Dr. Nathaniel "Nat" Sharp is a doctor whose wife Darla recently left him.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Little is known of Nat Sharp's earlier life, except that he became a doctor at some point and at another time married Darla and had two children with her. He and his family lived at Chimney Rock, New York. He was also a notorious alcoholic, practicing medicine despite his continued drinking. At some point, he and Darla began attending Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude, a church led by Monsignor Jefferson Wicks. Nat was one of the most active members of Bishop Wicks' congregation.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery[]
Finally, Darla left him and took the children with her to Tucson, Arizona. This exacerbated Nat's drinking and chronic depression. Despite everything, he continued to attend Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude with a touch of sourness. He drank during one of Monsignor Wicks' sermons, which earned him a wordless rebuke from Lee Ross, who threw a paper airplane at him to get his attention and let him know that "God saw him." A few days later, he was present at an unofficial ceremony with Father Jud Duplenticy and left with the others when they realized Father Jud was lying to them. One evening later, Monsignor Wicks launched into a tirade against his parishioners to force them to leave him and revealed everything he thought of them. Nat revealed to Nat that he believed his alcoholism was endangering the lives of his patients (including pregnant women and children) and that he planned to report him to the medical board to have him struck off the register. Later, because of his emotional vulnerability, he was recruited by Martha Delacroix for her plan to retrieve Eve's Apple and kill Monsignor Wicks. Nat was the one to carry out the perfect crime Martha had envisioned: when Wicks retreated to a secluded spot in the church to drink from a flask of tranquilizer (belonging to Nat) administered by Martha, he would collapse with a devil's head from the Chimney Rock bar sewn into Wicks' robes by Martha. Nat would also activate a system of fake blood that would make Father Jud and the other witnesses believe he had already been stabbed. Nat approached the corpse and finally, while Martha created a diversion, he would remove the devil's head and plunge a real knife with a devil's head into Wicks' back. After the crime was committed and successful, suspicion (unintentionally) fell on Father Jud, who had had an altercation a few days earlier about how to run the congregation. The altercation had been filmed by Cy Draven, who posted it on YouTube, and people began accusing Jud of being a murder priest. Later, Nat encountered Father Jud in a bar while trying to hide from him, but he was spotted by his doctor's bag. Nat accused Father Jud of murdering Wicks, likely feigning drunkenness to make his accusations. He then left the bar. Later, he was supposed to help Samson Holt escape from the family vault with Eve's Apple by impersonating him while disguised as Wicks. The plan worked, but Father Jud happened to be there and, believing Samson was in danger, went into the woods to help him. Samson knocked him unconscious, and the two men removed their disguises. Nat then saw Eve's Apple, and although he and Martha had agreed to make her disappear forever, he saw an opportunity to bring Darla back and, presumably, make a lot of money. He then killed Samson with his own garden sickle and planted Jud's fingerprints to frame him for the crimes. He then waited at home with Wicks's body to dispose of it in a vat of acid. Martha went to Nat's house after learning of Samson's death and went with him to the cellar. When he showed her the jewel, she intentionally dropped it to the floor so Nat would retrieve it and thus distract her: she had realized that Nat wanted to eliminate her and also understood that he intended to poison her with teacups, so she switched the cups. Later, when Nat explained the reasons to him, she let him know that she had understood everything from the beginning. He realized too late that he had been poisoned and went back upstairs to try to get out and presumably seek help. He died, however, from the effects of the poisoning. Martha brought his body downstairs, placed it in the bathtub with Wicks' body holding it down, and filled the tub with acid to stage a macabre scene. Later, Benoit Blanc, suspicious of Nat's involvement in the crimes, came to his house with Father Jud and discovered Wicks's body, as well as Nat's remains, now reduced to a skeleton due to the acid, in the bathtub. He was identifiable by the ring he wore on his right hand. Blanc then explained Nat's role in Wicks's murder to the congregation. Martha later confessed to the rest of the story and how Nat had died.
Characteristics[]
Personality[]
Dr. Nat Sharp was a deeply alcoholic and depressed man following the departure of his wife Darla and their children. He appeared very withdrawn and wallowed in alcohol. However, it was quickly revealed that Nat was a particularly selfish individual, willing to kill to obtain Eve's Apple (supposedly to bring Darla and her children back), and who had no qualms about framing Father Jud Duplencity for the crimes he had committed. His manner of speaking to Martha while believing he had poisoned her demonstrates just how deeply selfish and self-centered he was, killing two people and accusing an innocent man in his place. Furthermore, as Wicks had pointed out, he was an alcoholic before Darla left him and practiced medicine on patients while intoxicated. This demonstrates a disregard for his patients and it is possible that he mistreated his family, which is why Darla may have left him.
Appearance[]
Dr. Nat Sharp was a man who usually dressed in a black coat with a sweater underneath and green-grey pants. He had brown hair.
Skills[]
Dr. Nat Sharp was quick, as shown in the flashbacks where he swiftly removes the fake devil's head to plunge a knife into Wicks' back and uses the sickle to kill Samson. Nat also used his medical skills, employing pentobarbital in an attempt to eliminate Martha, but this backfired. He was well-versed in pentobarbital and its effects, knowing that the drug would be painless, incurable, and that only a mild burning sensation on the lips was a sign of poisoning.
Relationships[]
Family[]
- Darla Sharp - Estranged Wife
- 2 Children
Allies[]
- Lee Ross - Friend
- Vera Draven - Friend
- Cy Draven - Friend
- Simone Vivane - Friend
Enemies[]
- Martha Delacroix † - Former Ally, Accomplice and Killer
- Samson Holt † - Former Ally and Murder Victim
- Jud Duplenticy - Former Friend and Victim
- Jefferson Wicks † - Former Friend and Murder Victim
- Benoit Blanc - Situational Enemy
Theories[]
- Nat Sharp’s behavior throughout the narrative has been interpreted by some readers as suggestive of premeditated violence toward his estranged wife. Following her departure, Sharp exhibits increasingly hostile and misogynistic tendencies, including an incident in which he throws a drink at her photograph. He maintains a basement installation capable of being filled with acid, a detail often cited as evidence of potential planning for harm. Sharp’s subsequent actions—his willingness to join Martha’s murder plot, his rapid decision to kill Samson, and his attempt on Martha’s life—demonstrate a pattern of casual violence. In his final conversation with Martha, Sharp stated that he intended to “lure” his wife back with the proceeds from selling Eve’s Apple, a phrasing that has been noted for its predatory undertones. Taken together, these elements have led to theories that Sharp may have been preparing a plan to murder his wife, with Eve’s Apple serving as the opportunity to move from hypothetical intent to concrete action.
Trivia[]
- He is the first culprit in the franchise to be killed instead of arrested followed by Martha Delacroix.