Who Elmer Waysmith is
Elmer Waysmith is an antiques dealer and Lady Margaret Chalfont’s second husband in Pünd’s Last Case. He is wealthy in his own right and difficult within the family. His marriage, business dealings and relationship with his son Robert all become relevant when Margaret’s death draws Pünd to Villa Belmar.
Role in Marble Hall Murders
Elmer’s position creates an obvious line of suspicion, but the case complicates the simple question of who benefits. His existing wealth distinguishes him from relatives who urgently need an inheritance. Meanwhile, evidence about poison, a hotel room and a journey appears to place him close to the crime. Pünd must consider whether the evidence has been discovered or arranged for discovery.
Key relationships
Lady Margaret Chalfont is his wife; Robert Waysmith his son. Atticus Pünd investigates alongside Achilles Vassilikos. His contemporary counterpart is Edward Crace, Eliot’s father.
Played by Mark Bonnar
Mark Bonnar plays Elmer Waysmith. Bonnar also plays Edward Crace. Elmer’s abrasive manner can make guilt feel obvious; the performance supports a mystery that asks whether dislike has been mistaken for proof.
Their story and fate — spoilers
Elmer’s business includes antiquities stolen during the war. Margaret had overheard information about that history, giving him an apparent reason to fear her disclosure. Yet Robert is responsible for the murder and manipulates evidence against his father. Exposing Elmer’s genuine wrongdoing is therefore necessary without being sufficient: one crime has been used to make him convincing as the culprit in another.
Books and television — book spoilers
Mark Bonnar’s two roles demonstrate Eliot’s distortion of his family. Edward is comparatively mild, while Elmer is openly unpleasant. The television setting is Corfu rather than the southern France of the novel, but the casting keeps the personal source of the character visible. A viewer may recognise the model and still need to question every accusation attached to the fictional version.
Read or listen to the book
Marble Hall Murders (2025)
Anthony Horowitz’s novel behind the third television mystery.
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Mark Bonnar plays both Elmer Waysmith and Edward Crace, connecting the two story worlds.