Estranged twins Josie and Lanie Buhrman lost both their parents when they were fifteen years old.

[3] Their father Charles "Chuck" was murdered, and their mother Erin ran away to join a cult.

As Parnell's investigation gathers steam, the twins are forced to meet after their mother commits suicide.

[3] Bustle magazine published a guide to the novel for fans of the TV series, detailing major adjustments the screenwriters made in their adaptation to a visual media.

[9] For instance the novel's protagonist is Josie Burhman, one of the twins, and Poppy Parnell, the podcaster, is merely a minor character.