When worlds collide
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`Leave it to Psmith' is the advertising motto of Psmith's new enterprise, he is open to all offers from running a business to walking a dog all on the behalf of his customers. His only customer is Freddie Threepwood whom is keen for Psmith to come to Blandings Castle to steal his Aunts Necklace so that Uncle Joe can sell it to make enough money for Freddie's latest scheme and for Uncle Joe's daughter to bankroll her husband, one Mike Jackson, to set up a farm. And so the Worlds of Mike, Psmith and Lord Emsworth collide in the second Blandings novel and the first to include the now world famous Drones Club favoured by the young Bertie Wooster amongst other Wodehouse regulars.
As ever no one travels to Blandings under their own name and Psmith is received as the renowned poet McTodd and in deference to his behaviour in his previous appearances in Wodehouse's work he has fallen in love with Miss Halliday who has been appointed to catalogue the library at Blandings. Also in the party is Smooth Lizzie experienced jewel thief who is also after Lady Constance's necklace with the help of Edward Cootes who is pretending to be a valet. Smooth Lizzie met Lady Constance under the name Miss Peavey, another poet of some renown, aboard the liner Atlantic.
Rupert Baxter, Lord Emsworth's secretary has established that something is not quite right with the literary guests and his attempts to establish what is going on only add to the confusion of the residents and staff at Blandings notably the dignified butler Beach. Even with the precaution of appointing a private detective as a housemaid Baxter can never equal the `vim' or `zip' of Psmith. Baxter could never imagine the conclusion Wodehouse will bring to the proceedings and although the reader will have worked most of them out whilst half way through chapter one this in no way diminishes this as one of the best entertainments ever written.
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The Masterpiece?
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Introduce the wonderful Psmith into the world of Blandings Castle and the combination is comic dynamite. Whilst the Jeeves and Wooster collection is probably the finest series from the pen of P.G. Wodehouse, this simply marvellous book is arguably his finest hour. You'll never think about flowerpots in the same way again.
Read, delight and enjoy!
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The best of the Psmith series
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"Leave it to Psmith" concludes the evolution of the Psmith character, from Wodehouse's earliest style of writing with the "Schools" genre, to a comic character whose dialogue keeps the reader entertained throughout. This story sees Psmith enter into Blandings Castle, and though Lord Emsworth is not the dominant character he later becomes, flashes of brilliance are visible in his appearances (and in those of Lady Constance, who plays an important role in this book). "Leave it to Psmith" is packed full of witty dialogue, readily suited to Psmith's character, and the traditional Wodehouse farce for the plot (misunderstandings, a stolen necklace, and so forth). The ending is predictable, of course, but this is hardly the point. It is the use of language that makes this such an enjoyable tale. Wodehouse connoisseurs all have their own favourite phrases, or particular sections of books that strike them as humorous from the prolific collection of Wodehouse's works. Suffice to say, several of my personal favourite sections appear in this book - Psmith at the employment agency, or describing his career as a fishmonger spring to mind. Those who enjoy the Blandings or Jeeves and Wooster series would do well to read this book.
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