Secret Lives

A romp through and through, one can imagine E. F. Benson having a pretty good time writing it, and not only because he wished to get back at the literature critics who failed to recognize his genius. The less told about the plot the better, since it is just to delicious to spoil. Suffice it to say that Benson manages to let us in a private view of Durham Square and the stuffy, ludicrous petit bourgeoisie that inhabit it, the inner life of the dry Mrs. Mantrip who secretly reads corny novels, and her feud with Susan Leg, the wild and uncouth new arrival at the quite square. This is Benson gossip at its best, his critical eye spares no one. Alas this is a hard to find book, I gave my copy to my friend Silvia, who resisted the Lucia novels, and became a Benson addict after reading it.

Featuring an array of characters even more preposterous than the Mapp & Lucia series, this novel made me laugh out loud time and time again. One of Benson's finest comic novels. Trivial - but great fun.