Frank Bascombe

Frank is the narrator and protagonist of the novel. He is a former sportswriter, and a divorced father of three, although he lost one of his sons to an illness. Bascombe is currently a realtor and businessman in Haddam, New Jersey, who hopes to reconnect with his son Paul, among other characters in the novel.

The McLeods

Mr. and Mrs. McLeod rent a property from Frank. Mr. McLeod does not like Frank for whatever reason, and Bascombe often has trouble getting their rent money on time.

The Markhams

Mr. and Mrs. Markham are planning to buy a home and Frank is their realtor. They are unable to agree on a place that fits into their budget, even though they have been shown numerous properties by Frank.

Karl Bemish

Karl runs Franks, a hot dog shop that Bascombe bought from Karl to help him keep it from closing...