The work’s first protagonist, Neele is the Scotland Yard detective investigating Rex Fortescue’s death. He is thorough, methodical, and respected by his colleagues and superiors. At first glance, many assume him to be an average investigator at best, but “behind his unimaginative appearance Inspector Neele [i]s a highly imaginative man” (7). He is motivated by a sense of justice, and when Gladys is found dead as well, he upbraids himself for not preventing her death. He also criticizes the Fortescues for their nouveau riche ambitions, noting that real “lodges” are like the servant’s lodge he grew up in before the decline of the British nobility. Neele thus represents postwar social norms to some extent. He has a kind of nostalgia for the old world, and the Fortescues despise him in turn, with none of them truly recognizing his intelligence or right to investigate in their home.

He willingly seeks out Miss Marple, admitting that her gender and class position make her more able to reach witnesses. He is drawn to straightforward explanations, assuming that Percival’s improved position as a result of Adele’s death makes him the most likely culprit. He is almost personally affronted by the nursery

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