The Trail of the Serpent · Character

Mr. Jinks

A snub-nosed, hat-rubbing officer of the law with a connoisseur's eye for a good performance, he arrests Richard Marwood with almost theatrical relish.

supporting

Also known as Jinks, the affectionate Mr. Jinks

First appearance: i the good schoolmaster

As a supporting figure in The Trail of the Serpent, Mr. Jinks is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Arrests Richard in Gardenford, using handcuffs, and escorts him back to Slopperton for the inquest.

In the storyIV: Richard Marwood Lights His PipeOpen this moment free

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Jinks is the man who claps the handcuffs on Daredevil Dick at the railway station, and he does it with the fussy self-importance of a small official who has finally been handed something worth doing. He is not cruel so much as vain — he admires Richard's innocent astonishment the way a theatergoer admires a fine actor, and he cannot resist a joke about bijouterie. His mixture of officiousness and grudging admiration makes him a memorable face in the machinery of the murder case, and a small, sharp portrait of how justice looks when it is administered by men who enjoy their work.

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See Mr. Jinks in i the good schoolmaster

Character Web

6 connections

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

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Supporting Cast and Subplots
Slopperton Crime Circle
Past Crimes and Secret Societies

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Narrative arc

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

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This chapter marks the dramatic climax because it presents the emotional and psychological peak of Valerie’s s…

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In the story

Mr. Jinks appears across 4 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

IV: Richard Marwood Lights His Pipe
Arrests Richard in Gardenford, using handcuffs, and escorts him back to Slopperton for the inquest.
VI: Two Coroner’s Inquests
The detective on the platform at Gardenford station, ready to recognize Richard.
IX: “Mad, Gentlemen of the Jury”
Detective officer, gives a discursive account of Richard's arrest.
Mr. Peters Relates How He Thought He Had a Clue, and How He Lost It
Mentioned as Peters' superior during the arrest.

Chapter companion notes

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See Mr. Jinks in i the good schoolmaster

See Mr. Jinks in IV: Richard Marwood Lights His Pipe