Books by Alexander McCall Smith

Book SynopsisWith an authentic Indian backdrop, this is a feel-good story of young kids chasing big dreams that shimmers with all of Alexander McCall Smith’s trademark optimism and joy – an outlook on life that makes him one of the world’s best-loved storytellers. Hari is a dreamer with an unusual talent. He spends the few coins he earns washing cars on cinema trips to watch (and learn from) his beloved Bollywood films. Then one day Hari's gloriously fancy footwork is spotted by Mr Ram, a man on a mission to resolve conflicts near and far. Hari so entrances everyone with his magical dancing that soon he is travelling all over the world and his electric feet bring harmony to all who see him dance. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 8+Trade Review"Funny, clear, with a kind message" – The Times, Children's Book of the Week "A delightful, exuberant story about following your dreams" – Carousel "Its engaging narrator will have readers almost convinced it’s a true story; the world would certainly be a better place if it was" – LoveReading4Kids "Hari is a gorgeous character and you almost want to join in" – The Book Activist, Blog

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Book SynopsisAlexander McCall Smithis the author of the highly successfulNo. 1 Ladies' Detective Agencyseries, which has sold over twenty-five million copies. Since then he has devoted his time to the writing of fiction and has seen his various series of books translated into over forty-six languages and become bestsellers throughout the world. These include the44 Scotland Streetnovels, first published as a serial novel in theScotsman, theIsabel Dalhousienovels, theVon Igelfeldseries and theCorduroy Mansionsnovels.

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Book SynopsisIt''s comfort reading at its most soothing' IndependentFunny, heartfelt and very readable' Good HousekeepingIn this reimagined modern classic, prepare to meet a young woman who thinks she knows everythingFresh from university, Emma Woodhouse triumphantly arrives home in Norfolk ready to embark on adult life with a splash. Not only has her sister, Isabella, been whisked away on a motorcycle up to London, but her astute governess, Miss Taylor is at a loose end, abandoned in the giant family pile, Hartfield, alongside Emma's anxiety-ridden father. Someone is needed to rule the roost and young Emma is more than happy to oblige.And there is plenty to delight her in the buzzing little village of Highbury. At the helm of her own dinner parties and instructing her new little protégée, Harriet Smith, Emma reigns forth. But there is only one person who can play with Emma's indestructible confidence, her old friend and inscrutable neighbour George Knightley this time has Emma finally met her matTrade ReviewPraise for Emma: ‘Entertaining . . . McCall Smith brings such intelligence and wit’ The Daily Mail ‘Funny, heartfelt and very readable’ Good Housekeeping ‘Funny and clever’ Fabulous Magazine ‘Delightful’ Closer Praise for Alexander McCall Smith: ‘Witty, elegant, gentle, compassionate’Guardian ‘The kind of simplicity one finds in the best children's stories and a fluency which reflects his practice of writing 4,000 words a day in a stint of four hours… A talent for traditional story telling’ Guardian

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Book SynopsisAs a mother, wife, employer and editor of the Review of Applied Ethics, Isabel Dalhousie is aware that to be human is to be responsible. So when a neighbour brings her a new and potentially dangerous puzzle to solve, once again Isabel feels she has no option but to shoulder the burden.A masterpiece painting has been stolen from Duncan Munrowe, old-fashioned philanthropist, father to two discontented children, and a very wealthy man. As Isabel enters into negotiations with the shadowy figures who are in search of a ransom, a case where heroes and villains should be clearly defined turns murky: the list of those who desire the painting - or the money - lengthens, and hasty judgement must be avoided at all cost. Morals, it turns out, are like Scottish clouds: complex, changeable and tricky to get a firm grip on; they require a sharp observational eye, a philosophical mindset, and the habit of kindness. Fortunately for those around her, Isabel Dalhousie is in possession o

