- Stephen Wheatley – A shy boy who finds himself drawn into Keith's games and is a frequent target of school bullies. The book hints at that Stephen suffers from OCD, and seems to be sexually attracted to Barbara.
- Geoff Wheatley – Stephen's older brother.
- Keith Hayward – A snobbish, domineering child with a worryingly vicious streak, possibly inspired by the cruelty his father bestows upon him whenever he misbehaves. His inherent snobbery has alienated most other children and his parents seem to largely ignore him, so in a sense he relies on Stephen for companionship, although he frequently condescends to and mistreats him.
- Mrs. Hayward – A mysterious character, implied as being very attractive. She vanishes for various amounts of time throughout the day for no apparent reason, leading her son to believe that she may be an undercover operative. She has a distant relationship with her husband and seems vaguely scared of him.
- Mr. Hayward – A deeply introverted man, who spends most of his time in his shed working on various mechanical projects. He mostly ignores Keith, and only acknowledges Stephen's existence when it is apparent that he knows something he should not. He has a peculiar hold on his wife and is subtly conveyed as quite a nasty, mean-spirited individual. His anger at being unable to fight in the war like the rest of the men is channelled into a very calm (but all the more threatening) persona.
- Barbara Berrill – A school peer of Keith and Stephen, who shows an interest in Stephen and occasionally accompanies him on his adventures. She often appears bossy and annoys Stephen, although it appears that he may have a slight crush on her. Barbara serves as a plot device for revealing important information at certain times during the novel.
- Deirdre Berrill - Barbara's older sister who "meets up" with Geoff.
- Auntie Dee – Mrs. Hayward's sister, whom she sees every day. Described as very bubbly and a frequent smiler.
- Uncle Peter – Auntie Dee's husband, a handsome young man currently fighting abroad. He has garnered a reputation as a war hero.
- Milly - The baby daughter of Dee and Peter.
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