# Inspector Drillford — The Middle of Things character guide

> Inspector Drillford in The Middle of Things by J. S. Fletcher.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Drillford

**First appearance:** 0000-i-faced-with-reality

## Snapshot

The police inspector handling the Lonsdale Passage murder, methodical and guarded, who keeps his own counsel while the case against Hyde hardens.

## Who they are

Drillford is a professional policeman who treats the arrest of the shabby, intellectual-looking Hyde as a straightforward matter of evidence, and he is content to let the accused speak for himself or not at all. He permits more evidence than usual at the first magistrate's hearing, yet Viner senses that something is being held back. His steady, unshowy competence makes him both a foil to Viner's amateur theorizing and a reminder that the official version of the crime may not be the whole story.

## Relationships

### [Richard Viner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/characters/richard_viner)

_professional_

Inspector Drillford is a police officer investigating matters involving Richard Viner, likely with a mix of cooperation and suspicion.

### [Armitstead Ashton Armitstead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/characters/armitstead_ashton_armitstead)

_rivalry_

Armitstead Ashton Armitstead is under investigation by Inspector Drillford, creating an adversarial dynamic.

### [Langton Hyde](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/characters/langton_hyde)

_rivalry_

Inspector Drillford pursues Langton Hyde as a suspect or criminal, with clear antagonism.

### [Richard Viner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/characters/richard_viner)

_professional_

Inspector Drillford is a police officer investigating matters involving Richard Viner, likely with a mix of cooperation and suspicion.

### [Armitstead Ashton Armitstead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/characters/armitstead_ashton_armitstead)

_rivalry_

Armitstead Ashton Armitstead is under investigation by Inspector Drillford, creating an adversarial dynamic.

### [Langton Hyde](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/characters/langton_hyde)

_rivalry_

Inspector Drillford pursues Langton Hyde as a suspect or criminal, with clear antagonism.

### [Richard Viner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/characters/richard_viner)

_professional_

Inspector Drillford is a police officer investigating matters involving Richard Viner, likely with a mix of cooperation and suspicion.

## In the story

### [II: Number Seven in the Square](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/chapters/ii-number-seven-in-the-square)

Takes charge of the investigation; questions Viner and accompanies him to inform Ashton's household.

### [III: Who Was Mr. Ashton?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/chapters/iii-who-was-mr-ashton)

Drillford leads the questioning, gathers information about Ashton's habits and valuables, and asserts the murder is a straightforward robbery.

### [The Ring and the Knife](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/chapters/iv-the-ring-and-the-knife)

Presents the police case against the prisoner, argues the evidence is damning, but allows Viner to speak with the accused.

### [V: Look for That Man!](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/chapters/v-look-for-that-man)

Skeptical of Hyde's story, but allows Viner to speak with him; advises Hyde to give full information.

### [VII: What Was the Secret?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/chapters/vii-what-was-the-secret)

Skeptical of Viner's efforts; challenges him to find the mysterious man Hyde described.

### [The Outhouse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/chapters/xvi-the-outhouse)

Convinced of Hyde's guilt, he shows the recovered valuables and dismisses Viner's counterarguments.

### [XXVIII: The Truth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/chapters/xxviii-the-truth)

Announces the arrest of Dr. Cortelyon for Ashton's murder and the recovery of incriminating papers and the diamond.

### [XXIX: Who Is to Tell Her?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/chapters/xxix-who-is-to-tell-her)

Shows the recovered papers and ring to the group, confirms the evidence against Cortelyon.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/characters/inspector_drillford
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_of_things_se/characters