Scotland Yard Chief Inspector, sent to investigate booby traps at Ravencourt Castle.
- Da Chief: He is Chief Inspector, however we don't see anyone else from Scotland Yard so it's unknown if he fits the trope.
North Vandernot
The recently deceased Lord of Ravencourt Castle. Very recent. He never married and left everything to his neice May.
Cause of death was ruled to be a heart attack.
- Artifact of Death: The Bloodstone, the large ruby around his neck.
May Vandernot
Heiress to the Vandernot estate and title. From Albany, New York, May is the daughter of Clark Vandernot, North Vandernot's deceased brother. She is 23 years old and arrived in England last week for North's funeral and the reading of the will.
- Happily Ever After: She marries Franklin after the case is closed.
- Puppy Love: For Franklin.
Lady Barbara Eggerton-Vandernot
Lady Barbara Eggerton-Vandernot was the wife of the late Rupert Vandernot, North's father. She was his second wife and brought two children to the marriage. She is 50 years old an resides at Ravencourt Castle.
- Passed-Over Inheritance: Claims this is so for her and her children. She actually has a bank balance of £1,000,000.
Phillipa Eggerton
Phillipa Eggerton is Barbara Vandernot's daughter from her marriage to Joeseph Eggerton. She is 30 years of age and is unmarried. She attended Mrs. Simpson's Finishing School for Young Ladies until the age of 18. Since then she has resided at Ravencourt Castle.
- Good Bad Girl: She moved on from North's rejection. With the gardner.
- Passed-Over Inheritance: Lady Barbara claims this is so for Phillipa. She actually received a comfortable inheritance from North and never expected him to inherit the estate. She even mentions she was practically a stranger to North.
- Wife Husbandry: Lady Barbara tried to marry her off to North, but he wouldn't go for it. Lady Barbara is still looking for a husband for her, though.
- Woman Scorned: Suggested by Parker, but shot down. She had long since moved on.
Franklin Eggerton
Franklin Eggerton is Barbara Vandernot's son from her marriage to Joeseph Eggerton. He is 33 years of age and unmarried. He attended Eton and Oxford, where he took a first in Biology. He is a member of the Royal Society of Entomologists and has published several scientific papers. He resides at Ravencourt.
- Absent-Minded Professor: He is interested in entomology, May, and little else. Parker finds a letter apologising the lateness of his latest entomological paper due to personal reasons and requesting an extension.
- Happily Ever After: He and May get married after the case is solved.
- Ivy League for Everyone: Mentioned above, Eton and Oxford.
Milton Masterwood
Masterwood is a partner in the firm of Masterwood, Tippy and Shrew of York. He's been the family soliciter for the Vandernots for twenty years and is the executor of North's will. He is a family man and a respected community leader.
- Curse: He was killed because he brokered the deal for the Bloodstone.
- Fed to the Beast: His fate.
Edmund Dashalot
Dashalot is a minor celebrity, one of those adventurers that is always in the papers. His name has been linked with North Vandernot's in the past and they were occasional travelling partners. He's from London, and arrived for the funeral last week. There've been some rumours in the papers lately that he's flat broke.
- Adventurer Archaeologist: Seems to be the case.
- Curse: He died because he accompanied North to buy the Bloodstone.
- Gentleman Adventurer: One of North's travelling companions, and accompanied him to acquire the Bloodstone.
Major Gerald Gunn
Major Gunn is a veteran of Her Majesty's Armed Forces. His record is good — served in both Africa and India. Originally from the Shropshire area. Not much is known about him here. He arrived at the castle for North's funeral and is staying at the castle.
- Cowardly Lion: Is absolutely terrified of the Ga-gorib. Parker notes that his fear is genuine, if a bit cowardly; seeing four men die in identical conditions to an ancient curse that implicates you will do that to a man. However, he does not flee or ever let his fear get the better of him.
- Face Your Fears: Rather than flee out of fear of being the final victim, he stands his ground and soldiers on.
- Gentleman Adventurer: Went on a few outings with North, including the one to acquire the Bloodstone.
- Shout-Out: To Colonel Mustard, with more than a passing resemblance to Theodore Roosevelt.
Fu Ling
Fu Ling is a guest of the castle, having arrived North Vandernot's funeral. Little is known about him except that he's some kind of performer and says he's from Shanghai.
- Curse: He was killed because he introduced North to the previous owner of the Bloodstone.
- Fauxreigner: It's revealed he's not from Shanghai and went to school with North.
- Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping: His Chinese accent changes every time he talks to Parker, then he speaks perfect English.
Juliette Minouche
Juliette Minouche is the housemaid at Ravencourt Castle. She has been employed there for three years. Her exact age is unknown, but she is probably in her late twenties. She is originally from Paris.
- Hidden Villain: She's revealed to be the daughter of jewel thief Dirk Chamberlain.
- Shout-Out: Has a considerable resemblance to Yvette.
Countess Rodriguez
Countess Rodriguez arrived for North Vandernot's funeral and is a guest at the castle. She hails from Madrid and has implied a past intimate relationship with North. Nothing more is known of her background.
- Blue Blood: Claims to be a countess.
- Fauxreigner: She's revealed to be Juliette's sister, daughter of French jewel thief Dirk "The Smirk" Chamberlain, and wears makeup to look Spanish.
- Hidden Villain: Juliette's sister and daughter of famed jewel their Dirk "The Smirk" Chamberlain.
- Identical Stranger: Phillipa swears she's seen her before. She's Juliette's sister.
Colin Farrow
Colin Farrow is the gardener at Ravencourt Castle. He grew up in the village of Ravencourt and has worked at the castle since he was 15. He is now 28. His father is a local butcher and is still living. His mother passed on last year. He has no siblings. He's had run-ins with the local police, mostly due to drunkeness and lewd behavior.
