Once again, and happily for his devoted readers of the last three decades, Armistead Maupin has returned to his roots – his long-running saga of life in San Francisco since the 1970s – in “Mary Ann in Autumn,” the eighth and latest novel in his landmark “Tales of the City” series.

For those of us who have followed the lives of the former residents of 28 Barbary Lane – Mary Ann “Babycakes” Singleton, Michael “Mouse” Tolliver and the indomitable Anna Madrigal – for the last 30 years, reading this latest installment is like attending a long-overdue family reunion: We are saddened by the loss of those who are no longer with us, but heartened by the presence of those who have endured.

For the most part, the overall tone of “Mary Ann in Autumn” is truly autumnal. Of the three surviving central characters from the start of the series, Mary Ann and Michael are now both middle aged and facing physical illnesses, and Mrs. Madrigal, now in her late 80s, has suffered a series of small strokes that has left her sprite spirit intact but her body less animated.

However, Maupin isn’t one to dwell too long on what is past and passing, and his yet to come includes new characters such as Michael’s much younger husband, Ben; Michael’s transgender female-to-male business partner, Jake Greenleaf; and Mary Ann’s estranged adopted daughter (and local celebrity sex blogger), Shawna Hawkins.

In terms of plot, Maupin mixes the old with the new, returning to the very first “Tales” novel to tie up some unsavory and sad loose ends and exploring the emerging relationships of the new characters – with both other new characters and the older ones. To be more specific about either area of the storyline might spoil some surprises for both longtime fans and for those who are new to the novels.

Speaking of whom, you don’t have to be familiar with the seven previous books to enjoy reading “Mary Ann in Autumn.” Maupin provides just the right amount of personal history for the characters to help new readers understand what has come before and to remind loyal readers (also aging baby boomers, such as Michael and Mary Ann) about what they might have forgotten.

However, my first impulse upon finishing this latest book was to reach for the previous novels, and for those of you who don’t know, the titles are as follows: “Tales of the City” (1978); “More Tales of the City” (1980); “Further Tales of the City” (1982); “Babycakes” (1984); “Significant Others” (1987); and “Sure of You” (1989), which was to be the sixth and final novel in the series, according to Maupin at the time.

Outside of the “Tales” series, Maupin has written two well-received novels, “Maybe the Moon” (1992) and “The Night Listener” (2000), the latter of which was made into a 2007 film starring Robin Williams.

At first protesting that it wasn’t part seven of the “Tales” series, Maupin published “Michael Tolliver Lives” in 2007, also, later admitting that it was a sequel.

Maupin lives in San Francisco with his husband, Christopher Turner. His next writing project is another “Tales” novel. Maupin has said: “Whatever I have to offer seems to come through those characters, and I see no reason to abandon them.”

— Reviewed by Jim Browning, Barnes & Noble Booksellers.