The Curse of the Living Corpse

Patriarch of the Sinclair family who suffers from catalepsy, living in fear of being pronounced dead and buried alive. He dictates exact burial instructions, hoping to outrun death, and his looming fate haunts the estate long after his apparent death.

Asthmatic and alcoholic son who is desperate for his share of the inheritance. He outwardly conforms to family expectations but quietly resents being overlooked, and he ultimately becomes the killer who enacts the will’s grim threats.

Widowed matriarch who clings to tradition and harbors a morbid fear of fire. Her intense emotions and care for the family’s reputation make her a sympathetic but enigmatic figure within the lethal web.

Bruce is the disfigured, money-hungry son whose actions are driven by greed and a need to claim the inheritance. His attempts to secure wealth set the stage for violent consequences.

Philip’s wife, a practical yet anxious woman who becomes entangled in the family’s turmoil. She is targeted by the killer and meets a tragic end as the investigation unfolds.

James Benson’s wife who participates in the family’s social maneuvers and becomes an unfortunate casualty of the night’s violence as the killer closes in.

The kindhearted nephew and the seemingly ideal heir, whose life is dramatically affected by the will’s threats. He represents the tension between appearances and the true succession of the family.

The family lawyer who reads the will and coordinates with authorities, a rational voice amid escalating hysteria. He becomes a crucial link between the household and the outside world.