# Mr. Brereton — The Borough Treasurer character guide > Mr. Brereton in The Borough Treasurer by J. S. Fletcher. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Brereton, Mr. Gifford Brereton **First appearance:** 0000-i-blackmail ## Snapshot A London barrister drawn into Highmarket's tangled case, summoned by a solicitor's note to bring a client's daughter to a Norcaster hotel. ## Who they are Brereton arrives as an outsider with legal instincts and a barrister's habit of watching faces, and he is quickly pulled from the courtroom into a private meeting of solicitors and detectives. Curious to the point of eagerness, he carries Avice Harborough to the Duke's Head without knowing what awaits. His methodical mind makes him the reader's natural guide through the town's secrets and the case's shifting ground. ## Relationships ### [Mr. Bent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters/mr_bent) _professional_ Mr. Bent and Mr. Brereton interact frequently, suggesting they are colleagues or associates in a business or legal context. ### [John Harborough](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters/john_harborough) _professional_ John Harborough and Mr. Brereton interact frequently, probably as legal or business associates. ### [Lettie Cotherstone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters/lettie_cotherstone) _professional_ Lettie Cotherstone and Mr. Brereton interact often, likely in a professional capacity involving legal or administrative matters. ### [Miss Pett](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters/miss_pett) _professional_ Miss Pett and Mr. Brereton have a significant number of interactions, suggesting a professional or legal relationship. ### [Mr. Mallalieu](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters/mr_mallalieu) _rivalry_ Mr. Brereton and Mr. Mallalieu have a moderate number of interactions, suggesting a competitive or adversarial dynamic. ### [Mr. Kitely](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters/mr_kitely) _professional_ Mr. Brereton and Mr. Kitely interact often, likely as professional associates in legal or financial matters. ### [Christopher Pett](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters/christopher_pett) _professional_ Christopher Pett and Mr. Brereton interact frequently, likely in a legal or official capacity. ### [Miss Pett](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters/miss_pett) _professional_ Miss Pett and Mr. Brereton have a significant number of interactions, suggesting a professional or legal relationship. ### [Mr. Kitely](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters/mr_kitely) _professional_ Mr. Brereton and Mr. Kitely interact often, likely as professional associates in legal or financial matters. ### [John Harborough](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters/john_harborough) _professional_ John Harborough and Mr. Brereton interact frequently, probably as legal or business associates. ### [Mr. Bent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters/mr_bent) _professional_ Mr. Bent and Mr. Brereton interact frequently, suggesting they are colleagues or associates in a business or legal context. ### [Mr. Bent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters/mr_bent) _professional_ Mr. Bent and Mr. Brereton interact frequently, suggesting they are colleagues or associates in a business or legal context. ## In the story ### [III: Murder](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/iii-murder) A young barrister from London, friend of Bent, visiting Highmarket; he discusses criminal matters and is observed by Cotherstone as sharp and observant. ### [IV: The Pine Wood](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/iv-the-pine-wood) Observes Cotherstone's reaction to the murder news and later examines the crime scene, noting signs of robbery. ### [The Cord](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/v-the-cord) Observes Cotherstone's unusual behavior and accompanies the police to Harborough's cottage. ### [VI: The Mayor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/vi-the-mayor) Observes Mallalieu's reaction and later argues that the cut cord evidence points to a frame-up rather than Harborough's guilt. ### [VIII: Retained for the Defence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/viii-retained-for-the-defence) Accompanies Bent to the station, observes Harborough closely, and impulsively offers to defend him at no cost. ### [Antecedents](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/ix-antecedents) Takes charge of Harborough's defense, cross-examines Miss Pett, and decides to investigate Kitely's background. ### [X: The Hole in the Thatch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/x-the-hole-in-the-thatch) Defending Harborough; privately suspects Cotherstone and publicly suggests Miss Pett as a possible murderer. ### [XI: Christopher Pett](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xi-christopher-pett) Discusses murder theories with the superintendent, later receives Christopher Pett's visit and learns details of Kitely's will. ### [XII: Parental Anxiety](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xii-parental-anxiety) Warns the superintendent to keep quiet about a finding; privately suspects Cotherstone and Mallalieu of involvement in Kitely's death. ### [XIII: The Anonymous Letter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xiii-the-anonymous-letter) Takes stock of the case, clashes with Pett, receives anonymous letter with £900 for Harborough's defence. ### [XVII: The Medical Opinion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xvii-the-medical-opinion) Visits the police station, learns of the medical opinion, copies the cryptic entry from Stoner's pocketbook, and becomes convinced Stoner's death is linked to Kitely's murder. ### [The Scrap Book](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xviii-the-scrap-book) Deciphers Kitely's scrap-book, deducing the secret linking Mallalieu and Cotherstone to the Mallows and Chidforth fraud case; struggles with the moral dilemma of exposing Cotherstone. ### [XIX: A Tall Man in Grey Clothes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xix-a-tall-man-in-grey-clothes) Shares his confidential theories with Avice and interviews Mrs. Hamthwaite, learning about the tall man in grey clothes. ### [At Bay](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xx-at-bay) Learns of Bent's wedding plans, decides to intervene, and confides in Tallington about Cotherstone's past. ### [XXII: The Hand in the Darkness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xxii-the-hand-in-the-darkness) Observes the hearing from the solicitor's table, carefully watching both prisoners' demeanors. ### [No Further Evidence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xxv-no-further-evidence) Accompanies Bent to inform Lettie of the news and observes the legal proceedings with interest. ### [Mr. Wraythwaite of Wraye](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xxvii-mr-wraythwaite-of-wraye) Summoned by Carfax to Norcaster, brings Avice, learns of Wraythwaite's alibi for Harborough. ### [XXVIII: Pages from the Past](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xxviii-pages-from-the-past) Listens to the revelations about Miss Pett's past and questions the inquiry agents. ### [XXX: Cotherstone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xxx-cotherstone) Mentioned as a guest at Cotherstone's house on the night of Kitely's murder. ### [The Barrister's Fee](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xxxi-the-barrister-s-fee) Returns to the north after six months, avoids Highmarket, and travels to Wraye to propose to Avice. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters/mr_brereton - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/characters