Lockwood & Co.: The Empty Grave Summary

Charismatic, enigmatic leader of Lockwood & Co.

Anthony Lockwood is the charming, often reckless, but fiercely loyal leader of Lockwood & Co. He possesses exceptional sword-fighting skills and a keen strategic mind. Driven by a deep-seated desire to uncover the truth about his family's past and the nature of the Problem, he often keeps his emotions hidden behind a facade of composure. His charisma inspires loyalty in his team, but his secretive nature can sometimes frustrate Lucy and George. He is profoundly affected by the loss of his family and haunted by the mysteries surrounding his parents' deaths.

Relationships: Lucy Carlyle (Deep, complex bond evolving from friendship to unspoken romantic tension and profound trust.); George Cubbins (Reliable, long-standing friendship and professional partnership, often exasperated by George's quirks.); Holly Munro (Professional colleague and trusted team member.); Quill Kipps (Initially a rival, evolves into a grudging alliance and mutual respect.)

A talented Listener and Touch-talent, the heart of Lockwood & Co.

Lucy Carlyle is a gifted Listener, capable of hearing the echoes and whispers of ghosts, and a powerful Touch-talent, able to sense residual psychic energy from objects. She is brave, impulsive, and deeply empathetic, often acting as the emotional core of the agency. Her unique abilities are crucial to their investigations, but also expose her to intense psychic strain. She grapples with her growing feelings for Lockwood and her desire for his trust and openness. Her narration provides much of the story's emotional depth and perspective.

Relationships: Anthony Lockwood (Deep, complex bond evolving from friendship to unspoken romantic tension and profound trust.); George Cubbins (Close friendship and professional partnership, often sharing a bond over Lockwood's eccentricities.); The Skull (Unsettling but vital symbiotic relationship, relying on its knowledge while wary of its manipulative nature.); Holly Munro (Initially tense, evolving into a supportive friendship.)

Brilliant researcher and analyst for Lockwood & Co.

George Cubbins is the intellectual backbone of Lockwood & Co., a brilliant but often socially awkward researcher. He possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of ghosts, history, and paranormal phenomena, and his meticulous research is indispensable to the agency's success. He is pragmatic, cautious, and deeply loyal to his friends, though his bluntness can sometimes rub others the wrong way. George is driven by a thirst for knowledge and a desire to understand the underlying mechanics of the Problem, often spending hours poring over dusty tomes and obscure documents.

Relationships: Anthony Lockwood (Reliable, long-standing friendship and professional partnership, often exasperated by Lockwood's recklessness.); Lucy Carlyle (Close friendship and professional partnership, often sharing a bond over Lockwood's eccentricities.); Holly Munro (Collaborative professional relationship.)

A powerful, manipulative Type Three ghost trapped in a jar.

The Skull is a highly intelligent and ancient Type Three ghost, imprisoned in a glass jar at Portland Row. It is a cynical, sarcastic, and often manipulative entity, but possesses vast knowledge about the Problem, the Other Side, and historical events related to psychic phenomena. It communicates telepathically with Lucy, offering cryptic clues and unsettling insights. While dangerous and untrustworthy, its information is invaluable to Lockwood & Co.'s investigations, particularly in uncovering the truth about Marissa Fittes and Dr. Bickerstaff.

Relationships: Lucy Carlyle (Unsettling but vital symbiotic relationship, relying on its knowledge while wary of its manipulative nature.); Anthony Lockwood (Wary alliance, with Lockwood tolerating its presence for its utility.)

The formidable head of the Fittes Agency.

Penelope Fittes is the powerful and imposing head of the Fittes Agency, the largest and most prestigious ghost-hunting organization in London. She is the daughter of the legendary Marissa Fittes and fiercely protective of her agency's legacy and power. Cold, calculating, and ruthless, she projects an image of unwavering authority. She is determined to maintain the established order and will stop at nothing to silence those who threaten it, including Lockwood & Co. Her motivations are complex, rooted in a desire to preserve her family's reputation and potentially control the very nature of the Problem.

Relationships: Anthony Lockwood (Antagonistic, as Lockwood & Co. threaten her authority and expose her secrets.)

Former Fittes agent, now an independent operative allied with Lockwood & Co.

Quill Kipps was once a rival agent from the Fittes Agency, haughty and competitive. After being fired, he formed his own small, struggling agency, taking on odd jobs. He is a skilled agent, though less intuitive than Lockwood. Over time, his rivalry with Lockwood & Co. evolves into a grudging respect and, eventually, a crucial alliance. He is pragmatic and loyal to his team, and despite his initial disdain for Lockwood's unconventional methods, he comes to appreciate their effectiveness and integrity, especially when facing a greater threat.

Relationships: Anthony Lockwood (Initially a rival, evolves into a grudging alliance and mutual respect.); Lucy Carlyle (Professional colleague, some lingering tension but growing respect.)

Efficient and organized operative for Lockwood & Co.

Holly Munro is the highly organized and efficient operative who joined Lockwood & Co. from the now-defunct Fittes Agency. She is meticulous, practical, and a skilled administrator, bringing much-needed order to the chaotic Portland Row. While initially a source of friction for Lucy due to her perceived perfection and closeness to Lockwood, Holly proves herself to be a brave and reliable member of the team. She is dedicated to the agency and her friends, using her intelligence and resourcefulness to aid in their investigations and survival.

Relationships: Anthony Lockwood (Professional colleague and trusted team member.); Lucy Carlyle (Initially tense, evolving into a supportive friendship.); George Cubbins (Collaborative professional relationship.)

The brilliant but mad scientist behind 'Operation Blacklight.'

Dr. Edmund Bickerstaff was a pioneering, though deeply unethical, psychic researcher and the true mastermind behind 'Operation Blacklight.' He possessed an unparalleled understanding of the Other Side and the nature of Visitors. Driven by a desire to control and amplify psychic energy, he performed horrific experiments and ultimately murdered Annie Ward (Marissa Fittes) when she opposed his methods. His ghost, encountered in the Other Side, is a tormented, deranged entity, still obsessed with his work and revealing the horrifying scope of his ambition to deliberately worsen the Problem.

Relationships: Marissa Fittes (Annie Ward) (Former colleague and mentor, whom he eventually murdered.)

The true founder of the Fittes Agency, murdered by Bickerstaff.

Marissa Fittes was the legendary psychic heroine credited with founding the Fittes Agency and developing many of its ghost-hunting methods. However, her true identity is revealed to be Annie Ward, a gifted psychic who genuinely sought to help humanity. She was Bickerstaff's colleague and initially supported his research until she discovered the horrifying and unethical direction of 'Operation Blacklight.' She was murdered by Bickerstaff to prevent her from exposing his plans and was subsequently replaced by an imposter to maintain the Fittes legacy.

Relationships: Dr. Edmund Bickerstaff (Former colleague and mentor, who eventually murdered her.)