The Shadow in the North

A formidable, resourceful financial consultant who investigates Miss Walsh's lost savings and exposes Bellmann’s scheme. She drives the action with intellectual savvy and unyielding resolve, balancing romance with professional duty. By the end she asserts control over her fate and chooses to forge a future with Frederick—despite the peril.

Sally’s ally and a private investigator with a photographer’s eye, Frederick helps uncover the North Star scheme and supports Sally through peril. He plays a crucial role in rescuing others during the fire and dies in the blaze, leaving Sally to carry the investigation forward. His loyalty and romantic bond with Sally anchor the story’s emotional core.

A ruthless industrial magnate who orchestrates Anglo-Baltic’s collapse to fund North Star. He leverages aristocratic alliances and fear to advance his plans and push his own power. His downfall comes when Sally uses his arrogance against him, culminating in the Steam Gun’s weaponization and his death.

A medium whose trance claims are intertwined with the North Star conspiracy, and who harbors long-buried family secrets. She is attacked during the plot, and her past ties to North Star and Jessie Saxon later emerge. Her character embodies the tension between spiritualism’s allure and cynical manipulation.

Sally’s ally, a stagehand who supports the investigation and helps thwart Bellmann’s schemes. He carries a stubborn loyalty and a sense of risk-taking that pushes the group forward. He suffers a broken leg but survives, continuing to stand by Sally’s side.

A flamboyant stage magician with apparent psychic insight who becomes a key contact for the group. He is pursued by Bellmann and ultimately connected to the romantic subplots surrounding Lady Mary and Isabel. His escape attempts and daring persona add misdirection and tension to the investigation.

An aristocrat who is engaged to Bellmann but resistant to the marriage. She falls for Alistair MacKinnon, complicating political alliances and adding a layer of forbidden romance. Her choices reflect the era’s tension between duty and desire.

A woman in love with MacKinnon who endures danger and heartbreak as the plot unfolds. Her room is ransacked, and she becomes a casualty in the climactic fire, illustrating the personal costs of the men’s power plays. Her presence highlights the vulnerability of women drawn into the conflicts.

Frederick’s uncle who runs a photography shop and private investigations office on Burton Street. He provides guidance and a base of operations for the team, anchoring the detective work in a practical, businesslike setting. His experience helps tie together the personal and professional threads of the case.

A client who loses her life savings due to Anglo-Baltic’s collapse. Her case drives Sally’s investigation and personal stake in recovering the money, highlighting the human cost of corporate manipulation. Her faith in Garland & Lockhart is rewarded when the funds are recovered and redirected to Sally’s firm.