By Does Your Duck Quack · Last updated:
Start with the people who introduce this series’ workplace and its unusual job. The roles below give you a way to recognise the opening cast; the linked novel is the place to follow their adventures.
| Character | Role | Introduction | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Madeleine “Max” Maxwell | Historian recruited by St Mary’s and the central character of the series. | Just One Damned Thing After Another | Author or publisher |
| Markham | A member of St Mary’s security team and a recurring expedition companion. | — | Author or publisher |
| Leon Farrell | Chief Technical Officer at St Mary’s. | — | Author or publisher |
| Peterson | A recurring St Mary’s colleague who joins Max and Markham on expeditions. | — | Author or publisher |
| Dr Bairstow | Director of St Mary’s Institute of Historical Research. | — | Author or publisher |
Meet the characters
Dr Madeleine “Max” Maxwell
Read the introductory profile
Max is our way into St Mary’s: a historian drawn to experiencing the past rather than simply reading about it. Research becomes an adventure with very real consequences. Her encounters with colleagues, history and danger give the series its personal centre.
Historical curiosity and the cost of getting involved.
Profile sourceMarkham
Read the introductory profile
Markham brings an irreverent presence to the security team. His apparently comic place in the group is only part of his appeal: Jodi Taylor has described how he developed into a character capable of carrying a story of his own.
The person behind the comic timing.
Profile sourceLeon Farrell
Read the introductory profile
Leon’s work puts him at the practical heart of an institution that regularly tests the limits of its equipment—and its safety procedures. As Chief Technical Officer, he has to make the extraordinary machinery and everyday running of St Mary’s work.
Practical competence amid institutional chaos.
Profile sourcePeterson
Read the introductory profile
Peterson is a familiar companion in Max’s adventures, including expeditions that are decidedly outside the official schedule. His exchanges with Max and Markham help make St Mary’s feel like a collection of friends as well as a workplace.
Camaraderie, banter and shared adventures.
Profile sourceDr Bairstow
Read the introductory profile
Dr Bairstow is the director trying to keep St Mary’s functioning. Formal authority does not insulate him from the institute’s extraordinary situations. His dealings with Max capture the tension between a responsible establishment and its wonderfully unruly people.
Leadership in a place where plans rarely survive contact with history.
Profile sourceBegin with the opening novel, then follow the numbered sequence when you want to continue with this cast.