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Illustrated portrait of Albert Parkis

A character in The End of the Affair

Albert Parkis

The private detective whose awkward, painstaking reports become decisive.

What they want

To complete the assignment competently while supporting and impressing his son.

The book

Cover of The End of the Affair by Graham Greene
The End of the AffairGraham Greene, 1951

A wartime affair ends without explanation, and jealousy turns the search for an answer into a struggle with belief.

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At a glance

Work
Private detective
Employer
Maurice Bendrix
Son
Lance Parkis

Who they are in the book

Spoiler-free

Parkis is the detective Bendrix hires to follow Sarah. His literal reports sometimes make the surveillance look absurd, but his work changes the novel.

He sometimes brings his son Lance as cover, mixing fatherhood with professional work.

Parkis records what he sees, while Bendrix turns each neutral detail into proof of betrayal.

How Albert Parkis Is Portrayed

Appearance, manner, and tone — as the book sketches them, in our words.

  • Formal politenessHe reports invasive work in careful language.
  • Practical observerRoutes and repeated visits matter more than theories.
  • Worn respectabilityHis manner maintains dignity without glamour.
  • Father and investigatorLance accompanies surveillance.
  • Literal cluesHe resists meanings the facts cannot carry.
  • Consequential discoveryThe stolen diary reveals the vow.
What Parkis discoversHow the book leaves them, what happened after, and what the record says. Open when you're ready.

Parkis secures Sarah's diary, revealing a vow rather than a new lover.

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