The novel’s protagonist, Dr. David Beck, is “a shade under six feet” (146) but otherwise not described physically. “Sensitive and unathletic” (21), David is a caring pediatrician who is devoted to the wellbeing of his patients. He’s a man of intellect, who stands out against the many bulked-up action men in the novel. His sensitivity is further shown in his unswerving devotion to Elizabeth and in his preference for the company of women, for example, his sister and her partner, Shauna, over men. Coben sets David up as an atypical protagonist in an action-driven crime novel.

Driven by his emotions and the goal of seeing Elizabeth, David is capable of reckless acts of bravery. He surprises himself, for example, when running from the police, he “had become a suspect in not one but two murders, was on the run from the law, had assaulted a police officer, and had enlisted the aid of a known drug dealer” (188). David would appear to have undergone a complete character change; however, when he reveals his murderous secret at the end of the novel, the reader learns that he has always had the potential to defend himself and take impulsive action.