The Boy Next Door characters
Claudia Kelly
Our heroine, is steadfastly single and loves her life working on Irish Woman magazine. She’s given up on men and relationships, and happy with her female friends, mother and sister. Foxy asks her to edit Irish Man and her new team is a bunch of quirky, lovable odd-balls. And then the arrival of her old neighbour, Johnny Hogan, brings a little bit of fun into her life.
Foxy
Charming head-honcho of the publishing house, based in the heart of Georgian Dublin, the historic and beautiful part of Dublin. In his 60s, his business is being threatened by a hostile take-over group which includes the dastardly Brian O’Brien. He employs Claudia to edit his treasured Irish Man magazine because he’s running out of people to trust.
Brian O’Brien
A large man with tiny feet, he wears a three-piece pinstriped suit and lurks around the area. Claudia recognises him as her late father’s best friend who came over to the house, in the days after her father’s death, saying he owed Brian money. But what was this debt and why was Claudia’s beloved father friends with someone so poisonous?
Johnny Hogan
Successful artist and Claudia’s old next door neighbour, Johnny is back in Dublin after working abroad. But are he and Claudia just good friends or could something more happen between them?
Oscar, Simon and Mark
Claudia’s colleagues at Irish Man. Will fashion editor Oscar approve of her sartorial choices, will Simon convince her that his sandwiches are the best and why is Mark so obsessed with medieval history?
Grace
Claudia’s best friend works at a gallery where Johnny’s big new exhibition is on. is living in their home village of Sandycove with her partner Tom. A newly qualified therapist, he believes that he understands the human psyche better than anyone and had Grace firmly in his thrall.
Patsy
Claudia’s mother has been single for all these years but has just embarked tentatively on a new relationship with Dr Alan, a GP from the surgery where she works. Patsy had to work over-time to pay off the debt, Brian O’Brien said they owed.
Fiona
Sister Fiona is newly-engaged to her long-term partner and is a high-flying financial expert, so why doesn’t she seem happy about it all?