The Brooklyn Murders · Chapter
The Lovely Lady explained
Ellery, uncomfortable with the task, attempts to find the mysterious Kitty in Leicester Square but quickly realizes the description is too vague.
What happens
Ellery, uncomfortable with the task, attempts to find the mysterious Kitty in Leicester Square but quickly realizes the description is too vague. He visits his friend Will Jaxon, a connoisseur of London's demimonde, who helps him narrow down the possibilities. After interviewing several women named Kitty, Ellery meets Kitty Frensham, whose distinctive smile convinces him she is the one he seeks. He directly asks her about Walter Brooklyn, and she responds with concern, having just seen the news of his arrest.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and False Clues
Ellery's initial search is hampered by vague descriptions and multiple women named Kitty, illustrating the difficulty of distinguishing truth from false leads.
Appearance vs. Reality
The forced gaiety of the club-goers and the contrast between Kitty Frensham's coarse appearance and her powerful expression highlight the theme.
Characters to notice
- Robert Ellery
Ellery undertakes the search for Kitty in Leicester Square, feeling out of his depth, and later enlists Will Jaxon's help.
- Will Jaxon
Jaxon, an old Oxford friend and theatre producer, assists Ellery by identifying and introducing him to several women named Kitty.
- Kitty Frensham
Kitty Frensham is the woman Ellery believes to be the correct Kitty; she has a distinctive sudden smile and knows Walter Brooklyn.
- Kitty Turner
Kitty Turner is one of the women Ellery interviews; she knows nothing of Walter Brooklyn.
- Kitty Frensham
Kitty Frensham is the woman Ellery believes to be the correct Kitty; she has a distinctive sudden smile and knows Walter Brooklyn.
Key passages
“To walk round Leicester Square in search of the mysterious Kitty gave Ellery an uncomfortable feeling.”
Ellery felt uneasy as he began his search for the elusive Kitty in Leicester Square.
Ellery's discomfort sets the tone for his detective work.
“The way to find Kitty was not to hunt for a hypothetical needle in a very unpleasant haystack, but to go straight to someone who was likely to know.”
Ellery realized that instead of searching randomly, he should ask someone knowledgeable.
Ellery decides to seek help from Will Jaxon.
“She smiled, and the coming of her smile was for all the world as if she had suddenly pressed the switch and turned it on like the electric light.”
Her smile appeared abruptly, as if activated by a light switch.
This distinctive smile convinces Ellery that Kitty Frensham is the woman he seeks.