Charles Parker (detective)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Charles Parker (detective) is a fictional police detective, who appears in several Lord Peter Wimsey stories by Dorothy L. Sayers, and eventually becomes Lord Peter's brother in law.

He is first introduced in Whose Body? as a Detective Inspector from Scotland Yard. In the next book, Clouds of Witness, he is summoned to assist the local police in the North Riding of Yorkshire who are investigating the death of Captain Dennis Cathcart, apparently at the hands of Wimsey's brother, the Duke of Denver. He first sees Lady Mary Wimsey at the inquest into Cathcart. Travelling to Paris, where Cathcart had lived previously, he uncovers evidence which implicates Lady Mary in Cathcart's death. Lady Mary later confesses to killing Cathcart. Lord Peter however, proves that Mary was lying to protect her secret fiance. At the end of the case, when Denver is proved innocent, Wimsey, Parker and another of Wimsey's friends, the financier the Hon. Freddy Arbuthnot, all become roaring drunk when celebrating the outcome.

Parker assists Wimsey in his investigations in Unnatural Death and The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club. He has meanwhile invited Lady Mary to dinner several times but is nervous of making their relationship public, in spite of Wimsey's encouragement.

In Strong Poison, Parker has apparently made a good case against mystery writer Harriet Vane for the murder of her former lover Philip Boyes. Wimsey, who has instantly fallen in love with Harriet, forces Parker to re-examine the case. Parker's investigations are inconclusive but Wimsey, with Parker's help, discovers and unmasks the true murderer. Parker has meanwhile at last proposed to Lady Mary. The Duke of Denver and his wife are opposed to the marriage but Wimsey insists that "one of these days he'll be a big man, with a title, I shouldn't wonder, and everything handsome about him".

In the Five Red Herrings, Parker assists the Dumfriesshire constabulary by easily tracing a suspect who has fled to London (although he proves to be innocent). He does not feature in Have His Carcase, but by the time of the next book, Murder Must Advertise, he and Mary are married with two small children, Charles Peter and Mary Lucasta. Wimsey is investigating the death of a Copy writer, which proves to be linked to Parker's official enquiries into a drug-smuggling ring. Parker is attacked and injured by a suspect when he is mistaken for Wimsey.

In the Nine Tailors, Parker once again assists a county police force, this time the Lincolnshire constabulary, in Wimsey's investigation into the case of an unlawfully buried body. One suspect is a former burglar from London, two other suspects flee to London or attempt to conceal evidence in the metropolis.

Parker does not feature in Gaudy Night, and appears only very briefly at the wedding of Wimsey and Harriet Vane in Busman's Honeymoon. The Duchess of Denver is snobbishly opposed to the match and writes to a friend, "Mary's policeman was bad enough, but he is at any rate quiet and well-behaved...".

[edit] Character and appearance

Parker appears from the books to be close to Wimsey's own age. He was born or raised in Barrow in Furness and has one elder unmarried sister. He has evidently received a good education, and before meeting Wimsey, one of his pursuits was evangelical theory.

His skill as a detective and the resources of the Metropolitan Police (for example, he is able to summon a handwriting expert at the push of a button) often lead to him being summoned to assist baffled county police forces, who have sometimes literally trampled over vital evidence. (He remarks to Peter in Clouds of Witness as they both examine the ground where the murdered Cathcart's body was found, "Oh, that's a constable. I put him at eighteen stone.") He sometimes has to console officers from other forces who feel their efforts are inadequate.

By appearance he is apparently nondescript. He is able to mix easily in the circles frequented by Wimsey by donning the appropriate clothing (e.g. a formal evening suit). The series of books is set against a background of sometimes artificial class distinctions. When a maidservant in the household of a wealthy lady remarks (in The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club) that Parker appears to be "Quite the gentleman", the cook rebukes her, saying "No Nellie; gentlemanlike I will not deny; but a policeman is a person and I will trouble you to remember it."

[edit] Film and TV adaptations

Several Peter Wimsey stories were made into television series, starring Ian Carmichael. In these, Parker was played by Mark Eden.