# Nathan Gombet — The Hidden Staircase character guide > Nathan Gombet in The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Nathan, Gombet, Mr. Gombet **First appearance:** 0000-i-a-rude-visitor ## Snapshot A miser who stumbled onto a forgotten Civil War passage between two stone houses and turned it into a private door for theft, eavesdropping, and spite. ## Who they are Gombet haunts the Turnbull sisters without ever needing to be seen, slipping through the hidden staircase to lift a bar pin, a silver spoon, an urn, and a dress. His schemes depend on the family's fraying fortune and their isolation, and he guards the passage with a desperate man's readiness to hurt anyone who crosses him. Nancy's growing certainty that he is the ghost gives the early mystery its shape and its menace. ## Relationships ### [Nancy Drew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters/nancy_drew) _rivalry_ Nathan Gombet is a suspicious and antagonistic figure who opposes Nancy's investigation and is involved in the mystery. ### [Carson Drew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters/carson_drew) _professional_ Carson Drew, as a lawyer, has professional dealings with Nathan Gombet, often in a tense or adversarial context. ### [Rosemary Turnbull](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters/rosemary_turnbull) _rivalry_ Nathan Gombet is an antagonist to Rosemary, involved in schemes that threaten her family's property and peace. ### [Floretta Turnbull](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters/floretta_turnbull) _rivalry_ Floretta Turnbull distrusts Nathan Gombet and views him as a threat to her family's well-being. ### [Allie Horner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters/allie_horner) _social_ Allie Horner knows Nathan Gombet as a local figure, but their relationship is distant and not close. ### [Nancy Drew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters/nancy_drew) _rivalry_ Nathan Gombet is a suspicious and antagonistic figure who opposes Nancy's investigation and is involved in the mystery. ### [Floretta Turnbull](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters/floretta_turnbull) _rivalry_ Floretta Turnbull distrusts Nathan Gombet and views him as a threat to her family's well-being. ### [Rosemary Turnbull](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters/rosemary_turnbull) _rivalry_ Nathan Gombet is an antagonist to Rosemary, involved in schemes that threaten her family's property and peace. ### [Carson Drew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters/carson_drew) _professional_ Carson Drew, as a lawyer, has professional dealings with Nathan Gombet, often in a tense or adversarial context. ### [Nancy Drew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters/nancy_drew) _rivalry_ Nathan Gombet is a suspicious and antagonistic figure who opposes Nancy's investigation and is involved in the mystery. ### [Allie Horner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters/allie_horner) _social_ Allie Horner knows Nathan Gombet as a local figure, but their relationship is distant and not close. ### [Carson Drew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters/carson_drew) _professional_ Carson Drew, as a lawyer, has professional dealings with Nathan Gombet, often in a tense or adversarial context. ## In the story ### [A Rude Visitor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/i-a-rude-visitor) A tall, thin, ill-dressed man with a menacing demeanor. He barges into the Drew home, accuses Carson Drew of cheating him, and attempts to search the study for papers, becoming physically threatening when Nancy intervenes. ### [A Warning of Trouble](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/ii-a-warning-of-trouble) Gombet arrives angrily demanding papers, attempts to assault Nancy, but retreats when she threatens to call the police. ### [Interesting Information](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/iii-interesting-information) Discussed extensively; Allie confirms his reputation as a miser and his threat to blow up the railroad bridge, deepening Nancy's concern. ### [A Second Call](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/iv-a-second-call) Gombet returns to the Drew house, argues with Carson Drew, and makes a desperate threat before leaving. ### [Another Surprise](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/xiii-another-surprise) Mentioned as having made a low offer for the house and threatened the sisters months ago; Nancy suspects he is behind the recent strange events. ### [XIV: What Happened to Carson Drew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/xiv-what-happened-to-carson-drew) Lures Carson Drew into a trap and locks him up. ### [A Prisoner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/xv-a-prisoner) Lures and imprisons Carson Drew, demands money and a non-prosecution agreement, threatens to abduct Nancy. ### [XVI: A New Clue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/xvi-a-new-clue) Nathan Gombet is revealed to live in the old stone house behind The Mansion. Nancy suspects he is behind the thefts and strange occurrences, possibly to force the Turnbulls to sell. ### [Under Cover of Darkness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/xvii-under-cover-of-darkness) Seen leaving his house, staring toward the Turnbull mansion, plotting to kidnap Nancy to force her father's compliance. ### [Inside the Other House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/xviii-inside-the-other-house) Implied as the owner of the house and the taxidermist; his collection of stuffed birds and canaries links him to the thefts. ### [XIX: A Chance Discovery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/xix-a-chance-discovery) Mentioned as the master of the house; Nancy fears being turned over to him if caught. ### [The End of the Passage](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/xxi-the-end-of-the-passage) Revealed as the culprit who uses the secret passage to steal and spy on the Turnbulls. ### [The Next Move](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/xxii-the-next-move) Revealed as the ghost who used the secret tunnel to steal items and spy; visited that morning to finalize the house purchase. ### [Notifying the Police](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/xxiii-notifying-the-police) The suspect whose house is surrounded; his servant is found holding a shotgun. ### [Nancy Leads the Way](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/xxiv-nancy-leads-the-way) Held Carson Drew prisoner and threatened him; captured by the sheriff. ### [Captured](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/chapters/xxv-captured) Captured, handcuffed, and confesses to the threatening note and hidden staircase discovery. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters/nathan_gombet - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hidden_staircase_se/characters