Books like Crampton Hodnet

"... she, who had at one time helped and encouraged her husband with his work, had now left him to do it alone, because she feared that with HER help it might quite easily be finished before one of them died, and then where would they be?...This book meant that he spent long hours in his study, presumably working on it. It would not be at all convenient for Mrs. Cleveland to have him hanging about the drawing-room, wanting to be amused....It was an excellent thing for a husband to have something like research to occupy his time."Well, isn't it lovely to meet a Charlotte Lucas-Mr Collins(OK, admittedly this is stretching it a bit)-like scenario in a book written in 1939 and first published in 1985?And this is definitely not the only resemblance between Jane Austen and Barbara Pym. There is a "trademark" gentle humour/irony combined with sharp and brilliant observation both of them possess.This book is absolutely brilliant, even considering this was a first try by Barbara Pym.Very much recommended.