This guide explores the complex web of characters in Alice Feeney's Rock Paper Scissors, a psychological thriller set against the backdrop of a remote Scottish chapel. As a troubled marriage unravels, long-buried secrets and betrayals come to light, revealing the dark connections between the main players. Each character is intricately linked to a past tragedy, and their motivations are shrouded in deception.
Main Characters
Adam Wright
Adam, a successful screenwriter grappling with prosopagnosia (face blindness), is the troubled husband at the center of the story. He hopes a weekend getaway with his wife, Amelia, will salvage their failing marriage, but his own secrets and past trauma threaten to derail any chance of reconciliation. Haunted by the death of his mother and plagued by recurring nightmares, Adam is a complex character who initially appears sympathetic, yet harbors deep-seated guilt and a penchant for deception. His relationships with Amelia and his first wife, Robin, are fraught with lies and unresolved feelings, ultimately leading to a horrifying reckoning with the truth about his past.
Amelia Wright
Amelia, Adam's second wife, initially presents herself as the long-suffering spouse trying to save her marriage. However, beneath her facade lies a manipulative and secretive nature, concealing a dark secret that connects her directly to Adam's childhood trauma. Her true identity is Amelia Jones, and she has carefully orchestrated her life to be with Adam, driven by a twisted sense of guilt and obsession. Her relationship with Adam is built on a foundation of lies, and her past betrayal of her former friend, Robin, further complicates the tangled web of relationships.
Robin
Robin, Adam's first wife, emerges as the cunning mastermind behind the weekend's events. Through anniversary letters and later revealed chapters, her perspective unveils a woman deeply hurt by betrayal and driven by a desire for revenge. Intelligent and meticulous, Robin orchestrates the trip to Blackwater Chapel as an elaborate psychological trap, using her knowledge of Adam, Amelia, and her own father, Henry Winter, to expose their secrets. Her transformation from a betrayed wife to a powerful agent of vengeance is fueled by the pain of her past and the desire to reclaim her life.
Supporting Characters
Henry Winter
Henry Winter is a world-famous, reclusive author and Robin's estranged father, whose legacy casts a long shadow over the story. Though deceased, his controlling nature and the secrets surrounding his life and death are the foundation upon which the entire plot is built. His manipulative actions and emotionally abusive treatment of Robin continue to impact the lives of the main characters long after his death.
Adam's Mother
Adam's mother is a pivotal figure from Adam's past, whose death in a hit-and-run accident is the central trauma of his life. Idolized in Adam's memory, her character represents his unresolved guilt and the complicated circumstances surrounding her death. The deconstruction of Adam's idealized image of her forces him to confront his own role in the tragedy.
Minor Characters
- October O'Brien: A famous actress whose supposed suicide is a key event in the backstory, adding to the mystery surrounding the main characters.
- Samuel Smith (Sam): The private investigator hired by Henry Winter to watch Robin, who discovers the gruesome aftermath at Blackwater Chapel in the epilogue.
- Patty: The gossipy shopkeeper in Hollowgrove, who provides exposition about Henry Winter's reclusive nature and the chapel's cursed reputation.
Character Relationships & Dynamics
The relationships in Rock Paper Scissors are a complex tapestry woven with threads of love, lies, and betrayal.
- Adam & Amelia: Their marriage is built on a foundation of lies, with Amelia's obsession and hidden past creating a toxic dynamic of control and resentment, reciprocated by Adam's infidelity and emotional distance.
- Adam & Robin: A marriage of genuine love destroyed by Adam's betrayal, their connection is explored through Robin's anniversary letters, revealing a deep bond twisted into a desire for revenge.
- Robin & Henry: A toxic father-daughter relationship marked by cruelty and control, driving Robin away while he continued to monitor her from a distance.
- Amelia & Robin: A friendship that sours into a bitter rivalry, as Amelia uses Robin's kindness to get close to Adam, leading to a betrayal that Robin can never forgive.