# Mr. Michaels — The Roman Hat Mystery character guide

> Mr. Michaels in The Roman Hat Mystery by Ellery Queen.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** the Mysterious Mr. Michaels, Michaels

**First appearance:** 0013-part-two-ix-in-which-the-mysterious-mr-michaels-appears

## Snapshot

Monte Field's right-hand man, who writes the Inspector a chilling letter claiming he knows who killed Field — and why.

## Who they are

Michaels surfaces through a scrawled, unsigned note accusing its recipient of the murder and offering to sell the stolen papers for $25,000 in Central Park. Sullen and watchful, he insists he is on the square even as the Inspector assigns Velie to shadow him. He matters because his letter introduces the missing testimony of Nellie Johnson and the possibility that the papers already taken are fakes, turning a locked-room puzzle into a war over documents.

## In the story

### [In Which the Mysterious Mr. Michaels Appears](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/chapters/part-two-ix-in-which-the-mysterious-mr-michaels-appears)

Introduced as Monte Field's valet; caught entering the apartment with a suitcase; claims he came for a check but is caught lying about knowing of Field's murder; reveals a past prison term at Elmira Reformatory after being tricked by Ellery.

### [XX: In Which Mr. Michaels Writes a Letter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/chapters/part-four-xx-in-which-mr-michaels-writes-a-letter)

Field's valet, nervous and pale, writes a blackmail letter to the murderer and is placed under Velie's watch.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/characters/michaels
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/characters