The characters of Piece of My Heart. Be aware of potential spoilers.
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Carpenter family and friends
Michelle Carpenter
Michelle Carpenter
Johnny Buckley's biological mother, who gave him up for adoption as a newborn. According to her mother Sandra, she died of a drug overdose six months ago.
- Addled Addict: She fell in with a bad crowd and got addicted to drugs, in particular heroin, after giving up her baby son for adoption, resulting in her dropping out of college, moving around a lot and becoming distant from her mother. She was found dead of an overdose six months before her son's abduction. Her best friend and neighbour Lindsay says that Michelle had actually been clean for nearly two years and was making good progress in turning her life around, so she doesn't believe she would've gone back to using and is convinced her death is suspicious. Due to her previous drug use, however, she was just dismissed as another dead junkie and the police didn't investigate thoroughly.
- Age-Gap Romance: Lindsay says Michelle confessed to her that the father of her baby was quite a bit older than her; she was 22 while he was "around thirty" (Michelle's mother was under the impression he was "a boy" her own age). Daniel was in his early 30s, was established as an architect, married to his college girlfriend for two years and had a two-year-old daughter when he met Michelle, a university student on a gap year. Michelle - unaware of Daniel's family - was initially reluctant to date him because of their age difference, but he eventually won her over, only for Michelle to later realise he was mostly with her to 'prove' to himself he could still be attractive to young women and relive his youth (his ex-wife says he was going through an "early midlife crisis" at the time).
- Ambiguously Absent Parent: It's not mentioned what happened to her father; given that her mother was her only family growing up, no one ever tries to contact Michelle's father and her mother being a fairly traditional Catholic (who are generally opposed to divorce), it's implied he's dead.
- Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You: She opted to give up her son for a closed adoption and not be involved in his life because she was only 22 when she had him, wasn't in a relationship with the father (she claimed she didn't even know his last name), couldn't financially support a child and had a judgemental mother. She did suffer from depression after giving her son up, but insisted she never regretted her decision and was happy he grew up with a loving family. Her decision makes even more sense when it turns out her baby was the result of an affair with an older married man; Michelle initially didn't know she was the 'other woman' and couldn't bring herself to raise the child alone in these circumstances, but she didn't want to potentially break up her ex's family, either.
- Dead All Along: The protagonists note that they only have Sandra's word that Michelle is dead and that she could've lied to protect her daughter if she was involved in Johnny's kidnapping. However, after contacting the Philadelphia Police Department, they confirm Michelle died six months ago and so couldn't be involved. That said, it does turn out that her death wasn't the simple overdose it appeared and it's directly linked to Johnny's kidnapping.
- Did Not Die That Way: While she did die of a heroin overdose, it wasn't self-inflicted (she'd been clean for well over a year). Just as her friend Lindsay suspected, Michelle was forcibly administered a fatal overdose of heroin and her body and apartment were staged to make it look like she was still an addict.
- Good Parents: She loved her son, but felt she wasn't able to care for him and so ensured he was adopted by a family who would love him and give him a good upbringing. It's later revealed she died trying to protect Johnny from his biological father, refusing to tell Daniel anything outright about Johnny's adoptive family and current location even with a gun held to her head (though she still let slip some details due a combination of fear and being drugged) and begging him to leave Johnny alone.
- Guilt Complex: She felt incredibly ashamed and guilt-ridden about her unplanned pregnancy and her dropping out of college due to a mental breakdown; her mother didn't help by constantly berating her over her "stupid" decisions and making her feel like a failure. Lindsay says that Michelle took drugs to numb out the emotional pain and to punish herself for her actions, saying that she constantly felt she had to "atone for her sins". Notably, she felt guilty about getting pregnant by a man who was married with a child and hiding the pregnancy from him, even though he intentionally mislead her about his personal life.
- Nice Girl: Most people who knew her describe her a fundamentally good person who just made some bad choices. Father Horrigan recalls that although Michelle clearly only came to church because her mother made her, she was always "sweet and polite", and he had only pity for her over her unplanned pregnancy. She wanted what was best for her son and was anxious that he go to a family who would love him as their own. Lindsay describes Michelle as "the best-hearted person [she] knew" and that it disgusted her that her mother treated her as a lost cause and fed into Michelle's guilt complex. Michelle expressed deep remorse over hurting people in the depths of heroin addiction and made an effort to be a better person; we don't really hear about her doing anything truly terrible to other people and it seems the person she hurt most was herself. She even felt bad about not telling Daniel they had a son together, even though as Lindsay pointed out she owed Daniel nothing after the way he deceived and used her.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: She contacted the father of her child seven years after his birth to tell Daniel of Johnny's existence, feeling he had a right to know about Johnny and that he was happy even though Daniel had duped her into believing they would be together and made her complicit in adultery; one of the main reasons Michelle ended the relationship and put Johnny up for adoption was because she learned Daniel lied about already having a family. In response, Daniel tortured and murdered Michelle for 'stealing' Johnny from him, then set out to kidnap their son.
