The Avenger · Chapter
XXII: The Head explained
Stella Mendoza intercepts Mike Brixan outside the studio and invites him to her home, where she hints at a confession but is interrupted by a telephone call from Sir Gregory Penne.
What happens
Stella Mendoza intercepts Mike Brixan outside the studio and invites him to her home, where she hints at a confession but is interrupted by a telephone call from Sir Gregory Penne. She postpones her revelation. Later, Brixan receives a telegram from Major Staines about a head found on Chobham Common; at the police station, he identifies the head as that of Lawley Foss.
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 Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Michael reaches his emotional and psychological peak as he confronts the horrifying reality of Lawley Foss’s d…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- The Macabre and Grotesque
The discovery of Lawley Foss's severed head on Chobham Common embodies the macabre and grotesque elements of the narrative.
- Deception and Appearances
Stella Mendoza's interrupted confession and her secretive phone call with Sir Gregory Penne highlight themes of hidden truths and deceptive appearances.
Characters to notice
- Mike Brixan
Accompanies Stella Mendoza to her house, receives a telegram about a discovered head, and identifies the head as Lawley Foss's.
- Stella Mendoza
Invites Brixan to her home, hints at a secret, but postpones her confession after a phone call from Sir Gregory Penne.
- Lawley Foss
His severed head is discovered on Chobham Common and identified by Brixan.
- Major George Staines
Sends the telegram about the head and meets Brixan at Leatherhead Police Station.
- Sir Gregory Penne
Implied to be the caller who interrupts Stella Mendoza's confession.
Key passages
“A head found on Chobham Common early this morning. Come to Leatherhead Police Station at once. "Staines."”
A head was discovered on Chobham Common at dawn; Brixan is summoned to Leatherhead Police Station by Major Staines.
The telegram reveals the discovery of a severed head, later identified as Lawley Foss's.
“It was the head of Lawley Foss.”
The severed head belonged to Lawley Foss.
Brixan identifies the head as that of Lawley Foss, confirming a murder.
