The Mating Season

Feb 15, 2026 5:08 AM

Author:P.G. Wodehouse

The Mating Season

At Deverill Hall, an idyllic Tudor manor in the picture-perfect village of King's Deverill, impostors are in the air. The prime example is man-about-town Bertie Wooster, doing a good turn to Gussie Fink-Nottle by impersonating him while he enjoys fourteen days away from society after being caught taking an unscheduled dip in the fountains of Trafalgar Square. Bertie is of course one of nature's gentlemen, but the stakes are high: if all is revealed, there's a danger that Gussie's simpering fiancée Madeline may turn her wide eyes on Bertie instead.

It's a brilliant plan - until Gussie himself turns up, imitating Bertram Wooster. After that, only the massive brain of Jeeves (himself in disguise) can set things right.

Reviews

It's dangerous to use the word genius to describe a writer, but I'll risk it with him

—— John Humphrys

Wodehouse always lifts your spirits, no matter how high they happen to be already

—— Lynne Truss

A simple story, seductively told, it touches and lifts up the beauty of human experience far beyond the mountains of Western China in which the story is set

—— Times Literary Supplement

Highly original and sweetly charming

—— The Times

If you read only one novel, choose this one: it's worth a hundred

—— Le Figaro

An enchanting tale from a pernicious period in Chinese history. Sijie has written a jewel of world literature

—— Spectator

If you don't read Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, then I'm wasting my time.

—— Bernard Pivot

A poignant tale of life, love and loss

—— Mirror

Traditional, light-hearted romantic fiction at its best

—— Literary Review

Poignant and humorous

—— Now

A buoyant tale that will have you laughing and crying from start to finish

—— Woman's Journal

The twists and turns in the plot will leave you dizzy

—— New Woman

The story is original and the suspense is skilfully built. An infuriatingly enjoyable feel-good read

—— The List

An engaging and original plot

—— New Statesman

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