Despite the fact that Valentine is the character who takes the responder and pulls them through the journey, step by step with her, it is the excerpts from Lavenders autobiography that give the responder the incite that even Claudia does not have. Clues, puzzles and red herrings are planted to be solved, representing the way Lavenders mind works, everything is a game and the city is vital part of that game. Lavender establishes himself to the reader and Claudia alike, as the powerful and enigmatic force over the city, even Claudia is under his capture- and by personifying the city, Lavender can have hold over its entirety too.
Marele Day goes as far as keeping within the crime thriller tradition as possible when she creates the web of sub characters. There is Claudia's circle of contacts, Lavenders circle of contacts and they are all connected, not so much as mutual friends rather then as the city's circle of contacts. Some characters are planted simply as stylistic tools, others with specific purposes to push the novel forward but all to represent diversity in the city. Claudia's world is quite a lonely one, not so many friends but plenty of contacts, quite appropriate given her job situation. The characters that helped Claudia unravel the clues and piece together the evidence were varied such as Otto- who helped break into the computer, Carol- an old school friend and helpful police officer, Mrs Levack who, through her spying, gave Claudia the evidence she needed to be pushed into Lavenders circle, by finding Sally Villos. Boyfriend to the deceased and daughter to the murderer, Villo's character is "cute, flighty and ultimately dangerous", just like Sydney. Sally Villos is a spoilt pretty girl living on the rich side of town, self absorbed as is Lavender and not willing to cooperate with Claudia, her seductive nature almost makes her a femme fatale type character. There is another character from Claudia's circle that fits into the femme fatale natured character, Steve Angell, his looks are what cause Claudia to doubt his sincerity, fearing that he may be working for the Lavender.
