She has no conscience and will kill if necessary to get whatever she wants. By the time Christine, her mother, puts the truth together, Rhoda has already killed two people (a neighbor in Baltimore, and her classmate Claude Daigle). In time, she also kills Leroy, the apartment building's gardener and the only adult who sees through her. An adept manipulator, she can easily charm adults while elicit
ing fear and revulsion from other children, who can sense something wrong with her. Christine Penmark – The mother of Rhoda Penmark. As the novel unfolds, Christine slowly pieces together that Rhoda had killed Claude Daigle, and will undoubtedly kill again. She writes letters to her husband about her worries and discovery of Rhoda's true nature, but in the end disposes of them. Christine is described as beautiful. She has Nordic feminine features that are traced to her biological father. Richard Bravo adopted Christine. She has suspected being adopted since her late teenage years, but did not pursue the idea in fear of upsetting her adopted parents. Christine’s biological mother is Bessie Denker, an infamous serial killer who was executed when Christine was a child. In the end, Christine attempts to kill Rhoda by giving her sleeping pills and then shoots herself with a revolver. Monica Breedlove – The Penmarks’ landlady and Christine's best friend. She considers herself to be somewhat of a psychotherapist and claims she had been examined by Sigmund Freud. She is very social and holds many parties. Monica adores Rhoda and believes her to be a very extraordinary child. She gives Rhoda a locket she received when she was eight and a pair of sunglasses with a case. Monica knows that Christine is upset and suspects she is either sick, or that her marriage with Kenneth is under strain. She never discovers the truth about Rhoda and is ultimately upset and befuddled as to why Christine would commit suicide. Reginald Tasker- A writer and friend of Monica Breedlove. He provides Christine with information about Bessie Denker. He is friends with and fairly attracted to Christine. He informs Christine that her supposed father, Richard Bravo, worked diligently on the Bessie Denker case. Reginald Tasker also makes mention that Bessie Denker's youngest daughter was the only one who survived from the family. Leroy Jessup – The maintenance man who works for Monica Breedlove. He is the only adult character, other than Christine, who notices that Rhoda is unlike other children and constantly taunts her. Leroy tells Rhoda that blood cannot wash off with water. Rhoda only reacts to Leroy’s taunting when he claims to have the shoes with which she killed Claude Daigle. Leroy refuses to return the shoes to Rhoda, and when the realization sets in that she actually did kill Claude, he denies ever having them. Shortly after, Leroy is burned to death on his makeshift bed in the garage; Rhoda is later revealed to have been responsible. Claude Daigle – The little boy whom Rhoda drowned the day of the Fern Grammar School picnic. He won the Penmanship medal that Rhoda declared to be hers. He is described as a timid and shy boy who rarely stood up to others. He was the only child of Hortense and Dwight Daigle. Rhoda murdered Claude because he would not give her the penmanship medal. March based Bessie Denker on real-life serial killer Belle Gunness.Bessie Denker – A well-known (fictional) serial killer. She is the biological mother of Christine Penmark and the grandmother of Rhoda Penmark. Christine faintly remembers living with her biological family and escaping from her mother. Bessie Denker never makes a physical appearance in the novel. The character's life and murderous history is thoroughly described in the notes of Reginald Tasker. Bessie Denker's career is based very roughly on the real-life careers of Belle Gunness and Jane Toppan. The description of her execution in the electric chair is based on that of Ruth Snyder.
[edit] Minor charactersKenneth Penmark – The father of Rhoda and husband of Christine. Kenneth is already away on business when the novel begins and he does not return until the very end, after his wife's suicide. Kenneth never discovers the truth about Rhoda or the reasoning behind Christine's suicide and attempted murder of Rhoda. Emory Wages – Monica Breedlove's brother, who lives with his sister. He flirts with Christine at different social gatherings. Claudia Fern – The Fern sister that reprimands Rhoda for harassing Claude the day of the picnic. She describes the events the day of the picnic to Christine along with her two other sisters, and she informs Christine that her sisters and she do not wish to have Rhoda attend their school the following year. Octavia Fern – Fern sister who explains to Christine why the sisters did not ask the Penmarks to donate money for a flower arrangement to be presented at Claude’s funeral. Burgess Fern – Fern sister in charge of enrollment at the Fern School. She would not hold the penmanship medal for Claude Daigle the day of the Fern Grammar School picnic. Richard Bravo – Christine's adopted father, who was killed in an airplane crash during World War II. He was a well-known columnist and war correspondent, performing great research in the "Bessie Denker" case. He never told Christine she was adopted or that Bessie Denker was her biological mother. Hortense Daigle – Mother of Claude Daigle. She is a plain, large woman who believes that the Fern sisters look down on her for being a hairdresser and marrying late. She is devastated by her son’s death and turns to alcohol as a source of comfort. She knows that Rhoda had something to do with Claude’s death and seeks her out to find answers. Dwight Daigle – Father of Claude Daigle. He tries to help his wife, Hortense Daigle, and keep her under control as she suffers from the death of their son. Thelma
Mrs. Forsythe – She is an elderly woman who, towards the end of the novel, baby-sits Rhoda. Rhoda never harms Mrs. Forsythe because she does not have anything Rhoda wants. Belle Blackwell – Teacher of the Sunday school Rhoda attends who gives Rhoda a copy of Elsie Dinsmore. Clara Post – The old woman who lived with the Penmarks and her daughter, Edna, in the same apartment house in Baltimore. She befriended Rhoda and believed her to be truly delightful. She promised Rhoda that when she died Rhoda could have an item. Edna – She is the widowed daughter of Mrs. Clara Post. She lives with her mother in the same apartment house in Baltimore as the Penmarks. Her mother died the day she left to go to the supermarket. Edna was skeptical of Rhoda's story of her mother's accidental death. She did not invite the Penmarks to the funeral or speak to them after the incident.
