IV explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Crime and Detection

  The chapter focuses on forensic investigation, including fingerprint analysis, roof searches, and examination of physical evidence, as Parker and Bunter work to solve the mystery.

• Wealth and Corruption

  Sir Reuben Levy's disappearance and its effect on the financial market, along with discussions of business dealings and potential corruption, underscore the theme of wealth.

Characters to notice

• Lord Peter Wimsey

  Discusses the case with Parker, examines shreds of cloth and fingerprint photographs, lunches with Freddy Arbuthnot, and plans to investigate Sir Reuben Levy's house.

• Mr. Parker

  Searches the roofs of Queen Caroline Mansions for evidence, finds shreds of cloth, and later examines Sir Reuben Levy's papers.

• Bunter

  Develops photographic plates of fingerprints, and later visits Sir Reuben Levy's house to collect fingerprint evidence from various objects.

• Honourable Freddy Arbuthnot

  Lunches with Lord Peter at Wyndham's, discusses the financial market and Sir Reuben Levy's disappearance.

• Sir Reuben Levy

  His disappearance is discussed; his financial dealings and household are under investigation.

Key passages

• “So there it is, Parker,” said Lord Peter, pushing his coffee-cup aside and lighting his after-breakfast pipe; “you may find it leads you to something, though it don’t seem to get me any further with my bathroom problem.”

  Lord Peter tells Parker that the evidence might help Parker's case but doesn't advance his own bathroom mystery.

  Lord Peter acknowledges the collaborative nature of their investigations.

• “I searched the roofs right along—and came to the jolly conclusion that any person in any blessed flat in the blessed row might have done it.”

  Parker reports that the roofs are accessible from all flats, making it impossible to narrow down suspects.

  Highlights the difficulty of finding the culprit due to the building's layout.

• “The criminal,” said Lord Peter, bitterly, “climbed over the roofs in the wet and not unnaturally got soot on his fingers. He arranged the body in the bath, and wiped away all traces of himself except two, which he obligingly left to show us how to do our job.”

  Lord Peter sarcastically notes that the criminal left only soot and rubber glove prints as evidence.

  Demonstrates Lord Peter's frustration with the lack of useful clues.

• “I’d do some good, hard grind,” said Parker. “I’d distrust every bit of work Sugg ever did, and I’d get the family history of every tenant of every flat in Queen Caroline Mansions.”

  Parker advises a thorough investigation of all tenants and a review of Inspector Sugg's work.

  Parker advocates for methodical police work over intuition.

• “Old Levy bunkin’ off like that’s knocked the bottom out of the market.”

  Freddy Arbuthnot says Sir Reuben Levy's disappearance has caused a market crash.

  Connects the personal mystery to broader financial consequences.