The Luck of the Vails is a turn of the century novel set among the English aristocracy. Coming of age, Harry Vail discovers a jewelled goblet, a family heirloom with a murky history. Are the prophecies about the Luck true? Is everything in the family as it seems?

The Luck of the Vails is slow moving, especially at the beginning, and Benson makes a point of carefully signaling any possible surprises well in advance, preventing the least build up of tension or suspense. As a result it is unlikely to have wide appeal to modern audiences.

February 1998

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