# Mr. Erasmus Quirk — The Footsteps at the Lock character guide

> Mr. Erasmus Quirk in The Footsteps at the Lock by Ronald A. Knox.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mr. Erasmus Quirk, Mr. Quirk, Quirk, the late Mr. Quirk

**First appearance:** 0012-xi-mr-erasmus-quirk

## Who they are

A small, stooping American member of the Detective Club who arrives at the Gudgeon to write up the Burtell mystery and finds in Angela Bredon an audience far more attentive than he suspects.

## Relationships

### [Mr. Leyland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/mr_leyland)

_professional_

Erasmus Quirk and Mr. Leyland are frequent professional contacts, possibly partners or rivals in business.

### [Nigel Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/nigel_burtell)

_rivalry_

Erasmus Quirk and Nigel Burtell are likely antagonists, with Quirk possibly opposing Nigel's interests.

### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/miles_bredon)

_rivalry_

Miles Bredon and Erasmus Quirk are likely adversaries, clashing over a case or personal vendetta.

### [Derek Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/derek_burtell)

_rivalry_

Derek Burtell and Erasmus Quirk are likely opponents, with Quirk possibly threatening Derek's interests.

### [Mr. Leyland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/mr_leyland)

_professional_

Erasmus Quirk and Mr. Leyland are frequent professional contacts, possibly partners or rivals in business.

### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/miles_bredon)

_rivalry_

Miles Bredon and Erasmus Quirk are likely adversaries, clashing over a case or personal vendetta.

### [Derek Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/derek_burtell)

_rivalry_

Derek Burtell and Erasmus Quirk are likely opponents, with Quirk possibly threatening Derek's interests.

### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/miles_bredon)

_rivalry_

Miles Bredon and Erasmus Quirk are likely adversaries, clashing over a case or personal vendetta.

### [Nigel Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/nigel_burtell)

_rivalry_

Erasmus Quirk and Nigel Burtell are likely antagonists, with Quirk possibly opposing Nigel's interests.

### [Mr. Leyland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/mr_leyland)

_professional_

Erasmus Quirk and Mr. Leyland are frequent professional contacts, possibly partners or rivals in business.

### [Nigel Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/nigel_burtell)

_rivalry_

Erasmus Quirk and Nigel Burtell are likely antagonists, with Quirk possibly opposing Nigel's interests.

## In the story

### [X: Discordant Notes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/x-discordant-notes)

An American member of the Detective Club of America who arrives at the Gudgeon to investigate the Burtell mystery; observes Bredon's photographic stains.

### [Mr. Erasmus Quirk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xi-mr-erasmus-quirk)

American detective with an A1 Sleuth certificate who proposes to work with Bredon and Leyland, suggesting the landlady may have seen the same man twice.

### [XII: The Secret of the Island](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xii-the-secret-of-the-island)

Mentioned as not being included in the canoe trip to the island.

### [XIII: Pursued](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xiii-pursued)

Engages in a speculative conversation with Bredon about the cousins' disappearance and possible criminal motives.

### [XVI: Bredon Plays Patience](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xvi-bredon-plays-patience)

Investigates purchases in Oxford, provides a local timetable for decoding.

### [XVII: Mr. Quirk Disappears](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xvii-mr-quirk-disappears)

Participates in the debate, agrees with Bredon's analysis, and is noted as disappearing later.

### [XXV: A Postscript](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xxv-a-postscript)

Mentioned as the identity Nigel will adopt in America.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/mr_erasmus_quirk
- 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