The Players

Here are the players in the Red Dog Conspiracy series. This page could change as more players are revealed. I've included some significant locations for context as well.

The non-blacked out portions could have minor spoilers for the series, particularly for The Jacq of Spades. Since I can't see why you'd be here if you haven't read The Jacq of Spades, I'm not going to worry about it.

Less minor spoilers are hidden; select the blacked-out areas to see the writing. But beware: some of these blacked out parts are major spoilers, so you may want to read the books first.

Spadros quadrant (southeast)

• Spadros Manor
• Spadros Castle
• Tony's men
• The Spadros Pot
• The Spadros slums
• The Merchants and Arts district
• High-cards
• Others in Spadros quadrant

Diamond quadrant (southwest)

Clubb quadrant (northeast)

Hart quadrant (northwest)

Market Center (island in the center of the city, where the four rivers meet)

At Large (who knows where they might be?)

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The Players in Spadros quadrant (southeast)

Spadros Manor (192nd and Scoop)

Jacqueline Kaplan Spadros (Jacqui, aka the Lady of Spadros) - Originally born in the Spadros Pot, Jacqui was sold to Roy Spadros at twelve and was married to his son Tony against her will. She secretly runs a private investigation business.

Anthony Spadros (Tony, aka the Spadros Heir) - Heir to the Spadros crime syndicate and married to Jacqui.

John Pearson (Pearson) - Butler for Spadros Manor. Grew up with Roy Spadros.

Jane Pearson (Jane) - Pearson's wife; Mistress of Kitchens. Later promoted to Spadros Manor housekeeper.

Jacob Michaels (Michaels) - Tony's manservant. Is in a long-term relationship with Honor; decides to swear allegiance to Jacqui.

Skip Honor (Honor) - Footman for Spadros Manor. Is in a long-term relationship with Michaels; decides to swear allegiance to Jacqui.

Amelia Dewey (Amelia) - Jacqui's lady's maid.

Peter Dewey (Peter) - Stable-master for Spadros Manor; Amelia's husband.

Pip Dewey (Pip) - Peter and Amelia's son. He was born after Amelia was raped by Roy Spadros.

Blitz Spadros (Blitz) - Tony's distant cousin. Night footman for Spadros Manor. Later becomes Jacqui's butler at her apartments.

Mary Pearson (Mary) - John and Jane's daughter; a maid. Marries Blitz before book 4.

Alan Pearson (Alan) - John and Jane's son; Mary's older brother. Becomes night footman after Blitz leaves Spadros Manor.

Monsieur Tongo Sabacc (Monsieur) - Chef for Spadros Manor. Estranged husband of Madame Biltcliffe; after her murder, takes the dress shop and lets Tenni run it.

Anne - A kitchen maid. Later promoted to Mistress of Kitchens.

Poignee - A kitchen maid; she and Jacqui grew up together. Killed by Tony for publicly slandering him.

Ottilie - A kitchen maid; she and Jacqui grew up together. Marja's daughter (see Hart quadrant). Killed by Tony for publicly slandering him.

Treysa - A kitchen maid; she and Jacqui grew up together. Killed by Tony for publicly slandering him

Shanna Deuce - A maid.

Spadros Castle (192nd and Book, some ten miles to the south of Spadros Manor)

Roy Spadros (Roy) - Patriarch of the Spadros crime family, aka the King of Spades. He lives at Spadros Castle, also located on 192nd Street, some ten miles to the south of Spadros Manor. Tony's father. We learn in book 3 that Roy is not actually Tony's father.

Molly Hogan Spadros (Molly) - Roy's wife, aka the Queen of Spades; Tony's mother.

Katherine Spadros (Katie) - Roy and Molly's daughter; Tony's teenage sister.

Tony's men

Ten Hogan (Sawbuck) - Molly's nephew; Tony's first cousin and right hand man. He runs much of the quadrant in Tony's name. He is secretly in love with Tony but has been forbidden by Roy Spadros to speak of it.

Dr. Salmon - An elderly doctor. Private surgeon for the Spadros Family.

Eight Howell - A Spadros Associate; runs the Backdoor Saloon (see Merchants and Arts district).

Crab - A Spadros Associate. Committed suicide. In Drawing Thin, we learn he's suspected by the police of being the Bridges Strangler.

