1) Henry Spearman and his wife Pidge:

Henry Spearman is the main character of this book and he was awarded a Nobel Prize in economics so he
is a Nobel laureate and a well-respected economist. His father was a tailor. He seems to be short and
cherubic, he wears glasses and he is bald. He graduated from Columbia then he became a teacher in
Harvard University. He comes from an immigrant and European jews family who immigrated in the US
before the WWII. Pidge is Spearman’s wife, she comes from a family of academic professors. They met
while they were studying at Columbia university. They were married the year Henry finished his doctoral
studies. He seems lucky about their marriage and explains it with the theory interdependent uJlity
funcJons: it’s not only a bilateral monopoly. His wife is taller than him but he does not care about it
because she has never menJoned it. They have a daughter called Patricia, a veterinary.
2) Annelle Cubbage, a millionaire and patron of the arts at Monte Vista (husband Jack)
She funds the arts, she is a “San Antonio art patron” and she is a wealthy Texas ranger. She belongs to the
Board of Trustees, which discuss about strategic decisions concerning the university. She was born in Texas,
now she has an apartment in Central Park and a ranch outside San Antonio. She paid for an arJst-in-
residence, who is a part of the campus life: Tristan Wheeler. First, she thought he was an undiscovered
arJst in New York, she gave him the opportunity to have lots of freedom, an aRracJve wage, and a studio
near the campus. So, she provides him financial support. She’s a good shooter.
3) Herbert Abraham, a professor of economics at Monte Vista (his wife is Jocelyn)
He is a professor of economics in Monte Vista University, and he is a member of the board of Trustees. He
is in early sixJes. He recommended Spearman as the ideal candidate for the 'Cubbage VisiJng Nobel
Professorship'. He also went to the airport to meet Henry and Pidge when they first arrived in San Antonio. His wife
Jocelyn had a relaJonship / an affair with Tristan Wheeler, even if she is married. They have own two of
Wheeler’s painJngs, when he was sJll a representaJonal painter. He recommended Spearman as the ideal
candidate for the “Cubbage visiJng Nobel Professorship”. He is Wheeler’s neighbor.
4) Rowena Johnson
She belongs to the Economic Department and she is a labor economist, she could meet Spearman at the
dinner because she had an interview for a deanship at Washington State, for a business school.
5) CharloIe Quinn, president of Monte Vista University and husband Nicolas
It is her first year of the presidency. First, she wanted to make it aRracJve for a Nobel Prize to join the
faculty. She has a luxury house where she makes luxury recepJon cocktail.
6) Jennifer Kim, junior assistant professor of economics at Monte Vista
She is good looking, Korean American who respected older people. She is a kibitzer during the class of
Spearman like this she can fin research idea. She had a sort of relaJonship with Tristan Wheeler, she was
his muse, his inspiraJon. The had a lot of conversaJons about many subjects. It seems not to be a healthy
relaJonship, Tristan is selfish, he manipulates her et uses her, without taking care of her feelings. She
seems to be dependent, she came whenever he needed her. He gave her a note of graJtude before ending
their “relaJonship”. Jennifer Kim does not like the way Tristan treats her, but she conJnues to run to him the
minute he asks her for help. She seems very upset but she does not confront Tristan about the way she feels.
Although she believes Tristan mistreats her, he doesn't confront him directly. She avoids conflict, thereby becoming
silently unhappy.
Pareto - opJmal :
7) MaI BaIles, a junior assistant professor of economics
He is menJoned during a conversaJon between Abraham and Spearman, he could not wear a Je to work
because he is afraid to tarnish it. Spearman advises him to wear an expensive Je, whereas Abraham do not
think so: it is the theory of incenJves, if he wears an expensive Je, he would be obliged to take cauJon
and he will not spill something on it, the problem will be solved. Spearman always find economic logic
behind every human behavior.
8) Hannah Talsma, an associate professor in the economic department
She is a colleague of Spearman and they introduce themself at the cafeteria, she had been a naJonally
ranked volleyball player before going to graduate school in economics. She have eyeglasses, whose
make here taller. She talks about art with Spearman and about baseball. She is a professor incumbency.
She is a part of the membership of the commiRee.
9) Black Bailey, an Harvard Student: a\er a class, she asked Spearman quesJons about his lecture, she
seems “inquisiJve” Coase conjecture: The monopolist cannot impose a maximum price over the long
term because if the consumer believes that it is likely to fall at a future date, he will differ purchase. We
can say that the monopolist is in compe>>on with itself in the future. Spearman takes the example of
someone owning all the land in the United States, he will not be able to fix the price. “The market
disciplines even someone who owns all the land”

10) Anjali Vitali, senior student at Monte Vista: He is majoring in economics, he aRend to Economic and
Art class and to the lecturer of Spearman. he was the only student parJcipaJng to the dinner because
he was one of the student school “emissaries”. He is able to present the university to guests, with a
posiJve manner and he has a clean appearance. He is American and his parents come from India.

11) Doctor Henderson Ross, Spearman’s colleague at Harvard: He is from the psychology department.
They had begun both their career at Harvard, then they became friend. They are physically opposed
(contacts / glasses – short / tall…) He dresses like a hippie.

