The Mind of Mr. J. G. Reeder · Character
Bertie Claude Staffen
A dull-eyed, permanently open-mouthed heir to a pottery fortune, exactly the sort of big fish a patient con man waits for.
supporting
Also known as Bertie, Mr. Staffen, Al
First appearance: the poetical policeman
As a supporting figure in The Mind of Mr. J. G. Reeder, Bertie Claude Staffen is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Wealthy young man who is the target of Art Lomer's scheme; he disappears after being drawn into the troupe's activities.
Bertie is the son of a manufacturer rich enough to buy cotton mills as a sideline and stingy enough to take the bus. His fishlike vacancy makes him the ideal mark for Art Lomer's troupe, and his father's money makes him worth the groundbait of an expensive Bloomsbury suite. He matters because he shows how the book's criminals choose their victims, and how little the victims understand what is being done to them.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Character Web
35 connectionsA slice of how Bertie Claude Staffen sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Professional
- Rivalry
- Other
Character groups
- Criminal associates and suspects
- Protagonist
+30 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because Mo Liski’s psychological peak of greed and overreach is trigger…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Art Lomer
professional · negative
Lomer is a henchman and associate of Staffen, carrying out his criminal orders. How this plays out →
- Sir James Tithermite
rivalry · negative
- Mo Liski
professional · negative
- Art Lomer
professional · negative
Lomer is a henchman and associate of Staffen, carrying out his criminal orders. How this plays out →
- Sir James Tithermite
rivalry · negative
- Art Lomer
professional · negative
Lomer is a henchman and associate of Staffen, carrying out his criminal orders. How this plays out →
- Mo Liski
professional · negative
- Mo Liski
professional · negative
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Bertie Claude Staffen in the poetical policemanIn the story
Bertie Claude Staffen appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Bertie Claude Staffen unlock in the free preview.
See Bertie Claude Staffen in the poetical policeman