Josie
An embarrassed, confused girl whose very name is New Orleans slang for "prostitute." Her mother is a prostitute who works for Willie, and Josie has been mistreated her whole life for these associations. She mostly just wants a new life, so she works very hard to earn money for college, but it still seems out of her reach.
Josie's mother.
Josie's mother is a prostitute, but beyond that, she is a petty criminal with a poor conscience. Her daughter is raised to feel embarrassed and ashamed about her mother, but the shame isn't just that her mother sells her body, it's also that Josie's mother seems potentially evil. There is an implication in the novel that perhaps Josie's mother is murdering rich people to steal their money.
Madam Willie
Madam Willie is like a mother to Josie, in light of her mother's more disappointing example. But in either case, Willie represents the life Josie has always resented, and the work that Willie makes her do is disgusting and embarrassing, cleaning up between John's as janitor.
Patrick
Patrick is the local bookstore clerk, whom Josie fancies, but she constantly worries about her perception. Patrick becomes involved in a different way when someone is murdered after visiting his store, and some of the evidence points toward Josie's mother. Patrick and Josie seem to be star-crossed.
