In the novel At Bertram's Hotel, Archdeacon Tomlinson is a friend of Canon Pennyfather. Following his disappearance and then his mysterious reappearance, Chief Inspector Davy came to Bertram's Hotel looking to see if some of the Canon's friends might be staying there and available to be interviewed. Davy said he was looking for some Archdeacon but couldn't remember the name. Miss Gorringe suggested that it might be Archdeacon Tomlinson from Salisbury, who was due to check in the following week. Davy replied that he wasn't thinking about Tomlinson but someone else.