First published 1998
In the glittering world of 1930s English aristocracy, Paul Fotheringay is a struggling novelist desperate to escape literary mediocrity. After writing a devastating psychological study, he seeks a quiet country retreat to work on his next manuscript. He finds himself invited to Mulberry Farm, home of the eccentric Lady Bobbin and her vivacious daughter Philadelphia, where social expectations and personal ambitions collide in spectacular fashion. As Paul attempts to secure peace for writing, he becomes entangled in a web of romantic misunderstandings, family secrets, and social maneuvering. Philadelphia's marriage prospects, Lady Bobbin's social climbing, and a cast of colorful characters create a comedic pressure cooker of aristocratic tensions. Each character harbors hidden desires and strategic intentions, turning the country house into a battlefield of wit and manipulation. Mitford transforms the seemingly placid surface of upper-class life into a razor-sharp exploration of personal aspiration and social constraint.
Genres: fiction, romance, literary-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, comedy
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, social-climbing
Period: 20th-century
178 pages · Paperback · Carroll & Graf Publishers