The rich spirit of an English junk dealer and his family is challenged by the arrival of the tax collector in this humorous and heartwarming classic. Beneath the sunny, cloudless skies of Kent, the Larkin household—Pop, Ma, and their six children—enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Pop works as a junk dealer and keeps the farm to feed his brood, while Ma cooks the meals and minds the children. While the family may not seem to have much, they more than make up for it in joyous spirit—and bountiful feasts. All of that could change, however, when a stranger appears on their farm. Cedric Charlton from Inland Revenue has come to inquire why the Larkins failed to file income tax for the previous year. But Charlton’s plans hit a snag when the eldest Larkin daughter, Mariette, takes a liking to him—and he to her. Now, if the Larkins and country living can charm Charlton, perhaps he will forget about every last pound they owe . . . “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 (London)

The Larkin family’s rich spirit is tested when Pop has a heart attack in this series finale by the author of The Darling Buds of May. Pop Larkin enjoys the finer things in life, like good food and drink, but too much of it leads him to a mild heart attack. Placed on bedrest and an uncharacteristically strict diet, the family patriarch soon finds himself in low spirits. As nurses try their hand at helping Pop get well, Ma pursues alternative remedies. And Primrose, meanwhile, is in hot pursuit of the dashing Mr. Candy. But when it is discovered the government has plans to run a railroad through the Larkins’ home, it is all hands on deck as the Larkins, their community, and even Pop rise up to prove that the country way of life is always worth fighting for . . . Praise for the Pop Larkin Chronicles “The Larkins live—these novels please us by escaping definition.” —The Guardian “Like Wodehouse’s Jeeves, Bates’ Larkins must continue in their own delightful milieu—in this case the Kentish countryside.” —The New York Times