Sleighed to Death - Character Synopsis

SIR WALTON GATES: One of the landed gentry. Genial, dim-witted, middle-aged and upper class.

MORAG McKAY: Sir Walton’s faithful secretary, she is a dour, middle-aged Scottish woman. If you’re familiar with Dad’s Army, a female version of Private Frazer probably sums her up quite well!

GRACE GATES: The second wife of Sir Walton. Much younger than Sir Walton, she is attractive, money-grabbing and bitchy.

EMMA GATES: Sir Walton’s daughter from his first marriage. No brighter than him and an arch enemy of Grace. She believes that Grace is grasping and manipulative and only married her father for his money. She may have a point!

JAMES WASHINGTON: A handsome, athletic adventurer whose many expeditions have seen him turn his hand to climbing, writing, photography, anthropology and botany. That’s when he’s not playing rugger or cricket for the County.

ARCHIE GATES: Sir Walton’s brother, who was packed off to Australia in disgrace thirty years ago. Well, all of Pratt’s adventures have a dodgy character in them somewhere and he’s no exception to the rule.

CONSTABLE MARY POTTER: A young, feisty police woman. Although lacking in self confidence, she has the measure of Pratt in the same way that Constable Thomkins does in Murdered to Death. Unfortunately for her, she’s been ordered to act as Pratt’s assistant for his fund-raising magic show.

SERGEANT PRATT: The same bumbling fool as always.