Deborah Cooke: Author

This list is a work in progress. I’ll update it after each book is published.

Abbie Cavendish – fourth child and only daughter of Patrick and Dianne (Thorne). She lives in Vancouver and is best friends with Daphne Bradshaw. First appears in Just Trouble.

Albert Foreman – deceased, an accountant who owned the commercial building beside the Legion. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Annette – Rupert’s daughter who wants him to move to Sarnia. Her sons are Martin, Geoffrey and Stephen. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Augustine Rhodes – founder of Rhodes Vineyard who has an ongoing feud with Patrick Cavendish. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Austin Cavendish – third son of Patrick and Dianne (Thorne). He’s the grumpy judge on a cooking show So You Think You Can Cook. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Barney – the barber in downtown Empire. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Brendan Singh – Sierra’s crush at school in Toronto. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Brent Fallon – bass player in MB&D2K. First appears in Just Trouble.

Bruno DeLuca – a childhood friend of Luke’s who now owns The Maple Leaf Motel, previously run by his parents (who have retired to Vancouver Island). He is married to Marissa (née Talbot) and they have three kids. The middle child is a daughter who is vegetarian. Bruno bought Luke’s Harley when Luke left town. First appears in Just Trouble.

Bryan – a friend of Mike’s and a history and geography teacher at Havelock Central High School. First appears in Just Like Starting Over.

Cameron Sinclair – Daphne’s neighbour, a nurse in Havelock. First appears in Just Trouble.

Candace Knowles – Patrick’s second wife and mother of his daughter Madison and son Ethan. She also has a son, Grayson, from a previous marriage. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Carlos – foreign worker at Cavendish Enterprises who Mike wants to hire full-time. His wife is Maria Regina and they have three daughters. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Carson – one of Mike’s friends, a math teacher at Havelock Central High School. First appears in Just Like Starting Over.

Chelsea (2) – Jake’s former girlfriend who organized their weekend activities on an Excel spreadsheet and sent it to him every Friday afternoon. He thought she lacked spontaneity. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Christine Bradshaw – Daphne’s mom, who died suddenly of an aneurysm. She grew up in Empire and disliked Patrick’s influence on the town. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Cole Henderson – a veteran who inherited the Grand Hotel while he was serving in Afghanistan and now lives there alone. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Colin Watson – the fanboy who appears at the café and insists on working for Merrie. A graduate of George Brown’s culinary program, he’s worked at many restaurants admired by Merrie. First appears in Just Like Starting Over.

Daphne Bradshaw – a lawyer, best friend of Abbie, and Luke’s partner. Her story is Just Trouble.

Dianne (Thorne) Cavendish – Patrick’s first wife and mother of four of his children. She died when Abbie was a year old and Patrick married Candace Knowles. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Dierdre – office manager at Cavendish Enterprises. She’s worked there for decades and is in her late fifties. First appears in Just Like Starting Over.

Doc Miller – a retired GP. Una worked in his office in their younger days and he encouraged her providing herbal remedies to patients he couldn’t help. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Eileen – Una’s sister who took Sylvia in and died when Sierra was eight. Her husband was Randall and their children are not named. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Elke Dekkar – Mike’s Dutch friend from graduate school, she works for a company that sells automated systems for greenhouses. First appears in Just Like Starting Over.

Ethan Cavendish – son of Candace and Patrick, fond of expensive cars. Mike considers him spoiled. He runs a fruit wine business. First appears in Just Like Starting Over.

Grace O’Leary – Patrick’s sister, widow of Neil, mother of Kade and Evan. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Grayson – son of Candace’s, born before she married Patrick. He works at a high tech company in Seattle. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Hannah – mother of Lila, Sierra’s best friend. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Heather – Justin’s fling. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Ivan Ross – Empire’s town drunk who sings in the middle of Queen Street during the night. First appears in Just Trouble.

Jake Cavendish – oldest son of Patrick and Dianne (Thorne). His book is Just for Tonight. He’s a finance guy in Toronto. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Jason Tate – Taylor’s younger brother and guitarist who takes Taylor’s place in the tribute concert. First appears in Just Trouble.

Jerry – foreman at Cavendish Enterprises who catches the virus. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Jim Blackwell – owner of the antique store on Queen Street and Willow’s uncle. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Justin – once Daphne’s fiancé, a successful and handsome lawyer in Toronto. First appears in Just Trouble.

Kade O’Leary – son of Grace, nephew of Patrick, a surgeon the same age as his cousin Jake Cavendish. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Lauren – Mike’s former fiancée. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Leon & Dotty – formerly the owners of the diner on Queen Street, who sold it to Patrick when they retired to Florida. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Liam – Una and Jacob’s only child and Sylvia’s father, now deceases. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Lila – Sierra’s best friend. First appears in Just Like Starting Over.

Lisa – sales representative at Cavendish Enterprises whose account is the largest grocery chain in Canada. First appears in Just Like Starting Over.

Louise Jones – at one time, Patrick’s mistress, mother of Luke Jones, a hairdresser who lives in Havelock. First appears in Just Trouble.

Luke Jones – Patrick’s illegitimate son with Louise Jones. He’s a musician who comes back to town and falls for Daphne Bradshaw. His book is Just Trouble.

