Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

Shenanigan is the novel’s main character. The narrator observes that the girl possesses “just the mix of stubbornness and curiosity that either rediscover[s] lost cities or land[s] a person in prison” (26). This insatiable curiosity assists her during her search for the killer. Lincoln quickly establishes Shenanigan’s mischievous nature through her pranks on Felicity, but this trait proves beneficial to mapping Swift House’s secrets. As Uncle Maelstrom observes, “No one in the world knows a house better than a naughty child who grows up in it” (224). Another quality that helps Shenanigan solve the mystery is her powers of observation. The clever girl has a knack for spotting “lies hiding on [people’s] face[s]” (84), and her attention to detail helps her gather clues, such as the matching handwriting on the crossbow bolts and name cards. Shenanigan’s cleverness, curiosity, and penchant for mischief help her fulfill her role as a young sleuth.

As the protagonist and the point-of-view character, the dynamic Shenanigan shapes the novel’s structure and themes. The plot follows her efforts to solve two mysteries, the identity of the killer and the location of Vile’s Hoard.