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Book SynopsisBOOK 9 IN THE BELOVED NO.1 LADIES'' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIESThe one with the poison pen letter . . . For the first time in her career as Botswana''s no. 1 lady detective, Mma Ramotswe suffers a blow to her faith in the goodness of humanity (and of her neighbours in particular) when she receives a threatening letter. But she does not let this swerve her from the sad plight of an orphan who hopes to find her true family. Meanwhile, at Zebra Drive, Mma Ramotswe''s beloved husband Mr J. L. B. Matekoni is also searching for an expensive miracle for their own foster daughter Motholeli.''Exceptional charm'' Daily Mail''As fluent and gracious as ever'' Sunday Times''Irresistible - there will indeed be miracles'' New York Times Book ReviewTrade ReviewWritten with the gentleness of its predecessors and with a charm that is quite exceptional in modern detective fiction * Sunday Telegraph *The writing is as fluent and gracious as ever, and charmingly conveys the practical wisdom of much of African life * Sunday Times *Nothing spoils McCall Smith's vision of Botswana as a place where decent people triumph over mischief-makers * Daily Telegraph *Irresistible - there will indeed be miracles * New York Times Book Review *Charming, warmly affective... As comfy cozy as can be * Philadelphia Inquirer *The pleasure of these sweet books lies in the clarity and gravity with which the characters reason through everyday dilemmas * Entertainment Weekly *A fitting part of the tiny miracle the entire series has been * Star-Telegram *

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Book SynopsisA funny and poignant children''s story from one of the world''s most prolific and popular authors Alexander McCall Smith.It''s all about hamburgers!Joe has just created the yummiest, juiciest, most delicious hamburger ever - and his friend Mr Borthwick wants to sell it in his hamburger shop to try and win back customers from the new fast-food place across the road. But there''s a problem - Joe has completely forgotten the recipe...A pinch of this, a touch of that and a spoonful of something else...the race is on for Joe to remember!

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Book SynopsisThe twenty-third book in the perennially adored The No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency series.Grace Makutsi''s husband, Phuti, is in a bind. An international firm is attempting to undercut his prices in the office furniture market. Phuti has always been concerned with quality and comfort, but this new firm seems interested only in profits. To make matters worse, they have a slick new advertising campaign that seems hard to beat. Nonetheless with Mma Ramotswe''s help, Phuti comes up with a campaign that may just do the trick.Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi is approached by an old friend who has a troubled son. Grace and Phuti agree to lend a hand, but the boy proves difficult to reach, and the situation is more than they can handle on their own. It will require not only all of their patience and dedication, but also the help of Mma Ramotswe and the formidable Mma Potokwani in order to help the child.Faced with more than her fair share of domestic problems, Mma MakuTrade ReviewMcCall Smith is an author who sees his characters and their world, fully and tenderly. And that makes for a book that is as comforting to sink into as a well-worn armchair * New York Journal of Books *A delightful addition to one of the most endearing and readable series in the world of fiction... ensures that this series fully deserves all the accolades it has received * LoveReading *Another irresistible slice of Botswana-set cosy crime * Waterstones *A story that possesses all the cosiness of your own, very comfortable armchair... captivating * Oakville News *McCall Smith is a master orchestrator of multiple plotlines and currents of influence... a clever, hilarious and sometimes poignant mystery tale * Book Reporter *As they would sink into one of Phuti's large, overstuffed, extremely comfortable armchairs, so will readers delightedly immerse themselves in descriptions of the Botswana landscape; in Precious and Grace's conversations over mugs of red bush tea; and in the doings of the rest of the cast of comic characters... Another delight from the prolific McCall Smith * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisThe twenty-fourth book in the multi-million copy bestselling and perennially adored No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency series.If you are the founder and Managing Director of the No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency you may expect complete strangers to approach you with their problems when they see you having dinner with your husband in a peri-peri restaurant. And if you are Precious Ramotswe, you are a kind and helpful person who will be willing to take on a quest to find the relatives of a man who, many years ago, left the country for the uncertainties and dangers of a distant conflict.While that is going on, though, there may be other things that claim your attention - such as the shocking news that a club that calls itself the Cool Singles Evening Club is encouraging married men to pretend to be single and meet women under false pretences. Who can be behind such a distasteful venture? Mma Ramotswe shows great tact in dealing with this situation, and avoids h

