Plot: Unsuspecting Mr Cedric Charlton, inspector of HM Revenue and Taxes, stumbles unwittingly into the most glorious - and notorious - nest of tax evaders known to gods. It starred David Jason (from 'Only Fools and Horses' fame) as Pop Larkin, and Catherine Zeta-Jones ('The Mask of Zorro') played his eldest daughter Mariette.

The main question of the book is whether the pregnant 17 year old daughter can fool a random tax collector into thinking that he is the father of her baby. Although Charley can’t quite figure out what Pop Larkin does (he claims to be a farmer) and how he makes his money, any questions he has are soon brushed away in favour of another Dragon’s Blood or bowl of strawberries and cream. By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. Bates – The Larkin Family Saga (Comprising: The Darling Buds of May, A Breath of French Air, When the Green Woods Laugh, Oh!

The Larkins live what appears at first to be a hand-to-mouth existence on a ramshackle farm, though Pop Larkin is never seen to do any actual farmwork like feeding the animals, milking or mucking out.

Sometimes I read a book description and think I will take a chance with a book outside my typical Mormon or Christian romance genre. The characters (mostly Pop and Ma, the children aren’t explored much) are fun-loving but also kind-hearted and generous, sending away people that come to visit with food, such as nice cuts of pork from their pig they just slaughtered. Before he knows where he is, he is investigating the 'strawberry lark' and numerous other delights that include the fair Mariette. Well known by the popular TV series starring David Jason and Catherine Zeta-Jones, The Darling Buds of May is the quintessential feel-good country romp.ITV produced a television series of the novel, and its sequels plus additional original storylines, The Darling Buds of May, which ran from 1991 to 1993. We soon discover, Ma and Pop Larkin are unconcerned about late 1950s conventions: a baby is simply a wonderful addition to the Larkin paradise on Earth. At its heart, it's a comedy featuring an eccentric family and it's round and warm and gorgeous and bathing in the sun. Bates - The Larkin Family Saga (Comprising: The Darling Buds of May, A Breath of French Air, When the Green Woods Laugh, Oh!

It’s the kind of novella you can polish off in a sitting or two, and The Novel Cure prescribes it as a tonic for cynicism. Bates,essentially a lover of the countryside, was born in Rushden, Northamptonshire in 1905 and enjoyed walking around the countryside, often the inspiration for many of his stories.Articles concerning the models for the Larkin family appeared in the Evening Standard and the Guardian in 2006 and in the Daily Mail in 2021 (linked below). The second, fourth and fifth titles are toned and mildly foxed on the text blocks, with some light internal toning also present. It seems that Pop Larkin hasn’t lodged his tax form and Cedric (soon nicknamed ‘Charley’ by the family) is here to sort it out, get the form done and lodged.