A Thief in the Night · Character

A. J. Raffles

A first-class cricketer who burgles by night, Raffles charms his way through London society while treating crime as a gentleman's sport.

major

Also known as Mr. Raffles, the Raffles, old Raffles, the hearty Raffles, the great Raffles, sped Raffles

First appearance: Out of Paradise

As a major figure in A Thief in the Night, A. J. Raffles is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Raffles orchestrates the burglary, manipulating Bunny with false information about the target house.

In the storyOut of ParadiseOpen this moment free

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Raffles moves easily between Lord's cricket ground and locked Mayfair bedrooms, and he is the one who talks Bunny into every scheme. His pleasure lies less in the loot than in the performance: he savors dining among criminologists who suspect him, and he plans his moves with the deliberation of a man who has thought everything through in advance. That cool nerve and appetite for risk drive the early adventures and set the uneasy terms of his friendship with Bunny.

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Character Web

13 connections

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Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Social circle and targets
Protagonist
Criminals and associates

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point

This excerpt is the dramatic climax because it reveals the long-withheld truth about Raffles’s final act of he…

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In the story

A. J. Raffles appears across 10 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Out of Paradise
Raffles orchestrates the burglary, manipulating Bunny with false information about the target house.
The Chest of Silver
Describes his bank strongroom burglary, his deception of Bunny, and his plan to leave the Albany for redecorating.
The Rest Cure
Has been hiding in a rented house on Campden Hill, taking a 'Rest Cure' and reading criminology. He follows cabs for exercise and plans a provincial tour under an alias.
The Criminologists' Club
Describes his solo burglary of Lord Thornaby's dressing room during the Criminologists' Club dinner, including his planning and execution.
The Field of Phillipi
Leads Bunny on a nostalgic nighttime escapade through their old school, manipulates Nasmyth into donating, and orchestrates the anonymous donation.
A Bad Night
Selected for the English Test Match at Old Trafford, but secretly returns to East Molesey to oversee the burglary; is struck by Bunny and later reconciles.
A Trap to Catch a Cracksman
Trapped in Maguire's burglar trap; telephones Bunny for help.
The Spoils of Sacrilege
Plans and executes the burglary with Bunny; takes the diamond tiara and emerald necklace despite Bunny's scruples.
The Raffles Relics
Reveals he hid in the chest at Scotland Yard to steal the Raffles Relics; explains the chest's secret side door; expresses desire to see the Black Museum and gauge police suspicion; hints at ending his criminal life.
The Last Word
Revealed to have secretly confessed to Bunny's former fiancée that he was the other man in the Palace Gardens burglary, sacrificing his own reputation to clear Bunny.

Chapter companion notes

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