will run away again until people learn to stop looking for her.
Bebe Chow
Bebe works with Mia at a Chinese restaurant. She is economically challenged and gives up her daughter by leaving her at a fire station, but manages to get on her feet. She starts to look for her daughter and wants to sue the McCulloughs for custody, but does not have the means to do so. She starts to talk to the media about the situation which forces a trial that she eventually loses. Bebe kidnaps Mirabelle at the end of the novel, and disappears with her. Mirabelle never sees the McCulloughs again.
