# Joan Valentine — Something New character guide

> Joan Valentine in Something New by P. G. Wodehouse.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Joan, Valentine, Miss Valentine

**First appearance:** 0000-i

## Snapshot

A resourceful young woman who lectures others on enterprise, then finds her own venture complicated when the man she inspired becomes her rival.

## Who they are

Joan Valentine is a working girl in London who stirs Ashe Marson out of his sloth with a lecture on enterprise — and immediately regrets it when he turns up as her competitor for the same scarab reward. She insists on a business partnership with no chivalry, determined to earn her share through equal risk. Her competence and independence unsettle Ashe, who cannot quite reconcile his progressive views with his wounded pride at being outdone by a girl.

## Relationships

### [Ashe Marson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/characters/ashe_marson)

_romantic_

They are a romantic couple who team up to solve a mystery and eventually fall in love.

### [Aline Peters](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/characters/aline_peters)

_friendship_

They become friends, with Joan helping Aline navigate her romantic situation.

### [R. Jones](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/characters/r_jones)

_friendship_

They are allies in the investigation, cooperating to solve the mystery.

### [Ashe Marson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/characters/ashe_marson)

_romantic_

They are a romantic couple who team up to solve a mystery and eventually fall in love.

### [Ashe Marson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/characters/ashe_marson)

_romantic_

They are a romantic couple who team up to solve a mystery and eventually fall in love.

### [R. Jones](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/characters/r_jones)

_friendship_

They are allies in the investigation, cooperating to solve the mystery.

### [Aline Peters](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/characters/aline_peters)

_friendship_

They become friends, with Joan helping Aline navigate her romantic situation.

### [Aline Peters](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/characters/aline_peters)

_friendship_

They become friends, with Joan helping Aline navigate her romantic situation.

### [R. Jones](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/characters/r_jones)

_friendship_

They are allies in the investigation, cooperating to solve the mystery.

## In the story

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/chapters/i)

Neighbor in the first-floor front; writes short stories for Home Gossip; apologizes for laughing at Ashe; shares her varied work history and encourages Ashe to be adventurous.

### [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/chapters/ii)

A chorus girl from 'The Baby Doll' to whom Freddie wrote love letters and poetry; she is a potential threat to his engagement.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/chapters/iii)

Joan devises a scheme to pose as Aline's lady's maid to steal the scarab, revealing her past experience as a lady's maid.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/chapters/iv)

Reveals she has been hired as a lady's maid to Aline Peters; becomes suspicious of the coincidence and investigates the advertisement.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/chapters/v)

Travels with Ashe to Blandings Castle, is recognized as the girl Freddie wrote letters to, and becomes distressed before Ashe intervenes.

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/chapters/vi)

Found in the stable yard playing with a puppy, she reveals she has known Ashe's mission all along and declares they are rivals for the scarab reward.

### [The Missing Scarab](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/chapters/x)

Believes Ashe took the scarab despite his promise, but learns he did not; realizes the scarab is gone and the reward is in jeopardy.

### [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/chapters/xi)

Mentioned as having destroyed the letters; the blackmail claim is false.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/characters/joan_valentine
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/something_new_se/characters