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Book SynopsisA chance meeting with the manager of The Great Hippopotamus Hotel leads the much-admired and traditionally-built Precious Ramotswe to investigate what is going wrong with this previously successful country hotel. Guests have been unwell, clothing has disappeared from the washing line, and scorpions have found their way into the guest bedrooms. Mma Ramotswe drives out to the hotel with her irrepressible colleague, Grace Makutsi (97 per cent in the final examinations of the Botswana Secretarial College). What they find there are family conflicts that only the investigators of the No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency will be able to resolve.Meanwhile, at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, Mma Ramotswe''s husband, Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, gets a visit from a middle-aged client who wants to purchase a fast Italian sports car. What should the conscientious garagiste do in such circumstances? Should the client''s wife be told? Mma Ramotswe is used to wrestling with such tricky questions, but it is harder for Mr J.L.B. Matekoni.And in the background is that beautiful country, Botswana, with its wide skies and its courteous people. In such surroundings, big problems soon seem small, and small worries fade away altogether.

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Book SynopsisWelcome to the insane and rarified world of Professor Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld of the Institute of Romance Philology. Von Igelfeld is engaged in a never-ending quest to win the respect he feels certain he is due—a quest which has the tendency to go hilariously astray. In Unusual Uses for Olive Oil, von Igelfeld experiences a series of new adventures.  First, he finds that his academic rival Detlev-Amadeus Unterholzer has been winning undeserved recognition, a situation that must be addressed. Then von Igelfeld stumbles toward a romance with Frau Benz, a charming widow who owns her very own Schloss and a fleet of handsome cars—that is, until a faux pas lands him on the curb. Later, while on the annual student study retreat in the Alps, von Igelfeld fearlessly plunges 3000 feet into mountaineering history, and turns his survival into the subject of inspirational lectures. Finally, at a dinner party, he is the only kind soul who ca

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Book SynopsisFans around the world adore the bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series and its proprietor, Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier lady detective. In this charming series, Mma  Ramotswe—with help from her loyal associate, Grace Makutsi—navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom, good humor, and the occasional cup of tea.In this installment in the charming, bestselling series, Precious Ramotswe faces two confounding cases: the mysterious fate of some cows, and the ghost-like reappearance of her dear old white van. As Mma Ramotswe investigates the deaths of cows at a cattle post outside Gaborone, she finds herself also pursuing other mysteries closer to home. One of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni’s apprentices appears to have gotten a girl pregnant, and has run away to avoid marrying her. Meanwhile, Precious sees her beloved old van—sent to the junkyard long ago—trundling around the city again. Has the

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Book SynopsisFans around the world adore the bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series and its proprietor, Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier lady detective. In this charming series, Mma  Ramotswe—with help from her loyal associate, Grace Makutsi—navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom, good humor, and the occasional cup of tea.Precious Ramotswe has her hands full with two puzzling cases. The first concerns a young man hoping to claim his inheritance at his uncle’s farm. The farmer’s lawyer fears that this self-professed nephew may be falsely impersonating the real heir, and asks Mma Ramotswe to look into his identity. The second involves the just-opened Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon, which has been shadowed by misfortune, from bad omens in the mail to swirling rumors that its products are dangerous. The salon’s proprietor fears that someone is trying to put her out of business—but who? Meanwhile,

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Book SynopsisA heart-warming stand alone novel about the life-affirming powers of music and company during a time of war, from the best-selling and beloved author of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency. When Lavender, La to her friends, moves to the Suffolk countryside, it’s not just to escape the London Blitz but also to flee the wreckage of a disastrous marriage. But as she starts to become a part of the community, she detects a sense of isolation.  Her deep love of music and her desire to bring people together inspire her to start an orchestra.  Little did she know that through this orchestra she would not only give hope and courage to the people of the community, but also that she would meet a man, Feliks, a shy upright Pole, who would change her life forever.

