Thorley Weir (1913)

Set in a fictional English village, the story centers around Miss Mapp, a middle-aged spinster fixated on social status and gossip. Her manipulative schemes to elevate her standing lead to a web of scandals involving other villagers, including the influential Major Flint and the charming Captain Puffin. The narrative explores themes of social ambition, jealousy, and the repercussions of gossip, all presented with a satirical and humorous lens on early 20th-century village life.