‘Mona of the Manor’ by Armistead Maupin
Welcome back old friend!
Armistead Maupin has revived a fabulous Mona Ramsey to beguile and entertain us.
Mona and her family of ‘others’ first appeared in Tales of the City (1978). The story was serialised in the San Francisco Chronicle during the late 1970’s, and subsequently published in novel form as a further nine tales over the following decades.
I’ve been hooked on these since the early 80’s. In fact, Mr Stevens and I are so obsessed that we did a self guided tour of San Francisco visiting locations where both the books and a TV series were set.
This tenth instalment, set in the 90’s, finds Mona with her adopted son Wilfred trying to keep a dilapidated Easley Manor in the Cotswolds afloat.
Taking on paying guests she gets more than she bargains for when American tourists Rhonda and Ernie Blaylock turn up.
Ernie expects to get what he is paying for, a high end stay in an English stately manor. He is a bore and dominates his submissive and naive southern wife. Mona befriends Rhonda, recognising an ‘other’ in distress. In what becomes a comedy of errors, Mona has the perfect solution that any Maupin fan will adore.
Characters reappear from previous books. Michael Tolliver (Mouse), Mona’s long time friend visits. A romance is reignited between Mouse and Wilfred, but not before Wilfred has a rollicking affair on Hampstead Heath with someone famous.
I was so excited when it was announced there was another Maupin tale. I’m glad it features Mona as I missed her when she disappeared from the earlier tales. I read this in a day, totally absorbed. Now I think Mr Stevens and I will have to visit another location as Easley Manor is based on Stanway House in Gloucestershire…damn!
Pop into the shop and I’d be happy to introduce you to this great author, packaged for a new generation of readers.
