CARL WILLIAMS was the dumb fat kid at school that everybody bullied. Except he wasn’t as dumb as he looked. He was just keeping his powder dry. Poorly educated, unsophisticated and immature – at least compared to the Morans – Williams’ boyish appearance and disingenuous manner mask surprising reservoirs of native intelligence, willpower and naked ambition. A small-time drug dealer and general gofer for the Morans when we first meet him, he has the smarts and the guts to plot his way to the top of the underworld.

JACQUI JAMES is a senior detective with the Purana Task Force who works closely with Steve Owen. It’s also her narrative that we hear throughout the series, which is largely her perspective on Steve Owen’s investigations of these crimes. Jacqui’s also a mother of three, yet somehow she balances that with her very demanding job as a detective in Purana.

STEVE OWEN is a policeman - a determined, ambitious and honest kind of man. He was seen as a young constable and then, over the course of the series, progresses through the ranks, being promoted to a detective and then homicide and eventually into the Purana Task Force.

ANDREW “BENJI” VENIAMIN is the smiling assassin. Pint-sized but well put together, he epitomises the Jack Russell syndrome – unable to resist taking a shot at anyone bigger than himself. Ethnically a Greek Cypriot, Veniamin is a true psychopath, charming the pants off you one minute, pumping a full clip into you the next – and smiling throughout. He predicts his own death and advises his parents not to co-operate with any subsequent police investigation. When he finds his way into Carl Williams’ world, Williams knows he has the ultimate killing weapon at his disposal.

ROBERTA WILLIAMS, former wife of Jason Moran’s best mate, is every bit as smart and ambitious as her husband, Carl. High heels from Manolo Blahnik, handbag from Prada, tracksuit from Target – class all the way.

TONY MOKBEL is definitely the smartest guy in the room. Ever since he started out dealing buddha sticks under the counter at his Rosanna milkbar, his very first business venture, Mokbel has been going places. In the intervening years he has ploughed millions of drug dollars into real estate all over the city. He also controls most of the ecstasy market. Usually cool-headed and pragmatic, he sees a great friend and ally in Carl Williams.