Characters

Principals:

Harry Reese

An insurance fraud investigator whose cases, no matter how prosaically they begin, ultimately all involve murder. Harry was born in 1873 in Utica, New York. He attended Union College and upon graduation began working in the insurance business in New York. Harry, in his own words, is a man who can generally take things as they come. Which is a good thing. (all)

Emmie Reese (née McGinnis)

Harry’s wife, whose interest in murder and imaginative methods make her an essential and amusing companion, though Harry—who describes her thinking as frequently untethered—might not always agree. Emmie was born on January 17, 1877, in Northampton, Massachusetts. She attended Smith College, class of 1899, in that same city and later moved to Buffalo, where she met Harry. (all)

Clifton Ainslie

Vaudeville union member with a particular dislike for Pinkertons. (Ch)

Michel Archambeau

Fanny Baum’s French-Canadian manservant. (Ψ)

John Anthorn

Patient at state hospital who is under the impression he is the late President McKinley. He closely resembles George Washington Cable and has an unfortunate encounter with a blancmange. (P)

Madame B____

A master jewel thief operating in Europe. (Cr, K, Ψ)

Bernie Bannon

Michael Minden’s bookkeeper and right-hand man. (Cr)

Robert Barclay

Stock broker whose death generates a claim on a policy written by William Huber. (Cr)

Fanny Baum

Former classmate of Emmie’s. (Ψ)

George Washington Cable

The well-known author. (P)

Margaret Cable

Above’s daughter; friend of Emmie’s and Elizabeth’s; hostess of eventful dinner. (P)

Eliza Chapman Barclay

Robert’s widow. (Cr)

Samuel Branscombe

Owner of the Sea Cliff Hotel on Cape Elizabeth. (J)

Joseph Brayton

A member of a tontine. (M)

Scott Breen

A lawyer in Glens Falls, N.Y. (H)

Mrs. Butler

Proprietress of a colorful boarding house in Glens Falls, N.Y. (H)

Dwight Chambers

A real estate agent in Glens Falls, N.Y. (H)

Stanley Chambers

West Indian beachcomber likely to be displaced by new hotel on Cape Elizabeth. (J)

Julius Chappelle

Owner of a Washington, D.C., employment office. (K)

Patrick Chappelle

Operator of Washington policy shops and brother to Julius. (K)

Xiang-Mei Chen

Chinese girl smuggled over border with an interesting past. (Ch)

Delia Clack, aka Delia Field

Cant spewing Brit who is visiting Cape Elizabeth. (J)

Archie Cobb

A supposedly fictional character of Emmie’s creation who poses as Henry James. (P)

Richard Cole

Servant of General Sachs and suspected thief. (K)

Sadie Collins, aka Sadie Parker

Charles Elwell’s former mistress, a woman of changeable affections and uncertain reputation. (A)

William "Fingy" Conners

Buffalo’s Boss Conners has his remaining fingers in many pies, several legitimate. (A)

Arden Coombs

A man found dead in a Lancashire canal. (M)

Martin Corwin

A police sergeant working in Brooklyn’s Eastern District. (Cr)

Inspector Reginald Cropsey

A policeman in Lancashire. (M)

Elizabeth Custis

See Elizabeth Strout.

Mr. Demming, aka Mr. Larabee

An authority on gambling at racetracks, poolrooms and resorts. (M, Cr)

Eugene Donigan

Employee of Sovereign Mutual Life Insurance. (Cr)

Detective James Donahy

Buffalo policeman of unknown loyalties. (A)

Dorothy

The Reeses’ maid. (Cr)

Julie Dupagnier (née Courtois)

Passenger aboard the steamship L’Aquitaine. (B)

Mrs. Dyer

Eliza Barclay’s sister. (Cr)

George Easterly

Washington lobbyist and burglary victim. (K)

Mrs. Easterly

Wife of above. (K)

Sesbania Easterly

Their young daughter, who spends her time in the Land of Oz. (K)

Sergeant Frank Eckel

New York police precinct sergeant. (Ch)

Catherine Osgood Elwell

General Osgood’s daughter and Charlie’s eventual wife. (A, Ch)

Charles Elwell

Emmie’s uncle by marriage. A lawyer in Buffalo. Elwell finds a job for Emmie at the Eastern Elevator Company, which he’s associated with, and then disappears. (A)

Charlie Elwell

Emmie’s cousin, a lawyer in Buffalo. (A, Ch)

Nell Elwell (née Van Slyke)

Emmie’s aunt, sister of Emmie’s mother. She worked with a medicine show in her youth. (A, Ch)

Christopher Farrell

Salesman for a shirtwaist company whose death generates a claim on a policy written by William Huber. (Cr)

Anna Corbin Farrell

Christopher’s widow. (Cr)

Delia Field

Ostensible wife of Michael. See Delia Clack.

