Character guide

Lord Peter Wimsey

major

Also known as Lord Peter, Wimsey, Peter Wimsey, Peter, Pete

Lord Peter Wimsey is an aristocratic detective whose unprofessional career runs on persistent, irritating curiosity — the habit of asking silly questions that once exposed a hidden diamond necklace in the Woolsack and unmasked a gang of anarchist conspirators. His immaculate manservant Bunter attends to his brandies and cigars while his sister Mary, who christened him Elephant's Child, and his brother the Duke of Denver look on with varying degrees of mortification. That same restless inquisitiveness drives him to abandon a planned visit to Rouen and follow a whim through the Gare St. Lazare, setting the collection's puzzles in motion.

Bunter

supporting

Also known as Mr. Bunter, the good Bunter, the attentive Mr. Bunter

Bunter is the immaculate manservant whose service to Lord Peter extends from shaving bristles to sourcing Napoleon brandies and Villar y Villar cigars, and whose composure absorbs every abrupt change of plan. He is no mere attendant: when a seven-letter word meaning two stalls his crossword, he asks his lordship to think, and receives 'Ambsace' with beatified gratitude. His reliable, methodical mind makes him the still center of Wimsey's erratic household and a quiet partner in the investigations that follow.

Detective Inspector Parker

supporting

Also known as Parker, Detective Parker, Chief Inspector Parker

Detective Inspector Parker belongs to the official machinery of Scotland Yard, the world of warrants and procedure that Lord Peter cheerfully bypasses with badgering questions and unorthodox errands. His friendship with Wimsey places him between two loyalties — the force's dignity and his affection for a titled amateur who treats detection as a hobby. In the early arc he represents the law's steady, unglamorous competence, the baseline against which Wimsey's eccentric methods are measured and, often, vindicated.

Eric P. Loder

supporting

Also known as Loder, Eric Loder, Mr. Eric Loder, the Loder

Eric Loder is a country host whose cordial greeting cannot disguise how much he has aged and how much more nervous his manner has grown. Where his disbelief in everything once seemed a kind of artistic pose, it now comes out as though he thoroughly means it, with an air of getting at you personally. That shift from performance to intensity makes him a figure of unease in the early arc, a man whose changing temper invites the suspicion that something beneath the surface has altered.

Mr. Frobisher-Pym

minor

Also known as Mr. Pym, Frobisher-Pym

A solicitor involved in the case of the man with copper fingers.

Haviland Burdock

supporting

Also known as old Mr. Burdock, Haviland, the Burdock, Burdock, Mr. Haviland Burdock

Haviland Burdock was the local squire of Little Doddering, a man whose last scandal drove him out of England to New York, where he died three weeks before the story opens. His body is being shipped home for burial among generations of Burdocks, and the village turns out for a funeral that is less mourning than event. Mr. Frobisher-Pym calls him a spiteful, bad-tempered, dirty-living old blackguard the world is well rid of, and the dispute over how to bury him — candles, trestles, and all — exposes the resentments he left behind.

Uncle Meleager

supporting

Also known as Meleager, old Uncle Meleager

Uncle Meleager is the departed relative whose will takes the form of a crossword, turning a family inheritance into a test of verbal ingenuity. His puzzle reaches even into Lord Peter's bathroom, where Bunter's hunt for a seven-letter word meaning two — 'Ambsace' — becomes the first clue in the game. By making his legacy a riddle, Meleager forces his heirs to match wits rather than merely wait, and draws Wimsey into a problem that is part wordplay and part detection.

Mr. Bredon

minor

Also known as Bredon, this Mr. Bredon, Mr. Death Bredon

A mysterious figure appearing in the adventure of the dragon's head.

Thomas Macpherson

minor

Also known as Macpherson, Mr. Thomas Macpherson, Mr. Macpherson

A Scottish lawyer involved in the case of the stolen stomach.

Gherkins

minor

Also known as Pickled Gherkins

A character associated with a humorous subplot about pickled gherkins.

Mrs. Ruyslaender

minor

A woman involved in the affair of the practical joker.

Mr. Wilberforce Pope

minor

Also known as Mr. Pope, Wilberforce Pope, Wilberforce, the insinuating Mr. Pope

A suspect in the case of the cat in the bag.

Martin Burdock

minor

Also known as the Burdocks, Martin, Martin Burdocks, Poor Martin, the unspeakable Martin

A member of the Burdock family involved in the will mystery.

Mr. Crowder of Crichton

minor

Also known as Crowder, Crichton, Mr. Crichton

A lawyer involved in the case of the stolen stomach.

Varden

minor

Also known as Mr. Varden, a Mr. Varden

A character appearing in the adventure of the cave of Ali Baba.

Miss Twitterton

minor

A witness in the case of the man with copper fingers.

Young Mortimer

minor

Also known as Mortimer, Mr. Mortimer

A young man involved in the affair of the practical joker.

Paul Melville

minor

Also known as Melville, friend Melville, the experienced Melville

A friend of Lord Peter appearing in a matter of taste.

Robert Ferguson

minor

Also known as old Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Robert Ferguson, the indignant Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Ferguson, Robert

An indignant gentleman involved in the bone of contention.

Lady Mary

minor

Also known as Mary, Polly

Lord Peter's sister, appearing in the cave of Ali Baba.

Maria Morano

minor

Also known as Maria

A character in the learned adventure of the dragon's head.

Mr. Abrahams

minor

A character in the bibulous business of a matter of taste.

The Hon. Freddy Arbuthnot

minor

Also known as Freddy Arbuthnot, Freddy, the Hon, Arbuthnot, the obedient Freddy, Alf

A friend of Lord Peter, involved in the cave of Ali Baba.

