The Real Inspector Hound

The Plots:

"Muldoon Manor"

Magnus is the real Inspector Hound. He is also Lady Cynthia's husband Albert. The killer has killed a man "against whom he held a deep seated grudge". He returns disguised as Hound - thereby fulfilling the convention of drawing room thrillers that the killer always returns to the scene of the crime. Perhaps he has come back to dispose of the body. Alias "Hound" recognises Simon as a man who knows he has a motive for the first killing, so kills him to cover his tracks. Magnus then unmasks the killer who is killed trying to escape.

Sub-plot:

Simon has seduced Felicity and now tries to back out of that and seduce Cynthia. This causes conflict within Cynthia because of her loyalty to the (presumed dead) Albert - and of course conflict between Simon and Felicity - and between Simon and "Magnus", (who is Albert in disguise - the sub text! ) - hence the wheelchair incidents.

The Critics' Plot

Moon the second string, is jealous of Higgs and wonders how Puckeridge feels. He meets Birdboot at the play - their dialogue. Puckeridge (the 3rd string critic for Moon's paper) has killed Higgs, and it is Higgs' body on stage. As a result of Myrtle's phone call, Birdboot is sucked into the action of "Muldoon Manor" and finds himself playing the role of Simon, in which capacity he is killed. (By Magnus, alias the Real Inspector Hound, alias Albert, who is really Puckeridge.) Before he dies, Birdboot recognises the body as Higgs, recognises Puckeridge, and tumbles to the plot, but it is too late. Moon as a result of Birdboot's death is brought on-stage; he finds himself in the role of Inspector Hound and tries to solve the mystery of Birdboot's death. Not being a very sharp critic he is unaware of the twist in the plot whereby the false Inspector Hound will be exposed as the murderer and killed - nevertheless he senses he is in some kind of danger. Again, too late - the plot unfolds and Hound, alias the murderer, really Moon, is killed by Puckeridge who reveals himself. Moon finally realises what has happened _ "You cunning bastard..."

Critics' Sub-plot:

Birdboot has seduced Felicity and therefore his wife Myrtle is jealous. He falls in love with Cynthia and intends to seduce her. Myrtle phones him on-stage; once there he tries to seduce Cynthia and refuses to leave the stage. In Moon and Birdboot's dialogue Moon's insecurities and jealousies are revealed as well as Birdboot's philandering. They both also show their hand as theatre critics - Birdboot the down-to-earth reviewer for a fairly low-brow rag (but accordingly with a wide readership - and hence some influence), Moon pretentiously high-brow.