Best laid schemes

In Short

This collection of short stories captures the social maneuvering, romantic misunderstandings, and moral dilemmas of the post-World War I American middle and upper classes. Through a series of vignettes ranging from the domestic politics of a banker’s household to the dramatic orchestrations of a young woman’s "house party," the book explores how people attempt to script their lives for prestige, love, or justice, only to find reality shifting under their feet. It remains a poignant, humorous, and observational record of a time defined by rapid social change and rigid class expectations.

The Story

The collection begins with "The Susiness of Susan," introducing Susan Parker, a young woman whose social standing and romantic prospects are tied to the intricate, often performative, nature of her world. Susan navigates a series of social traps and amateur detective work, eventually guiding a studious acquaintance toward a discovery that validates his research—a success she orchestrates while playfully mocking her own dishonesty.

The narrative shifts to the domestic sphere with the Burgess family. Webster Burgess, a banker, finds himself caught in a web of his own making when his attempts to assist a young woman named Nellie Murdock—the daughter of a criminal—lead him into a literal flight from the law. He hides in a lumberyard, narrowly avoiding arrest, only to emerge with a renewed sense of purpose. He ultimately helps Nellie and her partner, Drake, find a path to a quiet life, revealing an unexpected streak of benevolence hidden beneath his conventional exterior.

The focus then turns to the upwardly mobile Ward family, who become obsessed with the potential visit of the wealthy, mythic Mrs. Walter Scott Campbell. Their preparations—ranging from redecorating their home to curating a guest list of local elites—consume their lives. When the Campbells cancel, the Wards are left to reconcile their inflated social ambitions with the sudden silence of their house.

Other stories delve into the lives of the eccentric and the desperate. In "Arabella’s House Party," a young woman stages a high-stakes dramatic intervention on her parents' estate, forcing her feuding family and their associates to confront one another in a chaotic, controlled environment. The resolution is as messy as it is clarifying. Another tale, "The Third Man," takes a darker turn, focusing on a legal and moral investigation led by a governor who deconstructs the testimony of a man named Tate. Through patient, relentless questioning, the governor exposes Tate’s complicity in a murder for which another man was wrongfully suspected, revealing how silence and self-preservation can be as deadly as active malice.

The book concludes by returning to the Burgess household. Here, the focus is on the petty rivalries between Mrs. Burgess and a social climber named Mrs. Gurley. The schemes involved—including the elaborate deception of a "fake delegation" at a train station—highlight the absurdity of social competition. Webster Burgess watches these events with a detached, bemused irony, ultimately choosing to reward the quiet, efficient service of his employees rather than engaging in his wife’s social warfare.

How It Unfolds

The Susiness begins Susan Parker finds herself an observer of the social rituals of the well-to-do, orchestrating the fortunes of those around her. She plays the role of a guide to a distracted scholar, using her wit to steer him toward the truth while maintaining a playful detachment from her own influence.

The flight of the banker Webster Burgess is thrust into a dangerous, nocturnal race through a lumberyard to assist an ex-convict. He abandons his comfortable, professional persona to act as a protector, finding a secret satisfaction in standing against the rigidity of the law.

The ambition of the Wards The Ward family builds their entire existence around the expected visit of a wealthy social titan. When the invitation proves hollow, they are left to face the reality of their own social insecurity in the quiet of a house stripped of its purpose.

The orchestrated reconciliation Arabella traps her family and their rivals in a remote location, using a "house party" as a stage for resolving long-standing grievances. Through the presence of a detective and a bishop, she successfully forces the adults to discard their facades and address the conflicts that have defined their lives.

The final judgment A governor probes the dark corners of a past crime, peeling away layers of circumstantial evidence and false alibis. He forces the guilty to confront their own silence, bringing a somber note of justice to the collection.

The domestic aftermath The book concludes with a domestic comedy of manners, where the pursuit of social status is revealed as a hollow endeavor. The characters find themselves caught in a cycle of petty jealousies that are ultimately rendered meaningless by their own lack of genuine consequence.

The People

Susan Parker is the quintessential observer, a woman of twenty-six who views the world with a critical eye, using her "susiness"—a blend of business and mischief—to influence those who take themselves too seriously. Webster Burgess is a banker whose life is defined by a tension between his staid professional exterior and a latent, adventurous spirit; he emerges from his conflicts with a newfound appreciation for the unconventional. Nellie Murdock, the daughter of a criminal, serves as a catalyst for Webster’s transformation, challenging him to look past class boundaries. The Ward family represents the fragility of aspiration, defined by their desperate desire for social validation that collapses the moment their connection to power is severed. Arabella is the ultimate orchestrator, a young woman who possesses the foresight and courage to treat her family’s life as a play, ensuring the curtains fall on a scene of her own design.

In Its Own Voice

“The best laid schemes o’ mice and men / Gang aft a-gley.”

The author uses this epigraph from Robert Burns to frame the entire collection as a meditation on the inevitability of change.

“That Geisendanner was, beyond doubt, an awful liar and a great fraud; but I am a much greater.”

Susan Parker makes this confession to her companion, reflecting her awareness of the playful, manipulative role she occupies in the lives of others.

“It’s natural, in fact, instinctive, for a man to protect himself, to exhaust all the possibilities of defense when the law lays its hand upon him.”

The governor speaks these words while methodically dismantling the defenses of a man who has allowed an innocent friend to suffer for his own crime.

What It's Really About

The central theme is the disparity between our public performances and our private realities. The stories repeatedly ask: what is the cost of living for the approval of others? The characters are obsessed with status, reputation, and the "correct" way to conduct their affairs, yet their most meaningful moments occur when these structures fail or are deliberately subverted. There is a persistent question regarding the nature of integrity—whether it is found in the rigid adherence to social laws or in the quiet, sometimes illicit, choices made to help another person. The book argues that human life is defined not by the schemes we construct for ourselves, but by how we respond when those plans inevitably go "a-gley."

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the sharp, observational wit of early twentieth-century American satire will find a familiar comfort here. The book feels like a brisk, well-composed conversation with a cynical but kind-hearted friend. It captures the rhythm of a bygone era, where social standing was signaled by the cut of a coat or the guest list of a tea party, yet the underlying anxieties remain strikingly recognizable. The reader should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes regarding class and gender, which are presented without apology as part of the fabric of the time. While the dialect of some characters and the Victorian-era formality of the prose might require a moment of adjustment, the payoff is a series of stories that are as intellectually engaging as they are light-footed. Those who appreciate a story that refuses to take its own drama too seriously will find much to admire. You will leave these pages with a reminder that no matter how carefully we arrange our lives, there is always a delightful, or sometimes harrowing, margin for the unexpected. It is a work of precision and warmth, perfect for an evening when you want to look at the world with a slightly more jaundiced, yet sympathetic, eye.