'Home looks nice. Allus does though, don't it? Perfick'

And so the Larkins - Pop, Ma, Mariette, Zinnia, Petunia, Primrose, Victoria and Montgomery - return from an outing for fish and chips and ice cream one May evening. There, amid the rustic charms of home, they discover a visitor: one Cedric Charlton, Her Majesty's inspector of taxes.

Mr Charlton is visiting to find out why junk-dealer Pop hasn't paid his tax - but nothing's that simple at the Larkins. Mariette takes a shine to 'Charley' - as Pop calls him - and before long the family have introduced the uncomplaining inspector to the delights of country living: the lusty scents of wild flowers, the pleasures of a bottle of Dragon's Blood, cold cream dribbled over a bowl of strawberries and hot, hot summer nights.

In fact, soon Charley can't see any reason to return to the office at all . . .

About the Author
H. E. Bates was born in 1905 in Northamptonshire. He worked as a journalist and clerk on a local newspaper before publishing his first book, The Two Sisters, when he was twenty. In the next fifteen years he acquired a distinguished reputation for his stories about English country life. During the Second World War he was a Squadron Leader in the R.A.F. The Darling Buds of May (1958), the first of the popular Larkin family novels, was followed by A Breath of French Air (1959), When the Green Woods Laugh (1960), Oh! To Be in England (1963) and A Little of What You Fancy (1970). His works have been translated into sixteen languages. H. E. Bates was awarded the C.B.E. in 1973 and died in January 1974.

Reviews
A pulsing comedy of country manners. A five-alarm blaze of a book. Just about perfick. * Time *
A gently, anarchic wish-fulfilling daydream * The Times *
A perfick piece of entertainment * New York Times *
A wistful daydream about innocence and happiness * Spectator *
Pop Larkin, Ma and their progeny . . . are essentially English of the rich and ribald England of Chaucer and Shakespeare. A superb and timeless comedy * Scotsman *
As funny as Evelyn Waugh and as enchanting as Laurie Lee's Cider with Rosie. Don't miss it * Herald *
They are absolute comfort books * The Lady *
Pop is as sexy, genial, generous, and boozy as ever. Ma is a worthy match for him in all these qualities -- - * The Times *
As funny as Evelyn Waugh and as enchanting as Laurie Lee's Cider with Rosie. Don't miss it -- - * Herald *
Pop Larkin, Ma and their progeny . . . are essentially English of the rich and ribald England of Chaucer and Shakespeare. A superb and timeless comedy -- - * Scotsman *
A perfick piece of entertainment -- - * New York Times *
A wistful daydream about innocence and happiness -- - * Spectator *
A pulsing comedy of country manners. A five-alarm blaze of a book. Just about perfick -- - * Time *
A gently, anarchic wish-fulfilling daydream -- - * The Times *
The Larkins live - these novels please us by escaping definition -- - * Guardian *



Book Information
ISBN 9780141029672
Author H. E. Bates
Format Paperback
Page Count 144
Imprint Penguin Books Ltd
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 100g
Dimensions(mm) 194mm * 130mm * 14mm