101 Things You Might Not Know: 16 - 15
That while the characters are exaggerated, both for comedic and dramatic effect, all have their counterparts in the U.K.: James, the local poobah; Peters, the alcoholic butler; Erny, the local police constable; Kevin, the naive and innocent scout; and even Angus, the visiting archaeologist.
That Mercy Farm was most likely converted to a bed-and-breakfast (B&B), before the Trent girls' parents disappeared, not after they disappeared.