The Luck of the Vails (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A NovelBy E. F. Benson
Length12h 33m
About this audiobook
The Luck of the Vails is a compact Edwardian romance of inheritance, secrecy, and supernatural suggestion, centred on the fortunes of an old family whose "luck" seems at once a talisman, a burden, and a narrative trap. Benson works in the borderland between sensation fiction and the Gothic tale: clues, atmosphere, and social observation matter as much as overt terror. Its style is lucid, ironic, and controlled, placing ancient houses, dynastic anxiety, and modern scepticism within the broader fin-de-siècle fascination with heredity, occult forces, and moral retribution. E. F. Benson, son of Archbishop Edward White Benson and brother of A. C. and R. H. Benson, moved easily among literary, clerical, and upper-middle-class circles whose manners he later anatomised with brilliance. Although now famous for Mapp and Lucia, he was also a prolific writer of ghost stories and romances. His lifelong interest in social performance, family pressure, and the uncanny clearly informs this novel's blend of drawing-room realism and darker ancestral menace. Readers who enjoy Victorian mystery, Edwardian Gothic, or Benson's supernatural fiction will find here a subtle, intelligent entertainment. It is recommended to those who value atmosphere over spectacle and psychological unease over simple shocks.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreHorror, Mystery and Thriller
Length12 hrs 33 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 2, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Collected Works of E. F. Benson
32HARRY ASKS A QUESTION
2Introduction
33CHAPTER XIV
3Synopsis
34LADY OXTED'S IDEA
4Historical Context
35PART II
5PART I
36CHAPTER XV
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6PART I
37FROST
7CHAPTER I
38CHAPTER XVI
8THE SHADOWS DANCE
39FIRE
9CHAPTER II
40CHAPTER XVII
10THE COMING OF THE LUCK
41A BIRD OF NIGHT
11CHAPTER III
42CHAPTER XVIII
12THE SPELL BEGINS TO WORK
43RAIN
13CHAPTER IV
44CHAPTER XIX
14THE STORY OF MR. FRANCIS
45GEOFFREY LEAVES VAIL
15CHAPTER V
46CHAPTER XX
16A POINT IN CASUISTRY
47DR. ARMYTAGE ARRIVES
17CHAPTER VI
48CHAPTER XXI
18THE POINT SOLVED—THE MEETING
49GEOFFREY MEETS THE DOCTOR
19CHAPTER VII
50CHAPTER XXII
20THE POINT IN CASUISTRY SOLVES ITSELF
51LADY OXTED HAS A BAD NIGHT
21CHAPTER VIII
52CHAPTER XXIII
22THE SECOND RETURN TO VAIL
53THE MEETING IN GROSVENOR SQUARE
23CHAPTER IX
54CHAPTER XXIV
24CARDIAC
55JIM GOES TO BED
25CHAPTER X
56CHAPTER XXV
26MR. FRANCIS IS BETTER
57MR. FRANCIS SLEEPS
27CHAPTER XI
58EPILOGUE
28MR. FRANCIS SEES HIS DOCTOR
59Analysis
29CHAPTER XII
60Reflection
30THE MEETING IN THE WOOD
61Memorable Quotes
31CHAPTER XIII
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Spook Stories - Complete Collection: 25 Supernatural, Mystery, Ghost and Haunting Tales (Annotated)E. F. Benson16h 6m$2 · $0.00
MAPP AND LUCIA SERIES – Complete Make Way For Lucia Collection: 6 Novels & 2 Short Stories In One VolumeE. F. Benson60h 34m$1 · $0.00
E. F. Benson: Complete Short Stories Collection: 70+ Classic, Ghost, Spook, Supernatural, Mystery, Haunting and Other TalesE. F. Benson41h 37m$1 · $0.00
The Babe, B.AE. F. Benson5h 5m$1 · $0.00
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The Complete Works of E. F. Benson (Illustrated)E. F. Benson335h 9m$1 · $0.00
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Our Family Affairs, 1867-1896E. F. Benson8h 43m$1 · $0.00
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DRACULA (Annotated)Bram Stoker17h 56m$2 · $0.00
The Complete Stories & Poems of Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe63h$2 · $0.00
A Long Way from OrdinaryAnn Charles, Sam Lucky9h 13m$20
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The Picture of Dorian Gray: The Uncensored 13 Chapter Version + The Revised 20 Chapter Version (Annotated)Oscar Wilde16h 16m$2 · $0.00
The Skull of the WorldKate Forsyth10h 28m5.0 (1)$20
Reign Of AngelsBen Reeder8h 54m5.0 (1)$20
We’re AliveKc Wayland5h 10m$15
The Undead PoolKim Harrison16h 13m$33 · $0.00
Glacier's EdgeR. A. Salvatore13h 44m$33 · $0.00
Haint BlueStephanie Alexander11h 55m$23
The King in Yellow (Annotated)Robert W. Chambers8h 53m$2 · $0.00
Good OmensNeil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett12h 33m$33 · $0.00
Dark of NightJonathan Maberry, Rachael Lavin4h 59m2.0 (1)$20 · $0.00
The Renegade HunterLynsay Sands10h 7m$29 · $0.00
The Fall of the House of CabalJonathan L. Howard14h 54m$23
Lost GodsBrom14h 50m$33 · $0.00
The Complete Works of E. F. Benson (Illustrated)E. F. Benson335h 9m$1 · $0.00
The AccusedJana DeLeon6h 32m5.0 (1)$12 · $0.00
Unfinished BusinessBlair Howard7h 17m$23
EmberJeffrey Wilson, Brian Andrews13h 58m$23
The New Human Revolution, vol. 1Daisaku Ikeda7h 46m$12 · $0.00
Meddlesome MoneyMildred Abbott8h 21m$20
Midnight ShadowsS.E. Smith5h 40m$17
CollateralBrian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson13h 8m$23
The Complete Sherlock Holmes Novels & Stories (4 Novels + 56 Short Stories) (Annotated)Arthur Conan Doyle73h 13m$2 · $0.00
The ReunionJana Deleon6h 31m$26 · $0.00
Animal 3K’wan6h 33m$20
To Hold and ProtectSandra Owens7h 59m$8 · $0.00
Extinction WarNicholas Sansbury Smith12h 1m$23
Savy WisdomPeggy McColl2h 53m$15
3 a.m. Premium: Books 1–5Nick Pirog15h 27m$25
Farewell My Lovely (Annotated)Raymond Chandler10h 37m$2 · $0.00
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Tracing Killer EvidenceJodie Bailey5h 46m$12 · $0.00
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Sign of the MakerBrian Shea7h 13m$17
No Sin UnpunishedLynDee Walker7h 43m$17
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