Capri Vallone Crawfeld – Raised by tough Sicilian parents, this former Marine turned detective joins ship security in the hunt for a serial killer.

Dr. Cooper “Coop” Crawfeld – Capri’s husband. Coop first met her in a medic tent in Kabul, where he treated her shoulder after she was hit by shrapnel during an insurgent attack.

Margaret & Diego Martinez – Margaret, a Napa Valley chef, boards with her husband, Diego, a troubled attorney with skeletons in his closet, including a sexual harassment case he’s hiding at his firm. The Martinezes and the Crawfelds quickly bond aboard The Bountiful Pearl.

Lisa & Webb DeMarco – Lisa, a high-profile restaurant critic, has to keep tabs on her husband, who has a habit of charming attractive women.

The USC Sorority Sisters – Three attractive women in their early forties, reunited for the voyage: Rachel, a divorced pastry chef; Jacqui, a married fitness instructor; and Cheryl, a former Ford model who craves attention, struggles with bipolar disorder, and flirts her way across the ship.

The Monster- An unseen presence aboard the ship, observing the passengers and passing judgment. His identity remains a mystery.

Gabe & Cole – Two widowers who met in a bereavement group a year before the cruise. Gabe is a chef; Cole is a computer engineer.

Ted Sweeney – A widower whose passion for photography leads him to document the beauty and opulence of The Bountiful Pearl.

Silas Mendez – A charismatic but confrontational sushi chef and one of only two chefs aboard certified to prepare fugu, the deadly pufferfish. His temper puts him at odds with too many passengers.

Vitor Espinoza – Head of security, overwhelmed by the mysteries piling up on the ship and wishing his boss weren’t on vacation.

Matt Gregory – Head of IT, overseeing all digital activity on the ship, who finds himself outwitted for the first time in his career.

Jenni Jackson – Assistant head of security, who is forced to come clean about her romance with Silas.

Alena Wilcox – Head nurse, who grows frazzled when tetrodotoxin turns up in more than one victim.

Simon Bloom – An adorable autistic teenager who boards with his uncle, the president of The Culinary Institute of America, and befriends Capri and The Monster.