The Rasp · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Rasp by Philip MacDonald.
Chapter 1
Dedication
The book is dedicated to 'The Guv’nor', a brief and personal tribute.
Chapter 2
Epigraph
The epigraph presents the traditional nursery rhyme 'Who Killed Cock Robin?', establishing a thematic parallel to the murder mystery that unfolds in the novel.
Chapter 3
The Rasp
Anthony Gethryn arrives at Marling to investigate the murder of John Hoode. He examines the study, discovers a woman's hair and finger marks, and begins to piece together the crime scene. The chapter introduces key characters and sets the stage for the investigation.
Chapter 4
Tolling the Bell
On a sweltering Thursday night, Spencer Hastings, editor of The Owl, is working late when his secretary Margaret Warren bursts in with breaking news: Cabinet Minister John Hoode has been murdered at his country home. Hastings dictates a special edition, and Margaret suggests recruiting Anthony Gethryn as a special correspondent to cover the investigation. Hastings reluctantly calls Gethryn, who agrees to help after Margaret persuades him.
Chapter 5
I
After a melancholy dinner, Lucia and Dora struggle with anxiety over Archie Deacon's situation. Lucia is distracted by her own feelings for Anthony Gethryn. Anthony arrives dramatically through the window, announcing that Deacon is free and that Sir Arthur Digby-Coates is the real culprit. He reassures Lucia that her secret is safe, and a tense, emotionally charged interaction ensues.
Chapter 6
II
Anthony Gethryn and Lucia Lemesurier discuss their plans to leave England on Saturday, but Lucia reminds him they must first get married, which delays their departure until Monday. Their intimate moment is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Deacon, who returns and announces his engagement to Dora Masterson.
Chapter 7
II: Anthony Gethryn
This chapter provides a detailed biography of Anthony Ruthven Gethryn, tracing his lineage, education, diverse talents, war service in intelligence, and post-war restlessness that eventually leads to his partnership with Spencer Hastings in founding The Owl.
Chapter 8
I
After a melancholy dinner, Lucia and Dora struggle with anxiety over Archie Deacon's situation. Lucia is distracted by her own feelings for Anthony Gethryn. Anthony arrives dramatically through the window, announcing that Deacon is free and that Sir Arthur Digby-Coates is the real culprit. He reassures Lucia that her secret is safe, and a tense, emotionally charged interaction ensues.
Chapter 9
II
Anthony Gethryn and Lucia Lemesurier discuss their plans to leave England on Saturday, but Lucia reminds him they must first get married, which delays their departure until Monday. Their intimate moment is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Deacon, who returns and announces his engagement to Dora Masterson.
Chapter 10
III
Spencer Hastings and his betrothed, Margaret Warren, discuss wedding details, including the possibility of Anthony Gethryn serving as best man.
Chapter 11
IV: Study
Anthony Gethryn enters the study of the murdered John Hoode and immediately senses a dark, brooding atmosphere. He examines the body and the room, noting the staged appearance of a struggle. With Inspector Boyd, he discovers a bloodstain inside a desk drawer that proves Hoode was struck while seated, then dragged to the hearth. Anthony also points out the improbable convenience of the overturned furniture and the fallen clock, concluding that the scene was deliberately faked to suggest a struggle that never occurred.
Chapter 12
The Lady of the Sandal
Anthony Gethryn discovers a woman's hair and distinctive sandal marks outside the study window, leading him to find a wet canvas bathing-sandal in the river. He crosses to the Lemesurier house, where Sir Arthur Digby-Coates invites him to lunch. At lunch, Anthony observes Lucia Lemesurier's strange behavior and uses conversation to distract the party, while covertly analyzing her reactions.
Chapter 13
I
After a melancholy dinner, Lucia and Dora struggle with anxiety over Archie Deacon's situation. Lucia is distracted by her own feelings for Anthony Gethryn. Anthony arrives dramatically through the window, announcing that Deacon is free and that Sir Arthur Digby-Coates is the real culprit. He reassures Lucia that her secret is safe, and a tense, emotionally charged interaction ensues.
Chapter 14
II
Anthony Gethryn and Lucia Lemesurier discuss their plans to leave England on Saturday, but Lucia reminds him they must first get married, which delays their departure until Monday. Their intimate moment is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Deacon, who returns and announces his engagement to Dora Masterson.
Chapter 15
III
Spencer Hastings and his betrothed, Margaret Warren, discuss wedding details, including the possibility of Anthony Gethryn serving as best man.
