# Timothy Cronin — The Roman Hat Mystery character guide

> Timothy Cronin in The Roman Hat Mystery by Ellery Queen.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Cronin, Tim Cronin

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

## Snapshot

A jumpy doorman swept along on the Queens' midnight errands, praying the missing papers turn up before his nerves give out.

## Who they are

Cronin tags along as the Queens descend on Monte Field's apartment, nervous and springy as a racing colt, his fervent hopes for the missing papers betraying how much rides on them. He reads the household mood better than anyone, noticing when the Inspector's good spirits curdle into gloom. He matters as the ordinary man inside the machinery — a witness whose small observations and visible anxiety keep the investigation feeling human rather than abstract.

## Relationships

### [Ellery Queen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/characters/ellery_queen)

_professional_

Timothy Cronin is a witness or person of interest questioned by Ellery.

### [Richard Queen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/characters/richard_queen)

_professional_

Inspector Queen interrogates Timothy Cronin as part of the police investigation.

### [Richard Queen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/characters/richard_queen)

_professional_

Inspector Queen interrogates Timothy Cronin as part of the police investigation.

### [Richard Queen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/characters/richard_queen)

_professional_

Inspector Queen interrogates Timothy Cronin as part of the police investigation.

### [Ellery Queen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/characters/ellery_queen)

_professional_

Timothy Cronin is a witness or person of interest questioned by Ellery.

### [Ellery Queen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/characters/ellery_queen)

_professional_

Timothy Cronin is a witness or person of interest questioned by Ellery.

## 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)

A legal ferret.

### [In Which More Hats Grow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/chapters/part-three-xvii-in-which-more-hats-grow)

Eager and frustrated during the search, he has worked for years to find Field's incriminating documents.

### [XVIII: Stalemate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roman_hat_mystery_se/chapters/part-three-xviii-stalemate)

Mentioned as being present with the Queens during the search of Monte Field's rooms.

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

Cronin accompanies Sampson, curious about the case's details, and is sworn to secrecy regarding Benjamin Morgan.

## Links

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