- One-Night-Stand Pregnancy: She got pregnant with Johnny when she was 22 via a one night stand with a man she met at a beach bar; she claimed she didn't even know the father's surname or how to contact him. Due to the circumstances of her pregnancy and her current lifestyle (she'd taken a break from college to work at a restaurant and save up money), she decided to put her son up for adoption before he was born. It's later revealed this isn't true; Michelle had been in a serious relationship with her baby's father, even believing they would get married, but shortly after learning she was pregnant she discovered her boyfriend was already married with a toddler. Michelle told her mother and other people the pregnancy was from a casual hook-up because she didn't want to make things worse and potentially break up a marriage.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
- Sandra says that Michelle having a boozy, unprotected hook-up with a random stranger she met at a bar was completely out-of-character and that she still can't believe she did something so reckless. Lindsay agrees that doesn't sound like something Michelle would do because she didn't; Michelle had confided in Lindsay that she was actually in a serious relationship with her baby's father, even discussing marriage, only to learn he'd been using her and already had a family.
- Lindsay says she went to check on Michelle and found her body because she was concerned Michelle was late for their weekly dinner-and-movie catch-up and wasn't answering her phone, which was unlike her. Lindsay further tells Laurie that something was seriously off about the apartment and Michelle's death; while Sandra didn't know or accept this, Michelle had been off drugs for nearly two years and was focused on living a good life, so Lindsay thinks it odd that she would've abruptly relapsed. When she visited Michelle three days prior, she seemed perfectly happy and her apartment was clean and tidy like always, whilst when Lindsay found Michelle's body the apartment was a tip. It turns out Michelle was given a lethal overdose against her will and her apartment trashed to make it look like she'd relapsed.
- Slut-Shaming: Sandra says she regards herself as "very traditional" when it comes to relationships and children and that she could've handled it better when her daughter revealed she had gotten pregnant by a one night stand, noting that Michelle may have "felt judged" by her reaction. Michelle's friend Lindsay reveals that Sandra was even harsher on Michelle than she let on, treating her as though she was permanently tainted and never letting up how disappointed she was in her, which contributed to their estrangement and Michelle's spiral into depression and drug addiction. It's also revealed that Michelle's pregnancy wasn't the result of a random hook-up with a stranger, but that she discovered her boyfriend was already married; Michelle lied to her mother about this because she was afraid Sandra's reaction would be even worse if she knew the truth.
- Tragic Drop Out: She graduated from high school with top grades and aspired to become a journalist, but then she got pregnant from a one night stand during a gap year from university. Although she gave the baby up for adoption, she became depressed, got addicted to heroin and permanently dropped out of college, eventually dying of an overdose. Her mother laments that Michelle had so much potential that ended up wasted. Lindsay reveals that Michelle had started to get her life back on track, including getting clean and setting up a successful jewellery-making business, but that her mother still only saw her as a disappointment because her life hadn't turned out as they'd both originally envisioned. It also turns out Michelle was murdered, rather than relapsing into addiction.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Six months ago, she unwittingly set off the entire plot by telling Daniel Turner that they have a son, whom she gave up for adoption. Michelle didn't tell Daniel at the time because she'd discovered he was already married and didn't want to break up his family, but since recovering from her addiction and putting her life back together, she felt it was only right to come clean to Daniel. Unfortunately, Daniel took the news extremely badly; after interrogating and torturing Michelle for information about Johnny and his adoptive family, he killed her and then set out to take Johnny back. Michelle had no way of knowing Daniel would react so violently; she especially couldn't have known Daniel had suffered a brain injury that made him dangerously unstable or that his ex-wife had taken their daughter from him because of his behaviour.
Sandra Carpenter
Sandra Carpenter
Michelle's mother and Johnny's biological grandmother.
- Doesn't Know Their Own Child: Michelle's best friend Lindsay says that Sandra "didn't know anything" about her daughter by the end of her life; Sandra says Michelle distanced herself from her after her son was adopted and only contacted her on birthdays and at Christmas. Notably, Sandra either had no idea or didn't believe that Michelle had finally gotten off drugs - to the point of being clean for almost two years - was living in a nice apartment and was finding success with a jewellery-making business. Lindsay says that as far as Sandra was concerned, her daughter was still a hopeless druggie living in squalor and she was all too ready to believe she'd died of an overdose. Crucially, Michelle had confided in Lindsay about the true circumstances of her pregnancy, while her mother still believed the one night stand story she'd told her.
- It's All About Me: When she hears Johnny has been kidnapped, she comes to visit Marcy and Andrew to offer what support she can. Although they sense she had good intentions, she spends the entire visit talking about her own child, her spiral into addiction, her tragic death and how much it affected her. While they're sympathetic given her daughter died only six months ago, Marcy and Andrew feel that Sandra is too wrapped up in her own loss to be of much help to them. Lindsay also says that after Michelle got pregnant and gave the baby up for adoption, Sandra made it all about how disappointed she was in Michelle as opposed to showing her empathy and helping her cope; Sandra herself admits she "could've been more supportive". It's telling that Michelle put off telling her mother about her pregnancy until she was eight months gone, out of fear of her reaction, and lied about the baby's father because she was scared Sandra would kick up a big fuss about a married man "sullying" her daughter, despite Michelle wanting it kept quiet to avoid further humiliation.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Her only daughter Michelle died of a drug overdose six months before her biological grandson was kidnapped, with Sandra noting that Johnny is the "last living piece of [her] little girl" she has left even though she hasn't seen her grandson for seven years (especially given she and Michelle were all but estranged at the time of her death).
- Parents as People: She was a deeply flawed parent, being unsympathetic and judgemental towards her daughter for getting pregnant out of wedlock when she was already suffering enough; Michelle was so terrified her mother would disown her for it she couldn't bring herself to tell Sandra for eight months, while Lindsay says that as far as she's concerned, Sandra is partly to blame for Michelle's mental illness and drug addiction because she constantly made Michelle feel like a failure. Despite this, it's obvious Sandra loves her daughter and is heartbroken by her death; she also admits that in hindsight her attitude wasn't helpful to Michelle and it was likely the reason her daughter pulled away from her.
Lindsay Hart
Lindsay Hart
Michelle Carpenter's neighbour and closest friend.
- Best Friend: She was Michelle's closest friend at the time of her death and knew her better than anyone, including her own mother. Lindsay fiercely defends Michelle, saying she wasn't just some hopeless junkie who OD'd on heroin and that she was actually getting her life back on track. Lindsay insists she knew Michelle well enough that her death felt suspicious and she's frustrated that neither the police or Michelle's mother wanted to dig deeper; it turns out she's right.
- The Confidant: Michelle confided in Lindsay a lot, with Lindsay proving to be a useful source of information about Michelle and her life leading up to her death (far more accurate than Michelle's own mother, who as Lindsay points out, barely saw or knew anything about Michelle). Notably, Michelle had confided in Lindsay that the father of the baby she gave up for adoption was actually an architect around a decade older, whom she discovered was already married with a toddler not long after she got pregnant. Lindsay says this is the real reason Michelle was vague about the father's identity.
- Expecting Someone Taller: Inverted. Based on what she'd heard about Michelle and how she died from Sandra and the Philadelphia Police Department, Laurie was expecting her friend and neighbour to be someone similarly down-on-her-luck and potentially involved with drugs too. She's surprised and admits as much when Lindsay turns out to be a glamourously-dressed, self-confident woman with a successful law career. Lindsay says that if Laurie got most of her information from Michelle's mother, she's not surprised Laurie got the wrong impression about both her and Michelle.
- Fiery Redhead: She has "vibrant" red hair and is quickly established as a confident, outspoken woman who doesn't sugarcoat her opinions.
Turner family
Daniel Turner (major spoilers)
Daniel "Danny/Dan" Turner
A former architect who retired after getting into a serious motorcycle accident five years ago, leaving him with permanent injuries. He's the ex-husband of Roseanne Robinson, father of Bella Nelson and younger brother of Charlie Turner.
- Abusive Parent:
- He never directly harmed his daughter Bella, but she was scared of him because of his extreme mood-swings and violent rages. Her mother was afraid he would eventually become physically abusive towards Bella and so got a restraining order against him to prevent him coming near them, with the court finding reasonable grounds that he was a credible threat to Bella. Daniel at one point threatened Roseanne with a knife in front of Bella, terrifying her. Although Daniel didn't do anything after Roseanne pleaded with him not to hurt Bella, Roseanne says she was convinced Daniel intended to kill them both.
- He kidnaps his son Johnny from his loving adoptive family, keeps him stuffed in the boot of a hot car and then locks him up in a dingy bedroom, insisting his name is now "Danny" and that he'll punish him if he cries about wanting to go home or tries to escape. He cruelly tells Johnny that he was adopted and that Marcy and Andrew aren't his "real" parents. When Johnny attempts to escape with Marcy, Daniel holds them both hostage at gunpoint and may have intended to kill Johnny until Laurie and Charlie intervene. Laurie notes there's a bear trap set up at the back door, which may have been intended to prevent Johnny from escaping (and even if it wasn't meant for him, he could easily have stepped on it by mistake and been seriously injured).
- Affectionate Nickname: His brother calls him Dan, while his ex-wife refers to him as Danny (even after they're divorced).
- Archnemesis Dad: He's revealed to be Johnny Buckley's biological father and the one responsible for kidnapping him. He also murdered Johnny's biological mother, Michelle. Daniel had an affair with Michelle while going through an "early midlife crisis", as his ex-wife puts it; he didn't tell Michelle he was already married and had a child. Michelle found out when she tried to tell him about her pregnancy and saw him with his family; she cut off contact and never told him about their son. Years later, Michelle felt she had to tell Daniel the truth, not knowing that Daniel had suffered a brain injury that warped his personality, with his wife and daughter leaving him because he became abusive. Upon learning Michelle had hidden their son from him, Daniel became obsessed with getting Johnny back, no matter who he has the hurt along the way or what Johnny wants. It's unclear by the end if Johnny fully understands Daniel is his father, though he will inevitably learn the truth as he gets older.
- Career-Ending Injury: He had a decent career as an architect until he suffered a brain injury in a motorcycle accident; he struggled to concentrate on his work and ending up leaving his job. He got a large payout due to his accident that allows him to live comfortably, but he misses being an architect.
