The Red House Mystery · Character

Robert Ablett

Robert Ablett, Mark's rough-mannered brother from Australia, arrives at the Red House demanding to see 'dear brother Mark'—and is shot between the eyes before the tea things are cleared.

major

Also known as Stanton, Robert Ablett, Robert, brother Robert, Stanton Robert Ablett, Mr. Robert Ab, Mr. Robert

First appearance: IV: The Brother from Australia

As a major figure in The Red House Mystery, Robert Ablett is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Mark's brother, who is found dead in the locked office.

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See Robert Ablett in The Red House Mystery Book page

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Robert is the estranged brother whose unexpected return from Australia, announced by a letter at breakfast, throws the household into unease. He is coarse, mocking, and clearly after money, and his exchange with the lodge-keeper Amos shows a man spoiling for a confrontation. His corpse in the office is the crime that sets everything in motion, and the question of who wanted him dead—and why—hangs over every conversation that follows.

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

See Robert Ablett in IV: The Brother from Australia

Character Web

14 connections

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

Relationship types

Family
Rivalry
Social
Other

Character groups

Primary suspects and investigators
Minor background characters
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 is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak where Bill experienc…

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Relationships

Mark Ablett
family · negative
Mark and Robert are brothers, with a history of bitter rivalry and animosity. How this plays out →
Matthew Cayley
rivalry · negative
Antony Gillingham
social · ambivalent
Bill Beverley
social · negative
Bill Beverley
social · negative
Antony Gillingham
social · ambivalent
Matthew Cayley
rivalry · negative
Mark Ablett
family · negative
Mark and Robert are brothers, with a history of bitter rivalry and animosity. How this plays out →

Mark Ablett
Mark and Robert are brothers, with a history of bitter rivalry and animosity.
Matthew Cayley
Matthew and Robert are antagonists, with Matthew possibly involved in Robert's murder.
Antony Gillingham
Antony only briefly encounters Robert before his death, having no significant relationship.
Bill Beverley
Bill meets Robert only once, finding him unpleasant and confrontational.
Bill Beverley
Bill meets Robert only once, finding him unpleasant and confrontational.
Antony Gillingham
Antony only briefly encounters Robert before his death, having no significant relationship.
Matthew Cayley
Matthew and Robert are antagonists, with Matthew possibly involved in Robert's murder.
Mark Ablett
Mark and Robert are brothers, with a history of bitter rivalry and animosity.

Relationship notes

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

See Robert Ablett in IV: The Brother from Australia

In the story

Robert Ablett appears across 13 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Red House Mystery
Mark's brother, who is found dead in the locked office.
I: Mrs. Stevens Is Frightened
Mark's brother from Australia, who arrives at the Red House and is described as rude and poorly dressed.
III: Two Men and a Body
Found dead in the locked office, shot between the eyes; identified by Cayley as Mark Ablett's brother.
IV: The Brother from Australia
The deceased brother from Australia; his arrival and the letter he sent are discussed, and his death is the focus of the investigation.
VIII: “Do You Follow Me, Watson?”
Robert is the victim whose death in the office is the central mystery.
X: Mr. Gillingham Talks Nonsense
Referenced in Antony's analysis of Elsie's overheard conversation and the possible connection to the secret passage.
XII: A Shadow on the Wall
Mentioned as having arrived by the 2:10 train; his body's stain remains in the office.
XVI: Getting Ready for the Night
His death is a known fact; Antony's theory involves Cayley using Robert's arrival to frame Mark.
XVIII: Guesswork
His arrival and letter are central to the timeline being questioned.
XIX: The Inquest
Deceased; identified as the victim and brother of Mark Ablett.
Mr. Beverley Is Tactful
His inquest and burial are mentioned; Bill initially assumes the visitor was Robert.
XXI: Cayley's Apology
The brother Mark impersonated; his identity was used as a disguise for the murder plot.
XXII: Mr. Beverley Moves On
Revealed to be Mark in disguise; his arrival and actions are part of Cayley's scheme.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Robert Ablett unlock in the free preview.

See Robert Ablett in IV: The Brother from Australia

See Robert Ablett in The Red House Mystery