Duck - A Spadros Associate. Shot by Tony then died of infection.

Bull - A Spadros Associate. Killed by Tony for publicly slandering Jacqui's friends.

The Spadros Pot (at the "tip" of the quadrant; separated from the slums by the Hedge)

Fanny Kaplan (Ma) - Jacqui's mother; lives in and owns the Cathedral. Is one of the "Dealers' Daughters," the descendants of those women who survived the sack of the Cathedral 100 years earlier.

The Masked Man - Her frequent patron; seemed to take a special interest in Jacqui. We learn at the end of book 7 that he's Jacqui's biological father, Charles Har (see Hart quadrant).

The Eldest - The oldest woman to have seen the sack of the Cathedral; Ma's grandmother and Jacqui's great-grandmother.

The High-Low Split - A children's street gang. Becomes taken over by Black Maria, an adult, then makes an alliance with the Red Dog Gang.

Benji - Jacqui's childhood friend.

Tim Keycard (Tim) - A boy; Benji ends up informally adopting him.

The Spadros slums (the area between the Pot and 20th Street)

Peedro Sluff (Peedro) - A Party Time addict; claims to be Jacqui's father. Runs a liquor store. Is a former police detective who was accused of killing Trina Bower (see Market Center).

Eleanora Bryce (Eleanora) - A widow who owns a fabric shop on 2nd and Book (two blocks from the Hedge); recently moved to Bridges from the city of Dickens.

David Bryce (David, Davey) - Eleanora's son; is kidnapped just before The Jacq of Spades begins.

Herbert Bryce (Herbert) - Eleanora's son; David's older brother.

Nicholas Bryce (Air, Nick, Nicky) - Eleanora's son; David and Herbert's older brother. Grew up with Jacqui and was murdered by Peedro the night she was sold to Roy Spadros.

Trey Highcard - A former Constable. Moves from Dickens to marry Eleanora.

Vígharður Vikenti (Vig) - Jacqui's long-time friend; runs the Pocket Pair saloon, located at 16th and Broadway.

Natalia (also called "Gypsy Gal" by Vig, but she hates being called that) - A Romani/Traveler dancer at the Pocket Pair saloon.

The Red Dogs - A children's street gang, falsely accused of kidnapping and murder.

Stephen Rivers - A Red Dogs "chip".

Clover - A Red Dogs "ace".

Shigo Rei - The manager of a food distribution center; Joe and Josephine Kerr's uncle. (see Hart quadrant)

Merchants and Arts district (starts at around 25th Street or so)

Backdoor Saloon - A bar located on the corner of 33 1/3 and Scoop.

Claudete Crawford - An elderly housekeeper.

Theodore Sutherfield - A Spadros Associate; oldest brother of Blitz Spadros.

Detective Constable Leone Briscola - A policeman.

Madame Marie Biltcliffe (Madame) - Dressmaker; runs a dress shop on 42nd Street. Later moves to Clubb quadrant.

Tenni Mitchell (Tenni) - Madame's shop maid. After Madame's murder, takes over the dress shop.

Oma Mitchell (Oma) - Tenni's younger sister, a teenager.

Emma Mitchell (Emma) - Tenni's youngest sister, a child.

High-cards (live above 100th, most above 150th Street)

Inventor Maxim Call - the Spadros Inventor; distant cousin of Roy Spadros.

Montgomery Arrow (Monte) - Senior Apprentice to Maxim Call. Becomes the Spadros Inventor after Maxim Call's murder.

Nola Rank - Inventor Maxim Call's maid.

Dame Anastasia Louis - Aristocrat and gemologist. Caught in the zeppelin explosion at the end of book 2.

Trey Louis - Her great-nephew. Caught in the zeppelin explosion at the end of book 2.

Other players in Spadros quadrant

Blaze Rainbow (Morton) - A gentleman investigator and master of disguise; was hired by whoever ran the Red Dogs to find out who was framing them. Apparently has worked for all four Families. He later becomes Jacqui's business partner.

Roy Acevedo Spadros - Tony's older brother; died when Tony was two. Reportedly poisoned by a playmate.

Acevedo Spadros II - Roy's father. Murdered by his own men shortly after Roy Acevedo's death.

