# Mr. Stenness — Murder in the Maze character guide > Mr. Stenness in Murder in the Maze by J. J. Connington. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Stenness, Master Stenness **First appearance:** 0001-ii-the-affair-in-the-maze ## Snapshot The secretary who knows every turn of the Maze by heart, leads the armed search with a shotgun, and coolly announces the second body. ## Who they are 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. ## Relationships ### [Sir Clinton Driffield](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/characters/sir_clinton_driffield) _professional_ Mr. Stenness is a colleague or local official who collaborates with Sir Clinton on the murder case. ### [Roger Shandon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/characters/roger_shandon) _professional_ Mr. Stenness and Roger Shandon have a formal, business-like relationship, possibly as employer and employee. ### [Ernest Shandon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/characters/ernest_shandon) _rivalry_ Ernest Shandon and Mr. Stenness are often in conflict, with Stenness distrusting Ernest's actions. ### [Sir Clinton Driffield](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/characters/sir_clinton_driffield) _professional_ Mr. Stenness is a colleague or local official who collaborates with Sir Clinton on the murder case. ### [Sir Clinton Driffield](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/characters/sir_clinton_driffield) _professional_ Mr. Stenness is a colleague or local official who collaborates with Sir Clinton on the murder case. ### [Roger Shandon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/characters/roger_shandon) _professional_ Mr. Stenness and Roger Shandon have a formal, business-like relationship, possibly as employer and employee. ### [Ernest Shandon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/characters/ernest_shandon) _rivalry_ Ernest Shandon and Mr. Stenness are often in conflict, with Stenness distrusting Ernest's actions. ### [Ernest Shandon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/characters/ernest_shandon) _rivalry_ Ernest Shandon and Mr. Stenness are often in conflict, with Stenness distrusting Ernest's actions. ### [Roger Shandon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/characters/roger_shandon) _professional_ Mr. Stenness and Roger Shandon have a formal, business-like relationship, possibly as employer and employee. ## In the story ### [III: The Immediate Results](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/v-the-evidence-in-the-case) Secretary to Roger Shandon, reveals threatening letters, gambling, and family dynamics. ### [IX: The Burglary at Whistlefield](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/xii-the-fourth-attack) Appears deeply preoccupied and disturbed, answering questions at random. ### [The Forged Cheque](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/xiv-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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/xviii-the-truth-of-the-matter) Listens to the reconstruction; Sir Clinton notes Ernest tried to throw suspicion on him. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/characters/mr_stenness - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/characters