Book Review: It’s fun to be in England with an outsider’s insider view

Some books introduce you to a new set of friends, who become like old friends as the pages turn. Armistead Maupin did just that in his Tales of the City series, with readers waiting anxiously for another episode with Mary Ann, Michael, Mona and Anna Madrigal on Barbary Hill in San Francisco.

Years ago, after three sequels to the original series, we were led to believe there would be no more. But perhaps Maupin was missing his old friends too, because Mona of the Manor re-introduces them again, in an engaging, easy to read, cosy-crime page-turner.

Mona Roughton, nee Ramsey, is living in a charming but decrepit English manor estate. Following in the footsteps of Anna Madrigal, she’s making a living from having people to stay.

Guests such as Rhonda, a wide-eyed middle-aged innocent who is as enamoured of the quaint setting, as you might expect any Southern belle to be.

But Rhonda needs to discover more about herself than about the country she’s visiting.

It’s fun to be in England with an outsider’s insider view. There’s a deep stream of affection for Maupin’s adopted country that runs all the way through the novel.

From Mona’s hand-to-mouth budgeting for the endless work needed on a hopelessly antiquated but beloved house, to her adopted son Wilbur’s Hampstead Heath night-time sex adventures.

This is a place to enjoy a sense of belonging.

Maupin neatly introduces new characters to the coterie, without letting us forget who’s at the core – the original ‘logical family’.

The idea that friendships can form the basis of a ‘family of choice’ is probably more widely accepted now than it was when he was first writing this series.

But still, it’s good to be reminded that connection, care and loyalty are what really matter in human relationships.

Of course, with his mastery of story-telling Maupin brings together a nimble tale to keep the pages turning.

There’s real life tension for everyone with health risks, AIDS and the will-they-won’t-they romantic adventures, as well in the looming threat to Rhonda’s safety as she builds her confidence to make her own choices.