Chapter 16
Secretary and the Sister
Anthony Gethryn interviews Mr. Deacon, who insists the murderer is not from the household, though Anthony remains skeptical. He then encounters Miss Laura Hoode leaving the study and later learns from Superintendent Boyd that a maid's alibi for Deacon has collapsed, suggesting Deacon may have had an opportunity to commit the murder. Meanwhile, Sir Arthur Digby-Coates expresses his anguish over his friend's death, and Anthony reflects on the lack of motive and the strange behavior of the woman he saw swimming to Abbotshall.
Chapter 17
I
After a melancholy dinner, Lucia and Dora struggle with anxiety over Archie Deacon's situation. Lucia is distracted by her own feelings for Anthony Gethryn. Anthony arrives dramatically through the window, announcing that Deacon is free and that Sir Arthur Digby-Coates is the real culprit. He reassures Lucia that her secret is safe, and a tense, emotionally charged interaction ensues.
Chapter 18
II
Anthony Gethryn and Lucia Lemesurier discuss their plans to leave England on Saturday, but Lucia reminds him they must first get married, which delays their departure until Monday. Their intimate moment is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Deacon, who returns and announces his engagement to Dora Masterson.
Chapter 19
VII: The Prejudiced Detective
Anthony Gethryn visits Lucia Lemesurier at her home, declaring himself a 'prejudiced detective' with a strong bias in her favor. He presses her to reveal what she knows about John Hoode's murder, having deduced she swam across the river and crouched outside the study window on the night of the murder. Lucia is evasive and fearful, but Anthony assures her he will help her regardless of her involvement. He later makes a cryptic phone call to Hastings, asking him to locate Jimmy Masterson. Lucia, moved by Anthony's fatigue and kindness, offers him a drink and begins to trust him.
Chapter 20
The Inefficiency of Margaret
Miss Margaret Warren, acting on Anthony Gethryn's urgent message, ventures alone to the flat of James Masterson to investigate his whereabouts on the night of the murder. She finds Masterson ill and delusional; he confesses to killing Hoode while holding her at gunpoint. Hastings arrives in time to disarm Masterson, who collapses. Meanwhile, Anthony and Lucia receive a phone call confirming Masterson could not have committed the murder, as he has been bedridden for days.
Chapter 21
I
After a melancholy dinner, Lucia and Dora struggle with anxiety over Archie Deacon's situation. Lucia is distracted by her own feelings for Anthony Gethryn. Anthony arrives dramatically through the window, announcing that Deacon is free and that Sir Arthur Digby-Coates is the real culprit. He reassures Lucia that her secret is safe, and a tense, emotionally charged interaction ensues.
Chapter 22
II
Anthony Gethryn and Lucia Lemesurier discuss their plans to leave England on Saturday, but Lucia reminds him they must first get married, which delays their departure until Monday. Their intimate moment is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Deacon, who returns and announces his engagement to Dora Masterson.
Chapter 23
III
Spencer Hastings and his betrothed, Margaret Warren, discuss wedding details, including the possibility of Anthony Gethryn serving as best man.
Chapter 24
IV
Anthony Gethryn visits the Regency theatre to meet Madam Vander, a performer who knew John Hoode. He uses a five-pound note and a pound-note to gain access, and they have a private conversation in her dressing room about John.
Chapter 25
IX: The Inquest
Anthony Gethryn sends a note to Lucia Lemesurier advising her and her sister to avoid the inquest, predicting a verdict against Archibald Deacon. He attends the inquest briefly but leaves to explore the house while everyone is occupied. After the inquest adjourns, Anthony, Hastings, and Margaret Warren discuss the evidence. Anthony argues Deacon is innocent despite strong circumstantial evidence, including fingerprints on the murder weapon. Margaret shares her unease about Laura Hoode's contradictory behavior, and Hastings notes the suspicious manner of servant Belford.
Chapter 26
I
After a melancholy dinner, Lucia and Dora struggle with anxiety over Archie Deacon's situation. Lucia is distracted by her own feelings for Anthony Gethryn. Anthony arrives dramatically through the window, announcing that Deacon is free and that Sir Arthur Digby-Coates is the real culprit. He reassures Lucia that her secret is safe, and a tense, emotionally charged interaction ensues.
Chapter 27
II
Anthony Gethryn and Lucia Lemesurier discuss their plans to leave England on Saturday, but Lucia reminds him they must first get married, which delays their departure until Monday. Their intimate moment is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Deacon, who returns and announces his engagement to Dora Masterson.
Chapter 28
III
Spencer Hastings and his betrothed, Margaret Warren, discuss wedding details, including the possibility of Anthony Gethryn serving as best man.
