The Man With the Cane by Jean Potts


published1957


Man with the Cane 3


[Protagonist Val is coming to visit his child, and hoping to avoid his ex-wife]

Val uncrossed his fingers and took a deep breath. No luck. It was Doris who opened the door. All ready to go out, very trim in her fur jacket and stylish hat, and looking – yes – a little irritated. Had he done something wrong already? No; her first words set him straight. ‘I’m in a rush. Mother was supposed to be back by two, but you know our Maudie.’ She gave him the bright, quick smile that had once enchanted him, and held out her hand. He was sure she had not missed the battered state of his topcoat.


Man with the Cane 1

[later in the book, Val is taking his daughter to his apartment]

Annabelle was enchanted. To get dressed in the middle of the night! To pack her toothbrush and pyjamas in her little case! To stay overnight at Val’s! In her excitement she would have forgotten to kiss Doris goodbye.

‘No goodnight for me?’ asked Doris, and held her arms out hungrily.

She was lighting a cigarette when Val looked back on his way out of the door. Her face was set. She looked hardly at all like the girl Val had fallen in love with long ago.


Man with the Cane 2


commentary: My friend John Norris has been championing Jean Potts over at his blog Pretty Sinister Books, and as a result some of her books are being reprinted: and a good thing too. John hasn’t actually covered this one I don’t think – I read it years ago, and collected a few of her books as I liked her so much, and I have taken them off the shelves for re-reading.

And they really do stand up to that: short and sharp, full of domestic tension and brittle Americans snapping at each other and behaving strangely. A touch of the Margaret Millars, a soupcon of Helen McCloy – but Potts is not exactly like either of them.

As far as I’m aware, there is no series detective, no continuing characters. Each book contains a small world of worried people: Potts is excellent at creating a creepy and sinister atmosphere. In this one the little girl talks about a man who comes to play with her and talk to her, the man with the cane, and describes him in some detail. Awkwardly, everyone agrees that he must be an imaginary friend. Later, someone answering to the description is found dead. It is a smartly-done parental nightmare, even without an extra layer of worry that a modern day version would have. Something funny is going on in this dysfunctional family.

And at the same time the difficult relations between husband and ex-wife, the questions raised about divorce and seeing your child, and how you feel about a new step-parent, are very well-handled. It’s a complex, well-worked-out plot. And the characters are very well-drawn, with some funny moments – this is someone with a talent for stating the obvious:
‘She can’t stand scenes,’ Clyde explained. (He ought to have a pointer and a set of slides. He ought to go into the illustrated lecture business.)
I’m looking forward to reading more by Potts.

Everyone in the book spends the entire time eating, drinking and smoking so the second photo, from 1957, seemed ideal. It’s from Kristine’s photostream.

Lady in fur jacket, same source.




















Comments

  1. I like the writing style, Moira. It strikes me as economical, but not too terse, if I can put it that way. And I it sounds as though it's got a solid exploration of characters, too, which is always a plus for me. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

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    1. She's a good author, Margot, worth a try. And mercifully short books!

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  2. I can already tell that I'd like this, Moira - and I feel sorry for poor Val with his battered overcoat. I hope he is a good guy . . . but, no, don't tell me. I'll read it for myself. Anyone who has a touch of Margaret Millar and Helen McCloy is likely to be my kind of writer.

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    1. No spoilers shall by typed by me! I think you would like this, and would be interested to know how you think she compares with Helen McCloy, who I know you have a special affection for.

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    2. Some things are hard to resist....

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  3. "Each book contains a small world of worried people." Sounds like an excellent set-up. :^)

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    1. Yes, a very good starting point. And she makes the most of it.

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  4. Bravo to you for climbing aboard the Jean Potts bandwagon! The quotes are perfect samples of Potts. I like that contrast of Doris in her fur and the battered overcoat of Val. Razor sharp and done with such economy. I found a copy of this early one (her fourth crime novel) back in the summer and you're right -- I've not yet written about it. Not even read it! Thanks for this tempting preview. I'm sort of hoarding them and savoring them rather than devouring them all at once. I read one every three months or so. She wrote only fourteen novels. What will I do when I run out?

    I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the double volume for Stark House. The page for the book at amazon.com tells me the release date is Feb 15, 2019, but Greg assured me he was trying for the end of December. In any case, as soon as that happens I'll be trumpeting about wonderful Jean all over again. Enjoy the rest of your Potts books.

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    1. Thanks John, and thanks for the push to read her. I am looking forward to reading more of them, and will certainly be looking for the reprints. And of course, checking out your blog for the reviews as I read them!

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  5. Your comparison to Millar - sort of, kind of tempts but maybe I need to do a big more investigating before committing. I'm sure I have something to read in the meantime.

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    1. Yes I guess you won't run out. But they do have similarities with Millar, and some of them are very noir-ish.

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