# Mrs. Everett explained — The Man in the Queue

> Chapter companion for The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey.

## What happens

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.

## Themes in this chapter

### Identity and Concealment

Lamont's dual identity as Sorrell's friend and the Levantine is uncovered; Mrs. Everett's secretive actions suggest she is hiding knowledge.

### Appearance vs. Reality

Mrs. Everett presents a calm, orthodox exterior while secretly preparing supplies and money for a covert journey; Sorrell and Lamont appear as harmless young men.

### Urban Anonymity and Alienation

Mrs. Everett moves unnoticed through the city, her purposeful errand hidden by the fog and indifference of urban life.

## Character check-ins

### Inspector Grant

Visits Mrs. Everett to investigate Sorrell's disappearance; obtains photographs and identifies Lamont as the man from the Strand.

### Mrs. Everett

Landlady of Sorrell and Lamont; provides information but later acts suspiciously, secretly traveling to Brixton with supplies and money.

### Bert Sorrell

Reported to have left for America; shared rooms with Lamont; quiet and sometimes mopey.

### Gerald Lamont

Sorrell's friend and roommate; identified in a photograph as the man Grant chased; described as bright and cheerful.

### The Levantine

Implied to be Lamont; Grant suspects he is the murderer and the recipient of Sorrell's money.

## Key lines

> Grant walked up the street that Sorrell had trodden so often, and wondered if the Levantine knew it too.

Grant retraced Sorrell's steps and speculated whether the Levantine was also familiar with that route.

_Highlights Grant's suspicion that the Levantine is connected to Sorrell's daily life._

> Even in the pleasant repose of the moment on the river the eyes had an inimical look. There was no friendliness in the hard-boned face.

Even in a relaxed snapshot, the man's eyes appeared hostile and his face lacked warmth.

_Reinforces Grant's identification of Lamont as the threatening figure from the Strand._

> She did not appear agitated, but her whole being seemed concentrated in an effort of thought; she vibrated with thought as a dynamo vibrates.

Though outwardly calm, Mrs. Everett was intensely focused and mentally active after Grant's visit.

_Foreshadows her subsequent secretive actions._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_man_in_the_queue_se/chapters/viii-mrs-everett
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_man_in_the_queue_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_man_in_the_queue_se/chapters