A sense of place in fiction. How much is enough?

Jericho, Oxford.

First of all it’s a great name. But one that some find curiously irritating. One reviewer of The 400 Lb Gorilla said this:

“The Oxford setting recalled Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials rather too closely for me. Maybe those who live therewill appreciate the reasons for the author naming this or that street for the hero to run down as if hell were after him (which it is!).”

Personally, I like the street names. Waton Street, Albert Street, Canal street. Good solid names that s...