Maria Spadros - aristocratic mother of Roy Spadros, who disappeared after his wedding. It's rumored she was a pedophile who severely abused Roy as a child.

Ariana Spadros - a baby; Blitz and Mary's daughter.

Ante - Duck's little brother. Later becomes a messenger boy. Jacqui accidentally kills him.

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The Players in Diamond quadrant (southwest)

Julius Diamond - Patriarch of the Diamond crime syndicate, aka the King of Diamonds.

Rachel Diamond - His wife, aka the Queen of Diamonds; a former Inventor's Apprentice. She suffered electrocution of the brain in a freak accident but is not as injured as she'd like everyone to believe.

Cesare Diamond (Cesare) - Heir to the Diamond Family; Julius and Rachel's oldest son. He and his friends were betrayed to Roy Spadros, presumably by Jacqui's Ma (see the Spadros Pot)

Furaha Diamond - His wife, aka the Lady of Diamond.

Vienna Diamond (Vienna) - Second of the Diamond brothers.

Moretti Diamond (Moretti) - Third of the Diamond brothers.

Hector Diamond II (Quadri) - Fourth of the Diamond brothers.

Beloty Diamond (Beloty) - Fifth of the Diamond brothers. Becomes Keeper of the Court after Jonathan's kidnapping.

Jack Roland Diamond III (Jack, Mad Jack, Black Jack) - Sixth of the Diamond brothers; widely thought to be mad. Identical twin of Jonathan. Keeper of the Prison. Faked his death to learn the truth of his manservant's murder the night Jacqui was sold to Roy Spadros.

Jonathan Courtenay Diamond (Jon, Jonathan) - Seventh of the Diamond brothers; identical twin of Jack. Jacqui's best friend and - to the dismay of his Family - has declared Tony his brother. Keeper of the Court.

Gardena Diamond (Gardena, Dena) - Youngest of the Diamond children; friend of Jacqui's.

Roland Diamond - A small boy. His real name is Roland Anthony Spadros, the result of a one-night stand between Gardena and Tony - born shortly before Tony and Jacqui's wedding.

Octavia Diamond - His nanny; distant cousin of Gardena's.

Inventor Themba Jotepa - The Diamond Inventor; distant cousin of Cesare's.

Daniel - Jack's former manservant; was murdered by Peedro Sluff the night Jacqui was sold to Roy Spadros (ten years before The Jacq of Spades). It's rumored that Jack and Daniel were lovers.

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The Players in Clubb quadrant (northeast)

Alexander Clubb (Alex, Alexander) - Patriarch of the Clubb crime syndicate, aka the King of Clubs

Regina Clubb (Regina) - His wife, aka the Queen of Clubs; used to be a Memory Girl (see Other/At Large).

Lancelot Clubb (Lance) - Heir to the Clubb Family, the youngest of the Clubb children; in a courtship with Gardena Diamond.

Kitty Clubb (Kitty) - Alex and Regina's eighth daughter. Joined the Dealers.

Nina Clubb (Nina) - Alex and Regina's ninth daughter. Was Jacqui's first love; committed suicide after being diagnosed with kidney failure in her teens.

Karla Bettelmann (Karla) - Alex and Regina's granddaughter. Her father was executed by Alexander Clubb for plotting to kill him and Lance.

Mikhail Bettelmann - Karla's husband; is in charge of allowing passengers in and out of Bridges at the zeppelin station. He's known for abusing this power.

Cheisara Golf - Karla's younger sister, later in a relationship with Tenni Mitchell

Inventor Lori Cuarenta - The Clubb Inventor.

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The Players in Hart quadrant (northwest)

Charles Hart - Patriarch of the Hart crime syndicate, aka the King of Hearts. We learn in book 7 that he's Jacqui's biological father and the Masked Man.

Judith Hart - His wife, aka the Queen of Hearts.

Inventor Etienne Hart - Heir and Inventor for the Hart Family. Murdered by his own man at the end of book 9.

Helen Hart - His wife; has suffered multiple miscarriages, apparently murdered by poison.

Ferti Hart - Etienne and Helen's daughter, Charles and Judith's granddaughter. Has "an impediment" (likely Down syndrome).

Polansky Kerr IV - An old man, a descendant of the Kerr Dynasty. He lives in an ordinary home in the upper Hart slums.