Lynn ­– part-owner of the trailer refurbishing and customizing business in Port Cavendish. She’s the partner with the more conservative style. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Mackenzie Rhodes – only child of Augustine Rhodes, owner of Rhodes Vineyard, and heiress to the throne. She’s tall and blond, and works a lot. First appears in Just Trouble. Her story is Just for Tonight.

Madison Cavendish – daughter of Candace and Patrick who has pursued various careers. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Margaret (West) Cavendish – Patrick’s mother, wife of Edward Cavendish, whose empty house Luke would like Abbie to have. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Martin Carmichael – mechanic who owns the auto repair on Erie Street. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Meredith (Merrie) MacRae – owner of The Carpe Diem Café, a chef with a passion for fresh ingredients and bistro cooking. She’s short and fierce with a lot of red hair and favours high heels. First appears in Just Trouble.

Mike Cavendish – second son of Patrick and Dianne (Thorne). His book is Just Like Starting Over. He runs Cavendish Greenhouses. First appears in Just Trouble.

Mindy – part-owner of the trailer refurbishing and customizing business in Port Cavendish. She’s the partner with the more flamboyant style. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Mr. Weatherby – former owner and partner at Weatherby & Bradshaw, he helped Richard and Christine when they were first married and is now retired, living on Caledonia Street. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Mrs. Prescott – Richard’s receptionist and assistant at Weatherby & Bradshaw. First appears in Just Trouble.

Mrs. Taylor – current housekeeper at the Cavendish residence. First appears in Just Like Starting Over.

Muriel Jackson – retired high school English teacher who now organizes amateur theatre productions. She is a good friend of Una and drives her to her chemo treatments. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Neil – foreman at Cavendish Enterprises who catches the virus. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Nick O’Leary – son of Grace, nephew of Patrick, a bush pilot the same age as his cousin, Mike Cavendish.

Noah McLaughlin – a teenage boy who runs The Empire Chronicle, an online newspaper, and makes an alliance with Luke. First appears in Just Trouble. His mom makes an appearance in Just Trouble but is unnamed.

Pat Henderson – a grower of flowers who hires Sierra to help out at the Havelock farmer’s market. First appears in Just Like Starting Over.

Patrick Cavendish – patriarch and founder of Cavendish Enterprises, father of Jake, Mike, Austin, Abbie, Madison, Ethan and Luke Jones. First appears in Just Trouble.

Phil Chang – a former engineer, now owner of The Golden Lotus. He came back to Empire when his dad died and his mom developed dementia. The restaurant is only open Friday nights, if then. He has a younger brother who is married with kids. First appears in Just Trouble.

Quentin – the small black cat that Daphne and Luke adopt from the shelter. First appears in Just Trouble.

Raphael Rossetti (Rafe) – Daphne’s friend, a high power lawyer in Toronto and foodie. They went to law school together. He’s a fan of Meredith MacRae. First appears in Just Trouble.

Rhoda Gardner – a collector of old celluloid movies, daughter of the woman who owned the card shop on Queen Street. She inherited the building but sold it to Patrick, and moved her collection to a rented room at the Grand Hotel. She lives/works in Toronto. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Richard Bradshaw – Daphne’s father, a lawyer, senior partner at Weatherby & Bradshaw, on retainer to Cavendish Enterprises and Tuesday golf partner of Patrick Cavendish. First appears in Just Trouble.

Ricky – owner of the convenience store in Empire. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

River – a guy on the band’s promotion team who has a talent with statistics and a photographic memory. First appears in Just Trouble.

Rupert van Nuys – the farmer Mike has befriended who sells Mike his farm. His wife was Annie. First appears in Just Like Starting Over.

Scott – Jerry – foreman at Cavendish Enterprises who catches the virus. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Sierra Kincaid – Sylvia’s teenage daughter. First appears in Just Trouble.

Steig – roadie for MB&D2K. First appears in Just Trouble.

Sylvia Kincaid – Mike’s girlfriend in high school who left town and works with Merrie MacRae, mother of Sierra, grand-daughter of Una. First appears in Just Trouble. Her story is Just Like Starting Over.

Taylor Tate – guitarist in the band MB&D2K who died thirteen months before the start of Just Trouble and Luke’s best friend. First mentioned in Just Trouble.

Thomas – foreman at Cavendish Enterprises. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Trevor – a friend of Mike’s who wanted to fix Mike up with his cousin. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Una Kincaid – Sylvia’s grandmother who lives in a cottage in the woods and once a friend of Dianne Cavendish. She’s battling cancer at the beginning of the series. Her husband was Jacob, her only son was Liam, her sister was Eileen and she worked for Doc Miller. First appears in Just Trouble.

Willow Forsythe – a childhood friend of Daphne, Abbie and Mackenzie, she’s the niece of Jim who runs the antique store, and is a gentle creative soul. First appears in Just Trouble.

Wookie – lead roadie for MB&D2K. First appears in Just Trouble.

Yves – a friend of Mike’s. First mentioned in Just Like Starting Over.

Zach Sutherland – drummer in MB&D2K. First appears in Just Trouble.