Disturber of the Peace by Barbara Buncle

Title: Disturber of the Peace

Author: Barbara Buncle (John Smith)

Publisher: Abbot and Spicer

Source book: Miss Buncle’s Book by DE Stevenson (Miss Bunkle #1)

I have never read a book by DE Stevenson although I have seen her name mentioned on lots of book review sites. And then I discovered quite by chance, well not exactly quite by chance, that several of her characters write books. So here we are. 

Barbara Buncle doesn’t get as much money as she used to from her share dividends. She really needs to make some money, so what does she do? She writes a book. And obviously has no trouble getting a publisher. Arthur Abbot is sure he has a success on his hands, but not until he changes the title from Chronicle of an English Village to Disturber of the Peace.

Miss Buncle uses the nom de plum John Smith*. Because she has no experience writing books, she bases her characters on the people who live in her own village of Silverstream, and calls her fictional village Copperfield. Possibly the book is based a little too closely on her friends and neighbours. Because when Disturber of the Peace becomes amazingly popular, some of the villagers of Silverstream are determined to find out who wrote the book. 

Miss Buncle also writes The Pen is Mightier using the John Smith nom de plume, and then There’s Many a Slip using her own name. 

Also featured in Miss Buncle’s Book is Storms in a Teacup by Elizabeth Wade (writing as John Farrier). I am reliably informed (I do hope it’s reliable intel) that Elizabeth Wade is in fact a character in The Pen is Mightier, and Storms in a Teacup thus qualifies as a book within a book within a book.

You see why I could not resist. And if you are interested, here is a very nice review of Miss Buncle’s Book.

*I actually knew a man called John Smith and his parents didn’t even bother to give him a middle name. Can you imagine? And if I remember correctly his wife was called Mary.

Both photographs of my roses in my garden