A must read for any fan of Benson's hugely popular 'Mapp and Lucia' series. Here we find ourselves in the small village of Riseholme, where all the rich have to do is gossip and vie for the position of supreme hostess. This is classic E. F. Benson dealing with the petty concerns of petty people, using his natural wit and humour. This novel, originally published in 1912, is being republished here together with a new introductory biography of the author.