After the Funeral characters

First appears in chapter 5

The Belgian private detective whom the Abernethie family solicitor consults after two deaths disturb an already uneasy inheritance. Poirot approaches the family indirectly, testing memories and motives before entering their circle himself.

Appears from the start

The careful family solicitor who attends Richard Abernethie's funeral and takes seriously Cora Lansquenet's startling suggestion that her brother was murdered. His knowledge of the relatives makes him Poirot's principal guide to the case.

Appears from the start

Richard Abernethie's youngest sister, long regarded by the family as tactless and unreliable. At the gathering after the funeral, she voices a suspicion everyone else would prefer to dismiss.

First appears in chapter 3

Cora Lansquenet's companion at her isolated cottage. Once the owner of a small tea shop, she is practical about the household and familiar with Cora's enthusiasm for buying pictures of doubtful merit.

Appears from the start

A composed and perceptive member of the Abernethie family, formerly married to Richard's late brother Leo. She watches the surviving relatives closely and becomes increasingly troubled by a detail she cannot immediately identify.

First appears in chapter 2

Richard's invalid younger brother, who lives away from the family home and speaks at length about his poor health. He resents demands on his comfort while remaining acutely interested in the inheritance.

First appears in chapter 2

Timothy's capable and patient wife, accustomed to nursing him and managing their household around his complaints. She is far more active and observant than her husband.

First appears in chapter 2

Richard's niece, energetic and business-minded, who runs an interior-decorating concern. She treats the legacy as practical capital and is impatient with the older generation's evasions.

First appears in chapter 2

Susan's husband, a quiet chemist whose reserved manner and professional knowledge attract suspicion when poison becomes part of the case.

First appears in chapter 2

Richard's glamorous niece, an actress who reacts to family tensions with theatrical directness. Her ambitions and expensive way of life make the inheritance useful to her.

First appears in chapter 2

Rosamund's husband, an actor and aspiring producer. Charming and financially ambitious, he hopes money from the Abernethie estate will support a theatrical venture.

First appears in chapter 2

A young Abernethie cousin with debts and a habit of trying speculative ways to make money. His casual manner does little to reassure the relatives who know his financial position.

Appears from the start

The longtime butler at Enderby Hall. He knows the family routines, remembers its earlier members, and observes the return of the scattered heirs with formal discretion.

First appears in chapter 4

The police inspector responsible for the investigation into Cora Lansquenet's death. He shares information with Poirot while the detective explores the family relationships behind the physical evidence.