# Stephen Barry — The Roman Hat Mystery character guide

> Stephen Barry in The Roman Hat Mystery by Ellery Queen.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Barry, Mr. Stephen Barry, Steve

**First appearance:** 0005-part-one-i-in-which-are-introduced-a-theatre-audience-and-a-corpse

## Snapshot

An actor with a scandal-scarred past, Stephen Barry moves through the Roman Theatre's backstage world as both suspect and reluctant source of information.

## Who they are

Barry's history—a promising youth cut off by his family after a sordid affair with a girl—gives him the air of a man already accustomed to being judged. As a member of the theatre company and an associate of Monte Field, he sits at the intersection of the crime scene and the victim's murky dealings. Ellery's early reconstruction of the murder's mechanics depends on testimony from figures like Barry, whose backstage knowledge helps map who could have moved where during the fatal act.

## Relationships

### [Monte Field](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/characters/monte_field)

_professional_

Stephen Barry is likely a colleague or associate of Monte Field, possibly in the theater or legal world.

### [Monte Field](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/characters/monte_field)

_professional_

Stephen Barry is likely a colleague or associate of Monte Field, possibly in the theater or legal world.

### [Monte Field](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/characters/monte_field)

_professional_

Stephen Barry is likely a colleague or associate of Monte Field, possibly in the theater or legal world.

## In the story

### [Lexicon of Persons Connected with the Investigation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/chapters/lexicon-of-persons-connected-with-the-investigation)

Juvenile lead, one can understand his perturbation.

### [In Which the Queens Invade Society](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/chapters/part-two-xii-in-which-the-queens-invade-society)

Frances's fiancé; expresses anger over the suspicion cast on her and apologizes for his earlier outburst.

### [XXI: In Which Inspector Queen Makes a Capture—](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/chapters/part-four-xxi-in-which-inspector-queen-makes-a-capture)

The wounded suspect; disguised with a hat, coat, mustache, and makeup; caught with a hypodermic needle containing tetraethyl lead.

### [XXII: —and Explains](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/chapters/part-four-xxii-and-explains)

Revealed as the murderer, captured using Michaels' name and handwriting as bait.

## Links

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