Character Guide
Spoiler alert: This guide includes character details that may reveal plot elements.
Vanessa Wallace
A witty, observant traveler embarking on her dream Alaskan cruise with her husband, Gavin. Vanessa’s curiosity, humor, and emotional instincts make her one of the emotional anchors of the story. While she initially embraces the trip as an adventure, she slowly becomes entangled in the growing fear surrounding the murders unfolding along the cruise route.
Known for: Sharp observations, pop culture references, emotional intuition, and finding humor even in tense situations.
Gavin Wallace
Vanessa’s husband. Competitive, charming, adventurous, and deeply devoted to Vanessa. Gavin is the planner of the pair — the type to attend the cruise itinerary briefing while Vanessa would rather sleep in. His grounded personality helps balance Vanessa’s emotional reactions as the nightmare around them escalates.
Known for: Confidence, humor, attentiveness, preparedness, athletic energy, and being “all in” on cruise activities.
Derek Hale (traveling under an alias)
A charismatic and intelligent predator hiding in plain sight aboard the Aurora Queen. Derek blends effortlessly into social environments while secretly carrying out a horrifying ritualistic killing spree tied to the ports along Alaska’s Inside Passage.
Known for: Manipulation, calm demeanor, custom RV designs, calculated violence, and psychological games.
Maggie
Warm, patient, and effortlessly easygoing, Maggie brings a sense of calm and normalcy to the people around her. Intelligent without being flashy, she works as a paralegal and has built a stable, organized life grounded in routine and trust. Her compassionate nature and loyalty make her deeply likable — and dangerously unsuspecting of the darkness quietly growing around her. Derek’s girlfriend of two years.
Known for: Kindness, emotional patience, quiet intelligence, upbeat personality, and seeing the best in people.
Sloan Whitley
A stylish, confident woman traveling aboard the Aurora Queen with her husband, Marcus. Sloan is polished, socially magnetic, and accustomed to luxury.
Known for: Elegance, social charm, branding, elevated taste, confidence, and carefully maintained appearances.
Marcus Whitley
Sloan’s husband and a highly successful professional with wealth, influence, and a carefully curated public image. Marcus is charismatic, intelligent, and polished in social settings, but behind closed doors he hides a secret life.
Known for: Distinguished status, professional influence, secrecy, and living behind a carefully controlled mask.
Detective Erin Gagnon
A seasoned homicide detective with the Vancouver Police Department. Erin quickly recognizes that the murder in Vancouver may not be an isolated case. Sharp-minded, relentless, and instinct-driven, she is the kind of investigator who refuses to let go once something feels wrong.
Known for: Relentless investigative instincts, interrogation skills, stubborn persistence, and refusing to let victims become forgotten headlines.
Sergeant Liam Chen
Erin’s investigative partner and trusted colleague. Chen provides a calm, analytical counterpart during the rapidly escalating investigation.
Known for: Methodical thinking, loyalty, and steady leadership under pressure.
Officer Josh Turner
A Vancouver police officer assigned to assist during the early stages of the investigation. Ambitious and capable, Josh is quietly working toward earning his detective shield.
Known for: Compassion, determination, investigative instincts, and balancing ambition with humanity.
Marjorie Klein
Ketchikan’s respected and effective Medical Examiner. Intelligent, meticulous, and unshaken by difficult scenes, Marjorie becomes a crucial figure in the growing investigation.
Read her full story: Marjorie Klein — Ketchikan Medical Examiner.
Known for: Detailed forensic work, dry professionalism, and uncovering subtle patterns others miss.
Rachel Silesh
The Vancouver Police Department’s lead Forensics Coordinator. Her technical expertise helps establish connections between victims and locations as the case expands beyond Vancouver.
Known for: Precision, organization, and relentless attention to forensic detail.
Chief David Milner
Ketchikan’s Chief of Police. Respectful of the cruise traffic, and happy when they leave. Has held a long-time secret crush on Harbor Master Alison Kaalak.
Alison Kaalak
Ketchikan’s Harbor Master. Stout, dutiful, and sharp, she always has a pulse on what’s happening in the bay, on the docks, and at the pier.
Jonathan Jasper
A nationally recognized true crime podcaster and creator of Jasper Unsolved. Beneath the public persona, he shares a complicated history with Detective Erin Gagnon.
Known for: Charisma, investigative instincts, a massive online following, and pushing uncomfortable questions into the spotlight.
Chief Patrick Brody
The Juneau Police Chief who becomes involved after another body is discovered along the cruise route.
Known for: Practical leadership and coordination between agencies.
