"A Damsel in Distress" was published in the U.S. on October 4, 1919 by George H. Doran, and then in the U.K. on October 17, 1919 by Herbert Jenkins, and it is a splendid example of early Wodehouse. This edition is part of The Collector's Wodehouse series being released by The Overlook Press (in the U.K. it is The Everyman's Wodehouse series from Everyman's Library).
As with many Wodehouse classics, this one includes a collection of colorful characters, a complex love story involving many characters, and of course the happy ending where everything works out. It is the story of an American Composer, George Bevan, who falls in love with Maud (The Earl of Marshmoreton's daughter). Maud is already in love with another American, Geoffrey Raymond, who she met in Wales the previous year. Her brother and aunt, Lord Belpher and Lady Caroline Byng oppose her getting involved with the American and want her to marry someone from her social class. There are more characters as well, including some servants, Lady Caroline's son Reggie, Lord Marshmoreton's secretary Alice Faraday, and an acquaintance of George's Billie Dore who is in the Chorus of George's latest musical comedy.
As with most Wodehouse stories, the plot is very complicated, and attempts to describe it in detail would fail to do it justice. It does involve a case of mistaken identity, a pool among the servants on who will marry Maud, and several characters finding their loves. Overall this is a very good example of a classic Wodehouse story, and it is well worth reading.