Murder in the Maze · Character

Mr. Stenness

The secretary who knows every turn of the Maze by heart, leads the armed search with a shotgun, and coolly announces the second body.

supporting

Also known as Stenness, Master Stenness

First appearance: ii the affair in the maze

As a supporting figure in Murder in the Maze, Mr. Stenness is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The secretary who calmly takes charge, telephones the police, and leads the armed party into the Maze.

In the storyIII: The Immediate ResultsOpen this moment free

See Mr. Stenness in III: The Immediate Results Book page

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Stenness moves through the labyrinth without a moment's hesitation, taking the lead with his gun ready while Howard Torrance and the gardener follow. He corners a suspicious stranger, disarms him, and delivers the news that Roger Shandon is dead with the same flat composure. His unnerving competence and intimate knowledge of the hedges make him indispensable to the search and quietly unsettling to everyone watching.

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The fuller portrait of Mr. Stenness sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Mr. Stenness in ii the affair in the maze

Character Web

23 connections

A slice of how Mr. Stenness sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Professional
Rivalry
Other

Character groups

Main suspects and victims
Protagonist

+18 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

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

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the dramatic climax because it marks the psychological peak of Sir Clinton’s calculated deception, whe…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Sir Clinton Driffield
professional · positive
Roger Shandon
professional · ambivalent
Ernest Shandon
rivalry · negative
Sir Clinton Driffield
professional · positive
Sir Clinton Driffield
professional · positive
Roger Shandon
professional · ambivalent
Ernest Shandon
rivalry · negative
Ernest Shandon
rivalry · negative
Roger Shandon
professional · ambivalent

Sir Clinton Driffield
Mr. Stenness is a colleague or local official who collaborates with Sir Clinton on the murder case.
Roger Shandon
Mr. Stenness and Roger Shandon have a formal, business-like relationship, possibly as employer and employee.
Ernest Shandon
Ernest Shandon and Mr. Stenness are often in conflict, with Stenness distrusting Ernest's actions.
Sir Clinton Driffield
Mr. Stenness is a colleague or local official who collaborates with Sir Clinton on the murder case.
Sir Clinton Driffield
Mr. Stenness is a colleague or local official who collaborates with Sir Clinton on the murder case.
Roger Shandon
Mr. Stenness and Roger Shandon have a formal, business-like relationship, possibly as employer and employee.
Ernest Shandon
Ernest Shandon and Mr. Stenness are often in conflict, with Stenness distrusting Ernest's actions.
Ernest Shandon
Ernest Shandon and Mr. Stenness are often in conflict, with Stenness distrusting Ernest's actions.
Roger Shandon
Mr. Stenness and Roger Shandon have a formal, business-like relationship, possibly as employer and employee.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Mr. Stenness in ii the affair in the maze

In the story

Mr. Stenness appears across 10 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

III: The Immediate Results
The secretary who calmly takes charge, telephones the police, and leads the armed party into the Maze.
IV: The Chief Constable
Secretary to Roger Shandon; guides the party through the Maze and provides information about the murders.
The Evidence in the Case
Secretary to Roger Shandon, reveals threatening letters, gambling, and family dynamics.
IX: The Burglary at Whistlefield
Present during the recounting; confirms the ladder is from the garden and describes the ransacked room.
X: The Third Attack in the Maze
Mentioned as being absent during Ernest's visit to the Maze; his whereabouts are unknown.
The Fourth Attack
Appears deeply preoccupied and disturbed, answering questions at random.
The Forged Cheque
Secretary to Roger Shandon; remains composed during Sir Clinton's interrogation about the missing counterfoil and forged cheque.
XV: The Secretary's Affairs
Confesses to forgery and explains his motive: recovering money swindled from him by Roger Shandon. Reveals his love for Sylvia Hawkhurst and his moral justification for the crime.
XVII: The Siege in the Maze
Accompanies the party, leads them to the gun-room, and is the recipient of a letter found on Ernest's body.
XVIII: The Truth of the Matter
Listens to the reconstruction; Sir Clinton notes Ernest tried to throw suspicion on him.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Mr. Stenness unlock in the free preview.

See Mr. Stenness in ii the affair in the maze

See Mr. Stenness in III: The Immediate Results