Joseph Kerr (Joe) - Mr. Kerr's grandson. Jacqui's former lover.

Josephine Kerr (Josie) - Joe's twin sister.

Marja - The Kerr's housekeeper until she's murdered, presumably by Black Maria (see At Large). Helped raise Jacqui. Ottilie's mother. (see Spadros quadrant)

Susan - A housekeeper.

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The Players on Market Center (an island at the center of the city, where the four rivers meet)

Siete Badugi - Mayor of Bridges. Dies under suspicious circumstances.

Bridges Daily - A newspaper.

Acol Durak - The Bridges Daily chief editor. Tony has him murdered after the zeppelin explosion.

Paul Blackberry - Clubb desk editor for the Bridges Daily; becomes chief editor after Mr. Durak's murder.

Chase Freezout - Bridges District Attorney. Later becomes Mayor.

Delanie Freezout - His wife.

Doyle Pike - A lawyer. Jacqui hires him to represent her during her trial.

Thrace Pike - A member of the Bridgers religious sect and reporter for the Bridges Daily who becomes a law clerk; Doyle's grandson. He later becomes estranged from his grandfather and joins the District Attorney's office.

Gertie Pike - Thrace's wife.

Harriet Pike - Thrace and Gertie's daughter; a baby.

Constable Paix Hanger - A policeman; originally seen in Spadros quadrant. Later is banned from Spadros quadrant and sent to work on Market Center.

Swan - Map room caretaker in the Records Hall. Appears to be well-acquainted with Jack Diamond.

Jake Bower - a private detective working for Doyle Pike. Is a disgraced police detective whose young daughter Trina was the Bridges Strangler's first victim. Jacqui suspects Mr. Bower was murdered by Jack Diamond.

Reina Bower - his wife. Jake and Reina are now estranged.

 

Trina Bower - their daughter (deceased).

 

Anna Goren - An apothecary; Jacqui's friend.

Mike Pok-Deng - An apothecary; takes over Anna's shop after her murder.

Maria Athena Spade - A young woman.

Mrs. Spade - Her mother.

Giovanni Spade - Her father (deceased).

Giovanni Spade, Jr. - Her brother.

Cinco Hardeman - Jonathan Diamond's secretary at the Courthouse.

Brenda Trex - City Clerk.

Geofrey Schwimmen - Chief of Police.

Hambir Dashabatar - A lawyer and friend of Major Blackwood (see At Large). One of the Inside Reporters at the Golden Bridges tabloid. He and his family are murdered in book 8, presumably because he can identify Frank Pagliacci.

Etta Tippen - A curio seller who Jacqui goes to for blood tea to induce an abortion. Miss Tippen betrays Jacqui's trust, presumably out of fear of retribution by Molly Spadros (see Spadros Castle).

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The Players At Large/Other

The Red Dog Gang - A group of adults engaged in murder, kidnapping, and blackmail (for starters); have been systematically harassing Jacqui from page 1.

Frank Pagliacci (Frank) - A scoundrel high in the ranks of the Red Dog Gang; Jacqui suspects him to be the Bridges Strangler.

Black Maria (aka Birdie aka Roberta Bird) - A woman high in the ranks of the Red Dog Gang. Took over the High-Low Split and is now allied with Frank.

Albert Sheinwold (Sheinwold) - A former Detective Constable and Spadros Associate, now missing.

Zia Cashout (Zia) - A maid who Morton claims to be his sister. We later learn that she was a Federal Agent who has turned rogue and is now associated with Frank Pagliacci.

Golden Bridges - A tabloid; now defunct.

Major Wenz Blackwood - An old Army man. We later learn he was one of the Inside Reporters for the Golden Bridges, as well as the supervisor of the Army Recruitment center for the city of Bridges.

The Travelers' Federation - The organization that owns and operates the air transportation network for the Merca Federal Union and beyond.

Werner Lead - A Memory Boy.

Colonel Righly Hanafuda - An Army man; Major Blackwood's superior.

People for a Better Life - An organization.

The True Story - A tabloid.

Memory Kids - an organization for children with extraordinary mental abilities such as eidetic memory. Memory Boys are mostly used to send messages too secret to be written.

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Did I miss anyone? If you find someone in the books I haven't mentioned here, or details in published books in the main series I've left out, please let me know!