The Man in the Queue · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey.
Chapter 1
I: Murder
On a March evening, a long queue waits outside the Woffington Theatre for the final performance of 'Didn't You Know?' Amid street performers and vendors, the doors open and the crowd presses forward. A man collapses and is discovered to have been stabbed with a dagger. The police detain the nearest witnesses, including a suburban couple and a fat woman, while the body is covered and the show goes on.
Chapter 2
II: Inspector Grant
Superintendent Barker assigns Inspector Grant to investigate a murder that occurred in a theatre queue. Grant interviews witnesses, examines the weapon (a stiletto), and deduces that the killer is likely left-handed and strong. He also discovers that the revolver found on the victim does not bear the victim's fingerprints, suggesting it may belong to the murderer. Grant speculates that the crime has a Levantine character due to the subtlety and the weapon used.
Chapter 3
III: Danny Miller
Grant wakes on the third day of his investigation, the day of the inquest, with no leads. He recounts sending Williams to trace the dead man's tie through Faith Brothers, and his own fruitless search of missing persons lists. He then interviews Danny Miller, a known criminal, hoping Miller might identify the victim. Miller initially denies recognition but then recalls having talked to the man, though he cannot remember where. Grant cleverly tricks Miller into removing his gloves, revealing no scars, and lets him go. The inquest follows, with Grant observing the jury and witnesses—including the constable, James Ratcliffe, and his wife—with sardonic detachment. Later, Williams reports that Miller has remembered: he saw the dead man with a young man at a coffee stall near the Strand, and the young man had a distinctive scar on his hand.
Chapter 4
IV: Raoul Legarde
Grant receives an anonymous letter containing £25 for the burial of the queue murder victim, sparking theories about the sender's identity and motives. He dines with Williams at Laurent's, where he senses he is being watched through a screen. After a failed attempt to catch the observer, Grant interviews Raoul Legarde, a young waiter who witnessed the murder and provides a crucial description of the left-handed killer. Grant issues an all-stations alert for the suspect.
Chapter 5
V: Danny Again
Inspector Grant travels to Nottingham to trace the dead man's tie, learning from a shop assistant that it was sold on February 2nd, the day of a large musical festival. He interviews Mr. Yeudall, a solicitor and festival chairman, who may know the buyer. Meanwhile, Danny Miller suddenly panics and rushes out of his Pimlico flat, leaving his girlfriend bewildered.
Chapter 6
VI: The Levantine
Inspector Grant dines at a restaurant, then spots a man in the Strand who reacts with horror and flees. A chase ensues through the streets, but the man escapes. Grant deduces the Levantine is still in London and reflects on the progress made.
Chapter 7
VII: Things Move
Grant investigates Sorrell's locked office in Minley Street, encounters a painter living above, and spends Sunday sifting through false leads and reports from the public. He reflects on the case, considering the possibility of intended suicide, and ends the day exhausted, with a surreal dream about Ray Marcable.
Chapter 8
Mrs. Everett
Inspector Grant visits Mrs. Everett, the landlady of Bert Sorrell, at Brightling Crescent. She informs him that Sorrell left for America a week ago and that he shared rooms with Gerald Lamont. Grant obtains snapshots of both men and recognizes Lamont as the foreigner he chased in the Strand. He suspects Lamont is the Levantine and the murderer. After Grant leaves, Mrs. Everett prepares a basket of food, counts money, writes a note, and secretly travels to Brixton, entering a dilapidated house.
Chapter 9
IX: Grant Gets More Information Than He Expected
Grant reviews the morning papers with satisfaction, believing he will soon capture the murderer. He reflects on the case, dismissing Mrs. Everett as a suspect after her fingerprints do not match those on the revolver and envelope. However, later analysis reveals that prints on Lamont's door belong to Mrs. Everett, forcing Grant to reconsider. He devises a plan to investigate her through church connections. Meanwhile, undercover officers (a pedlar and a freckled man) gather information from a talkative woman in Eastbourne about Margaret Ratcliffe's erratic behavior, and later report on the Ratcliffes' strained marriage.
