Mapp and Lucia (novel series)

The novels feature humorous incidents in the lives of (mainly) upper-middle-class British characters in the 1920s and 1930s, who vie for social prestige and one-upmanship in an atmosphere of extreme cultural snobbery.

Several of them are set in the small seaside town of Tilling, closely based on Rye, East Sussex, where Benson lived for a number of years and (like Lucia) served as mayor.

[1] A slight oddity about this very short piece is that the town of Tilling was called Tillingham in the original printing, according to Adrian's introduction to his collection.

Tom Holt wrote two full-length sequels, published by Macmillan and Black Swan: - There are also several short stories, including "Lucia and the Diplomatic Incident" (1997) Guy Fraser-Sampson has written three additional novels, the first published by Troubador, the second and third by Elliott and Thompson Ltd: Rob Shelsky, published by GKRS Publications: Richard Ellis L. C. Powell Ian Shepherd Geoff Martin Hugh Ashton has embarked on a series of novellas "in the style of the originals by E.F. Benson": Matthew Tuck Deryck J. Solomon The television series based on the three 1930s books, produced by London Weekend Television, was filmed in Rye and neighbouring Winchelsea in the 1980s, and starred Prunella Scales as Mapp, Geraldine McEwan as Lucia, Denis Lill as Major Benjy Flint, and Nigel Hawthorne as Georgie.

[5] Several radio adaptations by Ned Sherrin and then John Peacock starring Belinda Lang as Lucia, Nichola McAuliffe as Mapp and Guy Henry as George.

They languish for some weeks on an Italian fishing vessel on the Gallagher Bank, eventually returning to Tilling, where Elizabeth discovers that the recipe has survived the ordeal.

Elizabeth subsequently serves a correct Lobster à la Riseholme at her wedding breakfast, at which point the reason for her being in Lucia's kitchen becomes clear.

Lobster à la Riseholme reappears in Tom Holt's pastiche, Lucia in Wartime (1985), set early in the Second World War.

Various attempts have been made to create a Lobster à la Riseholme recipe, including one by a contributor to the website of TV's "domestic goddess" Nigella Lawson.