La señorita Mapp

It is no wonder that, when E.F. Benson decided to further the adventures of his divine Emmeline "Lucia" Lucas, he brought her to the town of Tilling. For here, in the first (pre-Lucia) Tilling novel, everything is absurd and hilarious in equal measure. Indeed, Lucia so o'erwhelms the measure in the later books that it is worth settling in to Miss Mapp to recall how perfect Benson's comic creations are, from the doughty title character to "quaint" (read: queer) Irene, the entire town ready to burst into a frenzy over the hoarding of corned beef or the origin of a recipe for "red currant fool".

My comic ideal. ( )

This is the second book in Benson's Mapp & Lucia series ans is another charming book of manners set in the provincial seaside town of Tilling in England. Miss Elizabeth Mapp is a well-off woman of a certain age, who sits in her garden window every morning observing the comings and goings of what she thinks of as her kingdom. And keeping control of the cast of characters in this village is quite a chore. She is constantly in a contest with Godiva "Diva" Plaistow over who is most au courrant on the latest news and who can dress with the most flair. And what about Captain Puffin and Major Flint They are constant companions spending their evenings sipping whiskey and discussing England's Roman roads. Shouldn't they be paying attention to her? And who will meet the Prince of Wales when he stops in the village to play golf? And when the Countess arrives from Italy - oh my goodness! - what will happen now?

Written almost 100 years ago, these characters are recognizable to anyone who lives in a small town today. This is a perfect escapist read for today's troubled times. ( )

Tending to the hoard
dragon in a crimson gown
no gold, just gossip. ( )

I don't understand why I love the residents of Riseholme and Tilling so much. They really are the most vapid, conniving, hidebound, silly snobs you could ever imagine, and Lucia and Miss Mapp are the worst of the bunch. And yet, when they do occasionally get their comeuppance, I can't help but feel a pang. And I'm always eager to read more. ( )

It has been decades since I read the Mapp & Lucia series and I had forgotten much this entry (2nd in publication order but 3rd in the omnibus). I found Miss Mapp meaner than I remembered but the book funnier (so often the way in satires that the nastier characters are the source of most of the humor).

Nadia May does a marvellous narration so I am glad to have listened to this rather than read my Kindle edition. ( )