- Domestic Abuse:
- His ex-wife Roseanne says she divorced him and got a restraining order because his brain injury resulted in him becoming cruel, resentful and dangerous towards her; he would have paranoid delusions that she was plotting against him and eventually became physically violent. After Roseanne first moved out, he tracked her down and broke into her house, drawing a knife on her and saying she'd poisoned their daughter against him. Roseanne genuinely feared he'd kill them both, pleading with him not to harm their daughter until he came to his senses and left. Some days, Daniel is remorseful for hurting and frightening Roseanne, but other days he blames her for 'abandoning' him.
- It's revealed he drugged, tortured and murdered his ex-lover when she told him she'd given birth to their son and put the baby up for adoption, with Daniel being furious at her for 'stealing' his son from him; he wanted to know where to find Johnny as well as punish Michelle for hiding Johnny from him all these years.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Despite having become a bitter and twisted individual capable of horrible violence, he does genuinely love his ex-wife Roseanne and their daughter Bella, and regrets harming them and driving them away (although he sometimes resents Roseanne for 'abandoning' him and taking their daughter away, even though he acknowledges she did it because was justifiably scared of him). He sometimes hallucinates that they're still a family again. He also loves his son Johnny, seeing him as his chance to have his family back. Unfortunately, he's so desperate to be part of Johnny's life he doesn't care if Johnny or anyone else gets hurt as long as he gets what he wants... at least until the end, where Daniel finally tries to do right by his son by letting him go.
- False Soulmate:
- Roseanne says she once believed they'd be together for the rest of their lives, with Daniel also referring to her as "the love of his life", but their romance went horribly wrong after Daniel got into a serious accident that gave him brain damage four years into their marriage (they'd dated in college prior to marrying); the injury drastically altered Daniel's personality, making him aggressive, short-tempered and violent towards Roseanne. She still loved the man he used to be, but she was terrified of him of now and realised he wouldn't get better anytime soon, filing for divorce and moving far away with their daughter. Despite her initial guilt, Roseanne has recently started dating another man and believes he could be her second chance at love, while Daniel's worsening psychological problems make him incapable of healthy relationships.
- Michelle Carpenter believed they were in love, despite Daniel being around a decade older and their relationship being just a few months old. Daniel led her on, with he being the one to pursue her and them both making plans for marriage and children when Michelle graduated. However, Michelle realised the truth when she saw Daniel with his wife and daughter, not long after she learned Daniel had gotten her pregnant, and broke off all contact. Daniel's narration confirmed he never truly loved Michelle; he only saw their affair as a fling that went too far, regretted it because it could've ruined his marriage and barely thought about Michelle again after she ended things.
- Heel Realization: He gets a moment of lucidity when he's cornered by Laurie and Charlie, and Marcy pleads with him to at least let Johnny go safely; the latter reminds of the way his ex-wife and ex-lover pleaded with him not to harm their children. Daniel realises that he never had a hope of being a happy family with Johnny, because he already has his adoptive family and Daniel himself is too unstable to be a father, plus there's no practical way he can escape every awful thing he's done. Daniel finally puts Johnny first by sending him out of the house so he doesn't have to watch him commit Suicide by Cop.
- It's All About Me: Throughout his adult life, he consistently demonstrates himself to be thoroughly selfish and concerned with his own wants and desires first, even to the detriment of others.
- He carried on an affair for several months because he was bored and restless in his marriage, and intimidated by fatherhood (as opposed to talking it out with his loving wife). It's made worse by the fact he didn't tell his much younger girlfriend he was married; he even gave her the impression they would marry and have children. He says he didn't intend for it to go on so long, but he didn't have the guts to end it or come clean to either his lover or his wife; he was relieved when his girlfriend ghosted him so he didn't have to deal with it himself.
- He never sought treatment for his deteriorating mental state and failed to remove himself from the situation following his accident, despite seeing the negative impact it had on his family. While he does regret harming Roseanne and Bella and says he understands why they left him, his ruminations over it tend to revolve around how miserable and lonely he is now, with little thought given to how Roseanne has had to completely start over her life to protect her and Bella, because she doesn't trust Daniel to leave them in peace (this is after he violated a restraining order and nearly stabbed Roseanne for taking his daughter away, in front of their daughter, no less). He is seeing a neurologist now, but it's too little too late for his family.
- When he learned Michelle had gotten pregnant and given the baby up for adoption upon learning he already had a family, Daniel never once considers Michelle's feelings and the difficult position he put her in. Instead, he's furious with Michelle for keeping his son from him, to the point he tortures her for information about Johnny before killing her.
- Daniel is fixated on finding Johnny so he can have his family back, not considering Johnny's wishes and well-being, or the effect this will have on the family who loved and raised him for seven years. He demands Johnny go by a new name (notably "Danny", after himself) and call him "Daddy", refuses to let him refer to Andrew and Marcy as his parents and even tells him they're not his "real" family. When Johnny tries to run away with Marcy's help, Daniel accuses Johnny - a terrified child he kidnapped - of lying to and abandoning him as if he's the victim. He was also prepared to kill Marcy for trying to 'steal' Johnny from him again, nevermind that she's a mother trying desperately to get her son home safe.
