The Secret of the Unicorn Rackham's looks and costumes were also inspired by the character, Lerouge, who appears in C. S. Forester's novel, "The Captain from Connecticut", and by the 17th-century French buccaneer Daniel Montbars. The name of Marlinspike Hall— in French—was based upon the name of the real Belgian town, Sart-Moulin. The actual design of the building was based upon the Château de Cheverny, albeit with the two outer wings removed. In introducing Francis Haddock to the story, Hergé made Captain Haddock the only character in the series (except Jolyon Wagg, introduced later) to have a family and an ancestry. "The Secret of the
The Secret of the Unicorn Haddock was "the best realised character" in the story, conversely describing the Bird Brothers as "relatively uninspired villains". They went on to state that "The Secret of the Unicorn"-"Red Rackham's Treasure" arc represents "a turning point" for the series as it shifts the reader's attention from Tintin to Haddock, who has become "by far, the most interesting character". They praised the "truly outstanding storytelling" of "The Secret of the Unicorn", ultimately awarding it a rating of four out of five. Phillipe Goddin commented on the scene in the story in which Haddock relates the life of his ancestor, stating that