Special Agent Sally Shaw
An FBI profiler brought into the growing multi-jurisdictional investigation. Shaw helps connect patterns between victims, locations, and the killer’s ritualistic markings.
Known for: Behavioral analysis, federal coordination, and strategic thinking.
Special Agent Dr. Darren Moore
An imposing FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit profiler brought in to brief investigators as connections between the murders begin surfacing.
Known for: Criminal profiling, behavioral analysis, and connecting patterns across jurisdictions.
Officer Katie Daniels
One of the few full-time police officers in Skagway. She is among the first on scene when concern over Lila Bennett’s disappearance turns into a missing persons investigation.
Known for: Calm professionalism, local knowledge, and escalating the severity when Lila Bennett goes missing.
Maya Alvarez
Jessie King’s determined and fiercely loyal girlfriend. Her persistence and instincts push Officer Josh Turner to accompany her back to Stanley Park to search for answers.
Known for: Loyalty, determination, and refusing to give up on Jessie.
Cassie Morgan
An energetic wilderness guide who leads rainforest excursions in Ketchikan during the summer.
Known for: Fearless energy, outdoor expertise, and storytelling that makes every excursion feel unforgettable.
Alex Calloway
The owner of Calloway’s Outfitters on Park Street in Ketchikan. After returning from several days off-grid, he discovers the town shaken by Addie Knowles’ murder.
Known for: Backcountry survival skills, local knowledge, and providing key surveillance evidence.
Tom Halvorsen
The owner of Northern Frontier Excursions in Juneau. He discovers Kelsy Morgan’s body aboard one of his tour buses.
Known for: Reliability, leadership, and discovering one of the investigation’s most disturbing crime scenes.
Erica Grayson
The Practice Manager of Park Street Family Clinic in Ketchikan. Her dog Sitka ultimately leads her to the tragic discovery of Addie Knowles’ body.
Known for: Dependability, compassion, and being the first to discover Addie Knowles.
Fred O’Malley
A nomadic RV traveler parked near the tour bus where Kelsy Morgan was killed. Quiet, guarded, and deeply reclusive.
Known for: Living off-grid and avoiding attention, with his only friend, Scout, by his side.
Amanda Caldwell
A close friend of Lila Bennett in Skagway. When Lila unexpectedly fails to show up for their weekly craft night, Amanda immediately senses something is wrong.
Known for: Loyalty, strong instincts, and refusing to ignore when something feels off.
Amelia Pratt
Derek’s high school girlfriend and the first known victim connected to his violent past.
Known for: Her tragic connection to Derek and being the first victim in the killer’s known timeline.
Brett Pratt
Amelia Pratt’s older brother. Protective and deeply affected by his sister’s murder, Brett never fully recovered from the tragedy.
Known for: Fierce loyalty to his family and carrying the lasting scars of Amelia’s murder.
Ray Hale
Derek Hale’s stepfather. Ray plays a significant role in shaping the darkness and emotional violence that embodies Derek.
Known for: Wilderness expertise, manipulative cruelty, abusive behavior, and being a predator.
Lorna Hale
Derek Hale’s mother. Heavily medicated and often detached from the realities unfolding inside her own home.
Known for: Emotional detachment, quiet vulnerability, and remaining oblivious to the damage within her family.
Jessie King
The first known victim, discovered in Vancouver’s Stanley Park shortly before the cruise departs. Her murder launches the investigation.
Signature detail: A mysterious letter traced onto her forehead.
Addie Knowles
A young woman from Ketchikan, found deceased in the woods behind Ketch Sub Shop. Granddaughter of Dorothy Knowles.
Kelsy Morgan
An employee connected to Juneau’s tourism industry who becomes another victim in the expanding investigation.
Lila Bennett
A beloved teacher from Skagway whose murder shakes the local community.
Jasper Unsolved
A wildly popular true crime podcast hosted by Jonathan Jasper. Known for examining unsolved murders, the podcast becomes increasingly involved as similarities between cases surface along Alaska’s Inside Passage.
The Aurora Queen
The luxury cruise ship carrying passengers through Alaska’s breathtaking Inside Passage. Elegant on the surface, the ship caters to adult travelers seeking an elevated, upscale experience.
Known for: Luxury, scenic beauty, and hiding passengers’ secrets.
Dominic | Aurora Queen’s Entertainment Director
Handsome, witty, and impossible to ignore, he has a way of making every guest feel like they’re the most important person in the room. When Dominic enters a scene, all eyes follow.
Known for: Commanding the spotlight like a rockstar.
Request a backstory on your favorite character from Inside Passage.