12) Tristan Wheeler, the painter: Monte Vista’s arJst-in-residence, first, his work was representaJonal, he
painted with technical facility (landscapes for instance), his painJngs began to sell, between 2K et 5K$.
When he was 30, he changed his inspiraJons a\er a psychological crisis, he thought that his work was
too convenJonal. So, Jackson Pollock became his inspiraJon (he had to choose between him and
Picasso), galleries owners and Annelle Cubbage were not happy about this change. He became an
abstract painter and stopped reflecJng reality in his painJngs. The second stage of his arJsJc
development was when he wanted to bring art “to the public, to make it more accessible, using new
technologies as computers, lasers printers, so\ware… He was working on a “Free Art Campaign”
project which aims to propose a free plagorm to arJsts and public. Wheeler is also described as an
womanizer and a self-centered person. He has 2 truest friends (Canvas et Frame): parrots were found
savagely death, wheeler was extremely sad and angry about it. . He had some relaJon with Jocelyn and
Jennifer Kim, but he stop the relaJonship with Jennifer Kim, it was a toxic relaJon He is alcoholic and
moody. When he is creaJng, he is o\en enjoying the company of lovers in his studio. Sean Daniels
found the death body of Wheeler, he was hanged and he wrote a suicide leRer.
We do not yet know whether Wheeler commiRed suicide or was killed. Furthermore, his lifeless body
was found in his home on Oakmont Court (not on campus). Successful teacher at MV, social important
 on the campus very popular, he had the habit of handwriJng all his notes but his suicide note was
printed. His art was sold for highest price and his work was recognized
Jackson Pollock :
IrraJonnel suicide :
13) Gloria Winters, Spearman’s administra[ve assistant: Its her who put the page from the newspaper
into the Barking dog file to send to St-Antonio (the November art the\).
14) Dr Raul Ramos, the surgeon: Surgeon at San Antonio’s Hospital, physician and art collector, he was the
vicJm of a robbery, 5 Wheeler’s painJngs were stolen. Ramos offers 1-million-dollar reward to the one
that return his painJngs. He is a well-known patron of the San Antonio art community. He o\en
supports the ciJes art museum. Divorced, has two daughters, one of them lives in AusJn. He holds
many fund raisers. Finally we learn that Raul Ramos is the killer, because he was desperate, he looses a
lot of many in the dot-come bubble crisis, a\er that his wife asks for the divorced. He was not vicJme
of thief but he organizes the thief by himself to earn money.

15) Rosie Segura, Ramos’s housekeeper: She is Mexican and she worked for Ramos for seven years, she
was interviewed at San Antonio police staJon a\er the the\. She sends money to her family in Mexico.
About the the\: She heard something and she went upstairs with scissors, about 2 am, then she looked
in the dining and living room, the painJngs were gone so she woke up Ramos and then he called 911.
She said that she has never stolen something from Ramos. She seems to not care about the arJsts, she
only sees their bad side.

16) Fritz Siegfried, police officer: Working on the the\. Siegfried is like a mentor for Sherry. There are
some disagreements between them about their cases: Fuller doesn’t think Wheeler commiRed suicide,
she believes there is a link between Wheeler’s death and the the\ of his painJngs whereas Siegfried
disagrees.

17) Sherry Fuller, homicide officer: She is a detecJve even if she does not look like a cop. She finds suicide
unnecessary, because she does not understand why the people do not seek help instead of killing
themselves, so she always prefers to prove that a death was a murder rather than a suicide. Her
appearance led some people to underesJmate her strength, she is friend with Siegfried. Has her hair in
a bun. She has been an homicide officer for 10 years and she worked 5 years tracking the missing
persons. Strong and stoic in front of tough situaJons and death, she is a determine person.

18) Lewis Mar[n, the curator of the Travis Museum: guest of the fund-raiser, Ramos thinks that he is a
liRle bit envious because he has more Wheeler’s painJngs than any over private collector. He was
present during the fund-raiser organized by Ramos the night the painJngs were stolen. He was there to
make some remarks, about the arJsts and their art, to encourage people to spend money. He loves
Wheeler’s work. Lewis was the last to leave the party.

19) Sean Daniel’s, Wheeler’s assistant: Job offered by the department of Art, he accepted and he hoped to
be a painter, he majored in art when he was undergraduate at Monte Vista University, his father le\ his
mother when he was 6 years old, so they had financial obstacles. Sean had to work in order to pay
 college tuiJon and his room. Then, his mother wanted him to get a “good job”, which means a steady
work with a high pay. A\er that, even if the university offered him a work-study posiJon, he knew he
had a lack of talent. He had to do basic tasks for Wheeler. Even if working for Tristan Wheeler was
becoming more and more difficult, he decided to stay to improve his network. Wheeler was rude and
arrogant with him. He is a plausible suspect of the crime because his name was on the Wheeler’s will
and because he had access to the Wheeler’s studio.

20) Madelyn Howel, the provost’s wife: She lives in Oakmont Court, friend of Pidge, they go to restaurants
and go out like friends.

21) Bruce Goolsby, Wheeler’s lawyer: 2 weeks before his death, Wheeler wanted a will. Sean’s name is
wriRen on it.

22) Michael Cavanaugh, art department: Worked at art department, he thinks that Wheeler’s death is not
a suicide. He is a close friend of TW
23) Hovey Lansing, the auc[oneer : at NY, during the aucJon when Cubbage bought wheeler’s painJng for
3 million dollar. He is very pro, he learn to never look surprised.
24) Kenneth Elzinga and Marshall Jevons: Kenneth is a professor of economics at Virginia University, he
had more than 40K students. William Breit is a friend of Elzinga, he is a professional comedian et he
suggested him to write mystery novels using economics to solve crime, when they were in vacaJon
together. He took him “under his wing”. So, they co-authored 3 novels, using Marshall Jevons as a pen
name.