# Joan Cowper — The Brooklyn Murders character guide > Joan Cowper in The Brooklyn Murders by G. D. H. Cole. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Joan, Miss Joan, Miss Cowper, Miss Joan Cowper **First appearance:** 0000-i-a-family-celebration ## Snapshot The young woman who found George Brooklyn's body in the garden, she bears up wonderfully under suspicion while quietly becoming the investigation's most valuable ally. ## Who they are Joan Cowper moves through Liskeard House as a guest whose composure after discovering a corpse makes her both pitied and quietly scrutinized. Her alibi is airtight—Mary Woodman confirms she never left her room—yet her willingness to visit Walter Brooklyn in his cell and vouch absolutely for his truthfulness shows a loyalty that cuts against the family's interests. She matters because she bridges the household's secrets and the police inquiry, giving the reader a trusted pair of eyes inside a circle where everyone else is dissembling. ## Relationships ### [Robert Ellery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/robert_ellery) _romantic_ Joan and Robert share a deep romantic bond, often confiding in each other amidst the murder investigation. ### [Carter Woodman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/carter_woodman) _professional_ Carter is Joan's trusted colleague and fellow detective, working closely to solve the murders. ### [Sir Vernon Brooklyn](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/sir_vernon_brooklyn) _professional_ Joan interviews Sir Vernon as a key witness and potential suspect in the Brooklyn family case. ### [Walter Brooklyn](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/walter_brooklyn) _rivalry_ Joan and Walter are locked in a battle of wits, each trying to outmaneuver the other in the murder inquiry. ### [Charis Lang](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/charis_lang) _friendship_ Charis and Joan develop a cautious friendship as Joan tries to earn Charis's trust. ### [John Prinsep](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/john_prinsep) _professional_ Joan questions John as a suspect, but they share a mutual respect for each other's intelligence. ### [Carter Woodman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/carter_woodman) _professional_ Carter is Joan's trusted colleague and fellow detective, working closely to solve the murders. ### [Charis Lang](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/charis_lang) _friendship_ Charis and Joan develop a cautious friendship as Joan tries to earn Charis's trust. ### [Robert Ellery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/robert_ellery) _romantic_ Joan and Robert share a deep romantic bond, often confiding in each other amidst the murder investigation. ### [Carter Woodman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/carter_woodman) _professional_ Carter is Joan's trusted colleague and fellow detective, working closely to solve the murders. ### [Walter Brooklyn](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/walter_brooklyn) _rivalry_ Joan and Walter are locked in a battle of wits, each trying to outmaneuver the other in the murder inquiry. ### [Robert Ellery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/robert_ellery) _romantic_ Joan and Robert share a deep romantic bond, often confiding in each other amidst the murder investigation. ## In the story ### [I: A Family Celebration](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/i-a-family-celebration) Hostess and stepdaughter of Walter Brooklyn; resists Sir Vernon's plan to marry her to John Prinsep and seeks Harry Lucas's help. ### [II: Sir Vernon’s Will](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/ii-sir-vernon-s-will) Publicly refuses to marry John Prinsep despite Sir Vernon's implied expectation, later discusses the evening with Mary Woodman. ### [IV: What Joan Found in the Garden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/iv-what-joan-found-in-the-garden) Discovers both Prinsep's and George Brooklyn's bodies; breaks the news to Sir Vernon; identifies the cigar-holder. ### [Plain as a Pikestaff](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/v-plain-as-a-pikestaff) Identifies George Brooklyn's body and the crushed cigar-holder belonging to John Prinsep. ### [A Pause for Reflection](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/vi-a-pause-for-reflection) She discovered George Brooklyn's body in the garden. Her movements are accounted for: she sat with Mary Woodman until eleven, then went to bed. ### [A Review of the Case](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/viii-a-review-of-the-case) Mentioned as the first discoverer of George Brooklyn's body; she did not notice or handle the weapon. ### [XI: Joan Takes Up the Case](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xi-joan-takes-up-the-case) Resolves to clear her stepfather Walter Brooklyn; interviews Carter Woodman and decides to investigate the murders herself. ### [XII: Robert Ellery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xii-robert-ellery) Object of Ellery's love; her repudiation of Prinsep gives Ellery hope. ### [An Arrest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xiii-an-arrest) Present at the inquest with Ellery; observes Walter's changing demeanor and the trap set by the police. ### [Mainly a Love Scene](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xiv-mainly-a-love-scene) Joan seeks Ellery's help to clear her stepfather Walter Brooklyn of murder suspicion. She and Ellery declare their love and plan a campaign to prove Walter's innocence. ### [XV: To and Fro](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xv-to-and-fro) Anxious about Walter Brooklyn's disappearance; attends the inquest; passes a note to Brooklyn; later visits him in jail with a permit obtained by Ellery; reveals her engagement to Ellery. ### [A Link in the Chain](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xvi-a-link-in-the-chain) Works with Ellery to map Walter's movements and visits him in custody, convinced of his innocence. ### [Don Quixote](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxi-don-quixote) Joan actively participates in the investigation, helping to trace her stepfather's alibi and questioning witnesses. ### [The Spaniard Does His Bit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxii-the-spaniard-does-his-bit) Anxiously awaits Ellery's news, shares her doubts about her stepfather, and insists on attending the meeting despite exhaustion. ### [Walter Brooklyn Goes Free](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxiii-walter-brooklyn-goes-free) Leads the effort to prove Walter's alibi, refuses to visit him in prison, and decides to find the real murderer with Ellery. ### [A Fresh Start](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxiv-a-fresh-start) Plans with Ellery to investigate everyone who was at Liskeard House on the night of the murders. ### [XXV: Raising the Wind](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxv-raising-the-wind) Questioned by Inspector Blaikie about the rumor of Walter's confession; she denies it and expresses indignation. ### [Robert Ellery’s Idea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxvii-robert-ellery-s-idea) Spends the night thinking but reaches no solution; is horrified by Ellery's suspicion of Woodman but agrees to help find proof. ### [XXIX: The Lie of the Land](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxix-the-lie-of-the-land) Ellery plans to inform her of his findings to convince her of Woodman's guilt. ### [A Letter and Its Consequences](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxx-a-letter-and-its-consequences) Discovers the letter from Sir John Bunnery and reads it to Sir Vernon, then writes the new will as dictated. ### [XXXI: A Button in a Bag](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxxi-a-button-in-a-bag) Searches Woodman's rooms and office; theorizes about the hiding place of evidence; resolves to prove Woodman's entry into Liskeard House. ### [Sir John Bunnery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxxii-sir-john-bunnery) Arranges the pretext for Ellery's visit and is engaged to Ellery. ### [The Stable-Yard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxxiv-the-stable-yard) Investigates the coach-yard to determine how Woodman entered the house; discovers Norah as a witness. ### [An Order for Bulbs](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxxv-an-order-for-bulbs) Arrives at Woodman's office with Ellery, unaware of the police surveillance. ### [An Afternoon Call](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxxvi-an-afternoon-call) Confronts Woodman, detailing his crimes and offering him a chance to flee. ### [A Happy Ending](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/chapters/xxxvii-a-happy-ending) Reluctantly agrees to tell the full story at the inquest; later marries Ellery and becomes a successful playwright. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters/joan_cowper - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brooklyn_murders_se/characters