Chapter 29
IV
Anthony Gethryn visits the Regency theatre to meet Madam Vander, a performer who knew John Hoode. He uses a five-pound note and a pound-note to gain access, and they have a private conversation in her dressing room about John.
Chapter 30
X: Birds of the Air
Anthony Gethryn returns to Marling after a fast drive from London, where he learns from Sir Arthur Digby-Coates that Deacon has been arrested following the coroner's inquest verdict. Anthony remains convinced of Deacon's innocence and discusses the evidence, including the fingerprints on the wood-rasp. He then interviews Laura Hoode, who is defensive and hostile, but Anthony presses her for information about a clue he has discovered. Later, he encounters the flirtatious Mrs. Roland Mainwaring, who seeks notoriety, and observes the furtive manservant Belford, whom Sir Arthur suspects knows more than he has told.
Chapter 31
I
After a melancholy dinner, Lucia and Dora struggle with anxiety over Archie Deacon's situation. Lucia is distracted by her own feelings for Anthony Gethryn. Anthony arrives dramatically through the window, announcing that Deacon is free and that Sir Arthur Digby-Coates is the real culprit. He reassures Lucia that her secret is safe, and a tense, emotionally charged interaction ensues.
Chapter 32
II
Anthony Gethryn and Lucia Lemesurier discuss their plans to leave England on Saturday, but Lucia reminds him they must first get married, which delays their departure until Monday. Their intimate moment is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Deacon, who returns and announces his engagement to Dora Masterson.
Chapter 33
The Bow and Arrow
Anthony Gethryn returns to the study to examine the scar on the rosewood table, which he realizes is a perfect impression of the wood-rasp. He deduces that the mark's central position and the newness of the rasp's handle are inconsistent with the murder. Later, at the police station, he examines the wood-rasp and discovers that the blade is loose, and he finds two threads of white linen and two small wedges of wood inside the handle, which he preserves as evidence. He also reviews fingerprint photographs and notes that only Deacon's prints are present, hinting at a setup.
Chapter 34
Exhibits
Anthony Gethryn visits Deacon in his cell to discuss the evidence against him, including the fingerprints on the wood-rasp and a mysterious silk cord found in Deacon's room. Deacon maintains his innocence and expresses bewilderment at the planted evidence. After the visit, Anthony encounters Dora Masterson running distraught toward the police station and persuades her to come to the inn instead, asking for her help.
Chapter 35
XIII: Irons in the Fire
Anthony Gethryn comforts Dora Masterson, who confesses she failed to meet Archie Deacon for a walk, inadvertently undermining his alibi. He then visits Spencer Hastings' flat to see Jimmy Masterson, learning that the newspaper cuttings in John Hoode's desk were part of a coordinated attack by a single person, which led to Jimmy's dismissal as Hoode's secretary.
Chapter 36
I
After a melancholy dinner, Lucia and Dora struggle with anxiety over Archie Deacon's situation. Lucia is distracted by her own feelings for Anthony Gethryn. Anthony arrives dramatically through the window, announcing that Deacon is free and that Sir Arthur Digby-Coates is the real culprit. He reassures Lucia that her secret is safe, and a tense, emotionally charged interaction ensues.
Chapter 37
II
Anthony Gethryn and Lucia Lemesurier discuss their plans to leave England on Saturday, but Lucia reminds him they must first get married, which delays their departure until Monday. Their intimate moment is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Deacon, who returns and announces his engagement to Dora Masterson.
Chapter 38
XIV: Hay-Fever
Anthony Gethryn rushes to Fleet Street to enlist Hastings's help in investigating the ownership of several newspapers, then attempts to see the performer Vanda but fails. He returns to his flat, reviews the inquest report, and later drives to Marling. There, he confronts the eavesdropping servant Belford, who confesses that he entered the study on the night of the murder intending to steal money, discovered John Hoode's body, and fled without reporting it out of fear. Belford also reveals the time he was in the study—five past eleven—and admits his desperation due to his wife's illness.
Chapter 39
I
After a melancholy dinner, Lucia and Dora struggle with anxiety over Archie Deacon's situation. Lucia is distracted by her own feelings for Anthony Gethryn. Anthony arrives dramatically through the window, announcing that Deacon is free and that Sir Arthur Digby-Coates is the real culprit. He reassures Lucia that her secret is safe, and a tense, emotionally charged interaction ensues.
