Arkady Balagan is a Russian-born former World Chess Champion who, while in Vancouver for a tournament, witnesses the assassination of his fiancée, Rosemary Venturi, and her high school friend, Greg Lamont.

The trauma of seeing his beloved Rosemary gunned down has led Balagan to become agoraphobic: he cannot leave the hotel without experiencing panic attacks. With massive debt piling up...Read More

Shawn Doyleas Arkady Balagan

Hugo Lum is the Director of Hotel Security at the Huxley and a former homicide detective. Hugo can't stand Balagan and his antics.

The fact that Balagan seems to solve these complex human puzzles with such ease when Hugo is supposed to be the detective, only infuriates him more.

Constantly the butt of jokes from Balagan, Hugo can't wait for the day he gets to toss this smug Russian out of the... Read More

Patrick Gallagheras Hugo Lum

Sam Besht is a grad student, chess fanatic, and HUGE fan of Arkady Balagan.

Wide-eyed and eager, Sam is like Balagan's personal assistant. He takes his payment in the form of chess games with his hero. By all accounts, Sam is brilliant.

There's no doubt, he can talk about anything - his head is full of facts, ideas and theories, but with little practical knowledge. Balagan needs Sam as his outside man, the... Read More

Torrance Coombsas Sam Besht

Danni manages The Orchid Room - The Huxley's upscale bar.

Sleek and sexy, Danni is well connected to the city's night-world. She knows cops, judges, prostitutes, businessmen, hockey players - anyone who has frequented the better bars in town. Danni plays things close to the chest, but her attraction to Balagan is obvious. Read More

Katharine Isabelleas Danni

Alcina Albeniz is the only chambermaid Balagan will allow to clean his suite. Her husband was a trade union leader who was assassinated in Guatemala. Afterwards, she immigrated to Canada with six children.

Alcina has an earthy, calm wisdom about her. Balagan loves to talk to her about his puzzles. He says her insights into people are brilliant. Alcina was on her way into work the day Rosemary was murdered and witnessed... Read More

Carmen Aguirreas Alcina Albeniz

Pippa Venturi is the younger sister of Balagan's late fiancée. At 25, she is an over-educated urbanite who works as a freelance documentary filmmaker and blogger.

Obsessed with solving her sister's murder, Pippa uses her skills as an investigative journalist to seek the truth. Balagan admires her persistence, but it's painful for him to keep reliving Rosemary's murder. Read More

Melanie Papaliaas Pipa Venturi

Barbara Stilwell is the General Manager of the Huxley Hotel.

Professional, efficient, and respected by her staff, Barbara excels at her job. Because of what happened to Balagan's fiancée outside her hotel, she has granted him a discounted rate on a luxury penthouse suite and allowed him to live on credit for extended periods of time.

But even Barbara...Read More

Veena Soodas Barbara Stillwell