An Unsuitable Attachment

A witty comedy of manners reminiscent of Jane Austen‘s Pride and Prejudice, Barbara Pym‘s An Unsuitable Attachment is an elegant tale set in 1950s England. ‘The day comes in the life of every single man living alone when he must give a dinner party.‘ The arrival of the charming bachelor Rupert Stonebird sets the parish of St Basil, on the fringes of North Kensington, aflutter. The local matchmakers are convinced he‘ll make a perfect match for the vicar‘s wife‘s sister, Penny, or perhaps the librarian Ianthe Broome. But Ianthe finds herself drawn to her new library assistant, John, a man of questionable background with nary a penny to his name. As an unsuitable attachment forms, the cosy village life becomes rife with humour and romantic entanglements. Acclaimed author Barbara Pym, whom Philip Larkin called ‘the most underrated novelist of the century‘, delivers a delightful and witty classic novel that will charm fans of the genre. ‘Barbara Pym is one of my most favourite novelists. Few other writers have given me more laughter and more pleasure‘ - Jilly Cooper, author of The Rutshire Chronicles ‘I‘m a huge fan of Barbara Pym‘ - Richard Osman, author of The Thursday Murder Club