Ethan Maxwell is a non-canonical character created for the Agatha Christie's Marple adaptation By the Pricking of My Thumbs. He is the village constable in Farrell St Edmund where most of the action in the later part of the story takes place.
Ethan is asked to investigate the whereabouts of Mrs Lancaster but his main involvement is in a sideplot revolving around his interest in Rose Waters, the daughter of Dr Joshua Waters, the village doctor. In pursuit of this, he tries to pin the blame for various crimes which intersect with the main plot on his rival, an American serviceman Chris Murphy. For example, when Sir Philip Starke asserts that his car (which had been used to transport Mrs Lancaster) had been stolen during the time period concerned, Ethan attempts to demonstrate that Chris was the culprit. Ethan discovers that Chris had no alibi for that time period and even plants Chris's cap in the car to clinch the case.
Because of a misunderstanding between Rose and Chris, Rose accepts Ethan's proposal of marriage but ultimately she breaks it off and ends up with Chris.
As a local villager, Ethan is a childhood friend of Hannah Beresford, the local innkeeper. There is a scene at the beginning showing Ethan and Hannah as children watching the villagers go about searching for Lily Waters who had disappeared.
Ethan Maxwell is portrayed by Michael Begley. The child Ethan is portrayed by Oliver Jordan.