Book Review: Leave it to Psmith by PG Wodehouse

Though this comes under the Psmith series which I reviewed in another blog, I would like to consider it as a standalone book. For one - this book doesn't contain his constant companion Mike Jackson (except a mention once) and two - this is actually quite funny.

When I picked this, I only knew that there's some guy called PG Wodehouse who wrote humor. I had no idea about the other books in Psmith series and never even heard about Blandings Castle series. Something Fresh was the first Wodehouse book I read (which happens to be the first one under Blandings Castle series) and I loved it so much that I bought this one and this didn't disappoint.

Psmith is a jolly young lad who hates working in his uncle's fish business and wants some change in his life. Earl of Emsworth's sister Lady Constance is married to poor (not literally) bugger Joseph Keeble who is unable to help his poor (literally) daughter Phyllis Jackson with money as he is too intimidated by his wife. Along with Lord Emsworth's son Freddie Threepwood, Joe Keeble hatches a plan to steal his wife's 20 grand worth diamond necklace, sell it in the market and provide the required money to Phyllis. His clever plan also includes buying another necklace for Lady Constance which will help to further her love for him. But Comrade Threepwood gets cold feet in the final minute and decides to hire external help. Lo and behold, what does he see in that day's edition of Morning Globe? An advertisement which reads:

LEAVE IT TO PSMITH!

Psmith Will Help You

Psmith Is Ready For Anything

DO YOU WANT

Someone To Manage Your Affairs?

Someone To Handle Your Business?

Someone To Take The Dog For A Run?

Someone To Assassinate Your Aunt?

PSMITH WILL DO IT

CRIME NOT OBJECTED TO

Whatever Job You Have To Offer

(Provided It Has Nothing To Do With Fish)

LEAVE IT TO PSMITH!

Address Applications To ‘R. Psmith, Box 365’

LEAVE IT TO PSMITH!

Eve Halliday is a friend of Phyllis Jackson and is called over by Lord Emsworth to catalogue his library. Meanwhile Lord Emsworth travels to London to meet this poet fella called Ralston McTodd who is invited over by Lady Constance (oh she always has this craving to invite high poets from society to Blandings Castle to the much annoyance of everyone in the house). In a typical Wodehouse fashion, we see accidental meetings between Eve and Psmith (what happens when a carefree little bugger chances upon seeing a blast of radiance like Eve?), Lord Emsworth and Psmith, Psmith and this McTodd guy. Oh wait, there's one more coincidence – Ralston McTodd is married to Cynthia, another school friend of Phyllis and Eve. While of course this Psmith is a good friend of Phyllis through her husband Mike. With a lot of people invited to Blandings Castle who have their own reason to steal the necklace, Lord Emsworth's butler The Efficient Baxter has his hands full. So, what happens in the end? Who will get the necklace? And HOW do they go about it?

I mentioned previously that it gets tiring when Psmith goes on one of his lengthy lectures throwing in a few witty remarks in between confusing the listeners whether he was sarcastic or genuinely simple. I realized it is a thin line between boredom and entertainment. Whereas Psmith is slightly irritating and mostly boring in first three books, he is jovial and funny in this one. It is possibly because of the presence of Eve Halliday, who brings out the best in him. The book is also lot more fun due to the presence of regular Blandings Castle members like Lord Emsworth and Freddie Threepwood. This book is supposed to be the 2nd one in Blandings Castle series and the final one in Psmith series. But it doesn't matter whether you're planning to read other works in the series. This book doesn't require a back story and Psmith character is not continued after this one. 

Must read!