The Clue · Character

Tom Willard

A jolly, hot-tempered scapegrace who once led the town a dance, Tom Willard returns for Madeleine's wedding and stays for the aftermath.

supporting

Also known as Tom, young Tom Willard, Willard, Dear old Tom, young Willard, Mr. Willard, Young Willard, Poor Tom

First appearance: The Van Normans

As a supporting figure in The Clue, Tom Willard is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Madeleine's cousin, deeply in love with her, openly critical of Carleton, and the life of the house party.

In the storyThe Van NormansOpen this moment free

See Tom Willard in The Van Normans Book page

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Tom is the affable, slightly disreputable old friend everyone remembers fondly and warns newcomers about — an engineer who quarreled with his uncle and left town three years ago, only to reappear for the Van Norman wedding. He counsels Kitty against theatrical amateur sleuthing with the gentle condescension of a man who knows the town's secrets. His easy charm and buried temper make him a figure the investigation keeps circling back to.

Continue beside the text

The fuller portrait of Tom Willard sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Tom Willard in The Van Normans

Character Web

18 connections

A slice of how Tom Willard sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Social
Other

Character groups

Central suspects and investigators
Protagonist

+13 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Closing

This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it represents the emotional and psychological peak of the chara…

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Relationships

Madeleine Van Norman
friendship · positive
Tom is a trusted friend and neighbor to Madeleine, often involved in the social circle's… How this plays out →
Schuyler Carleton
social · positive
Rob Fessenden
friendship · positive
Madeleine Van Norman
friendship · positive
Tom is a trusted friend and neighbor to Madeleine, often involved in the social circle's… How this plays out →
Rob Fessenden
friendship · positive
Schuyler Carleton
social · positive
Madeleine Van Norman
friendship · positive
Tom is a trusted friend and neighbor to Madeleine, often involved in the social circle's… How this plays out →
Schuyler Carleton
social · positive
Rob Fessenden
friendship · positive

Madeleine Van Norman
Tom is a trusted friend and neighbor to Madeleine, often involved in the social circle's activities.
Schuyler Carleton
Schuyler and Tom are casual acquaintances, moving in the same social circles but not close.
Rob Fessenden
Rob and Tom are friends and allies, often working together to support Madeleine.
Madeleine Van Norman
Tom is a trusted friend and neighbor to Madeleine, often involved in the social circle's activities.
Rob Fessenden
Rob and Tom are friends and allies, often working together to support Madeleine.
Schuyler Carleton
Schuyler and Tom are casual acquaintances, moving in the same social circles but not close.
Madeleine Van Norman
Tom is a trusted friend and neighbor to Madeleine, often involved in the social circle's activities.
Schuyler Carleton
Schuyler and Tom are casual acquaintances, moving in the same social circles but not close.
Rob Fessenden
Rob and Tom are friends and allies, often working together to support Madeleine.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Tom Willard in The Van Normans

In the story

Tom Willard appears across 12 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Van Normans
Madeleine's cousin, deeply in love with her, openly critical of Carleton, and the life of the house party.
Miss Morton Arrives
Madeleine's cousin, who flirts with her openly, sits in Carleton's chair, and provokes Carleton's jealousy.
Suicide or ⸻?
Arrives after being summoned, is devastated by the news, and picks up a small object from the carpet.
VI: Fessenden Comes
Arrives with Carleton; Kitty defends his character and suggests he was in love with Madeleine.
A Soft Lead Pencil
Expresses shock at Cicely's confession and studies the note with a perplexed expression.
IX: The Will
Inherits Richard Van Norman's fortune due to Madeleine's death before marriage and age twenty-three.
X: Some Testimony
Provides his alibi, stating he went to the Mapleton Inn after leaving the house and was awakened by a phone call from Miss Morton.
XVI: Searching for Clues
His alibi is verified by the innkeeper and bellboy; later found going over Madeleine's papers with Lawyer Peabody.
Carleton Is Frank
Has changed since inheriting a large fortune, appearing burdened rather than joyful; he returns to his old room at the Van Norman house and rebuffs Fessenden's attempts to discuss the case.
A Successful Pursuit
Offers to pay for a celebrated detective; expresses skepticism that a new detective will find more than the current investigators have.
XXIII: Fleming Stone
Attends the evening meeting; makes blunt remarks during the recital of the case.
XXIV: A Confession
Exposed as the murderer by Fleming Stone; confesses and then stabs himself, dying after dictating a will.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Tom Willard unlock in the free preview.

See Tom Willard in The Van Normans