# Mr. Leyland — The Footsteps at the Lock character guide > Mr. Leyland in The Footsteps at the Lock by Ronald A. Knox. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Leyland, Poor Mr. Leyland, Inspector Leyland **First appearance:** 0003-ii-shipcote-lock ## Who they are The police inspector who works the case alongside Bredon, patient with landladies and alert to the significance of which bed was slept in and which window opened onto an outhouse roof. ## Relationships ### [Nigel Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/nigel_burtell) _professional_ Mr. Leyland appears to be a colleague or superior to Nigel, possibly in a business or investigative context. ### [Mr. Erasmus Quirk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/mr_erasmus_quirk) _professional_ Erasmus Quirk and Mr. Leyland are frequent professional contacts, possibly partners or rivals in business. ### [Derek Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/derek_burtell) _professional_ Derek Burtell and Mr. Leyland have a professional relationship, possibly involving legal or financial matters. ### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/miles_bredon) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Leyland work together professionally, possibly as colleagues in an investigation. ### [The Stranger](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/the_stranger) _psychological_ Mr. Leyland and The Stranger have a mysterious, possibly manipulative or obsessive connection. ### [Nigel Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/nigel_burtell) _professional_ Mr. Leyland appears to be a colleague or superior to Nigel, possibly in a business or investigative context. ### [Derek Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/derek_burtell) _professional_ Derek Burtell and Mr. Leyland have a professional relationship, possibly involving legal or financial matters. ### [Mr. Erasmus Quirk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/mr_erasmus_quirk) _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) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Leyland work together professionally, possibly as colleagues in an investigation. ### [Nigel Burtell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/nigel_burtell) _professional_ Mr. Leyland appears to be a colleague or superior to Nigel, possibly in a business or investigative context. ### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/miles_bredon) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Leyland work together professionally, possibly as colleagues in an investigation. ### [The Stranger](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/the_stranger) _psychological_ Mr. Leyland and The Stranger have a mysterious, possibly manipulative or obsessive connection. ## In the story ### [X: Discordant Notes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/x-discordant-notes) Reports his investigation findings, including the alibi evidence from Shipcote Station, Oxford, and the Gudgeon. ### [Mr. Erasmus Quirk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xi-mr-erasmus-quirk) Police inspector frustrated by the lack of sense in the evidence, agrees to give Quirk pointers if he proves useful. ### [XII: The Secret of the Island](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xii-the-secret-of-the-island) Collaborates with Bredon, theorizes the murder and the hiding of the body on the island. ### [XIII: Pursued](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xiii-pursued) Plans to investigate the man in the punt; his notes are reviewed by Bredon. ### [XIV: The Man in the Punt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xiv-the-man-in-the-punt) Returns from tracing the man in the punt, reports his findings, and participates in the reconstruction. ### [XV: A New Legacy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xv-a-new-legacy) Receives the urgent letter about the will and shares the information with Bredon and Quirk. ### [XVI: Bredon Plays Patience](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xvi-bredon-plays-patience) Hurries back to Oxford, brings the cipher postcard to Bredon for decoding. ### [XVII: Mr. Quirk Disappears](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xvii-mr-quirk-disappears) Returns from White Bracton with the incriminating letter and shares his findings about the punt and the cipher. ### [XVIII: In Undisguise](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xviii-in-undisguise) Discusses the case with Bredon; admits he was taken in by Nigel's disguise and the fingerprint trick. ### [XIX: The Story Nigel Told](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xix-the-story-nigel-told) Delighted that Nigel is bedridden, avoiding arrest; takes notes on the confession. ### [XX: A Reconstruction](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xx-a-reconstruction) Assists in the reconstruction, takes photographs, and follows the stranger on foot. ### [XXI: A Walk in the Dark](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xxi-a-walk-in-the-dark) Coordinates the surveillance of the stranger, discusses plans with Bredon, and regrets forgetting the canoe paddles. ### [XXII: Another Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xxii-another-story) Interviews Farris and remains at the pub to watch other suspects. ### [XXIII: Bredon Plays Patience Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xxiii-bredon-plays-patience-again) Reports finding Nigel's passport photographs but no passport, discusses investigation with Bredon. ### [XXIV: Backed Both Ways](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/chapters/xxiv-backed-both-ways) Expresses astonishment at the solution and is urged to return Nigel's trousers. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_footsteps_at_the_lock_se/characters/mr_leyland - 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