Welcome to Blandings Castle, a place that is never itself without an imposter.
Wodehouse himself once noted that "Blandings has impostors like other houses have mice." On this particular occasion there are two, both intent on a dangerous enterprise. Lord Emsworth's secretary, the Efficient Baxter, is on the alert and determined to discover what is afoot—despite the distractions caused by the Honorable Freddie Threepwood's hapless affair of the heart.
Freddie is engaged to marry the daughter of a wealthy American who is a passionate collector of ancient Egyptian scarabs. When one goes missing, a thousand-pound reward is offered for its return and Blandings becomes a madhouse as friends turn rivals in the scramble to retrieve the object.
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"The first of a series with the setting of Blandings Castle. Ashe playing butler and Jane playing ladies maid while trying to steel (back) a valuable scarab from the owner. If you've seen Downton Abbey, you will be able to imagine the upstairs/downstairs characters. Wodehouse does have a great sense of plot and of humor. A fun read."
— Paul (4 out of 5 stars)
“Wodehouse is the greatest comic writer ever.”
— Douglas Adams“For Wodehouse there has been no fall of Man…The gardens of Blandings Castle are the original gardens of Eden from which we are all exiled.”
— Evelyn Waugh" Sheer joy. "
— RH, 2/18/2014" Even Wodehouse's introductions are funny! The man was a genius at the comic novel. It was fun to read the first Blanding castle novel. Hilarious! "
— Jodi, 2/15/2014" I think that Something Fresh was Wodehouse's first real comercial success and understandably so. "
— Micah, 2/12/2014" My husband and I are reading Wodehouse again. The Blandings books are his favorites. "
— Stephanie, 2/8/2014" This is the first book in the Blandings Castle series by Wodehouse. Enjoyed it thoroughly! "
— Manikanta, 1/1/2014" not as slapstick as some of his later ones, but adorable. "
— K., 1/1/2014" Another Plum classic. "what's the good of traveling fast if you're going around in a circle?" "
— Tai, 12/14/2013" Maybe it's just that I'm coming off a bad experience with James Joyce, but Wodehouse is the greatest! Clever plot and fun dialogue. "
— Matt, 10/19/2013" Wodehouse is the funniest writer of all time. This book had me in stitches. Of course, I cannot recall a book he has written that did not have me in stitches..... "
— Deusprimus, 9/26/2013" I LOVE the Jeeves and Wooster stories and was really looking forward to loving this series but I just couldn't get into it. I found all the characters to be fairly annoying and not that likable. "
— Jon, 9/17/2013" Hilarious! An absent-minded peer, a dyspeptic millionaire with a scarab obsession, a suspicious secretary, a half-wit younger son, a starved heiress, two adventurous thieves-to-be, and the wit of P. G. Wodehouse.What could be better? "
— Azma, 8/12/2013" I feel a long run on P.G. Wodehouse for me. I'd been listening to some of the Jeeves stories on my ipod, so I checked out a couple of his other books at the library. Superfun. Great for a chuckle. I'm addicted. "
— Tara, 3/21/2013" Blandings is not my favorite Wodehouse setting; however, his humor more than makes up for it. The character's interactions are hilarious, and this book comes with the added bonus of a look into the life of a domestic servant. "
— Roshni, 3/16/2013" Excellent. Finished 11/11/11. "
— Josh, 2/5/2013" My first dip into Wodehouse's "Blandings" series. I didn't think I could live without Jeeves, but this was wonderful too! Such wit!! "
— Michelle, 10/15/2012" Elegant and witty "
— Marj, 9/6/2012" Had I paid more attention, I would have learned the correct ordering of servants when they go in to dinner. "
— Sonia, 7/10/2012" Another wonderfully funny book from Wodehouse, full of mischievous characters and young love. I'd recommend a good dose of any Wodehouse to anyone who needs a pick-me-up. "
— Kylie, 1/3/2012" Funny and fun! Pretty feel-good entertainment. "
— Paul, 12/5/2011" Ashe, a popular fiction writer, falls in love with a lady's maid, and both find themselves in Blandings Castle. Unlikely people and events somehow seem believable mixed with Wodehouse humour and fast-moving dialogue. Delightful. "
— Sue, 11/2/2011" Yet more early Wodehouse. This one was a really good one: PGW on top form.I wasn't quite sure whether I'd read it before or it was just that so many of his plots over the years were a bit similar, but either way I thoroughly enjoyed it. "
— Harry, 10/3/2011" Wodehouse succeeds in his mission of spreading joy, as always! "
— Prasad, 7/30/2011" Great book... the plot develops really interesting till the climax... "
— Ronak, 6/15/2011" One of the funniest, pleasurable books I've ever read. And terrific writing on top of everything. Master of his craft. "
— VincentVega, 5/12/2011" Reading Wodehouse is like watching an intricate parade of curiosities. You laugh, point and clap. And then you do it again. "
— Athos, 4/28/2011" just what i needed after a long break. "
— Nomad, 3/28/2011" This is a very entertaining introduction to Lord Emsworth and Blandings Castle. A great read to start the year with! "
— Georgina, 1/7/2011" I don't usually find Wodehouse's earlier books as funny as the ones from the 1920s-1940s, but this one is a lot of fun. "
— Miriam, 11/20/2010" I laughed so hard at one point in this book that I started to cry and had to take a five minute break until I stopped shaking from the laughter and could see clearly enough to read the words on the page. <br/> <br/>A great post-<em>Hunger Games</em> pick-me-up. "
— Dani, 9/3/2010" I feel a long run on P.G. Wodehouse for me. I'd been listening to some of the Jeeves stories on my ipod, so I checked out a couple of his other books at the library. Superfun. Great for a chuckle. I'm addicted. "
— Tara, 7/28/2010" First of mine from the Blandings series. Not as nearly fantastic as the Jeeves and Wooster series but equally quaint. "
— Tashfeen, 7/11/2010" The first Blandings Wodehouse that I've read.. funny and good. "
— Steve, 5/31/2010" I hadn't thought Wodehouse wrote anything funnier than the Jeeves series, but this early work may be it. It's hilarious! "
— Karen, 5/30/2010" My first dip into Wodehouse's "Blandings" series. I didn't think I could live without Jeeves, but this was wonderful too! Such wit!! "
— Michelle, 2/16/2010" Another wonderfully funny book from Wodehouse, full of mischievous characters and young love. I'd recommend a good dose of any Wodehouse to anyone who needs a pick-me-up. "
— Kylie, 1/20/2010Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (1881–1975) was an English humorist who wrote novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He was highly popular throughout a career that lasted more than seventy years, and his many writings continue to be widely read. He is best known for his novels and short stories of Bertie Wooster and his manservant Jeeves and for his settings of English upper-class society of the pre– and post–World War I era. He lived in several countries before settling in the United States after World War II. During the 1920s, he collaborated with Broadway legends like Cole Porter and George Gershwin on musicals and, in the 1930s, expanded his repertoire by writing for motion pictures. He was honored with a knighthood in 1975.
Jonathan Cecil (1939–2011) was a vastly experienced actor, appearing at Shakespeare’s Globe as well as in such West End productions as The Importance of Being Earnest, The Seagull, and The Bed before Yesterday. He toured in The Incomparable Max, Twelfth Night, and An Ideal Husband, while among his considerable television and film appearances were The Rector’s Wife, Just William, Murder Most Horrid, and As You Like It.