# Simpson — The Man in the Queue character guide

> Simpson in The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0001-ii-inspector-grant

## Snapshot

A CID man who mows lawns and carries chairs for a suburban clergyman, mining lower-class suburbia for gossip with the patience of a born eavesdropper.

## Who they are

Simpson goes undercover as a gardener and general helper, trading his dignity for the confidences of cooks, helps, and a ladies' committee that cannot agree on anything. His gift is for the small, unguarded remark — a widow's airs, a clergyman father from the north — and he reports it all back to Mullins with a policeman's relish. He matters because the case's suburban threads are pulled by his unglamorous, dogged sociability.

## In the story

### [II: Inspector Grant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_in_the_queue_se/chapters/ii-inspector-grant)

Minion who delivers the summons to Grant.

### [X: The Burst to the North](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_in_the_queue_se/chapters/x-the-burst-to-the-north)

Dispatched to investigate Mrs. Everett, posing as an ex-serviceman seeking work.

### [X: The Burst to the North](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_in_the_queue_se/chapters/x-the-burst-to-the-north)

Mentioned as Grant's superior who approves the trip and offers advice.

### [XV: The Brooch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_in_the_queue_se/chapters/xv-the-brooch)

Reports that Mrs. Ratcliffe and her sister are still at Eastbourne.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_in_the_queue_se/characters/simpson
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_in_the_queue_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_in_the_queue_se/characters