A lesser writer could easily have been accused of sexism, but Drayson succeeds in making this unusual quest seem charming and quaint and, well, fun, due to a combination of economical prose, a focused narrative that is nicely balanced with wit, and Drayson’s compassion for his characters, though they are sketches rather than robust characterisations.

Contemporary Nairobi is the main setting for the novel and Drayson juxtaposes the often absurd comedy of the main plot with sub-plots that expose the difficulties of life in this forgotten post-colonial African city: poverty, pollution, crime, political corruption, Aids and apathy. Then there are the birds: common birds, improbable birds. Africa’s rich and varied natural world is charmingly brought to life.

As with the novels of Alexander McCall Smith and the glorious work by Richard Mason, The Lighted Rooms (2008), Drayson writes respectfully and astutely about this extraordinary continent. He is a writer with a fine pedigree, and this light-hearted, quirky and charming modern drawing-room comedy largely succeeds.