- The one selfless act Daniel does is letting Johnny go when he realises he could never provide him with the care he needs. Even then he still makes selfish decisions, choosing to force his own brother Charlie to shoot him dead by threatening to kill Marcy; while it ends his own suffering, Daniel doesn't consider the impact on Charlie. At the very least he orders Johnny to leave the room beforehand so he doesn't have to see it.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: Roseanne says that prior to his accident he was funny, affectionate and charming, with Michelle describing him similarly. However, following his traumatic brain injury he underwent a drastic, negative personality change, becoming short-tempered, cruel, bitter, paranoid and even prone to violence. Roseanne says she still loved the man he was, but had no choice but to divorce him because he had become dangerous towards her and their daughter. Roseanne wasn't aware that a few years into their marriage, he had an affair with a much younger woman and led her to believe they'd get married; he admits he was never serious but couldn't bring himself to tell his lover the truth and was relieved when she broke it off. This implies Daniel always had some darker traits (dishonesty, selfishness, manipulativeness), but the brain injury definitely made things worse.
- Tragically Disabled Love Interest: For his ex-wife, Roseanne. Five years ago, he received a traumatic brain injury following a motorcycle accident. Roseanne did her best to support and care for him during his recovery, but it increasingly took a toll on her because the TBI made Daniel extremely irritable, paranoid and outright delusional, with Daniel often lashing out at Roseanne. She dismissed his behaviour as not being his fault because of his injury, but she finally had enough when, in the midst of a delusion, he physically attacked her. After Daniel broke into her new home to try and get her back, threatened her with a knife in front of their daughter and accused of her turning Bella against him, Roseanne changed her and Bella's names and moved far away for their own protection. Roseanne is terrified of Daniel, but she also pities him and regrets how their marriage turned out. Daniel himself is filled with bitterness over what happened and sometimes hallucinates that he and Roseanne are still together, until he remembers the truth.
- Walking Spoiler: It's basically impossible to discuss him in-depth without giving away the whole mystery.
- Would Hit a Girl: He became violent towards his wife following his brain injury, including nearly stabbing her at one point. He also drugged, tortured and killed Michelle Carpenter after learning she'd hidden his son's existence from him. He later pistol-whips and attempts to shoot Marcy Buckley in order to escape with Johnny.
Roseanne Robinson
Roseanne Robinson / Alicia Nelson
The ex-wife of Daniel Turner and mother of Bella.
- Affair? Blame the Bastard: After learning Roseanne's ex-husband is the biological father of Johnny, Marcy seeks information about Daniel from her, knowing it can't be easy for her to hear her husband fathered a child with another woman and hoping that Roseanne will see that Johnny is innocent. To Marcy's relief, Roseanne never once indicates she resents Johnny and does everything she can to help find him, showing genuine concern for his well-being.
- Affectionate Nickname: She mentions that she was nicknamed Ro-Ro because of her Alliterative Name and that she misses being called it, she having been forced to change her name to protect herself and her daughter from her ex-husband.
- Blame the Paramour: Defied; upon receiving confirmation that her ex-husband not only cheated on her but had a child with another woman, Roseanne doesn't blame or resent Michelle, Roseanne feels only pity for Michelle, especially after learning she initially didn't know Daniel was married, gave her baby up for adoption and then struggled with mental illness and addiction. She also says she already suspected Daniel had cheated on her, but that their relationship later improved; Roseanne makes it clear that it was the fall-out of Daniel's brain injury that ended their marriage, not the affair.
- Good Parents: She's a loving and protective mother towards Bella, with them being depicted as having a close relationship in the present-day. As she waits to hear news of Daniel's accident in the prologue, she wonders how she could tell Bella her father won't be coming home if it comes to that. A big part of the reason she left Daniel and went to such lengths to keep him away from her and Bella is because she feared for Bella's safety and well-being. When Daniel broke in and threatened them with a knife, Roseanne shielded Bella with her own body and pleaded with Daniel to kill her instead.
- Love Martyr: She tried her best to support her husband following his accident despite him becoming increasingly aggressive towards her, insisting it wasn't his fault because of his brain injury. However, she finally left him after he became violent towards her, fearing for her and her daughter's safety. She later reveals that prior to the accident, she suspected (rightly) Daniel was having an affair during a rough patch in their marriage, but she never confronted him and stood by him out of love. Even years later, part of her still feels guilty for leaving Daniel, to the point she refused to get romantically involved with anyone else until she met her current boyfriend, truly believing she deserved to be single for the rest of her life.
- Starting a New Life: Four years ago, she changed her name to Alicia Nelson and moved across the country to Portland, Oregon with her daughter. There are only a handful of trusted people from her old life she stays in contact with. This is because she's terrified of her abusive and paranoid ex-husband hunting her and Bella down, with a restraining order doing nothing to stop him previously. Her former brother-in-law has also used his influence and connections as a police chief to protect Daniel from legal rammifications, making things even more difficult for Roseanne.
