Armistead Maupin began writing Tales of the City as instalments for a San Francisco newspaper in the seventies. Nearly four decades later, The Days of Anna Madrigal, which is his ninth book in the series, is said to be the last.

Transgender lady Anna Madrigal is 92 years old and content. She is in close contact with her former tenants from 28 Barbary Lane; they consider her as family. But a rediscovered childhood book sparks memories of the desert whorehouse where Mrs Madrigal grew up and some unfinished business that she feels must be put to rest. Anna employs the help of her old friend, Brian, and his new wife, Wren, and they head off to the brothel in Winnemucca that she fled from as a 16-year-old boy named Andy Ramsey.

Meanwhile, another of Anna’s old tenants, Michael Tolliver, his husband, Ben, and Brian’s adult daughter, Shawna, are making their way to the Nevada desert to take part in Burning Man, the weeklong cultural and ‘radical self-reliance’ festival. Shawna wants to fall pregnant at the festival but her choice of father is far from conventional, especially for Michael.

The Days of Anna Madrigal is a joy, and those of us who have followed the lives of this group of San Franciscans for so many years will be genuinely touched. Admittedly, I find it hard to be overly critical of any Tales of the City book; my respect for these characters runs too deep. It’s said that for many readers, Tales of the City marked the first time gay characters were portrayed as normal people. That is definitely the case personally, and picking up the first book in the series at the age of 20 was revelatory. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that they have been companions along the road.

Jason Austin