# Horatio Leavenworth — The Leavenworth Case character guide

> Horatio Leavenworth in The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mr. Leavenworth, the late Mr. Leavenworth, Horatio, Mr. Horatio Leavenworth

**First appearance:** 0000-book-i-the-problem

## Snapshot

The wealthy retired tea-merchant whose bullet-riddled body in his locked library launches the case and whose secrets about his nieces surface only after death.

## Who they are

Horatio Leavenworth was a millionaire recluse who doted on his beautiful niece Mary until an anonymous letter from Henry Clavering shattered his trust in her. The letter, intercepted by his secretary, drove a wedge between uncle and niece in the days before the murder, giving investigators a motive to trace. His death is the crime, but his private correspondence and favoritism are the engine of the mystery.

## In the story

### [Book I: The Problem](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/chapters/book-i-the-problem)

Mr. Leavenworth is found murdered, setting the story in motion.

### [A Great Case](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/chapters/i-a-great-case)

The murdered man, found shot in the library; his body is viewed by the narrator.

### [II: The Coroner’s Inquest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/chapters/ii-the-coroner-s-inquest)

The deceased; his body is the subject of the coroner's inquest.

### [VII: Mary Leavenworth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/chapters/vii-mary-leavenworth)

The deceased, referenced as the victim of the murder and the subject of the inquest.

### [XII: Eleanore](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/chapters/xii-eleanore)

The murdered man; Eleanore kneels at his bedside and kisses his lips.

### [XX: “Trueman! Trueman! Trueman!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/chapters/xx-trueman-trueman-trueman)

The murder victim; Mr. Harwell dreams of being him and feeling his doom.

### [XXI: A Prejudice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/chapters/xxi-a-prejudice)

Mentioned as having a bitter prejudice against the English, which would have influenced his reaction to a potential marriage.

### [Patchwork](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/chapters/xxii-patchwork)

Addressee of the torn letter; the murder victim.

### [XXIII: The Story of a Charming Woman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/chapters/xxiii-the-story-of-a-charming-woman)

His tragic marriage and subsequent transformation into a money-obsessed man are recounted by Mr. Veeley.

### [A Report Followed by Smoke](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/chapters/xxiv-a-report-followed-by-smoke)

The murder victim; his antipathy to Englishmen as husbands is noted as a motive for Clavering.

### [Mrs. Belden’s Narrative](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/chapters/xxxii-mrs-belden-s-narrative)

Referenced as the uncle whose wishes are being defied; his potential reaction is a source of concern.

### [XXXV: Fine Work](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/chapters/xxxv-fine-work)

The victim; his library paper is used to match the confession, and his threat to disinherit Mary is cited as motive.

### [A Full Confession](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/chapters/xxxviii-a-full-confession)

The victim; murdered by the narrator after threatening to change his will.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/characters/horatio_leavenworth
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_leavenworth_case_se/characters