# Mr. John Braden — The Paradise Mystery character guide > Mr. John Braden in The Paradise Mystery by J. S. Fletcher. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Mr. Braden, John Braden, Braden, John **First appearance:** 0000-i-only-the-guardian ## Snapshot A returned traveller with a purse full of notes and a Latin secret, Braden hires an old acquaintance to trace a man he dare not seek himself. ## Who they are Braden is a man with money, a changed name, and a deliberate avoidance of Barthorpe, where unpleasant memories and a missing fortune still wait. He engages Harker to hunt down Falkiner Wraye, pays him twenty-five pounds on account, and flashes a folded Latin paper he calls a secret that won't stay secret long. His refusal to be seen in the neighbourhood, and the unfinished business he carries, make his death the question the whole novel circles. ## Relationships ### [Mary Bewery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/characters/mary_bewery) _social_ Mr. John Braden is a local figure with whom Mary has polite but infrequent social interactions. ### [Mary Bewery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/characters/mary_bewery) _social_ Mr. John Braden is a local figure with whom Mary has polite but infrequent social interactions. ## In the story ### [St. Wrytha’s Stair](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/chapters/iii-st-wrytha-s-stair) The stranger who calls at the surgery asking for Ransford; he is later found dead at the foot of St. Wrytha's Stair, having been thrown from a high doorway. ### [The Room at the Mitre](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/chapters/iv-the-room-at-the-mitre) The deceased stranger, registered at the Mitre as John Braden of London; found dead in Paradise with no identifying papers. ### [V: The Scrap of Paper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/chapters/v-the-scrap-of-paper) The dead man who registered at the Mitre; his identity and purpose remain unknown. ### [By Misadventure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/chapters/vi-by-misadventure) The deceased stranger; the inquest returns a verdict of death by misadventure, and Mr. Chilstone identifies him as a recent arrival from Australia who deposited £10,000 in the bank. ### [The Best Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/chapters/viii-the-best-man) Identified as John Brake, the man who married Mary Bewery in 1891; his death is central to Bryce's investigation. ### [The House of His Friend](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/chapters/ix-the-house-of-his-friend) Identified as John Brake, a bank manager sentenced to ten years for embezzlement, believed to have been betrayed by a friend. ### [X: Diplomacy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/chapters/x-diplomacy) Bryce believes he is actually John Brake and that Ransford killed him; mentioned as the dead man. ### [From the Past](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/chapters/xiv-from-the-past) Revealed to be John Brake, a former bank manager who served ten years for embezzlement, later repaid the bank, and hired Harker to investigate Falkiner Wraye. ### [XIX: The Subtlety of the Devil](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/chapters/xix-the-subtlety-of-the-devil) Braden is identified as John Brake, a former bank manager who was imprisoned and later killed in Paradise. ### [The Saxonsteade Arms](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/chapters/xxi-the-saxonsteade-arms) Revealed to be John Brake, former bank manager; Glassdale confirms his identity and his obsession with Falkiner Wraye. ### [The Unexpected](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/chapters/xxiii-the-unexpected) His past relationship with Ransford and the police theory of Ransford's motive are central to the conversation. ### [Finesse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/chapters/xxiv-finesse) Referred to as John Brake; Glassdale claims to have been in his confidence and that Braden was seeking revenge on two men. ### [The Old Well House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/chapters/xxv-the-old-well-house) Braden's death is referenced as the starting point of Bryce's investigation, and Bryce reveals that Braden was actually John Brake. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/characters/mr_john_braden - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_paradise_mystery_se/characters