# Inspector Burnley — The Cask character guide > Inspector Burnley in The Cask by Freeman Wills Crofts. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Burnley, Mr. Burnley **First appearance:** 0000-part-i-london ## Snapshot The Scotland Yard inspector who opens the cask in a lamplit yard and finds a hand in the sawdust where sovereigns should have been. ## Who they are Burnley is the official mind of the case, cautious with his suspicions and careful with his evidence, refusing to commit himself even to Felix on the walk to the Yard. He supervises the unpacking himself, sifting sawdust through his fingers until the sovereigns give way to something far worse. His disciplined, almost reticent method contrasts with La Touche's gambits and sets the tone for the investigation's slow, granular progress. ## Relationships ### [Mr. Felix](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters/mr_felix) _professional_ Inspector Burnley interrogates and investigates Mr. Felix as a key suspect in the murder case. ### [M. Lefarge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters/m_lefarge) _professional_ Inspector Burnley questions M. Lefarge as a witness and potential accomplice in the murder investigation. ### [M. Boirac](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters/m_boirac) _professional_ Inspector Burnley investigates M. Boirac as a prime suspect in the murder of Mr. Felix. ### [Mr. Broughton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters/mr_broughton) _professional_ Inspector Burnley works with Mr. Broughton, a fellow detective or police official, on the case. ### [Watty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters/watty) _professional_ Inspector Burnley questions Watty, a servant or witness, for information about the crime. ### [Mr. Felix](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters/mr_felix) _professional_ Inspector Burnley interrogates and investigates Mr. Felix as a key suspect in the murder case. ### [Mr. Felix](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters/mr_felix) _professional_ Inspector Burnley interrogates and investigates Mr. Felix as a key suspect in the murder case. ### [M. Boirac](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters/m_boirac) _professional_ Inspector Burnley investigates M. Boirac as a prime suspect in the murder of Mr. Felix. ### [Mr. Broughton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters/mr_broughton) _professional_ Inspector Burnley works with Mr. Broughton, a fellow detective or police official, on the case. ### [M. Lefarge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters/m_lefarge) _professional_ Inspector Burnley questions M. Lefarge as a witness and potential accomplice in the murder investigation. ### [Watty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters/watty) _professional_ Inspector Burnley questions Watty, a servant or witness, for information about the crime. ### [Watty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters/watty) _professional_ Inspector Burnley questions Watty, a servant or witness, for information about the crime. ## In the story ### [Part I: London](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/part-i-london) Takes charge of the investigation after the cask is discovered. ### [A Strange Consignment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/i-a-strange-consignment) The inspector at Scotland Yard who hears the story from Broughton and Mr. Avery. ### [II: Inspector Burnley on the Track](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/ii-inspector-burnley-on-the-track) Leads the investigation, interviews witnesses, examines evidence, and traces the cask's route. ### [IV: A Midnight Interview](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/iv-a-midnight-interview) Leads the midnight stakeout and confronts Felix about the cask's contents. ### [Felix Tells a Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/v-felix-tells-a-story) Interrogates Felix, analyzes the letter, and suspects the cask may contain a corpse; discovers the cask has been stolen. ### [VI: The Art of Detection](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/vi-the-art-of-detection) Leads the investigation, deduces the cask was taken between nine and ten, and analyzes footprints to conclude the carter returned twice. ### [VII: The Cask at Last](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/vii-the-cask-at-last) Leads the investigation, retrieves the cask, and disguises himself to track down Walter Palmer. ### [VIII: The Opening of the Cask](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/viii-the-opening-of-the-cask) Leads the opening of the cask, discovers the body, and is ordered to Paris to investigate the murder. ### [Part II: Paris](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/part-ii-paris) Travels to Paris to lead the investigation. ### [IX: M. le Chef de la Sûreté](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/ix-m-le-chef-de-la-s-ret) Travels to Paris to lead the investigation; meets with M. Chauvet and M. Lefarge; reviews the case details and medical report. ### [X: Who Wrote the Letter?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/x-who-wrote-the-letter) Accompanies Lefarge during interviews and participates in the discussion with Chauvet. ### [XI: Mm. Dupierre Et Cie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/xi-mm-dupierre-et-cie) Travels to Paris with Lefarge, interviews M. Thévenet, examines the order letter. ### [At the Gare St. Lazare](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/xii-at-the-gare-st-lazare) Leads the investigation; compares handwriting and watermarks, and notes Felix's unexplained visit to Paris. ### [XIII: The Owner of the Dress](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/xiii-the-owner-of-the-dress) London police officer collaborating on the case, present during M. Boirac's interview. ### [XV: The House in the Avenue de l'Alma](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/xv-the-house-in-the-avenue-de-l-alma) Accompanies Lefarge to the Boirac house, observes the layout, and participates in the interview with François. ### [Inspector Burnley Up Against It](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/xvi-inspector-burnley-up-against-it) Compiles a timeline of the case, investigates at the hotel and Gare du Nord, and attends the Sûreté meeting. ### [A Council of War](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/xvii-a-council-of-war) Leads the discussion, presents theories about Felix and Boirac, and argues against the possibility of murder on the night of the dinner-party. ### [XVIII: Lefarge Hunts Alone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/xviii-lefarge-hunts-alone) Accompanies Lefarge to the Hotel Continental and the Gare du Nord; they interview officials together. ### [XX: Some Damning Evidence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/xx-some-damning-evidence) Conducts a meticulous search of St. Malo, discovers the letter from Emmie and the diamond pin, and examines blotting paper for typewriter impressions. ### [Part III: London and Paris](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/part-iii-london-and-paris) Leads the investigation from London to Paris, coordinating with French police. ### [XXVII: La Touche’s Dilemma](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/chapters/xxvii-la-touche-s-dilemma) Reported to have found the carter who moved the cask from Waterloo to Charing Cross. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters/inspector_burnley - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cask_se/characters