Chapter 10
X: The Burst to the North
Inspector Grant travels to Carninnish in the Scottish Highlands to pursue the suspect known as the Levantine, who may be Gerald Lamont. He leaves London after arranging for the ongoing search, and endures a long, uncomfortable journey by train and mail-car through remote, desolate landscapes. Meanwhile, Simpson is dispatched to investigate Mrs. Everett undercover as an ex-serviceman seeking work, engaging with a local clergyman to gather information.
Chapter 11
XI: Carninnish
Grant, under the guise of fishing, arrives in Carninnish to investigate Lamont. After a day of surveillance and failed attempts to gain entry to the manse, he is invited to tea by the minister, Mr. Logan, bringing him face to face with his suspect.
Chapter 12
Capture
Inspector Grant reveals his identity to Gerald Lamont and attempts to arrest him for the murder of Albert Sorrell. Lamont escapes by throwing pepper in Grant's eyes and fleeing across the moor. Grant pursues him, eventually cornering him in a boat on a loch. Lamont dives from the boat, strikes his head, and is captured. Grant later explains the situation to Miss Dinmont, who, despite learning the truth, insists on nursing Lamont out of professional duty and Highland tradition.
Chapter 13
XIII: Marking Time
Grant waits for Lamont to recover from his injury, reflecting on his unease despite the case being nearly complete. He interacts with Miss Dinmont, who nurses Lamont with professional detachment. Grant takes Lamont's fingerprints, discusses the investigation, and learns that Lamont believes Bert Sorrell was killed by mistake. The chapter ends with Grant feeling unsettled, though the case is resolved.
Chapter 14
XIV: The Statement
Inspector Grant takes Lamont's statement on the train journey south, weighing its plausibility against the evidence. He considers the possibility of Sorrell's suicide and the need to investigate Sorrell's luggage and interview Mrs. Everett again. The chapter ends with Grant's obsession with the case and his determination to uncover the truth.
Chapter 15
XV: The Brooch
Grant returns to the Yard, receives congratulations from Superintendent Barker, but expresses unease about the case against Lamont. He interviews Mrs. Everett, who confirms details about Sorrell's secretive correspondence and a small parcel delivered before his departure. Grant becomes increasingly doubtful and decides to investigate further, planning to visit Mrs. Ratcliffe to show her the monogrammed brooch.
Chapter 16
XVI: Miss Dinmont Assists
Grant seeks Miss Dinmont's opinion on Mrs. Ratcliffe's possible involvement in the murder, then testifies at Lamont's preliminary hearing in Gowbridge Police Court. Miss Dinmont unexpectedly appears at the court, having cut short her holiday. Over lunch, she expresses doubts about Lamont's guilt and a desire for fair treatment. Grant considers taking her to Eastbourne as a companion to lull Mrs. Ratcliffe's suspicions, but she declines.
Chapter 17
Solution
Grant is deeply troubled by the unresolved case, obsessively fixating on the pearl brooch found in Sorrell's pocket as the key to the mystery. Despite the strong case against Lamont, Grant's intuition insists something is wrong. Mrs. Wallis unexpectedly confesses to the murder, claiming she killed Sorrell to protect her daughter Rosie. However, her story lacks proof, and Barker dismisses it. Grant suspects a connection between Mrs. Wallis and Ray Marcable, and the brooch continues to haunt him as he considers the possibility of an unknown assailant escaping the queue.
Chapter 18
Conclusion
Grant and Barker discuss the resolution of the case, revealing that Mrs. Wallis is the true murderer, acting out of obsession with Ray Marcable. Grant reflects on the missteps of the investigation, the role of the brooch and dagger, and the fates of Sorrell and Lamont. The chapter ends with Grant planning a holiday and noting that Mrs. Wallis will likely be acquitted by a sympathetic jury.
Chapter 19
List of Illustrations
A map of the villages of Garnie and Carninnish and surrounds.
