Dr. Elliott Sumner is a tan, athletic-build man (6’4”, 235 lbs.) with penetrating steel-blue eyes, thick coffee-brown hair combed back with a single pass of a few fingers. His chiseled brow, high forehead, cut jaw line and square chin better fit an NFL quarterback than a world-renowned forensic pathologist and serial killer hunter. He is a humble genius with a perfect, photographic memory named by the media—the Western Sherlock. When he is not in doctor scrubs, he is in a pair of khakis or jeans with no belt, a blue blazer, white shirt-unbuttoned collar, and Merrell Kaolins without socks.

Albert Bell is a dashing, seventy-six-year-old multibillionaire patriarch, international cotton merchant, and owner of the Memphis Tribune newspaper. He is a tall, willowy man with steel-blue eyes and bronze complexion. His thick, wavy, silver hair is wild on his forehead with an eccentric, elder statesman appeal. The ‘old school’ gentleman is an impeccable dresser, a philanthropist, and global entrepreneur with enormous respect and silent power. Over his lifetime he has suffered dire personal tragedies (loss of family) he carries in the lines of his face and quiet demeanor. Albert dismisses the significance of the enormous wealth he was born into. His internal struggles for peace and to find the real purpose of his life can be felt in his soft-spoken words and curious listening skills.

Anthony (Tony) Wilcox is a top Memphis Homicide Detective and Elliott Sumner's best friend. The 40 year old man of few words is of slender, long-limbed, six-four stature, with wispy dark brown hair, shaggy brow, and rock-hard persona chiseled from 20 years as a Midsouth cop. His sharp instincts and icy stares are natural deterrents to wrongdoers. “Tee” is a loner with a long line of failed relationships because of his life of endless risk, late nights, heavy smoking, and love of scotch. Tony understands good and evil, sees no gray areas, and is dedicated to taking out the trash. His edgy methods and colorful language are tolerated by top brass and city leaders who need Tony to keep the streets of Memphis safe.

Carol Mason is the aggressive investigative reporter who joins the Memphis Tribune newspaper to find the Bluff City Butcher. The Pulitzer Prize winner is smart, feisty and unafraid in her review of unsolved homicides (cold cases) that lead to her encounters with the most horrific serial killer in the United States. Carol Mason is 5’8” and 125 pounds with long blond hair and a striking presence. She is not impressed with or focused on herself, but Carol takes the time to look her best in even the worst of circumstances. This independent, modern woman never backs down and has no time for relationships . . . until she meets Dr. Elliott Sumner.

Adam Duncan is the genius psychopathic serial killer of Memphis legend, the Bluff City Butcher. Adam is 6'5" and 240 lbs. His genetic gifts give him a body and a chiseled face that transform into monstrous proportions when enraged. His black-marble eyes and edgy facial features and glistening skin give him lightning speed and stealth capabilities as he moves in the night. His skills with a knife and ability to vanish make him impossible to stop.