Chapter 40
II
Anthony Gethryn and Lucia Lemesurier discuss their plans to leave England on Saturday, but Lucia reminds him they must first get married, which delays their departure until Monday. Their intimate moment is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Deacon, who returns and announces his engagement to Dora Masterson.
Chapter 41
III
Spencer Hastings and his betrothed, Margaret Warren, discuss wedding details, including the possibility of Anthony Gethryn serving as best man.
Chapter 42
XV: Anthony’s Busy Day
Anthony Gethryn visits Deacon in prison, encounters Lucia Lemesurier and Dora Masterson, conducts interviews with Belford, Mabel Smith, Elsie Syme, and Mr. Pellett, meets Madam Vander at the Regency Theatre, and spends the evening writing and typing a report.
Chapter 43
I
After a melancholy dinner, Lucia and Dora struggle with anxiety over Archie Deacon's situation. Lucia is distracted by her own feelings for Anthony Gethryn. Anthony arrives dramatically through the window, announcing that Deacon is free and that Sir Arthur Digby-Coates is the real culprit. He reassures Lucia that her secret is safe, and a tense, emotionally charged interaction ensues.
Chapter 44
II
Anthony Gethryn and Lucia Lemesurier discuss their plans to leave England on Saturday, but Lucia reminds him they must first get married, which delays their departure until Monday. Their intimate moment is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Deacon, who returns and announces his engagement to Dora Masterson.
Chapter 45
III
Spencer Hastings and his betrothed, Margaret Warren, discuss wedding details, including the possibility of Anthony Gethryn serving as best man.
Chapter 46
IV
Anthony Gethryn visits the Regency theatre to meet Madam Vander, a performer who knew John Hoode. He uses a five-pound note and a pound-note to gain access, and they have a private conversation in her dressing room about John.
Chapter 47
V
Anthony Gethryn spends the evening and night writing and typing his report on the Marling case, polishing and correcting it until dawn. He prepares the document for dispatch by special messenger, then takes a bath and breakfast.
Chapter 48
Revelation and the Sparrow
Anthony Gethryn reveals to Sir Arthur Digby-Coates that John Hoode was not murdered; instead, the body to be buried is that of Hoode's illegitimate half-brother, also named John. He explains the blackmail and threats that led to the scheme. Later, exhausted, Anthony drives to Marling seeking Lucia Lemesurier, misses her, visits Deacon in jail, and returns to find a delayed note from Lucia.
Chapter 49
I
After a melancholy dinner, Lucia and Dora struggle with anxiety over Archie Deacon's situation. Lucia is distracted by her own feelings for Anthony Gethryn. Anthony arrives dramatically through the window, announcing that Deacon is free and that Sir Arthur Digby-Coates is the real culprit. He reassures Lucia that her secret is safe, and a tense, emotionally charged interaction ensues.
Chapter 50
II
Anthony Gethryn and Lucia Lemesurier discuss their plans to leave England on Saturday, but Lucia reminds him they must first get married, which delays their departure until Monday. Their intimate moment is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Deacon, who returns and announces his engagement to Dora Masterson.
Chapter 51
XVII: By The Owl’s Commissioner
Anthony Gethryn sends a detailed letter and report to Mr. Egbert Lucas of Scotland Yard, outlining his investigation into the murder of John Hoode. He requests assistance to arrange a confession from the guilty party, whom he identifies as Sir Arthur Digby-Coates. The chapter includes Gethryn's full report, which reconstructs the crime, explains the fingerprint evidence against Deacon as a plant, and reveals the crucial testimony of Robert Belford, who saw the study empty of the murderer at a key moment, undermining the alibi.
Chapter 52
I
After a melancholy dinner, Lucia and Dora struggle with anxiety over Archie Deacon's situation. Lucia is distracted by her own feelings for Anthony Gethryn. Anthony arrives dramatically through the window, announcing that Deacon is free and that Sir Arthur Digby-Coates is the real culprit. He reassures Lucia that her secret is safe, and a tense, emotionally charged interaction ensues.
Chapter 53
II
Anthony Gethryn and Lucia Lemesurier discuss their plans to leave England on Saturday, but Lucia reminds him they must first get married, which delays their departure until Monday. Their intimate moment is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Deacon, who returns and announces his engagement to Dora Masterson.
Chapter 54
III
Spencer Hastings and his betrothed, Margaret Warren, discuss wedding details, including the possibility of Anthony Gethryn serving as best man.
Chapter 55
Endnotes
The endnotes section provides a brief citation referencing Colonel Gethryn's modesty and a mention of 'The Red Thumb Mark' by R. Austin Freeman.
