# XXVII: Mr. Sheringham Hits the Mark explained — The Layton Court Mystery

> Chapter companion for The Layton Court Mystery by Anthony Berkeley.

## What happens

Roger Sheringham reveals to Alec Grierson that he has solved the murder of Victor Stanworth. He explains that the key clue was a strand of hair on the settee, which did not belong to Mrs. Plant but to a second woman in the library. From this, Roger deduces that the killer is a strong, burly man, and he ultimately confronts Alec, asking why he killed Stanworth. The chapter ends with the party leaving Layton Court and Roger disposing of the hair evidence.

## Themes in this chapter

### Fair Play in Detective Fiction

Roger presents his reasoning step by step, allowing the reader to follow the clues, adhering to the fair play tradition.

### Justice and Morality

Roger decides to let the killer go free, arguing that Stanworth deserved death, highlighting a personal moral code over legal justice.

### Secrecy and Deception Within Households

The murder is covered up, and the household's secrets (blackmail, hidden relationships) are kept from the police.

## Character check-ins

### Roger Sheringham

Roger reveals his solution to the murder, explaining his reasoning and confronting Alec.

### Alexander Grierson

Alec listens to Roger's deductions and is ultimately accused of the murder.

### Mrs. Plant

Mentioned as a source of information about Stanworth's blackmail and as having darker hair than the clue hair.

### Major Jefferson

Roger previously suspected Jefferson but now dismisses him; they part amicably.

### Victor Stanworth

The victim, described as a scoundrel who blackmailed Mrs. Plant and others.

### Lady Stanworth

Mentioned as one of the people with reason to kill Stanworth.

## Key lines

> I’ve really solved it this time.

Roger insists that he has finally figured out the mystery.

_Roger's confidence after his earlier mistaken suspicion of Jefferson._

> The key to the whole mystery was that there was a second woman in the library that night.

The crucial clue is that an unknown woman was present in the library.

_Roger's deduction based on the hair found on the settee._

> Why exactly did you kill Stanworth?

Roger directly asks Alec why he committed the murder.

_The climactic accusation at the end of the chapter._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters/xxvii-mr-sheringham-hits-the-mark
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters