A Taste of Evil

Miriam is Susan's mother, trapped in an unstable marriage with Harold and consumed by jealousy. She manipulates the situation to keep Susan dependent and aimed at disinheriting her daughter. Her veneer of concern masks a calculating, controlling nature.

A longtime family friend and the gardener, John hides a predatory past behind charm. He is revealed as the man who raped Susan when she was thirteen and becomes entangled in Miriam's scheme, before meeting a violent end.

A psychiatrist who recognizes Susan's subconscious rejection of Harold and then orchestrates a counter-conspiracy to test her recovery. He manipulates situations to provoke revelations, pushing boundaries of ethics for control. The twist exposes his role as the mastermind behind the stalking.

The traumatized center of the story, Susan struggles to distinguish memory from reality after the abuse. Her fragile grip on sanity is tested as she confronts manipulation within the family and the threat of being sent back to the sanatorium. Her resilience drives the emotional throughline of the film.

Miriam's alcoholic husband whose volatility underscores the mansion's tension. He is accused of assault, becomes a key figure in shifting suspicions, and is later found dead, apparently shot by Susan.

The local lawman who appears as the investigation unfolds, providing a steady presence amid escalating paranoia and helping to uncover the truth.

The younger version of Susan who endures the initial rape, serving as the catalyst for the trauma that drives the later events. Her experience sets the stage for the present tension.