- Taking the Kids: She took her young daughter Bella with her when she left Daniel, especially as he was in no state to be a parent and she was afraid he may harm her; Bella was already terrified of her father because of his mood swings and paranoia. Daniel later hunted them down and accused Roseanne of deliberately turning Bella against him, with Roseanne taking steps to prevent him from finding either of them again afterwards. The combination of losing custody of his daughter and later discovering he had a long-lost son made Daniel snap and kidnap Johnny.
Charlie Turner
Chief Charlie Turner
The chief of police in Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, older brother of Daniel Turner and former brother-in-law of Roseanne Robinson.
- Cradling Your Kill: After being forced to kill his own brother to protect Marcy, Charlie is found cradling Daniel's body and praying that he'll finally find some peace.
- Establishing Character Moment: Roseanne mentions in the prologue that she tried to talk to Charlie about her concerns over Daniel's new motorcycle hobby, asking him to talk to his brother about being more careful. However, Charlie dismissed her concerns and gave her a lecture about "letting a man be happy" (only for Daniel to later end up in a horrible accident after his motorbike was struck by a truck). This establishes that Charlie has never taken his sister-in-law's concerns about Daniel seriously and is more concerned about protecting his brother's happiness than his overall well-being, or the well-being of those close to him.
- Kill the Ones You Love: When Daniel points a gun at Marcy and threatens to kill her, Charlie has little choice but to shoot his brother dead in the line of duty due to the threat he poses (with it being all but stated Daniel wanted Charlie to kill him).
- Knight Templar Big Brother: It's obvious he loves his younger brother and is willing to do anything to protect him, but he's also in deep denial about the severity of Daniel's mental issues and the danger he poses to others. Roseanne says that because of Charlie using his influence as a cop to pull strings, Daniel wasn't sent to jail or institutionalised even after he violated a restraining order and attacked her with a knife in front of their daughter. Charlie also tried to block the court orders Roseanne sought to keep Daniel away from her and Bella, believing it was wrong of Roseanne to take Daniel's child away from him. When the protagonists realise Daniel has Johnny in Rehoboth Beach, Roseanne warns them not to contact the local police, believing that Charlie would warn Daniel and make him panic.
- My God, What Have I Done?: He realises just how deep in denial he's been about his brother's issues when he sees Daniel forcing Johnny and Marcy into his house at gunpoint; afterwards he's completely willing to cooperate with Laurie and Leo to rescue the Buckleys, clearly regretting that he didn't get Daniel proper help sooner.
Carver family
Summer Carver
Summer Carver
Julie Carver's daughter and Toby Carver's younger half-sister. She is one of Darren Gunther's biggest supporters, frequently visiting him in prison.
- Fatal Attractor: Summer tends to attract manipulative men who take advantage of her due to her generous yet gullible nature. Her mother says that her two ex-boyfriends were both jerks who used her; her high school boyfriend convinced her to "flub" her exam so he could become valedictorian then dumped her after graduating, while her next boyfriend convinced her to drop out of college and move with him to LA to be his 'manager', then dumped her for another woman when her money ran out. She's now campaigning for convicted murderer Darren Gunther to be released, with he having convinced her of his innocence (he's not); while they're not explicitly in a relationship she does express attraction to him, which he's fully aware of.
- Kindhearted Cat Lover: Her Facebook profile photo shows her smiling as she holds a kitten up to her face, helping establish that she's a genuinely well-meaning person who is eager to help others; the issue is that the people she helps aren't always deserving and she sometimes goes too far.
- Love Martyr: She's willing to go to the ends of the earth for men she's got romantic feelings for; unfortunately, these men are often keenly aware of this and are willing to exploit it, knowing she'll stick by them no matter how badly she's treated.
- She was set to become her high school's valedictorian, but her then-boyfriend convinced her to throw her test answers so he could get it instead because he wasn't quite good enough to get it on his own. Summer felt bad for him and wanted him to succeed, so she went along with it. The moment they got the exam results back, her boyfriend dumped her.
- She dropped out of college and followed her next boyfriend across the country to Los Angeles to support him while he tried to make it as an actor. She was ostensibly acting as his 'manager' to support him in achieving his dream, but in reality he just sponged off her savings, then ditched her for another woman when she couldn't afford to finance his lifestyle anymore.
- She is fully convinced that Darren Gunther was wrongly convicted for Lou Finney's murder and is willing to do almost anything to see him freed; even if he didn't do it (he did), it's obvious he's using her to get what he wants. He and Toby convince Summer to mislead the police and Johnny Buckley's family into believing she and Toby took Johnny to manipulate a confession from Leo; Summer found the idea repulsive, especially because it would distract them from the real kidnapper, but went along with it out of love for Darren.
- Must Make Amends: Summer desperately apologises for misleading the police into believing she and her brother had kidnapped Johnny and is fully cooperative with the investigation, with it being noted in the epilogue that her remorse and cooperation will likely get her a lighter sentence.
- My God, What Have I Done?: She's genuinely horrified when Leo spells it out for her just how damaging and cruel her pretending she had Johnny was, saying that she wasted precious time and resources that could've been spent looking for Johnny and that she also gave his family false hope that he'd soon be home safe, all to manipulate Leo into 'admitting' he lied about a convicted killer's murder confession.
