Pretty Little Wife

Lila Ridgefield

is a reserved and controlled woman, described as “beautiful but really cold.” Outwardly, she is a former lawyer working as a real estate agent and married to a seemingly perfect man. However, her life is marked by deep trauma: her father was a serial killer who murdered her childhood best friend, and her mother committed suicide after the trial, leaving her with a feeling of abandonment. This past has turned her into a fiercely private and vigilant person, afraid of history repeating itself.

When she discovers her husband, Aaron, sexually abusing his students, she decides to take justice into her own hands. Throughout the story, Lila is torn between her need for control and the chaos surrounding her. Although the public considers her a “vigilante hero” for what she has done, Lila sees herself as a “survivor.”

Aaron Payne

is Lila’s 37-year-old husband, a math teacher and field hockey coach. Outwardly, he is charming and appears as the “boy next door.” People consider him an exemplary husband and citizen. However, beneath this facade hides a manipulative, condescending, and controlling man who abuses his students and records them in videos he keeps on a hidden phone.

His motivation is to maintain a perfect public image, which contrasts with his predatory tendencies. Aaron uses psychological coercion to manipulate Lila and others. Ultimately, it is discovered that Aaron is the main suspect in Karen Blue’s disappearance, although it is his brother, Jared, who ultimately frames and murders him, attributing his own crimes to him.

Ginny Davis

is a senior investigator in the Criminal Investigation Division of the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office. She is described as a professional, astute, and very observant woman. Despite her promotion in a male-dominated environment, she often clashes with her boss, Sheriff Charles Gan, who prioritizes politics and public image over justice.

Ginny is driven by an honest search for truth and justice for the victims. Although her job requires her to maintain control and objectivity, she feels empathy for Lila as she learns about her traumatic past. In the end, although she cannot prove Lila is the murderer, she ends up believing her and confesses that she is suspicious of the Payne family’s past.

Jared Payne

is Aaron’s older brother and a successful real estate developer. Although he is publicly charming and kind, he is a psychopathic serial killer and the true criminal mastermind behind the kidnappings and murders. Jared sees the “game” of hunting women as a sport and maintains meticulous control over his and his brother’s lives. He also manipulates Lila, offering her support to make her think they are kindred spirits, which he considers a “connection.”

He is the one who murdered Karen Blue and two other women, and who killed his own mother and father. He is also the one who is responsible for framing Aaron, first, and Ryan and Brent, second, to cover his crimes. Ultimately, he dies at the hands of Lila, who manages to expose his true nature and end the Payne family’s criminal legacy.

Ryan Horita

is a university sociology professor and Lila’s lover. He is described as attractive, intelligent, and with a large ego. His specialty is true crime, and at first, Lila thought their relationship was genuine. However, he was using her as an “opportunity” for his next book on crime. Ryan collected information about Lila’s past without her knowledge, including her father’s crimes and her mother’s suicide, viewing her as a “case study.”

When Aaron disappears, Ryan becomes a suspect because of the phone that Jared placed in his house. Although he is innocent of the murders, his character reveals the exploitative nature of Lila’s “connection” with other men.

Brent Little

is the high school principal where Aaron works and his best friend. He is described as a person who struggles to maintain his image, dealing with significant debt after a divorce. He is the one who notifies Lila and the police of Aaron’s disappearance and who accuses her of what happened.

Brent is an unwitting accomplice to Jared’s manipulation and allows himself to be influenced by public opinion to accuse Lila. Towards the end, it is discovered that he may have known about Aaron’s inappropriate behavior with students, and he is suspended from his position at the high school. Despite his complicity, he repents and apologizes to Lila.

Cassie Zimmer

is Lila’s neighbor, characterized as intrusive and talkative. However, it is revealed that in the past, she suffered abuse from her first husband, which makes her an empathetic survivor. Her personal experiences allow her to recognize the signs of manipulation and abuse in Lila and Aaron’s relationship.

Throughout the book, Cassie transforms from a nuisance to Lila into an unexpected ally. She offers her support and takes care of cleaning the graffiti from Lila’s garage, while also giving her advice and comforting her about her trauma.

Christina Torres

is Lila’s boss at the real estate agency. She is a professional, loyal, and strong-willed woman who protects Lila from the police’s suspicions. She is clearly distrustful of Aaron and is convinced that his behavior is not normal.

Christina protects Lila by deleting digital evidence that could have been incriminating. She is the one who sees Lila as a strong and capable woman who deserves something better, so she supports her unconditionally, even when it puts her own business at risk.