# Murder in the Maze — Chapters explained

> Chapter companions for Murder in the Maze by J. J. Connington.

- [I: The Hackleton Case](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/i-the-hackleton-case.md): Neville Shandon, a barrister, recuperates at his brother Roger's estate, Whistlefield. The chapter introduces the Shandon family, including the idle brother Ernest and their niece Sylvia Hawkhurst. Neville discusses his 
- [The Affair in the Maze](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/ii-the-affair-in-the-maze.md): Vera Forrest and Howard Torrance become separated in the maze at Whistlefield. Vera hears cries and thuds, then Howard discovers the body of Roger Shandon. The murderer may still be in the maze, and Vera must find her wa
- [III: The Immediate Results](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/iii-the-immediate-results.md): Vera Forrest returns to the house to raise the alarm after discovering Neville Shandon's body in the Maze. She finds the house nearly empty and enlists the help of the secretary, Mr. Stenness, who efficiently organizes t
- [IV: The Chief Constable](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/iv-the-chief-constable.md): Sir Clinton Driffield arrives at Whistlefield with Wendover and police. Stenness leads them to the two murder scenes in the Maze. Sir Clinton examines both bodies, photographs the scenes, and uses a dog to track the murd
- [The Evidence in the Case](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/v-the-evidence-in-the-case.md): Sir Clinton Driffield interviews the household at Whistlefield, gathering testimonies from Vera Forrest, Howard Torrance, and Mr. Stenness about the events in the Maze and the relationships among the Shandon brothers. St
- [VI: The Toxicologist](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/vi-the-toxicologist.md): Sir Clinton Driffield and Wendover visit Dr. Ardsley, a toxicologist, to identify the poison used on the darts. Ardsley tests the poison on a guinea pig and identifies it as curare, revealing that a supply of curare is k
- [VII: The Pot of Curare](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/vii-the-pot-of-curare.md): Wendover and Dr. Ardsley visit Whistlefield to secure a pot of curare for Sir Clinton. They encounter Arthur Hawkhurst's hostility and Sylvia's distress over the murders. Sir Clinton arrives, negotiates with Ernest Shand
- [VIII: Opportunity, Method, and Motive](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/viii-opportunity-method-and-motive.md): Sir Clinton Driffield and Wendover discuss the murder case over drinks. Sir Clinton outlines the three pillars of a prosecution case: opportunity, method, and motive. Wendover presents his theories on possible suspects i
- [IX: The Burglary at Whistlefield](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/ix-the-burglary-at-whistlefield.md): Sir Clinton Driffield receives a phone call about a burglary at Whistlefield and rushes to investigate with Wendover. At the house, Ernest Shandon and Stenness recount the events: Ernest heard a noise while reviewing Rog
- [X: The Third Attack in the Maze](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/x-the-third-attack-in-the-maze.md): Sir Clinton and Wendover discuss the burglary at Whistlefield and the lack of clues. Wendover speculates that the burglar was in Hackleton's pay, seeking Neville Shandon's notes. Sir Clinton later receives a call about a
- [XI: The Squire's Theories](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/xi-the-squire-s-theories.md): Wendover and Sir Clinton discuss various theories about the murders, including the possibility of mistaken identity, a cooperative murder scheme, and the significance of the burglary. Sir Clinton reveals that the murdere
- [The Fourth Attack](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/xii-the-fourth-attack.md): Sylvia Hawkhurst is shot with a poisoned dart through an open window during a bridge game. Wendover pursues the attacker into the rhododendrons and retrieves the airgun. Ernest Shandon's cowardice is evident as he refuse
- [The Dart](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/xiii-the-dart.md): Wendover is deeply unsettled after the attack on Sylvia Hawkhurst, struggling to reconcile the events with his earlier theories linking them to Hackleton. He confronts Sir Clinton, who reveals he had set himself up as ba
- [The Forged Cheque](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/xiv-the-forged-cheque.md): Sir Clinton Driffield interviews Ernest Shandon's secretary, Mr. Stenness, about a forged cheque. He presents a hypothetical case involving John Doe and Richard Roe to illustrate how a secretary could forge his employer'
- [XV: The Secretary's Affairs](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/xv-the-secretary-s-affairs.md): Stenness confesses to Sir Clinton that he forged Roger Shandon's signature to recover money Shandon had swindled from him. He explains his moral justification, his love for Sylvia Hawkhurst, and why he did not flee after
- [XVI: The Last Attack in the Maze](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/xvi-the-last-attack-in-the-maze.md): In the aftermath of Sylvia Hawkhurst's death, tensions rise at Whistlefield. Ernest Shandon displays his characteristic cowardice, refusing to retrieve his lost cigar-case from the Maze at night, while his nephew Arthur 
- [XVII: The Siege in the Maze](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/xvii-the-siege-in-the-maze.md): Sir Clinton Driffield leads a siege in the Maze to capture the murderer, Ernest Shandon. After a night of planning, he gathers Wendover, Stenness, and Ardsley, arms them, and surrounds the Maze. Ernest, trapped and choki
- [XVIII: The Truth of the Matter](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters/xviii-the-truth-of-the-matter.md): Sir Clinton Driffield reconstructs the murders in the Maze, explaining how Ernest Shandon killed his two brothers using a poisoned airgun and darts, mistaking Roger for Neville, and then later faked an attack on himself 

HTML index: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/murder_in_the_maze_se/chapters