"Disturber of the Peace"

"Disturber of the Peace" is Barbara Buncle's (writing as John Smith's) debut novel. "Disturber of the Peace" is about the fictional town of Copperfield, really a thinly veiled depiction of the English village of Silverstream.

"Disturber" was written by Barbara Buncle out of financial desperation. She needed money and needed money fast so she decided to write a book never expecting it would get published much less become a bestseller. The tone of the novel is somewhat satirical and written in a very whimsical, simple style that is sometimes mimicked in "Miss Buncle's Book." While Barbara starts out as a frumpy spinster she soon transforms into a full-time writer and by the end of the novel a sequel to "Disturber" is published: "The Pen Is Mightier—"

The publication of "Disturber" sets in motion the central conflict for much of the book: the villagers'...