The Man Who Knew · Character

May Nuttall

May Nuttall becomes engaged to Jasper Cole on a Swiss mountainside in a lovemaking that began where other courtships end — in conquest and surrender.

supporting

Also known as Marguerite, Miss Nuttall, Sister Nuttall

First appearance: The Man in the Laboratory

As a supporting figure in The Man Who Knew, May Nuttall is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Mentioned as John Minute's ward and the beneficiary of half the Gwelo Deeps shares.

In the storyThe Man in the LaboratoryOpen this moment free

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May arrives in England radiant and infatuated, met at Charing Cross by a despairing Saul Arthur Mann who knows his warnings will not reach her. She is cordial even to Frank, whom she gently refuses to suspect, and her happiness blinds her to the half-formed theories closing around Jasper. Her engagement becomes the deadline everyone else is racing — Frank, Mann, and the unfinished record that might still save her.

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The fuller portrait of May Nuttall sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See May Nuttall in The Man in the Laboratory

Character Web

14 connections

A slice of how May Nuttall sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Romantic
Social
Rivalry
Other

Character groups

Murder investigation core
Protagonist

+9 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point

This chapter marks the dramatic climax because it reveals the critical reversal that Frank and Saul Arthur Man…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Jasper Cole
romantic · positive
Jasper is romantically interested in May Nuttall, though his motives may be mixed with… How this plays out →
Frank Merrill
romantic · positive
John Minute
social · ambivalent
The Girl
rivalry · negative
Frank Merrill
romantic · positive
Jasper Cole
romantic · positive
Jasper is romantically interested in May Nuttall, though his motives may be mixed with… How this plays out →
John Minute
social · ambivalent
Jasper Cole
romantic · positive
Jasper is romantically interested in May Nuttall, though his motives may be mixed with… How this plays out →
John Minute
social · ambivalent
Frank Merrill
romantic · positive
The Girl
rivalry · negative

Jasper Cole
Jasper is romantically interested in May Nuttall, though his motives may be mixed with ambition.
Frank Merrill
Frank is in love with May Nuttall, but their relationship is complicated by his entanglement with the Girl.
John Minute
John Minute is May Nuttall's guardian, but their relationship is formal and distant.
The Girl
May Nuttall is jealous and suspicious of the Girl, seeing her as a rival for Frank's attention.
Frank Merrill
Frank is in love with May Nuttall, but their relationship is complicated by his entanglement with the Girl.
Jasper Cole
Jasper is romantically interested in May Nuttall, though his motives may be mixed with ambition.
John Minute
John Minute is May Nuttall's guardian, but their relationship is formal and distant.
Jasper Cole
Jasper is romantically interested in May Nuttall, though his motives may be mixed with ambition.
John Minute
John Minute is May Nuttall's guardian, but their relationship is formal and distant.
Frank Merrill
Frank is in love with May Nuttall, but their relationship is complicated by his entanglement with the Girl.
The Girl
May Nuttall is jealous and suspicious of the Girl, seeing her as a rival for Frank's attention.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See May Nuttall in The Man in the Laboratory

In the story

May Nuttall appears across 9 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Man in the Laboratory
Mentioned as John Minute's ward and the beneficiary of half the Gwelo Deeps shares.
III: Four Important Characters
Accompanies Frank Merrill, discusses her gratitude to John Minute, and later works as a nurse in the East End. She is astonished to see Jasper Cole in a dark courtyard during her rounds.
The Accountant at the Bank
Writes a letter to Frank describing Jasper Cole's suspicious behavior in Silvers Rents.
John Minute's Legacy
Struggles with her feelings for Frank Merrill and Jasper Cole; learns she is an heiress.
IX: Frank Merrill at the Altar
Agrees to marry Frank Merrill but is intercepted by Jasper Cole, who threatens to forbid the marriage; she sends a telegram canceling the wedding.
XI: The Case Against Frank Merrill
John Minute's ward; seeks help from Saul Arthur Mann and is conflicted about Jasper Cole's role.
The Man Who Came to Montreux
Arrives with Saul Arthur Mann; has grown more mature and wealthy; receives a letter from Jasper Cole and shows eagerness.
The Coming of Sergeant Smith
Engaged to Jasper Cole, returns to England, and is later kidnapped.
The Man Called "Merrill"
Recovering from her abduction; visited by Jasper Cole and later by Saul Arthur Mann who accuses Jasper.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for May Nuttall unlock in the free preview.

See May Nuttall in The Man in the Laboratory