In the novel The Man in the Brown Suit, Caroline James is the caretaker of the Mill House, a large house belonging to Sir Eustace Pedler, M.P. at Marlow. She lives in the lodge at the entrance of the house with her husband John who serves as the gardener. At the time of the events in the book, the Mill House had been put up for let. One of her main duties is to welcome potential tenants and hand them the keys to the house. Sir Eustace considered Caroline a good cook. After the discovery of the body of a murdered woman in the house, Sir Eustace was forced to offer her double pay in order to keep her on.