# F. D. Boyce — The Wrong Letter character guide

> F. D. Boyce in The Wrong Letter by Walter S. Masterman.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mr. Boyce, Boyce, the oily Boyce

**First appearance:** 0001-the-wrong-letter

## Snapshot

A Home Office man grown suddenly important, whose blundering leaks to the Cabinet and oily self-regard make him the investigation's most irritating obstacle.

## Who they are

Boyce has inflated since the murder, trading on departmental authority while clumsily letting sensitive details slip to colleagues and then sulking when Collins calls him out. He bristles at Collins's contempt, questions Sinclair's jurisdiction, and demands the criminal be brought to justice in the loudest possible voice. His vanity and carelessness are a running irritant — and a quiet warning that the official machinery around this case is not as watertight as it looks.

## Relationships

### [Sylvester Collins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/sylvester_collins)

_rivalry_

Boyce is a professional or personal antagonist to Sylvester, frequently clashing with him.

### [Arthur Sinclair](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/arthur_sinclair)

_professional_

Arthur and Boyce are colleagues or partners in some enterprise, working together against Sylvester.

### [Sylvester Collins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/sylvester_collins)

_rivalry_

Boyce is a professional or personal antagonist to Sylvester, frequently clashing with him.

### [Arthur Sinclair](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/arthur_sinclair)

_professional_

Arthur and Boyce are colleagues or partners in some enterprise, working together against Sylvester.

### [Sylvester Collins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/sylvester_collins)

_rivalry_

Boyce is a professional or personal antagonist to Sylvester, frequently clashing with him.

### [Arthur Sinclair](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/arthur_sinclair)

_professional_

Arthur and Boyce are colleagues or partners in some enterprise, working together against Sylvester.

## In the story

### [I: The Crime](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/i-the-crime)

A man present at Scotland Yard when the murder notification arrives; Collins invites him to dinner, and he later listens to the discussion.

### [II: Speculations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/ii-speculations)

Contributes to the conversation, notes the forgery of the signature, and plans to take a statement from Mrs. Simmons.

### [IV: The Missing Letter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/iv-the-missing-letter)

Dismissed by Sir James in the letter as a fool.

### [A Mysterious Visit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/v-a-mysterious-visit)

Boyce is mentioned as being in his element, handling Cabinet pressure and professing hopes of capture.

### [VI: At Leveson Square](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/vi-at-leveson-square)

Arrives at the scene; admits to sharing details with Cabinet members; becomes defensive and offended by Collins's criticism; assumes an air of importance.

### [A Confession](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/ix-a-confession)

Presents Jackson's confession and insists he is the murderer, but is accused by Collins of fabricating a case.

### [XIV: Back in London](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/xiv-back-in-london)

Boyce is self-satisfied after receiving a commendatory letter from the Prime Minister, but grows annoyed with Sinclair's skepticism and Collins's cryptic remarks.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/f_d_boyce
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters