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Exact textual stateDraft

The House of Suspicion

Part of The House of Suspicion

StateDraft 2Surviving witnesses1TSS catalogue units28
Textual identity is not textual authority. “Catalogue primary/default” selects the default catalogue representation; it does not mean that this wording is automatically Howard’s most authoritative text.

Characters in this exact text

Edward StarkEdward Stark — murder defendant whose true family identity as Edward Storley is revealed at the endMentionedfirst: Harrison reflects on Stanton's missing testimony.Edward Stark's fiancéeEdward Stark's murdered fiancée — unnamed woman whose murder is the charge for which Edward Stark faces trialMentionedfirst: Harrison reflects on why Stanton's testimony matters.JoabJoab — large household worker at Storley Manor who attacks HarrisonOn Pagefirst: Dinner at Storley Manor.John StorleyJohn Storley — master of Storley Manor who lures Harrison into a trap to protect his brother EdwardOn Pagefirst: Harrison reaches Storley Manor.RachelRachel — household woman at Storley Manor who warns Harrison and saves Richard StantonOn Pagefirst: Harrison is received and served at Storley Manor.Richard StantonRichard Stanton — missing state witness whose testimony is needed to convict Edward StarkOn Pagefirst: Opening message and investigation; later physically appears near the ending.Steve HarrisonSteve Harrison — private detective and central protagonist of Lord of the DeadOn Pagefirst: Opening paragraph.William BlaineWilliam Blaine — elderly blind man at Storley Manor whom John Storley falsely presents as the hidden dangerOn Pagefirst: Dinner at Storley Manor.

Surviving manuscript evidence

The records below describe surviving physical typescripts, carbons, manuscript material and documentary catalogue evidence for this exact textual state. TSS numbers identify physical catalogue units; they are not story or draft IDs.

Draft 2 — surviving Howard typescriptHoward typescript
Extent28 pagesCompletenessComplete

Physical extent: Complete 28-page untitled typescript; manuscript pagination skips from 15 to 17

TSS: 92765–92792

Complete untitled Howard typescript. Page 16 was misnumbered as 17, so the final physical page bears manuscript number 29.

Additional documentary notes

  • Untitled Witness: Draft 2 bears no title. (witness level)
  • Pagination Anomaly: Howard misnumbered page 16 as 17; subsequent numbering therefore ends at 29 although only 28 physical pages exist. (manuscript page 16)

Source: Hardboiled Manuscripts, Volume 1 v0.75, The House of Suspicion Editorial Notes p. 361; Draft 2 pp. 383–408