# Mr. Leyland — The Three Taps character guide > Mr. Leyland in The Three Taps by Ronald A. Knox. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Leyland, poor Mr. Leyland, old Leyland, the ingenious Leyland, VII From Leyland **First appearance:** 0001-the-three-taps ## Snapshot A police inspector and old war comrade of Bredon's, whose notebook and blunt certainties anchor the official investigation. ## Who they are Leyland served in the same battalion as Bredon, and their reunion at the inn lets the amateur and the professional work the same ground without quarrelling. He is the one who states flatly that suicide is 'right off the map' — gas turned off, window opened — and who warns Bredon to keep his suspicions quiet among the guests. Earnest, methodical, and a little given to speeches about human complexity, he represents the official machinery against which Bredon's patient-shuffling intuition quietly measures itself. ## Relationships ### [Mr. Brinkman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_brinkman) _professional_ Mr. Brinkman and Mr. Leyland are colleagues or business associates, with frequent interactions suggesting close professional ties. ### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/miles_bredon) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Leyland interact frequently in a professional capacity, likely as investigator and subject or colleague. ### [Simmonds](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/simmonds) _professional_ Mr. Leyland and Simmonds have a professional relationship, likely as employer and employee or colleagues. ### [Mr. Mottram](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_mottram) _professional_ Mr. Leyland and Mr. Mottram are professional associates, possibly working together in the same firm or case. ### [Angela Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/angela_bredon) _professional_ Angela Bredon and Mr. Leyland have a professional relationship, likely as investigator and subject or colleague. ### [Mr. Brinkman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_brinkman) _professional_ Mr. Brinkman and Mr. Leyland are colleagues or business associates, with frequent interactions suggesting close professional ties. ### [Mr. Mottram](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_mottram) _professional_ Mr. Leyland and Mr. Mottram are professional associates, possibly working together in the same firm or case. ### [Angela Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/angela_bredon) _professional_ Angela Bredon and Mr. Leyland have a professional relationship, likely as investigator and subject or colleague. ### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/miles_bredon) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Leyland interact frequently in a professional capacity, likely as investigator and subject or colleague. ### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/miles_bredon) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Leyland interact frequently in a professional capacity, likely as investigator and subject or colleague. ### [Simmonds](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/simmonds) _professional_ Mr. Leyland and Simmonds have a professional relationship, likely as employer and employee or colleagues. ### [Mr. Brinkman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_brinkman) _professional_ Mr. Brinkman and Mr. Leyland are colleagues or business associates, with frequent interactions suggesting close professional ties. ## In the story ### [The Three Taps](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/the-three-taps) Inspector leading the investigation; meets Bredon at the scene. ### [III: At the Load of Mischief](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/iii-at-the-load-of-mischief) Mentioned by Pulteney as a policeman from London who arrived at the inn around luncheon time. ### [IV: The Bedroom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/iv-the-bedroom) Inspector investigating Mottram's death; an old war comrade of Bredon. Shares forensic details and debates suicide vs. murder. ### [V: Supper, and Mr. Brinkman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/v-supper-and-mr-brinkman) In a contemplative mood at supper, puzzling over the locked room mystery. ### [VI: An Ear at the Keyhole](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/vi-an-ear-at-the-keyhole) In bar parlour listening to gossip; Bredon warns him about eavesdroppers. ### [VII: From Leyland’s Notebook](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/vii-from-leyland-s-notebook) The narrator of the chapter; records his evolving theory of murder, doubting his own certainty after betting with Bredon. ### [IX: The Late Rector of Hipley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/ix-the-late-rector-of-hipley) Eagerly awaits Bredon's return and shares the contents of Mottram's will and codicil. ### [X: The Bet Doubled](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/x-the-bet-doubled) Shares details of Mottram's will and the Euthanasia policy with Bredon, and accepts the doubled bet. ### [XI: The Generalship of Angela](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xi-the-generalship-of-angela) Provides a handkerchief for the blindfold game and participates in the conversation about silver hallmarks. ### [XII: The Makings of a Trap](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xii-the-makings-of-a-trap) Leyland devises the plan to bluff Brinkman into betraying himself, and observes Simmonds with the barmaid. ### [XIII: A Morning with the Haberdasher](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xiii-a-morning-with-the-haberdasher) Outlines his case against Simmonds and his suspicions of Brinkman in a staged conversation. ### [XV: A Scrap of Paper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xv-a-scrap-of-paper) Shows Bredon the burnt paper fragment he found in Mottram's room. Explains the discovery and its likely connection to the will and the Euthanasia policy. ### [XVIII: The Barmaid Is Brought to Book](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xviii-the-barmaid-is-brought-to-book) Accepts that Emmeline's testimony is discredited and shifts focus to Brinkman as the quarry. ### [XIX: How Leyland Spent the Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xix-how-leyland-spent-the-evening) Leads the plan, waits at the garage with Pulteney. ### [XX: How Bredon Spent the Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xx-how-bredon-spent-the-evening) Mentioned as having given Bredon instructions to sit at the window; Angela threatens to have him arrest Bredon. ### [XXI: How Eames Spent the Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xxi-how-eames-spent-the-evening) Receives Eames's report and coordinates pursuit. ### [XXII: At a Standstill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xxii-at-a-standstill) Details the failed pursuit of Brinkman, including the car arrangement and express train escape; argues for Brinkman's guilt as a murderer. ### [XXIII: Leyland’s Account of It All](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xxiii-leyland-s-account-of-it-all) Presents his detailed theory of the murder, explaining Brinkman's motives and method. ### [XXIV: Mottram’s Account of It All](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xxiv-mottram-s-account-of-it-all) Applauds Eames's discretion and questions whether Brinkman knew of the suicide plan. ### [XXV: Bredon's Account of It All](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xxv-bredon-s-account-of-it-all) Found the burnt will fragment; comments on the legal difficulty of charging Brinkman. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_leyland - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters