Strychnine in the Soup
Encyclopedia
"Strychnine in the Soup" is a short story
by the British comic writer P.G. Wodehouse. A part of the Mr. Mulliner series, the story was first published in 1932 in Strand Magazine
. It also appears in the collections Mulliner Nights
and Wodehouse on Crime. A BBC TV adaptation of the story aired on 9 April 1976 starring John Alderton
as Cyril Mulliner and Pauline Collins
as Amelia Bassett.
with a passion for mystery stories
, finds a handful of his flesh being twisted by the lovely Amelia Bassett at a showing of The Grey Vampire and the two fall instantly in love with each other. Fate, however, has thrown a spanner in the works, in the form of Amelia's mother, Lady Bassett, a well-known big game hunter and explorer, who objects to an interior decorator as a son-in-law, preferring that Amelia marry Lester Mapledurham ("pronounced 'Mum'"), another well-known big game hunter and explorer. The plot twists and turns (and thickens) but Cyril wins Amelia in the end, thanks to a wandering copy of the new Inspector Mould mystery, Strychnine in the Soup.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by the British comic writer P.G. Wodehouse. A part of the Mr. Mulliner series, the story was first published in 1932 in Strand Magazine
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
. It also appears in the collections Mulliner Nights
Mulliner Nights
Mulliner Nights is a collection of short stories by P. G. Wodehouse. First published in the United Kingdom on 17 January 1933 by Herbert Jenkins, and in the United States on 15 February 1933 by Doubleday, Doran, it is the third collection featuring Mr Mulliner, who narrates all nine stories...
and Wodehouse on Crime. A BBC TV adaptation of the story aired on 9 April 1976 starring John Alderton
John Alderton
John Alderton is an English actor who is best known for his roles in Upstairs, Downstairs, Thomas & Sarah and Please Sir!. Alderton has often starred alongside his wife, Pauline Collins.-Early life:...
as Cyril Mulliner and Pauline Collins
Pauline Collins
Pauline Collins, OBE is an English actress of the stage, television, and film. She first came to prominence portraying Sarah Moffat in Upstairs, Downstairs and its spin-off Thomas & Sarah during the 1970s. She later drew acclaim for playing the title role in the play Shirley Valentine for which...
as Amelia Bassett.
Overview
Cyril Mulliner, an interior decoratorInterior design
Interior design describes a group of various yet related projects that involve turning an interior space into an effective setting for the range of human activities are to take place there. An interior designer is someone who conducts such projects...
with a passion for mystery stories
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
, finds a handful of his flesh being twisted by the lovely Amelia Bassett at a showing of The Grey Vampire and the two fall instantly in love with each other. Fate, however, has thrown a spanner in the works, in the form of Amelia's mother, Lady Bassett, a well-known big game hunter and explorer, who objects to an interior decorator as a son-in-law, preferring that Amelia marry Lester Mapledurham ("pronounced 'Mum'"), another well-known big game hunter and explorer. The plot twists and turns (and thickens) but Cyril wins Amelia in the end, thanks to a wandering copy of the new Inspector Mould mystery, Strychnine in the Soup.