# Aubrey Gilbert — The Haunted Bookshop character guide > Aubrey Gilbert in The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Mr. Gilbert, Mr. Aubrey Gilbert, Gilbert, Aubrey **First appearance:** 0001-the-haunted-bookshop ## Snapshot An advertising man with a nose for copy and a taste for knight-errantry, he turns a chance encounter at a Brooklyn bookshop into a private crusade. ## Who they are Aubrey Gilbert reads the Help Wanted columns the way other men read adventure serials, and when a bruised head and a stray Carlyle cover point toward the Haunted Bookshop, he packs his .22 and a tube of toothpaste like a man embarking on a campaign. His instinct to play protector to Titania Chapman is inseparable from his instinct to impress her father and land an account, and he knows it. That blend of romantic self-interest and genuine nerve makes him the engine of the book's early sleuthing, even when his hunches outrun his evidence. ## Relationships ### [Titania Chapman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters/titania_chapman) _romantic_ Aubrey is a persistent suitor to Titania, whose initial resistance gradually gives way to mutual affection and romantic tension. ### [Roger Mifflin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters/roger_mifflin) _friendship_ Aubrey and Roger develop a close, mentor-like friendship as Aubrey becomes involved in the bookshop's mysteries and Roger's philosophical world. ### [Helen Mifflin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters/helen_mifflin) _friendship_ Aubrey and Helen share a warm, cordial friendship, with Helen often acting as a confidante and ally. ### [Mr. Chapman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters/mr_chapman) _social_ Aubrey interacts with Mr. Chapman primarily as Titania's father, with a polite but somewhat distant acquaintance. ### [Bock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters/bock) _rivalry_ Aubrey actively investigates and confronts Bock, viewing him as a dangerous enemy in the unfolding mystery. ### [Roger Mifflin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters/roger_mifflin) _friendship_ Aubrey and Roger develop a close, mentor-like friendship as Aubrey becomes involved in the bookshop's mysteries and Roger's philosophical world. ### [Titania Chapman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters/titania_chapman) _romantic_ Aubrey is a persistent suitor to Titania, whose initial resistance gradually gives way to mutual affection and romantic tension. ### [Roger Mifflin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters/roger_mifflin) _friendship_ Aubrey and Roger develop a close, mentor-like friendship as Aubrey becomes involved in the bookshop's mysteries and Roger's philosophical world. ### [Mr. Chapman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters/mr_chapman) _social_ Aubrey interacts with Mr. Chapman primarily as Titania's father, with a polite but somewhat distant acquaintance. ### [Titania Chapman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters/titania_chapman) _romantic_ Aubrey is a persistent suitor to Titania, whose initial resistance gradually gives way to mutual affection and romantic tension. ### [Helen Mifflin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters/helen_mifflin) _friendship_ Aubrey and Helen share a warm, cordial friendship, with Helen often acting as a confidante and ally. ### [Bock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters/bock) _rivalry_ Aubrey actively investigates and confronts Bock, viewing him as a dangerous enemy in the unfolding mystery. ## In the story ### [Dedication](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/chapters/dedication) Referred to as the young advertising man who fell in love with Titania Chapman. ### [The Haunted Bookshop](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/chapters/the-haunted-bookshop) A young advertising man who becomes intrigued by the bookshop and its owner, setting off a chain of investigative events. ### [I: The Haunted Bookshop](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/chapters/i-the-haunted-bookshop) A young advertising agent who visits the Haunted Bookshop for the first time, drawn by its lack of advertising. He is curious and takes notes on Mifflin's philosophy. ### [IV: The Disappearing Volume](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/chapters/iv-the-disappearing-volume) Visits briefly in the beginning, joins the reading, and awkwardly conveys Mr. Chapman's regards to Titania. ### [Aubrey Walks Part Way Home—and Rides the Rest of the Way](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/chapters/v-aubrey-walks-part-way-home-and-rides-the-rest-of-the-way) Walks home from the bookshop, daydreams about Titania, visits Weintraub's drug store, pockets a Cromwell book cover, and is attacked on the street. ### [Aubrey Takes Lodgings](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/chapters/vii-aubrey-takes-lodgings) Rents a room opposite the bookshop to spy on Titania; recovers from his head wound; reads O. Henry and scans the newspaper. ### [Aubrey Goes to the Movies, and Wishes He Knew More German](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/chapters/viii-aubrey-goes-to-the-movies-and-wishes-he-knew-more-german) Has supper, joins Titania and Helen at the movies, then investigates the alley behind the bookshop. ### [Roger Raids the Icebox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/chapters/x-roger-raids-the-icebox) Mentioned as having joined Titania and Helen at the movies and plans to fix the furnace on Monday. ### [XI: Titania Tries Reading in Bed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/chapters/xi-titania-tries-reading-in-bed) Watches Weintraub enter the bookshop at night, breaks into the shop the next morning, and confronts Titania about the danger he perceives. ### [Aubrey Determines to Give Service That’s Different](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/chapters/xii-aubrey-determines-to-give-service-that-s-different) Spends a miserable Sunday regretting his quarrel with Titania, resolves to prove his suspicions, and conducts a dangerous nighttime surveillance of Weintraub's pharmacy. ### [XIII: The Battle of Ludlow Street](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/chapters/xiii-the-battle-of-ludlow-street) Aubrey wakes at six to follow Roger, trailing him to Philadelphia and confronting him at Leary's bookstore. ### [XIV: The Cromwell Makes Its Last Appearance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/chapters/xiv-the-cromwell-makes-its-last-appearance) Aubrey reveals his suspicions to Roger, shows him the numbers from the Cromwell cover, and rushes back to Brooklyn to protect Titania and Helen. ### [Mr. Chapman Waves His Wand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/chapters/xv-mr-chapman-waves-his-wand) Offered a job by Mr. Chapman, solves the Cromwell cipher, and shares a romantic moment with Titania. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters/aubrey_gilbert - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_haunted_bookshop_se/characters