Michael Field

English Poet and ostensible husband of Delia. See Andrew Lang.

Nathan Finn

Representative of National City Bank aboard the steamship L’Aquitaine. (B)

Lottie Flagg (aka Anthorn, née Ransom)

George Washington Cable’s cook. (P)

Thibaut Francher

Seaman aboard the steamship L’Aquitaine. (B, Ch)

Otis Gaylord

Deputy sheriff responsible for enforcing Maine’s prohibition law. (J)

Dr. Edwin Gillette

Washington, D.C., physician with nervous disposition. (K)

Asst. Coroner Glazebrook

Performs autopsy on corpulent corpse. (K)

May Goodwin

Young actress, blackmailer, and corpse on Cape Elizabeth. (J)

Joe Griep

Valet masquerading as writer Mortimer Vincent. (P)

Mr. Grundy

A plumber and amateur thespian. (P)

Mrs. Grundy

Above’s wife, devoted to cleaning up Shakespeare. (P)

Jane Grundy

Above’s daughter; friend of Gloria’s, Emmie’s cousin. (P)

August Guenard

Purser of the steamship L’Aquitaine. (B)

Mr. Holt

A fellow guest at Mrs. Butler’s establishment. (H)

Cynthia Chapman Howell

Eliza Barclay’s sister. (Cr)

Charles Houyvet

First officer of the steamship L’Aquitaine. (B)

Edward Howell

A stock broker and Cynthia’s husband. (Cr)

Conrad Huber

A real estate lawyer working in Brooklyn’s Eastern District and William’s father. (Cr)

John Huber

A Wall Street lawyer and William’s brother. (Cr)

William Huber

An insurance agent working in Brooklyn’s Eastern District. (Cr)

Captain George Ingalls

Wounded veteran of Coxey’s Army. (Ψ)

William Jefferson

Washington, D.C., lawyer and credit to his race. (K)

Ernie Joy

Vaudevillian killed at faux Chinatown opium den. (Ch)

Samuel Keegan

The proprietor of the Gotham Insurance Bureau for which Harry sometimes works. The Bureau maintains massive files on applicants and claimants of insurance policies. Its purpose is to detect fraud. (A, H, Cr)

Annie (Estelle) Ketchum, aka Annie McGee

A young woman capable of speedy social evolution. (H, J)

Ed Ketchum

An insurance investigator who specializes in arson and naïveté. (A, H, J)

Bridget Kilgellen

Irish chambermaid adept at interpreting soiled linen at the Sea Cliff Hotel on Cape Elizabeth. (J)

Sally Koestler

A childhood friend of William Huber. (Cr)

George Koestler

Sally’s father, who takes control of Sovereign Mutual Life Insurance. (Cr)

Lucy Koestler

Sally’s stepmother. (Cr)

Detective Henry Lacy

A Washington, D.C., policeman with a Sherlock Holmes fixation. (K)

Andrew Lang, aka Michael Field

Scots author and folklore authority visiting Cape Elizabeth. (J)

Mr. Larabee

See Mr. Demming.

Mr. Leverton

An operative of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. (M, J)

Nathan Libby

Lawyer and investor in rival new hotel on Cape Elizabeth. (J)

Lou Ling

Cricket charmer. (Ch)

Colonel Livingston

Semi-retired police inspector in Toronto. (A)

Dr. Loring

South Portland physician who performs autopsy on May Goodwin. (J)

Bill McCrea

State hospital attendant, first victim. (P)

McGee

A man of unpleasant disposition but unusual skills in Glens Falls, N.Y. (H)

Jimmy McGee, aka Jack Taber

Actor who abandoned his wife, then gets her back. (J)

Mrs. McGinnis (née Van Slyke)

Emmie’s mother. (A, M, Cr, P)

Fiona Macleod

Scottish poetess. See Elsa Naggle.

Clara Marquisee

An apparent suicide whose body is found in an Eastern District canal. (Cr)

Jacob Marquisee

Clara’s husband and a home builder working in Brooklyn’s Eastern District. (Cr)

Mary

The Reeses’ maid. (Cr, Ψ)

Robert Mason

A man with a checkered past and the original superintendent of the Eastern Elevator Company, Emmie’s employer in Buffalo. (A)

M.E. Meegs

Pen name used by Emmie. (M)

Amanda Merrill

Wife of Senator (below), who has an unusual hobby. (K)

William F. Merrill

Senator from Indiana, one of three burglary victims in Washington. (K)

Michael Minden

The owner of multiple New York gambling establishments. (Cr)

Pat Moran

State hospital attendant, pretends to be the author Mortimer Vincent. (P)

Bernadette Moreau

Passenger aboard the steamship L’Aquitaine and fianacée of the purser. (B)

Thomas Bird Mosher, aka Richard Merrill

Pirate publisher in Portland, Maine, targeted by assassin. (J)

Alice Mulvihill (née Hooper)

Arthur’s wife. (M)

Arthur Mulvihill

A member of a tontine. (M)

Mrs. Elsa (Naggie) Naggle, aka Fiona Macleod

East Ender visiting Cape Elizabeth. (J)

Mr. Noakes

A representative of the British Consulate in New York. (M)

John Noyes

Epicene contractor who built Ocean View Hotel on Cape Elizabeth. (J)

Sanford Osborne

Claims Manager, Sovereign Mutual Life Insurance. (Cr)

General Chester Osgood

A somewhat pompous lawyer and President of the Eastern Elevator Company, Emmie’s employer in Buffalo. (A)

Catherine Osgood

See Catherine Osgood Elwell.

