John Edward Burnaby is the main antagonist of Agatha Christie's 1931 mystery novel The Sittaford Mystery.
Biography[]
One day, guests gather at the Sittaford estate. They decide to engage in spiritualism. And then the spirit that came to them writes on the board that Joseph Trevelyan, the owner of the Sittaford estate, was killed. Trevelyan's friend, Major John Barnaby, decides to go to where Trevelyan lives to make sure that he is all right. Since the path is not close and the weather is bad, other guests offer to give him a ride, but Barnaby insists that he will go "on foot". Nevertheless, the terrible prophecy is confirmed, and Barnaby really finds Trevelyan murdered. Trevelyan's will states that all his property will be divided among his relatives. Therefore, the relatives become the police's first suspects. Even red herrings appear. The nephews of the murdered man have no alibi, but they have a good motive. It also emerges that John Barnaby was supposed to receive a check for a large sum of money. Meanwhile, Trevelyan's skis are discovered. Among them, there is a pair that is clearly not Trevelyan's size. But this size fits John Barnaby. In order to expose him, the guests hold another séance, during which they ask Trevelyan to name his killer. At this point, Inspector Narracott, who was investigating Trevelyan's murder, comes in and arrests John Barnaby. In fact, John faked the result of that séance to have a reason to go to Trevelyan and kill him. He went there on skis (this is what he meant when he said that he would "go on foot"). He refused offers of a ride so that there would be no witnesses that he was the killer. He did this so that the same check for a large sum of money would not end up in the wrong hands.
Personality[]
John Barnaby seems like an ordinary person. He is genuinely polite and friendly to everyone around him. But in reality, there is a kind of greed in him. He is ready to kill his best friend so that he does not change his mind about giving him a check for a huge amount of money.
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 Villains(Non-Poirot & Non-Marple) | |
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Tommy and Tuppence Beresford And Then There Were None Other Mystery Stories Adaptational, Homage & Non-Canonical | |
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Murderers Villainous Victims Others ITV Series Exclusive | |