Who Are The Main Characters In The Sixes?

The Sixes' is this gripping psychological thriller by Scott Smith, and the main characters are seriously compelling. The protagonist, Phoebe, is a former journalist who moves to a small college town to escape her past, only to get tangled in a web of rumors about a secret society called 'The Sixes.' She's sharp, resourceful, but also deeply flawed—her skepticism and determination make her relatable, even when she’s making questionable choices. Then there’s Duncan, her ex-boyfriend and a professor at the college, who’s got this unsettling charm and seems to know more than he lets on. Their dynamic is tense, layered with unresolved history, and it adds so much intrigue to the story.

Another key figure is Lily, a student who befriends Phoebe and later becomes central to the mystery. She’s enigmatic, almost ethereal, and her connection to The Sixes keeps you guessing. The way Smith writes her makes you oscillate between sympathy and suspicion. And of course, there’s the shadowy members of The Sixes themselves—never fully seen but always felt, like a lurking threat. The ambiguity around their identities is part of what makes the book so addictive. Phoebe’s interactions with these characters, especially as she digs deeper, create this slow burn of paranoia that’s hard to shake off. I finished the book in one sitting because I just had to know how it all connected.