1915 comedy. For reasons too silly to go into, several of the guests
at Blandings are out to steal a rare scarab… US vt Something New
(with slight alterations).
There's a fair bit going on in the early chapters and one
suspects that a love polygon might have been intended; but it all
falls into place fairly quickly, and this still feels like Wodehouse
learning his trade, though he's pretty good at it even now. In the end
there's only one misguided relationship rather than a network of the
things, and several people are blatantly stupid to the point where
it's hard to wish them well. Still, there's an actual villain as well
as the Efficient Baxter who's just there to get in people's way and be
the butt of the joke, and some of the connections between people (our
hero writes the ghastly pulp detective stories of which Freddy
Threepwood is fond) are amusing if underused.
The Wanted column of the morning paper is a sort of dredger, which
churns up strange creatures from the mud of London's underworld.
Only in response to the dredger's operations do they come to the
surface in such numbers as to be noticeable, for as a rule they are
of a solitary habit and shun company; but when they do come they
bring with them something of the horror of the depths.
All right, it's thoroughly frothy, but the writing is solid, the plot
more or less makes sense, and we get the sole appearance of the
Amazing Vanishing Lady Ann Warblington (mentioned off-stage here as
the hostess at Blandings and never heard of again). A good break from
heavier fare.
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