- Nominal Villain: She's suspected of being involved in the kidnapping of a child and is trying to get a convicted murderer freed, but she's not evil and her intentions are benevolent. Summer wholeheartedly believe Darren is innocent and he takes advantage her kindness and affection for him, making her willing to do almost everything to see his 'wrongful' conviction quashed. It turns out Summer had nothing to with Johnny's kidnapping and only pretended she had him to get Leo - whom she believes to be a Dirty Cop who set Darren up - to admit he falsified Darren's confession. She was never that comfortable with the plan (which was her brother and Darren's idea) and she's truly remorseful when it's pointed out to her how messed up her actions were.
- Wouldn't Hurt a Child: It's revealed she lied about helping kidnap Johnny; she only pretended to be involved to try and manipulate Leo into admitting he fabricated Darren's murder confession. Summer sincerely insists she would never hurt a child and that even merely pretending she'd kidnapped Johnny made her sick to her stomach.
Others
Darren Gunther
Darren Gunther
A man imprisoned for murdering bar owner Lou Finney eighteen years ago. Leo Farley arrested Darren and got him to confess, but Darren now insists Leo lied and is campaigning hard for his conviction to be overturned.
- Alcohol-Induced Idiocy: While Darren always had problems with anger and impulsivity, the night he got into a bar fight with Jay Pratt, he'd been drinking heavily to celebrate his birthday, further impairing his judgement. The fight got out of control to the point bar owner Finn was brutally stabbed to death when he tried to intervene, with Darren confessing he was the one who drew the knife; he later recanted, saying he confessed partly due to still being under the influence.
- Disappeared Dad: He was raised by a single mother, who worked as a housekeeper to support them both and put him through school. He claimed in middle school that both his parents had died in an accident, only for his peers to eventually discover his mother was still alive and well, while his father had never been involved in his life at all.
- Miscarriage of Justice: He insists that he was falsely convicted of Lou Finney's murder and that Leo greatly contributed to this by falsifying his confession and railroading him as the only suspect. In his defence, no one explicitly saw him stab Finn because it happened quickly in the middle of a brawl, Leo was the only cop in the room and hadn't turned on the recorder when Darren confessed, and DNA belonging to another man who lived in the area and has convictions for violence was recently found on the knife. It's enough that Darren has many supporters who are convinced of his innocence and are campaigning for him to be released. It's revealed he did kill Finn and orchestrated the murder of Clarissa DeSanto to try and bury evidence of this.
- Not Good with Rejection: Leo says he got Darren to confess his fight with Jay Pratt started over a woman, Jane Holloway; Darren had been trying to chat her up all night, only for Jane to claim she was engaged to get him to lay off. When Jay showed up and began talking to Jane - they having been friends at boarding school - Darren assumed he was the fiance and Jay obliviously explained he wasn't with Jane, revealing she'd lied. Darren took it extremely badly and began insulting and threatening Jane and her friends, prompting Jay to step in to defend them; things rapidly escalated from there.
- Not Me This Time: He's guilty of murdering Lou Finney and paying off Toby Carver to murder Clarissa DeSanto, but he actually had nothing to do with Johnny Buckley's kidnapping. However, he was more than happy to mislead the police and Johnny's family into thinking he was behind it, in order to manipulate Leo into 'confessing' he lied about Darren's murder confession.
- The Sociopath: He has the hallmarks of sociopathy, including being a compulsive liar and getting in trouble for stealing and vandalism from a young age. He also had major issues with anger and impulsivity; he completely lost it after being rejected romantically and started a brawl, during which he allegedly stabbed an innocent man who tried to break it up which he is guilty of. He never shows much genuine empathy or sorrow over Finn's death or Johnny's abduction, focusing more on his own legal troubles. He can also be highly charming and manipulative, taking advantage of vulnerable or gullible people to benefit himself.
- Would Harm a Senior: He was convicted of fatally stabbing a 62-year-old bar owner in a blind rage, though he insists he's innocent. He's not.
Finn
Lou "Finn" Finney
The late owner of popular Greenwich Village bar Finn's, who was stabbed to death trying to break up a brawl eighteen years ago.
- Affectionate Nickname: He usually went by the nickname Finn, with everyone knowing him by this name and his bar being called Finn's.
- Benevolent Boss: He was described as a good boss who looked out for his employees. A flashback depicts him sharing friendly banter with his favourite bartender Clarissa and being protective of her when she mentions some drunken yobs causing trouble, insisting she call out for him if things get out of control. Finn's daughter says he had an almost fatherly relationship with Clarissa and that she loved him dearly.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: He died in the arms of his favourite bartender Clarissa, who had futilely tried to help him after he was stabbed.
- Good Parents: He was a loving father to his children; his daughter Samantha was especially close to him and is still deeply affected by his death eighteen years on.
- Loved by All: He was a popular and well-loved man in his neighbourhood, especially with his bar patrons. No one had a bad thing to say about him save for Darren Gunther, who tried to claim Finn pulled a knife on him and then fell on his own blade, which no one believed for a second. After realising he'd been stabbed trying to break up a brawl, the patrons intervened in the fight themselves and made a citizen's arrest, while a patron who found the murder weapon kept watch over it until the cops arrived. There was mass outrage over Finn's death and the police were under a lot of pressure to get a conviction quickly.
- Nice Guy: He was an amiable, hardworking man who was loved by many people. He was tragically stabbed to death trying to break up a fight that had kicked off at his bar, dismissing the brawlers as just two hot-headed kids who had drank too much and would soon see reason. Everyone agrees that he was the last person who deserved to die like that and not one person who knew him bought Darren's initial claim that Finn pulled the knife out, as it wasn't remotely in his character.
- Posthumous Character: He was killed eighteen years before the events of Piece of My Heart; his death continues to impact the story given that Darren, the man convicted of his murder, is trying to have his conviction overturned.
- Say My Name: Clarissa repeatedly screamed his name after he was stabbed, trying to rouse him. In the flashback from Finn's perspective, it's noted that the last thing he heard was Clarissa's voice.
Clarissa DeSanto
Clarissa DeSanto
A former bartender working at Finn's on the night Lou Finney was killed; she remained good friends with Finn's daughter Samantha. Clarissa died three months ago in a car accident.
- Like a Daughter to Me: Samantha says that Clarissa was so close to Finn, she was "almost a second daughter" to him, with Clarissa and Samantha also being as close as sisters. They tried to carry on running the bar together after Finn was killed in his memory, and Samantha says Clarissa was the only other person who truly understood how she felt about losing both her father and the bar.
- Make It Look Like an Accident: The police investigation into Clarissa's fatal car crash ruled it was an accident; it was dark and pouring rain, so it was assumed she took a corner too fast and swerved off the road into a ravine. However, no one actually saw the accident and the Under Suspicion team start to wonder if someone deliberately ran her off the road due to something she knew about the Darren Gunther case. Leo gets Mason Rollins to help him trick Toby Carver into confessing he caused Clarissa's death; he later admits he did so on Darren's orders to try and get a lighter sentence.
- Posthumous Character: When Laurie asks Samantha for Clarissa's contact details, Samantha tells Laurie that Clarissa was killed in a car accident three months ago; she only appears alive in a single chapter that flashes back to Finn's murder.
- They Know Too Much: The team realise that her car was intentionally run off the road by Toby Carver on the orders of Darren Gunther, because she'd seen Darren celebrating his birthday with his friend Mason Rollins at Finn's shortly before Finn was killed; she would've been able to tell the police about Darren's personal connection to Mason - supposedly the top alternative culprit for Finn's murder - and make the DA suspicious Darren was trying to falsely get his conviction thrown out (especially because Clarissa saw that Mason had left the bar by the time Finn was killed).
Mason Rollins
Mason Rollins
A former prisoner with convictions for assault and drug offences, whose DNA was found on the knife that killed Finn.- Childhood Friend: It's revealed that he not only knows Darren Gunther, but they grew up together and had been close friends for years, only losing touch after Darren was put away for Finn's murder. Mason had been at Finn's having drinks for Darren's birthday and gifted him the knife he later used to kill Finn; Darren later persuaded Mason to keep quiet about their friendship during the re-investigation into the murder, promising him a cut of the compensation he hoped to receive. Mason willingly went along with this, with it not dawning on him until much later that his old friend was probably intending to set him up.
- Not Me This Time: He initially seems to be a perfect alternative suspect for Finn's murder: he has convictions for drugs and violence, including non-fatally stabbing someone during a fight a few months after Finn was killed, eighteen years ago he lived in the vicinity of Finn's bar and touch DNA evidence matching his DNA profile was found on the murder weapon. He admits to Leo that while he was at Finn's on the night if the murder, he left some time before Finn was killed and the reason the knife has his DNA is because it used to be his until he gifted it to Darren. Although Mason was willing to keep quiet about this so Darren could falsely overturn his conviction, Mason also had nothing to do with the murder of potential witness Clarissa.
- Oh, Crap!: He swiftly loses his bravado and starts panicking when Leo reveals to him Clarissa died three months ago in suspicious circumstances and that Toby Carver and Darren Gunther are suspects, with both men also being connected to Mason; Leo points out that under the circumstances, Mason could be considered an accessory to Clarissa's murder. Mason is quick to cooperate with Leo and the other cops, not wanting to go back to prison (especially for a crime he didn't actually commit).
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: He managed this twice.
- Firstly, he was at Finn's bar with Darren celebrating his birthday; he gave him one of his knives as a birthday present and then left drinking alone at the bar. If Darren hadn't had a weapon on him, it's unlikely the brawl would've ended with Finn being fatally stabbed; Clarissa also wondered if Mason would've been able to talk Darren down or intervene when the fight broke out if he'd stayed with him.
- Secondly, Mason mentioned to Darren and Toby Carver that Clarissa had seen him with Darren at the bar and also saw him leave before the fight that led to Finn's death, which could've thrown a wrench in Darren's plan to get his murder conviction overturned. Mason assumed that Darren would just have Toby buy Clarissa's silence. Instead, Darren had Toby murder Clarissa to shut her up, with Leo outright telling Mason that he got Clarissa killed when he mentioned what she knew.
