Frank, a tall, dark-haired eighteen-year-old, is the more serious of the brothers. He likes to think things out, taking into account all aspects of a problem. He's good at analysing clues and figuring out which are the logical steps to take in order to solve a case. According to Mystery of the Flying Express, Frank is a Scorpio.

A year younger than his brother, Joe is almost Frank's complete opposite. He dashes into all kinds of situations without worrying too much about consequences, and refuses to admit that anything is impossible. Joe is full of enthusiasm and good humour, and can always be counted on to lighten up a tense situation with a witty remark. According to Mystery of the Flying Express, Joe is an Aries.

# lived in River Heights
# father-Carson Drew, a famous lawyer
# mother-died when Nancy was young
# 16 years old in originals, 18 in revised and subsequent novels
# drove blue roadster in originals, blue convertible in revised, blue Mustang convertible in later paperbacks
# blonde in originals, titian in revised, reddish blonde in the current issues
# hair shoulder length in current issues
# went to high school at River Heights High School (The Case of the Dangerous Solution)

# friend of Nancy's, cousin of Bess
# introduced in The Secret of Shadow Ranch
# athletic and tomboyish
# bad ankle (constantly sprains it!)
# level-headed in crisis (at least in the early books)
# frequently yells "hypers!" in early books and often "yikes!" in later books
# considered herself homely in early books
# earlier books describe her with short hair
# dated Burt Eddleton in earlier books
# currently she is 5'8" with curly dark hair and eyes
# great-uncle--Asa Sidney (The Sign of the Twisted Candles)
# mother--Louise Fayne (The Sign of the Twisted Candles)
# uncle--John Boonton--Carol's deceased father (The Sign of the Twisted Candles)
# uncle--Peter Boonton (The Sign of the Twisted Candles)
# cousin--Carol Boonton (The Sign of the Twisted Candles)
# uncle--Ed Rawley (The Secret of Shadow Ranch)
# aunt--Bet (Elizabeth) Rawley (The Secret of Shadow Ranch)

# friend of Nancy, cousin of George
# introduced in The Secret at Shadow Ranch
# composed in early novels, flighty in later books (starting as early as 1946)
# enjoys shopping, frequently getting the girls into mysteries this way (The Secret of Red Gate Farm, Mystery of the Tolling Bell)
# reads Fashion Focus magazine (The Mystery at Magnolia Mansion)
# concerned about appearance, pretty
# has difficulties with weight, but has slimmed down in later books
# interested in writing, taking creative writing at River Heights Community College
# interested in drama
# reads romance novels (The Mystery at Magnolia Mansion)
# currently 5'4" with long, blonde hair and blue eyes
# enjoys flirting and currently would be called "boy crazy"

Age - around 15
Older brother of Dick and Anne Barnard and cousin to George Kirrin. Julian lives in
London with his family and his father is the brother of Uncle Quentin. Julian attends boarding school with his brother, Dick.

Julian is very much the leader of The Famous Five. A very confident and reliable boy, he can be counted on to think up a plan for
getting out of a tricky situation. He is a tall and psychically strong which comes in
useful. Throughout the stories, Julian often assumes the role of the "responsible adult" and always succeeds in winning adults over with his "very grown-up manner."

A no-nonsense type who likes straight talking, Julian doesn't suffer fools gladly!

When Julian grows up, he almost certainly will find a career in the Police Force.

Age - around 13
Younger brother of Julian Barnard, but older than Anne Barnard. He, too, is the cousin of George Kirrin and is around the same age as her. He lives in London with his family and attends the same boarding school as Julian.

An agile, cheeky thirteen-year-old action boy who just cannot resist adventure! Dick often has a twinkle in his eyes, which could mean he has a joke to crack or is up to some mischief!

One of Dick's favourite pastimes is teasing George (who is around the same age as him) and is forever making Julian have to sort them out!

Dick is also very reliable and brave.

Age - around 12
Anne is the younger sister of Julian and Dick Barnard and the cousin of George Kirrin. She lives in London with her
family and attends boarding school with George.

Being the youngest of the Five (not counting Timmy of course!) she is often treated as "the baby!" But Anne is very practical and loves everything to be neat, tidy and organised. As Julian often says, "she'll make a wonderful little housewife one day!" As she is very sensible and logical, she often spots solutions to
problems long before the others!

Anne often gives the impression of being shy and timid, and would rather have a pleasant holiday on the beach than a thrilling adventure, but when one comes along she makes sure she doesn't miss a thing!

Age - around 13
Cousin of Julian, Dick and Anne Barnard. Georgina (or George as she prefers to be called) lives in Kirrin Bay with her mother and father. Her father (known in the stories as "Uncle Quentin") is a famous scientist who likes the peace and quiet of where they live.

For many years, George had been a loner, only
having her beloved dog, Timothy, for company and spending much of her time on Kirrin Island (which had been a present from her mother.) Life changed dramatically for George when she met her three cousins for the first time! She started school quite late, but now attends a boarding school with her cousin Anne. Luckily, the school allows its pupils to keep pets otherwise George would CERTAINLY not have gone!

At first, George can seem rude and difficult, but deep-down she is kind-hearted and loyal. Once a friend, always a friend. Lively and wiry, she's a very good swimmer and can row a boat strongly. She is a real "tomboy" who insists on being treated as a boy and called by the name of George (call her by her proper name, Georgina, and chances are she won't even answer you!)

Frederick Algernon Trotville, or Fatty as he is better known, is the leader of the Five Find-Outers. As an only child, he frequently receives huge tips from wealthy relatives, and always has money when he needs it, to the frustration of the others. Fatty loves disguising himself - both to assist in the solving of mysteries, and to play tricks on the others. He is very clever, and usually works out the mysteries before the others, but he is distinctly lacking in modesty.

Lawrence Daykin, known as Larry is the eldest at 13, and was the original leader of the Five Find-Outers, but passed the role willingly to Fatty after the second mystery. Larry is smart, but is often scornful towards the younger members of the group

Margaret Daykin (Daisy) is Larry's younger sister. She is twelve years old, and the practical one in the club. It was her idea to form the club in the first place.

Philip Hilton (Pip) is the same age as Daisy. He seems to be less in control than the others, and is always struggling to have something important to do. His parents are strict, and wish he would put as much effort into his schoolwork as he does into the mysteries

Elizabeth Hilton, (Bets) is Pip's young sister, and the youngest in the group. She is in awe of Fatty, and he is fond of her. She frequently comes across a vital clue in the mysteries, and is the first one to recognise Fatty in his disguises.