Inspector Winterbottom

minor

Also known as Winterbottom, Detective-Inspector Winterbottom

A police inspector involved in the case of the man with no face.

Great-Uncle Joseph

minor

Also known as Great Uncle Joseph, Great, Joseph, Great-Uncle

A deceased relative mentioned in Uncle Meleager's will.

Brotherton

minor

A character in the vindictive story of the footsteps that ran.

Dr. Conyers

minor

Also known as Dr. Hartman, Conyers, Hartman

A doctor involved in the case of the stolen stomach.

Sir Impey Biggs

minor

Also known as Sir Impey, Biggs

A barrister appearing in the abominable history of the man with copper fingers.

Duchess of Medway

minor

Also known as the Duchess of Medway, Duchess, the Dowager Duchess of Medway

Lord Peter's mother, appearing in the cave of Ali Baba.

Mr. Hancock

minor

Also known as Hancock

A character involved in the case of the footsteps that ran.

Mrs. Plunkett

minor

Also known as Plunkett

A character appearing in the unprincipled affair of the practical joker.

Mr. Coreggio Plant

minor

Also known as Mr. Plant, Plant, vice Coreggio Plant

A suspect in the case of the cat in the bag.

Walters

minor

Also known as Mr. Walters

A servant or minor character in the book.

Jock

minor

A Scottish character appearing in the piscatorial farce.

Polly Flinders

minor

Also known as Mary, Polly, Restraining Polly Flinders

A woman involved in the case of the man with no face.

Miss Marryat

minor

A character appearing in the vindictive story of the footsteps that ran.

Major Lumsden

minor

Also known as Lumsden

A military man involved in the bone of contention.

Salcombe Hardy

minor

Also known as Hardy

A journalist friend of Lord Peter.

Mr. Jukes

minor

Also known as Jukes, the miserable Jukes

A miserable character in the fantastic horror of the cat in the bag.

Mr. Hubbard

minor

Also known as Hubbard

A character in the entertaining episode of the article in question.

Simpkins

minor

Also known as Mr. Simpkins, the abashed Mr. Simpkins

An abashed character in the unprincipled affair of the practical joker.

Maggie

minor

A servant or minor character in the book.

Mrs. Hancock

minor

Wife of Mr. Hancock, appearing in the footsteps that ran.

Miss Hancock

minor

Also known as Hancock

Daughter of Mr. Hancock, appearing in the footsteps that ran.

Cousin Robert

minor

Also known as Robert

A cousin in the fascinating problem of Uncle Meleager's will.

Merridew

minor

A character in the bibulous business of a matter of taste.

Young Rawlinson

minor

Also known as Rawlinson, Young Rawlinson

A young man in the undignified melodrama of the bone of contention.

Mrs. Frobisher-Pym

minor

Wife of Mr. Frobisher-Pym, appearing in the man with copper fingers.

Hannah Marryat

minor

Also known as Hannah

A character in the vindictive story of the footsteps that ran.

Mr. Martin

minor

Also known as Martin

A character in the fantastic horror of the cat in the bag.

Mr. Storey

minor

Also known as Storey, Philip Storey

A character in the unsolved puzzle of the man with no face.

Philpotts

minor

Also known as old Philpotts, Dear old Philpotts

An old friend or character in the book.

Mr. Graham

minor

Also known as Graham, the discreet Graham

A discreet character in the entertaining episode of the article in question.

Mr. Ffolliott

minor

Also known as poor Mr. Ffolliott, Ffolliott

A poor character in the bibulous business of a matter of taste.

Célestine Berger

minor

Also known as Célestine

A character in the learned adventure of the dragon's head.

Lady Sylvia

minor

Also known as Sylvia

A lady appearing in the cave of Ali Baba.

Thomas Owen

minor

Also known as Mr. Owen, Mr. Thomas Owen, Tom

A character in the piscatorial farce of the stolen stomach.

Colonel Marchbanks

minor

Also known as the redoubtable Colonel Marchbanks, Colonel

A redoubtable colonel in the bone of contention.

Sarah

minor

Also known as Sally

A servant or minor character in the book.

Judson

minor

A character in the abominable history of the man with copper fingers.

Popham

minor

A character in the bibulous business of a matter of taste.

Armstrong

minor

A character in the unprincipled affair of the practical joker.

Mr. Frederick Arbuthnot

minor

Also known as Alfred, Frederick Arbuthnot, Mr. Arbuthnot

A relative of Freddy Arbuthnot in the cave of Ali Baba.

Old Cutthroat

minor

Also known as Cutthroat

A character in the piscatorial farce of the stolen stomach.

Mr. Cowley

minor

Also known as the Cowley

A character in the bibulous business of a matter of taste.

Masterman

minor

A character in the fantastic horror of the cat in the bag.

Young Jerry

minor

Also known as Jerrykins, Gerald

A young character in the unprincipled affair of the practical joker.

Pettifer

minor

A character in the bibulous business of a matter of taste.

Smith-Hartington

minor

A character in the bibulous business of a matter of taste.

Sebastian

minor

A character in the learned adventure of the dragon's head.

Skrymes

minor

A character in the bibulous business of a matter of taste.

Kitty

minor

A servant or minor character in the book.

Joliffe

minor

A character in the bibulous business of a matter of taste.

Mrs. Lovall

minor

A character in the unsolved puzzle of the man with no face.

Cuthbert Conyers

minor

Also known as Cuthbert, old Cuthbert

An old character in the piscatorial farce of the stolen stomach.

Rachel Goldstein

minor

Also known as Rachel

A character in the learned adventure of the dragon's head.

Davie Murray

minor

A character in the piscatorial farce of the stolen stomach.

Mr. Ormerod

minor

A character in the bibulous business of a matter of taste.

Mr. Birkett

minor

A character in the bibulous business of a matter of taste.