Mapp and Lucia

It is 1939. War threatens Europe. Troops are stationed near Tilling and rationing leads to queues in the High Street and a distinct shortage of goods at Twemlow’s. But it must be admitted that the hostilities that occupy the attention of Lucia and Georgie are with Elizabeth Mapp-Flint, rather than with the enemy across the Channel. Faced with Elizabeth’s elevation to the head of Tilling Red Cross (complete with uniform) and Major Benjy’s leadership of the Home Guard, it seems that Lucia’s domination of the little Sussex town is under serious threat.

With her dearest archenemy, Elizabeth Mapp-Flint, ousted from the Town Council, Lucia, twice-elected Mayor of Tilling, is strangely wearied of her mortal span. For she feels she has accomplished everything – what else is there for her to do? But Time, and Elizabeth Mapp-Flint, have events of catastrophic proportion in store. Lucia has hardly launched her project of The Tilling Tapestry when Elizabeth sweeps through Tilling society with her Monopoly Set, putting sewing, bridge and dinner parties to rout, wooing even the obedient Georgie to the delights of buying Vine Street and the Water Works.