Murder by the Clock · Chapter
XXIII: 4:29 a.m.—A Turn of the Screw explained
Lieutenant Valcour interrogates Mrs.
What happens
Lieutenant Valcour interrogates Mrs. Endicott, who is suspected of shooting her husband and wounding Hollander. She denies being on the balcony, claiming her slipper fell off while straddling the window sill. Valcour reveals she is under arrest as a material witness and searches her room for a revolver, finding none. Mrs. Endicott's demeanor shifts from guarded to exultant, puzzling Valcour.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Valcour’s admission of an “impalpable dread” marks the emotional peak, as the detective—hitherto anchored in l…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Appearance vs. Reality
Mrs. Endicott's innocent demeanor contrasts with the evidence against her.
- Deception of the Senses
Valcour challenges Mrs. Endicott's account of the slipper and the balcony.
- Guilt and Innocence
Mrs. Endicott's guilt is implied by her arrest, yet she maintains her innocence.
Characters to notice
- Lieutenant Valcour
Interrogates Mrs. Endicott, searches her room, and arrests her as a material witness.
- Mrs. Endicott
Denies shooting, claims she was straddling the window sill, and is arrested as a material witness.
- Thomas Hollander
Mentioned as wounded and taken to the hospital.
- Herbert Endicott
Mentioned as the murdered husband.
Key passages
“You shouldn’t have dropped your slipper outside of the window.”
Valcour points out that the slipper found outside the window is incriminating.
Valcour uses the slipper as evidence against Mrs. Endicott.
“I am holding you, Mrs. Endicott, as a material witness, for the present.”
Valcour informs Mrs. Endicott that she is being detained, not formally charged with murder.
Valcour clarifies the legal status of Mrs. Endicott's arrest.
