The Barnesiverse

PROTAGONIST / MANAGER

Steve Barnes

Former professional footballer turned manager, tasked with winning promotion to the Premier League.

STEVE'S WIFE

Susan Barnes

Steve Barnes's long-suffering wife.

CLUB CHAIRMAN

Sir Laurence Brook

aka Sir Lawrence Brook

The wealthy owner and chairman of Leddersford Town FC.

ASSISTANT MANAGER

Jock Durham

Barnes's loyal assistant manager and trusted confidant.

CLUB SECRETARY

Julie

The club secretary of Leddersford Town.

VICTIM

Pat Duffy

A young Irish striker who wears the number 13 shirt.

MURDERER

Eddie Carberry

aka Eddie Carbury

The assistant coach of Leddersford Town, and the murderer of Pat Duffy.

ANTAGONIST

Terry Causton

A nightclub owner who becomes embroiled in the Duffy investigation.

MINOR CHARACTER

Shannon

A minor character whose primary narrative contribution is possessing an office that contains a PC.

VICTIM / WAR CRIMINAL

Sam Milton

aka Stefan Dušan

The groundskeeper at Leddersford's stadium, identified by the coroner as a Slav and bearing a mysterious military tattoo.

VILLAIN

Drago Mihajlović

A Yugoslavian warlord and the primary antagonist of Sweeper!, pulling strings in a conspiracy that somehow also involves British intelligence and Israeli Nazi hunters.

THE MISSING PLAYER

Pedro Alvares Cabral di Sao Raimundo

aka Cabral

Leddersford's star defender, named after the Portuguese explorer who discovered Brazil.

BLACKMAILER

The English Teacher

Enlisted by Barnes to analyse linguistic clues left by the anonymous blackmailer, known as 'Chummy.