# Sylvester Collins — The Wrong Letter character guide > Sylvester Collins in The Wrong Letter by Walter S. Masterman. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Mr. Collins, Collins, Mr. Sylvester Collins, Alone together Collins **First appearance:** 0001-the-wrong-letter ## Snapshot A former barrister turned amateur inquiry agent, gaunt from sleepless nights, who alone suspects the murderer everyone else has comfortably written off. ## Who they are Collins abandoned a promising legal career to work cases alongside Scotland Yard, where his keen, trained brain is both welcomed and feared by officials who prefer tidy conclusions. He arrives at the Home Office inquiry looking like a man who has walked three days through Devonshire, then calmly announces he knows who killed Sir James — and that the culprit doesn't exist. His refusal to explain, and his private conviction that the official case is a fraud, makes him the uneasy conscience of the investigation. ## Relationships ### [Mabel Watson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/mabel_watson) _romantic_ Mabel and Sylvester share a deep romantic connection, with frequent interactions suggesting a secret or intense affair. ### [Arthur Sinclair](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/arthur_sinclair) _rivalry_ Arthur and Sylvester are locked in a bitter rivalry, likely over Mabel or professional standing. ### [Eric Sanders](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/eric_sanders) _friendship_ Eric is a close friend and ally to Sylvester, often supporting him in his schemes or investigations. ### [F. D. Boyce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/f_d_boyce) _rivalry_ Boyce is a professional or personal antagonist to Sylvester, frequently clashing with him. ### [Mr. Allery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/mr_allery) _professional_ Mr. Allery is a superior or authority figure who interacts with Sylvester in a formal capacity. ### [Mrs. Simmons](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/mrs_simmons) _social_ Mrs. Simmons is a neighbor or acquaintance who keeps tabs on Sylvester's activities. ### [Lewis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/lewis) _social_ Lewis is a minor acquaintance of Sylvester, possibly a servant or messenger. ### [Mabel Watson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/mabel_watson) _romantic_ Mabel and Sylvester share a deep romantic connection, with frequent interactions suggesting a secret or intense affair. ### [Arthur Sinclair](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/arthur_sinclair) _rivalry_ Arthur and Sylvester are locked in a bitter rivalry, likely over Mabel or professional standing. ### [Eric Sanders](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/eric_sanders) _friendship_ Eric is a close friend and ally to Sylvester, often supporting him in his schemes or investigations. ### [Mabel Watson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/mabel_watson) _romantic_ Mabel and Sylvester share a deep romantic connection, with frequent interactions suggesting a secret or intense affair. ### [Arthur Sinclair](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/arthur_sinclair) _rivalry_ Arthur and Sylvester are locked in a bitter rivalry, likely over Mabel or professional standing. ## In the story ### [The Wrong Letter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/the-wrong-letter) Collins is present with Mabel and examines the wrongly delivered letter. ### [I: The Crime](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/i-the-crime) Amateur detective who arrives at Scotland Yard after receiving a mysterious phone call; accompanies Sinclair to the crime scene and takes charge of the investigation. ### [II: Speculations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/ii-speculations) Hosts the discussion, outlines the four possibilities for the crime, and decides to investigate Mrs. Simmons further. ### [At the Vale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/iii-at-the-vale) Travels to The Vale to inform Mabel of her father's murder; observes the household and gathers information about Eric Sanders and Ronald Watson. ### [IV: The Missing Letter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/iv-the-missing-letter) Mentioned in Sir James's letter as a theorist not to be consulted; sends a wire to Sinclair asking him to wait. ### [A Mysterious Visit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/v-a-mysterious-visit) Collins debates with Sinclair about Lewis's guilt, attends an opera, and discovers a familiar face in a miniature portrait. ### [VI: At Leveson Square](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/vi-at-leveson-square) Arrives at Leveson Square with Sinclair; questions the doctor about the bullet; confronts Boyce about press leaks; receives a telegram from Miss Watson. ### [VII: Valuable Information](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/vii-valuable-information) Meets Mabel at Paddington, invites her to the theatre, confronts Mrs. Simmons about her perjury, and probes Sanders about the murder. ### [VIII: Enter Mr. Allery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/viii-enter-mr-allery) Helps with funeral arrangements and gains Mabel's trust; learns about Sir James's will from Allery. ### [A Confession](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/ix-a-confession) Dismisses Jackson's confession as the product of a lunatic and accuses Boyce of using him as a scapegoat. ### [X: The Portrait](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/x-the-portrait) Arrives at Wilton-on-Sea, observes Eric's transformation, reacts to the portrait, and later examines it alone. ### [XI: An Apparition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/xi-an-apparition) Shows growing interest in Mabel; calmly investigates the ghost sighting and offers a rational explanation; observes the reactions of others closely. ### [XII: What Happened in the Night](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/xii-what-happened-in-the-night) Investigates footprints on the rug, confronts Eric Sanders, and decides to leave the party. ### [XIII: The Car in the Dark](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/xiii-the-car-in-the-dark) Investigates the attic room, warns Mabel about Sanders, and later spies on a secret nighttime car ride. ### [XIV: Back in London](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/xiv-back-in-london) Collins returns from Devonshire looking gaunt and hints that he knows the true murderer, but says the man 'doesn't exist,' leaving the others baffled. ### [XV: The Crisis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/xv-the-crisis) Arranges the meeting at The Vale, reveals his deductions about Watson's identity and hiding, and explains his investigation. ### [XVI: The Criminal Found](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/xvi-the-criminal-found) Revealed as the prime suspect; Sinclair details his clever ruses and growing evidence against him. ### [XVII: The Wrong Letter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/chapters/xvii-the-wrong-letter) Revealed as the master criminal blackmailer and murderer of Sir James Watson. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters/sylvester_collins - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wrong_letter_se/characters