# Inspector French — The Cheyne Mystery character guide > Inspector French in The Cheyne Mystery by Freeman Wills Crofts. **Role:** major **Also known as:** French, Mr. French **First appearance:** 0012-xiii-inspector-french-takes-charge ## Snapshot A methodical Scotland Yard man whose patient cross-checking of lies, shipping records, and hotel registers slowly turns a baffling local case into a continental manhunt. ## Who they are French takes charge of the case after Cheyne's visit to the Yard, and his temperament is the opposite of his client's: unhurried, skeptical, and quietly relentless. He suspects the conspirators have been preparing for weeks, and every testable statement they made proves false, which only sharpens his sense that something serious is being hidden. His steady accumulation of small facts—wireless queries, Lloyd's reports, a constable's memory of a yellow car—gives the early investigation its spine and keeps Cheyne's impulsive theorizing in check. ## Relationships ### [Joan Merrill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters/joan_merrill) _professional_ Inspector French interacts with Joan Merrill as part of his investigation, likely questioning or protecting her. ### [Susan Dangle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters/susan_dangle) _professional_ Inspector French engages with Susan Dangle professionally, likely as a witness or suspect in the case. ### [Maxwell Cheyne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters/maxwell_cheyne) _professional_ Inspector French investigates Maxwell Cheyne, maintaining a formal detective-suspect or detective-ally dynamic. ### [Arnold Price](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters/arnold_price) _rivalry_ Arnold Price and Inspector French are adversaries, with Price likely obstructing or opposing French's investigation. ### [Mr. Speedwell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters/mr_speedwell) _professional_ Inspector French and Mr. Speedwell interact professionally, likely as part of the investigation. ### [M. Lowenthal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters/m_lowenthal) _professional_ Inspector French and M. Lowenthal have a professional relationship, possibly as a colleague or informant. ### [Joan Merrill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters/joan_merrill) _professional_ Inspector French interacts with Joan Merrill as part of his investigation, likely questioning or protecting her. ### [Maxwell Cheyne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters/maxwell_cheyne) _professional_ Inspector French investigates Maxwell Cheyne, maintaining a formal detective-suspect or detective-ally dynamic. ### [Arnold Price](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters/arnold_price) _rivalry_ Arnold Price and Inspector French are adversaries, with Price likely obstructing or opposing French's investigation. ### [Susan Dangle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters/susan_dangle) _professional_ Inspector French engages with Susan Dangle professionally, likely as a witness or suspect in the case. ### [Maxwell Cheyne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters/maxwell_cheyne) _professional_ Inspector French investigates Maxwell Cheyne, maintaining a formal detective-suspect or detective-ally dynamic. ### [Mr. Speedwell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters/mr_speedwell) _professional_ Inspector French and Mr. Speedwell interact professionally, likely as part of the investigation. ## In the story ### [XIII: Inspector French Takes Charge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/chapters/xiii-inspector-french-takes-charge) Takes charge of the case, listens to Cheyne's story, organizes raids on Earlswood and Sime's address, and interrogates Speedwell. ### [XIV: The Clue of the Clay-Marked Shoe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/chapters/xiv-the-clue-of-the-clay-marked-shoe) Examines Joan Merrill's shoes and deduces the clay mark confirms her presence at the bank. ### [XV: The Torn Hotel Bill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/chapters/xv-the-torn-hotel-bill) Leads the investigation, searches houses, interviews witnesses, and analyzes clues. ### [A Tale of Two Cities](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/chapters/xvi-a-tale-of-two-cities) French travels to Bruges to investigate the hotel bill, experiences a setback when his deduction proves wrong, then reconsiders and heads to Antwerp. ### [XVII: On the Flood Tide](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/chapters/xvii-on-the-flood-tide) Leads the investigation in Antwerp, tracing vessels and questioning witnesses. ### [XVIII: A Visitor from India](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/chapters/xviii-a-visitor-from-india) French deduces Joan may have photographed the tracing, retrieves her camera, develops the film, and later meets Cheyne. He concludes the tracing is a map of England. ### [XIX: The Message of the Tracing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/chapters/xix-the-message-of-the-tracing) Leads the investigation, theorizes the tracing is a map to sunken treasure, contacts Lloyd's and Inspector Barnes, and arranges the Admiralty expedition. ### [XX: The Goal of the L'Escaut](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/chapters/xx-the-goal-of-the-l-escaut) Leads the pursuit; wakes early from excitement, observes the L'Escaut's suspicious appearance, and coordinates with Captain Amery. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters/inspector_french - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cheyne_mystery_se/characters