Winslow Palmer

Representative of National City Bank in New York. (B)

Sadie Parker

see Sadie Collins.

George Peabbles

Cape Elizabeth town constable. (J)

Byron Perkins

Superintendent of Agencies, Sovereign Mutual Life Insurance. (Cr)

George Phelps

Young dime novel reader and valuable witness.(H)

Georges Pomerleau

An accommodating jeweler in New York. (K)

Horace Pugh

Long Island morality worker. (Ch)

Dan Ratigan

A private detective in Manhattan. (A, Cr)

Lewis Redfield

President, Sovereign Mutual Life Insurance. (Cr)

Mrs. Redstone

Someone who would have been better off had she lived in an era where one could Google potential spouses. (A)

Carlotta Reese, aka Cissie Lightner

Harry’s cousin who works the vaudeville circuit. (A, Ch)

Purlina Reese

Utopian and Harry’s great aunt. (Ch)

Earl Rhodes

Shakespearean scholar and donkey authority. (Ch)

Frank Rhodes

Civil War veteran and circus impresario. (Ch)

Lena Spire Rhodes

Earl Rhodes’ wife and Emmie’s former classmate. (Ch)

Henri Rollin

Second officer of the steamship L’Aquitaine. (B)

Alice Sachs

Adult daughter of following. (K)

General Thomas Sachs, Ret.

War profiteer and burglary victim. (K)

Percival Sackett

of Baily & Sackett, literary agents. (M, Ψ)

Mme. Cecile Sahlumie

Clairvoyant and Emmie’s cellmate. (Ch)

Mike Scanlan

Operative employed by the Byrnes Detective Agency. (Ch)

Count (Graf) von Schnurrenberger und Kesselheim

German count attached to the embassy in Washington. (K)

Countess (Gräfin) von Schnurrenberger und Kesselheim, aka Madame B____

The wife of the count, who has a mysterious past and seasons her husband’s dessert with chicken bones. (B, K, Ψ)

Whitey Schuler

Boss Conners’ jack-of-all-trades who imparts some of his skills to Emmie. (A)

Charlie Sennett

A small-time bookmaker working in Brooklyn’s Eastern District. (Cr)

John Smallby

Passenger aboard the steamship L’Aquitaine. (B)

William Spier

Wealthy owner of a horse farm in Glens Falls, N.Y. (H)

Mrs. Margaret (Maggie) Spinks

Washington, D.C., hostess and lobbyist. (K)

Sarah Stanton

Canal boat owner and captain. (Ψ, Ch)

William Stark

Inspector of Detectives in Toronto. (A)

Elizabeth Strout, aka Elizabeth Custis

A woman of many talents and a college friend of Emmie’s. (Cr, B, K, Ψ, Ch, P)

Danny Sullivan

Saloon owner with sartorial taste but regrettable habits. (A)

Jack Taber

Scottish poetess. See Jimmy McGee.

George Tibbitts

A Manhattan police detective. (Cr, K, Ch)

Albert Trepanier

The representative of a French insurance company. (B)

Nan Tway

Reporter for the Cape Elizabeth Sentinel and authority on the sex lives of fishes. (J)

Cyrus Twinem

Professor killed at Cosmopolitan Hotel. (Ch)

Isabel Jacobson Twinem

His wife. (Ch)

E. Pluribus Van Slyke

Emmie’s 12 year old cousin; younger brother of Gloria and Hallelujah. (P)

Gloria Van Slyke

Emmie’s 19 year old cousin. Hal’s twin sister. (P)

Hallelujah (Hal) Van Slyke

Emmie’s 19 year old cousin. Gloria’s twin brother. (P)

Captain George Veblynde

Skipper of the steamship L’Aquitaine. (B)

Mme. Veblynde

Wife of above. (B)

Richard Warner

A Manhattan machinist. (Cr)

Kathryn Warner

Richard’s wife. A woman blessed with an active imagination. (Cr)

Jack Whitner

A mysterious acquaintance of the Elwells’ in Buffalo. (A)

Jimmy Yuan

Producer of faux Chinatown. (Ch)

Charlotte Yvard (née Courtois)

Passenger aboard the steamship L’Aquitaine. (B)