# Miles Bredon — The Footsteps at the Lock character guide > Miles Bredon in The Footsteps at the Lock by Ronald A. Knox. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Miles Bredon, Bredon, Miles **First appearance:** 0001-the-footsteps-at-the-lock ## Who they are A reluctant insurance detective who would rather play patience than solve crimes, yet whose instinct for human evasion makes him the one man the Indescribable sends when fifty thousand pounds are at stake. ## Relationships ### [Nigel Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/nigel_burtell) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Nigel Burtell are likely professional associates, possibly working on the same case or investigation. ### [Derek Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/derek_burtell) _professional_ Derek Burtell and Miles Bredon interact frequently, likely as part of a shared investigation or business matter. ### [Sir John Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/sir_john_burtell) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Sir John Burtell have a professional connection, possibly as employer and investigator. ### [Mr. Erasmus Quirk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/mr_erasmus_quirk) _rivalry_ Miles Bredon and Erasmus Quirk are likely adversaries, clashing over a case or personal vendetta. ### [Mr. Leyland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/mr_leyland) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Leyland work together professionally, possibly as colleagues in an investigation. ### [Mr. Burgess](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/mr_burgess) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Burgess have a professional connection, possibly as investigator and informant or colleague. ### [Charles Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/charles_burtell) _professional_ Charles Burtell and Miles Bredon interact professionally, possibly in the context of a family matter or investigation. ### [Derek Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/derek_burtell) _professional_ Derek Burtell and Miles Bredon interact frequently, likely as part of a shared investigation or business matter. ### [Nigel Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/nigel_burtell) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Nigel Burtell are likely professional associates, possibly working on the same case or investigation. ### [Sir John Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/sir_john_burtell) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Sir John Burtell have a professional connection, possibly as employer and investigator. ### [Nigel Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/nigel_burtell) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Nigel Burtell are likely professional associates, possibly working on the same case or investigation. ### [Charles Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/charles_burtell) _professional_ Charles Burtell and Miles Bredon interact professionally, possibly in the context of a family matter or investigation. ## In the story ### [The Footsteps at the Lock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/the-footsteps-at-the-lock) Investigates the lock and examines the footprints. ### [IV: The Indescribable Has Its Doubts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/iv-the-indescribable-has-its-doubts) The Indescribable's private detective, reluctantly summoned to investigate Derek Burtell's disappearance. ### [Mr. Burgess Expands](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/v-mr-burgess-expands) Leads the investigation, tows the canoe, questions Mr. Burgess, and retrieves the tobacco pouch with film. ### [VI: The Archimedes Touch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/vi-the-archimedes-touch) Investigates the case, critiques the police's approach, raises suspicions about Nigel Burtell's alibi, and conducts experiments with the canoe. ### [VII: The Camera Cannot Lie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/vii-the-camera-cannot-lie) Analyzes the six photographs with keen observation, reconstructing the sequence of events and planning to use a fabricated story to test Nigel. ### [A Common-Room Dinner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/viii-a-common-room-dinner) Visits Nigel in Oxford to return photographs and observe his behavior; later attends a Common-room dinner with Uncle Robert. ### [IX: Nigel Goes Down](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/ix-nigel-goes-down) Investigates the case, measures distances on a map, and plans a motor trip to retrace the Burtells' journey. ### [X: Discordant Notes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/x-discordant-notes) Discusses the case with Leyland, examining photographs and analyzing the alibi; his photographic expertise is noted by Quirk. ### [Mr. Erasmus Quirk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xi-mr-erasmus-quirk) Investigates the case with Leyland, considers the implications of the two wallets and the canoe journey, and agrees to collaborate with Quirk. ### [XII: The Secret of the Island](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xii-the-secret-of-the-island) Presents fingerprint evidence and reconstructs the crime with Leyland. ### [XIII: Pursued](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xiii-pursued) Reviews Leyland's notes and engages Mr. Quirk in a theoretical discussion about the case. ### [XIV: The Man in the Punt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xiv-the-man-in-the-punt) Leads the reconstruction of events, theorizing about Nigel's involvement and the accomplice's actions. ### [XV: A New Legacy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xv-a-new-legacy) Investigates the implications of the new will and discusses theories with Leyland and Quirk. ### [XVI: Bredon Plays Patience](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xvi-bredon-plays-patience) Plays patience to clear his mind, decodes the cipher postcard by interpreting groups of three digits as railway station names. ### [XVII: Mr. Quirk Disappears](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xvii-mr-quirk-disappears) Analyzes the cipher and the White Bracton letter, arguing that Nigel sent the post card to fake Derek's survival. ### [XVIII: In Undisguise](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xviii-in-undisguise) Explains his deductions about Nigel's disguise and the planted evidence; plans reconstruction. ### [XIX: The Story Nigel Told](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xix-the-story-nigel-told) Interrupts to clarify details about the camera and the hole in the canoe, showing his investigative focus. ### [XX: A Reconstruction](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xx-a-reconstruction) Leads the reconstruction, analyzes the photograph shadows, and devises the plan to follow the stranger. ### [XXI: A Walk in the Dark](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xxi-a-walk-in-the-dark) Exhausted from earlier exertions, he joins Leyland at Millington Bridge to wait for the stranger, then struggles through the dark fields back to the Gudgeon. ### [XXII: Another Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xxii-another-story) Listens to Farris's account, then goes to Oxford to investigate Nigel's shoe size. ### [XXIII: Bredon Plays Patience Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xxiii-bredon-plays-patience-again) Investigates the Luke Wallace alias, discovers the hotel register entry, deduces Derek Burtell is alive. ### [XXIV: Backed Both Ways](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xxiv-backed-both-ways) Reveals the full solution to the mystery, explaining Derek's plan and the evidence. ### [XXV: A Postscript](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xxv-a-postscript) Mentioned as having been exactly right in his reconstruction of the events. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/miles_bredon - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters