What do you think?
Rate this book
Mapp & Lucia #12
Au Reservoir
The final part of Guy Fraser-Sampson's trilogy of sequels to E.F. Benson's hugely popular Mapp and Lucia series, Au Reservoir finds the residents of Tilling on fine form.
The War has wrought great changes, and Lucia struggles to come to terms with rationing, exchange controls and, worst of all, a Labour Government. While Georgie and Olga hobnob with the stars in London, Lucia comforts herself with the thought that a title would nicely round off a life of dedicated charitable giving. 'Dame Lucia' does have a certain ring to it. However, even Lucia's best-laid plans are not guaranteed success, especially with the redoubtable Mapp poised for any opportunity to frustrate them. So determined is she finally to gain the upper hand that she even resorts to military strategy under the slightly less than expert guidance of her husband, Major Benjy.
Perfect reading for followers of Benson's original novels and sure to be equally loved by P.G. Wodehouse fans, this is a pitch-perfect and deliciously enjoyable social satire of an England long gone but not forgotten.
The War has wrought great changes, and Lucia struggles to come to terms with rationing, exchange controls and, worst of all, a Labour Government. While Georgie and Olga hobnob with the stars in London, Lucia comforts herself with the thought that a title would nicely round off a life of dedicated charitable giving. 'Dame Lucia' does have a certain ring to it. However, even Lucia's best-laid plans are not guaranteed success, especially with the redoubtable Mapp poised for any opportunity to frustrate them. So determined is she finally to gain the upper hand that she even resorts to military strategy under the slightly less than expert guidance of her husband, Major Benjy.
Perfect reading for followers of Benson's original novels and sure to be equally loved by P.G. Wodehouse fans, this is a pitch-perfect and deliciously enjoyable social satire of an England long gone but not forgotten.
284 pages, Paperback
First published March 27, 2014
3 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Guy Fraser-Sampson
19 books23 followersGuy Fraser-Sampson is an established writer best known for his series of ‘Mapp and Lucia’ novels which have been featured on BBC Radio 4 and optioned by BBC television.
Originally a corporate lawyer, he currently teaches at Cass Business School and acts as a board advisor to high growth companies.
Originally a corporate lawyer, he currently teaches at Cass Business School and acts as a board advisor to high growth companies.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 9, 2018
You mustn't play with other people's toys if you are going to break them. Shame on you, Mr Fraser-Sampson. Shame on you.
May 5, 2014
As the title suggests this is a goodbye novel. It’s Guy Fraser-Sampson’s third and final crack at recreating the world of Mapp and Lucia and he goes out in style. All of his three novels, Major Benjy, Lucia on Holiday and now Au Reservoir—au reservoir being the customary farewell proffered by residents of Tilling—are stylish affairs that relish verbal felicities in the same manner as Major Benjy would savour a chota peg of whisky or George Pillson might admire a white waistcoat with onyx buttons. This is a world where etiquette, decorum, good form, taste and propriety not only all still mean something but mean everything. The worst thing one can be seen to do is behave improperly. Or at least to get caught out behaving that way. Much impropriety takes place in this final battle of wills between Emmeline Pillson—affectionately known as Lucia (and, on occasions even more affectionately, as Lulu)—and her arch-rival Elizabeth Mapp-Flint. It is a battle royal that has raged across six novels by their creator, E.F. Benson, a further two by Tom Holt and now a final three by Fraser-Sampson. Mostly Lucia comes out on top but not always.
I’ve enjoyed all three of Guy’s novels but I think this one is possibly the best and who doesn’t want to go out on a high? The plot is carefully constructed with every i dotted and t crossed. Guy does has a tendency to tell rather than show—the whole shenanigans of the bridge tournament are relayed in a conversation following the event and the same with the fête although we do get to see a bit of the action first-hand (the farce concerning the coaches)—but Shakespeare got away with stuff like that all the time. As with Shakespeare the real pleasure is to be found here mainly in the verbal parrying but also in our being privy to the agonising thoughts that go on behind the masks.
You can read my full review on my blog here.
I’ve enjoyed all three of Guy’s novels but I think this one is possibly the best and who doesn’t want to go out on a high? The plot is carefully constructed with every i dotted and t crossed. Guy does has a tendency to tell rather than show—the whole shenanigans of the bridge tournament are relayed in a conversation following the event and the same with the fête although we do get to see a bit of the action first-hand (the farce concerning the coaches)—but Shakespeare got away with stuff like that all the time. As with Shakespeare the real pleasure is to be found here mainly in the verbal parrying but also in our being privy to the agonising thoughts that go on behind the masks.
You can read my full review on my blog here.
April 25, 2014
A delight to meet all the residents of Tilling again, with convincing plot and, for the most part, dialogue in the style of E.F. Benson's original characters. Such a shame that anachronisms crept in; Lucia would never have called her drawing room a "living room" and the curator from the British Museum would most certainly have had a speciality, not a "specialty".
June 23, 2014
Not quite, but almost, EF Benson. For anyone who loves Benson's books about life in Tilling, and wishes he'd written more, Fraser-Sampson comes very close to the master. This book takes place after WW11 and the same battle for dominance in the social hierarchy in Tilling continues, this time including Noel Coward and John Gielgud. A wonderful read!
February 1, 2021
This book just doesn't fit the tone of the EF Benson books. Lucia just isn't right, somehow lacking the appeal that Benson gave her. Not one I'll likely reread.
June 23, 2024
Overall, I wasn't thrilled with the story, but rounding up from 2.5 as it's well-written with the characters true to Benson, behaving roughly as expected. The storyline was the issue for me.
At first, things were going fine; author did a solid job setting up the characters in a post-war environment. The predicaments weren't too severe, tension between Mapp and Lucia decently balanced. However, things took a darker turn as the book went on.
I'll confess I've been Team Mapp as Lucia's story is built on deception, shall we say. I felt sorry for her learning that when she'd visit Dear Old Riseholm, almost no one left recognizes her. Guess I'm a bit slow in not recognizing that her sex life with Georgie is a continuation of the one with Pepino (nada). I'm left assuming she was what today would be called asexual? Also, I felt a bit bad for her that she'd made quite such a bad impression on London society with her incessant demands for attention, though it was of her own making.
I realize that Mapp is quite the unlikeable character, tyrannizing Tilling pre-Lucia; the latter's more "smooth" way of getting the residents to do what she wanted seemed preferable. In writing this review, I'm coming around to the idea that Mapp didn't really need to bring out Lucia's pretensions, the others likely suspected it, not really caring, preferring a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" willfull ignorance there.
What got to me was the total humiliation of Mapp. Yes, she brought it on herself with such negativity, but she had an underlying point. The bridge tournament was pretty much the last straw for me, really piling it on. F-S really didn't need to make Mapp into a pariah like that. As far as the ending goes, I don't have an issue with it as such, but there was no need for an epilogue like that. Better left to the reader's imagination of how things would go later.
A final note on characters ... Quaint Irene has always grated on my nerves with her devotion to Lucia, F-S even mentions it as intense at times, was it an actual same-sex crush? Speaking of which, it was made obvious at one point that the gang knew the score, and never really cared, scoffing at the idea of him being caught in a "compromising" position with Olga. As for Olga, she seemed a Deus ex Machina figure to me, there to bail out Lucia from being exposed by Mapp, and to advance things on behalf of "her" Georgie. His character in the novel seemed the least true to Benson for me.
Anyway, I'm going to ignore the Epilogue, assuming Mapp is forgiven (as Diva indicated might be possible, Georgie wasn't a petty person in terms of arranging a sort of "pardon" for her, and Mapp seemed to have learned her lesson about Going Too Far to get her own way).
At first, things were going fine; author did a solid job setting up the characters in a post-war environment. The predicaments weren't too severe, tension between Mapp and Lucia decently balanced. However, things took a darker turn as the book went on.
I'll confess I've been Team Mapp as Lucia's story is built on deception, shall we say. I felt sorry for her learning that when she'd visit Dear Old Riseholm, almost no one left recognizes her. Guess I'm a bit slow in not recognizing that her sex life with Georgie is a continuation of the one with Pepino (nada). I'm left assuming she was what today would be called asexual? Also, I felt a bit bad for her that she'd made quite such a bad impression on London society with her incessant demands for attention, though it was of her own making.
I realize that Mapp is quite the unlikeable character, tyrannizing Tilling pre-Lucia; the latter's more "smooth" way of getting the residents to do what she wanted seemed preferable. In writing this review, I'm coming around to the idea that Mapp didn't really need to bring out Lucia's pretensions, the others likely suspected it, not really caring, preferring a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" willfull ignorance there.
What got to me was the total humiliation of Mapp. Yes, she brought it on herself with such negativity, but she had an underlying point. The bridge tournament was pretty much the last straw for me, really piling it on. F-S really didn't need to make Mapp into a pariah like that. As far as the ending goes, I don't have an issue with it as such, but there was no need for an epilogue like that. Better left to the reader's imagination of how things would go later.
A final note on characters ... Quaint Irene has always grated on my nerves with her devotion to Lucia, F-S even mentions it as intense at times, was it an actual same-sex crush? Speaking of which, it was made obvious at one point that the gang knew the score, and never really cared, scoffing at the idea of him being caught in a "compromising" position with Olga. As for Olga, she seemed a Deus ex Machina figure to me, there to bail out Lucia from being exposed by Mapp, and to advance things on behalf of "her" Georgie. His character in the novel seemed the least true to Benson for me.
Anyway, I'm going to ignore the Epilogue, assuming Mapp is forgiven (as Diva indicated might be possible, Georgie wasn't a petty person in terms of arranging a sort of "pardon" for her, and Mapp seemed to have learned her lesson about Going Too Far to get her own way).
August 28, 2022
I need to refine my book reviewing skills because the first words I often come up with are: 'This was a strange book'. Actually bits made me laugh such as Quaint Irene making it to the Royal Academy, yes, laugh out loud, almost. John Gielgud complementing a young waiter to Noel Coward and feeling that he 'should give him something', seemed a little condescending of the author. Mapp comes across as rather nasty with no redeeming features. The vicar is not as foolish as in the originals but the idea of the population 'going shopping' in order to pick up on the gossip leaves one with the desire to reserve Tilling a barrage from a Himart rocket battery or back in 1948, a V-2.
October 18, 2017
Like many other readers I hated the ending which I found contrived and totally unnecessary, but up until the last couple of chapters I loved the book. It IS very funny, and Fraser-Sampson really gets Mapp and Lucia. Still, one star less for the end.
August 22, 2017
No please - not the end? Theres plenty of life left in these old cats....
June 8, 2022
Not as consistently delightful as his previous installment, but still a worthy homage to E F Benton.
December 28, 2023
How DARE he?
January 15, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️½
April 4, 2014
I first discovered this series when I was asked to review Lucia on Holiday in 2012. I was completely unaware of the E F Benson stories and so with no prior knowledge I could comfortably enjoy the books quite simply on their own merit, without having to resort to comparisons with the original. Now on completing the trilogy, what is obvious is the loving care and fine attention to detail which the author has infused into the stories. The social satire is brilliantly observed, the characterisation is cleverly achieved and the warmth and wit which permeates throughout the stories is a real joy to read.
Au Reservoir now completes the trilogy which first in began in 2008 with Major Benjy, and once again sees Lucia Pillson and Elizabeth Mapp-Flint in direct competition with each other to the detriment of everyone around them. These two adversaries are quite dreadful characters and yet their sparring is a real joy to read and adds a real frisson of excitement to the stories, as it’s never obvious who will have the upper hand. As with all good fiction, there are times when you have to suspend belief and question whether two gentile ladies really would have acted with such vindictiveness, but the great joy in reading further, is to discover that yes, they really could be utterly spiteful and cruel to those around them.
As always, I found myself laughing out loud at the improbability of their actions, completely entertained and more than a little sorry that the trilogy has now ended.
My thanks to Elliot & Thompson for my review copy of this book.
Au Reservoir now completes the trilogy which first in began in 2008 with Major Benjy, and once again sees Lucia Pillson and Elizabeth Mapp-Flint in direct competition with each other to the detriment of everyone around them. These two adversaries are quite dreadful characters and yet their sparring is a real joy to read and adds a real frisson of excitement to the stories, as it’s never obvious who will have the upper hand. As with all good fiction, there are times when you have to suspend belief and question whether two gentile ladies really would have acted with such vindictiveness, but the great joy in reading further, is to discover that yes, they really could be utterly spiteful and cruel to those around them.
As always, I found myself laughing out loud at the improbability of their actions, completely entertained and more than a little sorry that the trilogy has now ended.
My thanks to Elliot & Thompson for my review copy of this book.
April 28, 2014
I've long loved the Mapp and Lucia series by E.F. Benson -- razor-sharp, spittingly funny British comedies of manners -- as well as the two pitch-perfect sequels by Tom Holt. Guy Fraser-Sampson has now stepped in with three entries to the series, of which AU RESERVOIR is the latest; and while he matches the wonderful aura of Olympian triviality of the earlier books, he adds a distinctly modern touch by incorporating the previously unmentionable element of sex. In AU RESERVOIR he further expands his palette by including some real-world supporting characters (Nöel Coward and John Gielgud) and by ... well, let me just warn you that the novel's title (which derives from the characters' decades-old pun on "au revoir") is quite literal: this is a definitive farewell to the entire crew, and if you're not ready for it, it can knock the emotional stuffing right out of you. For me it was a genuine catharsis; I loved it, and highly recommend it. (But read the other books first.)
April 19, 2014
The heat in the rivalry of the two protagonists has increased from simmering to intense. Can Tillingites keep the lid on these two? It's fun to read and one can enjoy the manipulations from a safe distance.
January 8, 2016
wish I hadn't read it - the ending was so unexpected and sad
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews