In the novel Sparkling Cyanide, Chief Inspector Kemp is investigating the death of George Barton. He is well acquainted with Colonel Race, and worked under Superintendent Battle for several years. He is slightly reminiscent of Battle.
Kemp is familiar with working on delicate cases which involve important people, such as the death of the Bartons which involved a politician Stephen Farraday.
Portrayals[]
Sparkling Cyanide (1983)[]
In the 1983 Warner Bros adaptation, this character is named Captain Kemp of the Pasadena police. He is portrayed by Harry Morgan (Colonel Potter in "M*A*SH"). In this adaptation he is a personal friend of Eric Kidderminster. They had worked together on a similar case "during the war", suggesting that they were both intelligence agents or military police. Kemp gladly accepts the inputs and assistance from Kidderminster, and also from Tony Browne, especially after Kemp checks with Interpol and discovers that Tony is "one of us". Eric Kidderminster calls Kemp by his first name "Jim".