A Conspiracy Of Friends

Corduroy Mansions, Pimlico, is an oasis of old-fashioned civilisation, its inhabitants considerate and peace-loving. But beneath the polite exterior, seismic change is stirring.

Barbara Ragg makes an eye-popping discovery about her stolid Scottish suitor's past, while Oedipus Snark, newly appointed and tirelessly self-interested Government Minister, has a close encounter in Switzerland that leaves him a new man altogether.

Then, plucky canine Freddie de la Hay goes missing, and his owner, widower William French, is so shaken by an unexpected declaration of love that he seriously considers making a disappearance himself.

Good-hearted, well-intentioned but often to be found barking up the wrong tree, the residents of Corduroy Mansions remain a thoroughly entertaining example to us all.

A Conspiracy Of Friends by Alexander McCall Smith is a captivating read that explores the subtle changes in the lives of this charming community.