Wait Till Helen Comes

A perceptive teenage girl living in Baltimore who moves to Holwell with her mother Jean and her new stepfather Dave. She has the rare ability to see Helen's ghost, a gift shared with her late father, and she takes on a protective role for Heather. Her visions sometimes put her at odds with the family, but they drive the search for the truth behind Helen's past.

A preadolescent girl who has spent years in a psychiatric hospital after trauma. She forms a friendship with Helen's ghost and is drawn to the blue butterfly associated with Helen. She reveals that she accidentally killed her mother while cooking, a confession that ties her to the house's dark history. Her bond with Helen drives the emotional core of the story and she shows resilience despite fear.

The ghost of Helen Harper, a six-year-old girl from 1886 who died in tragedy near the Harper house. Known by the nickname 'the blue butterfly,' she guides Heather and influences Molly. Her presence unravels long-buried family secrets and reveals the fate of her parents, trapped in the past until a spectral resolution occurs.

A writer and widower who marries Jean, joining Molly and Heather in a remote rural home. He provides a calm, introspective presence and becomes part of the fragile family dynamic as they confront fear and memory together.

Molly's mother, a widowed woman who remarries and moves the family to Holwell. She is initially skeptical of Molly's visions, yet she remains protective and strives to hold the family together as secrets surface and dangers loom.

The kindly, elderly keeper of the churchyard who believes Molly's visions and warns of danger. He remembers his late wife Rose and acts as a bridge between the living and the departed, offering cautious guidance to the children.

The local lawman who represents the town's sense of order and safety. He provides stability to the community and participates in the unfolding investigation of the haunting.

Molly's younger brother who joins the family at the Holwell residence. He brings a youthful curiosity to the events and anchors the sibling dynamic as the mystery deepens.

The local librarian who helps uncover Helen's backstory through records and photographs, providing essential context about the historical tragedy and its lasting impact on the community.