Following on from the huge success of the ‘Scotland Street’ series, Alexander McCall Smith ‘moved house’ to London’s Pimlico and into his brand new daily novel, ‘Corduroy Mansions’. The building itself – described in a guide to the architecture of the area as ‘a building of no interest whatsoever’ – is believed to have been built as an asylum, or possibly a school, or maybe it was a mansion block – nobody is very sure. In fact, nothing of its history is known, although it does have some nice Arts and Craft features.

At the moment it is inhabited by an assortment of characters – including amongst others a literary agent, a wine merchant, one accountant, possibly the first ever nasty Liberal Democrat MP and his long-suffering PA, and a small dog in his prime. At least one character is on a voyage of self-discovery, which has taken him to Cheltenham so far. Although Corduroy Mansions is a nickname, it is now recognized by the Post Office.