Inspector Raglan

A horrid, weaselly little man, Inspector Raglan began his investigation by going to the Three Boars inn to ask questions about Ralph Paton. He accepted Hercule Poirot's offer of assistance but remained confident Paton was the murderer, showing Poirot and Dr. Sheppard the footprints near the study window that matched a pair of Paton's shoes with rubber studs. He took a methodical approach, listing everyone's whereabouts and planning to take Paton's fingerprints. Later, at Fernly Park, he questioned the servants about the missing forty pounds from Ackroyd's unlocked drawer, focusing on the dismissed parlourmaid Ursula Bourne. He thought it probable Ackroyd had paid the money away himself and, while having a feeling something was wrong about the butler Parker, could not see when he had an opportunity.

Inspector Raglan, described as a horrid, weaselly little man, began his investigation by questioning staff at the Three Boars inn about Ralph Paton and planning to take his fingerprints. He accepted Hercule Poirot's offer of assistance. Raglan methodically listed everyone's alibis and showed Poirot and Dr. Sheppard footprints matching Paton's shoes near the study window and a wet spot on the path, expressing confidence Paton was the murderer. During the inquiry at Fernly Park, he unlocked Ackroyd's bedroom, noted the unlocked money drawer, and questioned the servants about the missing forty pounds, suspecting Ackroyd might have paid it himself. He felt something was wrong about the butler Parker but saw no opportunity. Later, Raglan reported that Paton's description had been wired nationwide with no sightings, and he had taken fingerprints from all household members, none matching those on the dagger. He agreed with Poirot that the prints must belong to someone present that night, either Paton or a stranger, and considered Poirot's theory that they were Ackroyd's own.

A horrid, weaselly little man, Inspector Raglan began his investigation by questioning Flora Ackroyd at the Three Boars about Ralph Paton and planning to take his fingerprints. Confident Paton was the murderer, he methodically listed everyone's whereabouts and showed Poirot and Dr. Sheppard footprints matching Paton's shoes near the study. He took fingerprints from the entire household, finding none on the dagger matched, leaving only Paton or a stranger. He questioned the servants about the missing forty pounds and Ackroyd's unlocked drawer, feeling something was wrong about Parker. He had Paton's description wired everywhere but found no one who saw him at the station. Later, he traveled to Liverpool with Poirot and Sheppard to interview Charles Kent, confirming the murder timeframe and writing down Kent's alibi for verification, thinking Kent might be a blackmailer but not the murderer if his alibi held.

A horrid, weaselly little man from Cranchester, Inspector Raglan suspected Ralph Paton from the start, planning to take his fingerprints and comparing his studded shoes to footprints near the study. He methodically listed everyone's whereabouts and showed Poirot the evidence, remaining confident Paton was the murderer. He questioned the household about the missing forty pounds and took everyone's fingerprints, finding none on the dagger matched, which left Paton or a stranger. He wired Paton's description nationwide but found no one who saw him at the station. Traveling to Liverpool with Poirot, he confirmed Charles Kent's alibi with a barmaid and was ready to release him, though he thought Kent might be the blackmailer. Back at Fernly Park, he confronted Flora Ackroyd with Poirot's theory about her lies.

Inspector Raglan began his investigation by immediately suspecting Ralph Paton, gathering the young man's shoes to compare with footprints at the scene and taking fingerprints from everyone in the household. He methodically catalogued alibis and pursued Paton's disappearance, wiring his description nationwide. Though he accepted Hercule Poirot's offer of assistance, Raglan remained fixated on Paton as the culprit, dismissing other possibilities like the butler Parker. His investigation took him to Liverpool to verify the alibi of Charles Kent, a suspected blackmailer, whom he was prepared to release. However, Raglan's entire theory was shattered when Poirot forced Flora Ackroyd to confess she had lied about seeing her uncle alive. This revelation, which Raglan called a 'bad jolt,' compelled him to start the investigation over from scratch, and he reluctantly agreed to Poirot's scheme to publish a false story about finding Paton in Liverpool.

A methodical investigator, Inspector Raglan arrived at Fernly Park and immediately focused on Ralph Paton, securing his shoes to match footprints near the study and planning to take his fingerprints. He systematically listed the household's whereabouts and, finding no fingerprints on the dagger matching anyone present, maintained Paton or an unknown stranger must be guilty. He accepted Hercule Poirot's offer of assistance, though with some condescension, confident it was an open-and-shut case. Raglan pursued leads like the missing forty pounds, questioned the dismissed parlourmaid Ursula Bourne, and had Parker watched, but found no clear opportunity for the butler. He wired Paton's description nationwide and verified the alibi of the suspicious Charles Kent in Liverpool, concluding Kent could not be the murderer. The investigation was upended when Poirot forced Flora Ackroyd to confess she had lied about seeing her uncle alive; Raglan, receiving what he called a 'bad jolt,' had to start over, reconsidering all alibis. He later granted Poirot's request to publish a false report about Paton being found and, by the end, was prepared to manage the final revelations alongside the retired detective.