Monsieur Antoine

In the novel Death in the Clouds, Monsieur Antoine runs a hairdressing establishment in Bruton Street. He employs Monsieur Henri and Monsieur Georges as hairdressers, and Jane Grey and Gladys as assistants.

Monsieur Antoine's real name is Andrew Leech. He is not French, and his only claim to foreign nationality is that he had a Jewish mother. However, he is in the habit of speaking in broken English when he is at Bruton Street.

After word spreads that Jane was on the Prometheus when the murder occurred, many customers come, wanting to be done by "the girl who was on the plane". This leads Jane to ask for an increase in salary. Monsieur Antoine refuses at first, saying that it is only out of kindness that he continues to employ her after she has been mixed up in a murder case. However, when Jane says that she can get what she wants at other hairdressing establishments, and that the reporters she met at the inquest will give her change of establishment publicity, he reluctantly agrees to increase her salary.