A pigeon called Ravenscourt, a band of warrior pigeons wreaking havoc over London, even the odd stool pigeon–what’s not to like about Patrick Neate’s The London Pigeon Wars? (Yes, the Babu admits he’s been an unabashed Neate fan since the man wrote the lovely Twelve Bar Blues.) The Spectator reviewer is a bit sniffy about the book, though. “Whatever high standard Neate was supposed to have set for fiction, it seems he has not quite lived up to himself, ” says Nick Seddon, who is going to receive a raspberry from the Babu very soon. Sent by pigeon post, naturally.