# Arnold Rivers — Murder in the Gunroom character guide > Arnold Rivers in Murder in the Gunroom by H. Beam Piper. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Rivers, Mr. Rivers, Mr. Arnold Rivers **First appearance:** 0001-murder-in-the-gunroom ## Snapshot A snobbish antiquarian gun dealer whose class-conscious habits and late-night telephone calls make his own murder a puzzle worth solving. ## Who they are Rivers dealt in antique arms and moved in the same collector circles as Lane Fleming, but he was the sort who identified people by class-label and would only drink with those he considered his equals. That very snobbery becomes a clue: Rand reasons that whoever shared Rivers's last drink was no butler, which narrows the field of suspects considerably. His death, following so closely on Fleming's, is what pulls Rand into the case at all, and the swarm of reporters outside his shop signals just how public the scandal is about to become. ## Relationships ### [Jeff Rand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/characters/jeff_rand) _professional_ Arnold Rivers, a wealthy collector, hires Jeff Rand to investigate Lane Fleming's murder, creating a tense but cooperative detective-client dynamic. ### [Stephen Gresham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/characters/stephen_gresham) _professional_ Arnold Rivers and Stephen Gresham interact as fellow executors of Lane Fleming's estate, coordinating legal and financial decisions. ### [Fred Dunmore](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/characters/fred_dunmore) _professional_ Arnold Rivers and Fred Dunmore have a tense business relationship, as Rivers distrusts Dunmore's shady gun trade practices. ### [Lane Fleming](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/characters/lane_fleming) _friendship_ Arnold Rivers and Lane Fleming were close friends and fellow gun collectors, with Rivers deeply affected by Fleming's murder. ### [Jeff Rand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/characters/jeff_rand) _professional_ Arnold Rivers, a wealthy collector, hires Jeff Rand to investigate Lane Fleming's murder, creating a tense but cooperative detective-client dynamic. ### [Jeff Rand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/characters/jeff_rand) _professional_ Arnold Rivers, a wealthy collector, hires Jeff Rand to investigate Lane Fleming's murder, creating a tense but cooperative detective-client dynamic. ### [Stephen Gresham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/characters/stephen_gresham) _professional_ Arnold Rivers and Stephen Gresham interact as fellow executors of Lane Fleming's estate, coordinating legal and financial decisions. ### [Fred Dunmore](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/characters/fred_dunmore) _professional_ Arnold Rivers and Fred Dunmore have a tense business relationship, as Rivers distrusts Dunmore's shady gun trade practices. ### [Fred Dunmore](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/characters/fred_dunmore) _professional_ Arnold Rivers and Fred Dunmore have a tense business relationship, as Rivers distrusts Dunmore's shady gun trade practices. ## In the story ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/chapters/iii) Offered $10,000 for the collection; described by Goode as a notorious swindler whom Fleming was suing for fraud. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/chapters/iv) Mentioned as a swindler who sells fake antiques made by Umholtz; Gresham holds a grudge against him. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/chapters/v) Offers $10,000 for the Fleming collection, later raises to $25,000, and tries to repurchase the revolver he sold. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/chapters/vii) Gwinnett suggests showing his written offer to Rivers as a challenge. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/chapters/viii) Discussed indirectly; Rand reports his willingness to pay up to $25,000 and describes him as a crooked operator. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/chapters/x) Found dead in his shop; discussed as a crooked dealer and possible fence for stolen firearms. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/chapters/xi) Mentioned as having tried to buy the revolver from Kirchner; later reported dead. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/chapters/xiii) Found murdered; suspected of receiving stolen pistols from the Fleming collection. ### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/chapters/xiv) Murdered; believed by Rand to have bought stolen pistols from Walters and stored them with Umholtz. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/characters/arnold_rivers - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_gunroom_se/characters