The Darling Buds of May: H.E. Bates

`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 . . .