About Darnelle Kearney

Darnelle’s serene disposition masks unresolved issues from her early life. Chief among them is the mother she never knew, a subject Darnelle will not discuss. If anyone tries, she’ll say that she’s focused on what’s happening now, not what happened before.

Darnelle plays a supporting role in A Death In Hartsend, but that’s not true for the series as a whole. Her parents’ marriage and its repercussions are the subject of an upcoming book.

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Appearance:‍

Not many people in Hartsend remember Darnelle’s mother. Those who can agree mother and daughter bear a strong resemblance. Both have eyes the color of high-grade coal and hourglass figures. Darnelle inherited her mother’s smile, which Art once said could fell a man at sixty paces.

You’d never catch Darnelle wearing a T-shirt with holes or unpressed jeans. Or dime store jewelry. She takes care to get the “right” look before she leaves the house, even if it’s for a ten-minute errand. You never know who you might meet along the way.

Dialogue Style: ‍

When it comes to conversation, Darnelle would rather be appropriate than original. Her word choices depend on who’s in the conversation. Typically, she uses a mix of Hartsend High slang, catchphrases from her church’s youth group, and expressions she thinks will impress the country club set.

Personality traits: ‍

People who meet Darnelle come away with the impression that she’s self-confident. The truth is more complicated. Her relatives know Darnelle requires constant reassurance. If she feels ignored or underappreciated, her moods can be volatile. At times like that, she takes offense easily and holds grudges. Classmates are most likely to see this side of her, because Darnelle doesn’t usually view them as people to be cultivated. There are exceptions, of course, like John and his friends at the country club. 
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Backstory: ‍

Art Kearney’s marriage was tumultuous and short-lived. Unusually for the time, he received custody of Darnelle in the divorce. His sister Melanie, a nurse, helped with the baby’s care. Over time, Darnelle came to think of Melanie as her unofficial mother.

Relationships:‍

Darnelle’s closest relationships are with her father and Aunt Melanie. The two basically raised her in tandem, with Art playing the role of unofficial father for Melanie’s daughter Jodie. However, the two cousins don’t have the same rapport as their parents. Darnelle is embarrassed by Jodie’s disdain for Hartsend’s country club set. She would never admit it, but she’s worried about being denied a place in that group because of Jodie’s attitude.
The other important relationship in Darnelle’s life is the one with John, her boyfriend. She likes the security of knowing she’ll go to all the school dances with a guy who can afford orchid corsages. She likes the car he drives and his taste in suits. Given enough time, she is fairly sure that she’ll like him.

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Motivations and Goals:‍

Darnelle’s primary motivation is to better her station in life. She thinks the best way to achieve it is marriage to someone with good job prospects and a membership at the country club. Dating John would appear to be an important step in the right direction. Longer term, she’d like a house in a good area of town, designer clothes, and possibly a child or two.

Character Arc:‍

At this point in the series, Darnelle doesn’t have a strong character arc. Right now she’s a pretty teenager who organizes her life around school dances, fights with her cousin, and totally loves her daddy. She won’t stay in this place much longer, but she’s here now.