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Book SynopsisTHE NO. 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY - Young Readers Fans around the world adore the bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, the basis of the HBO TV show, and its proprietor Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier lady detective.  In this charming series, Mma  Ramotswe navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom, and good humor—not to mention help from her loyal assistant, Grace Makutsi, and the occasional cup of tea.  Have you ever said to yourself, Wouldn’t it be nice to be a detective? This is the story of an African girl who says just that. Her name is Precious. When a piece of cake goes missing from her classroom, a traditionally built young boy is tagged as the culprit. Precious, however, is not convinced. She sets out to find the real thief. Along the way she learns that your first guess isn’t always right. She also learns how to be a detective.

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Book Synopsis44 SCOTLAND STREET - Book 8The residents and neighbors of 44 Scotland Street and the city of Edinburgh come to vivid life in these gently satirical, wonderfully perceptive serial novels, featuring six-year-old Bertie, a remarkably precocious boy—just ask his mother.  From social media to the finer points of human behavior, this episode of Alexander McCall Smith's popular 44 Scotland Street series provides an entertaining commentary on a small corner of modern life in Edinburgh where, contrary to received wisdom, the sun nearly always shines.Angus Lordie and Domenica Macdonald are finally tying the knot. Unsurprisingly, Angus is not quite prepared and averting a wedding-day disaster falls to his best man, Matthew. When the newlyweds finally head off on their honeymoon, Angus's dog Cyril goes to stay with the Pollocks—to the delight of one member of the family, and the utter despair of another. The long-suffering Bertie knows firsthand how

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Book SynopsisAmanda and her daughter Clover live in a close-knit community of expats on Grand Cayman Island, an idyllic place to all appearances. But the comfortable island life can become stifling in hard times. As Clover falls for her first love, and allows her heart to chart her life’s course, Amanda realizes that she has fallen out of love with Clover’s father, and that her carefully mapped-out future is actually unknown territory. Through the years, mother and daughter try to navigate their chosen paths, as they are each torn between the dreams they cherish and the reality they face.

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Book SynopsisPrecious wants to be a detective when she grows up. She is always practicing at being a detective by asking questions and finding out about other people’s lives. There are two new students in her class, a girl called Teb and a boy called Pontsho. She learns that they are brother and sister, and—even more exciting—that Pontsho has a clever pet meerkat named Kosi.  One day, Teb and Pontsho’s family’s cow disappears. Precious helps them look for clues to find the cow. But getting the cow back home will require some quick thinking and help from an unexpected source.

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Book SynopsisAs they journey by rail from Edinburgh to London, four strangers pass the time by sharing tales of trains that have changed their lives. A keen-eyed Scotsman recounts how he turned a friendship with a coworker into a romance by spotting an anachronistic train in an eighteenth-century painting. An Australian woman shares how her parents fell in love and spent their life together running a railroad siding in the remote Outback. A middle-aged American patron of the arts sees two young men saying goodbye in a train station and recalls his own youthful crush on another man. And a young Englishman describes how exiting his train at the wrong station allowed him to meet an intriguing woman whom he impulsively invited to dinner-and into his life.  Here is Alexander McCall Smith at his most subtle and enchanting, exploring the nature of love—and trains—in this utterly captivating story. 

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Book SynopsisEven down to its well-set Georgian townhouses, Edinburgh is a hymn to measure and harmony. But on Scotland Street, domestic accord is in short supply. Matthew and Elspeth welcome three new arrivals, though the joys of multiple parenthood are somewhat lost due to sleep deprivation and the difficulties of telling their brood apart. Angus and Domenica are to marry, and Domenica has ambitious and disturbing plans for their living arrangements, especially when it appears that Antonia, in Italy recuperating from Stendhal Syndrome, may not return. And little Bertie, feeling blue, puts himself up for adoption on eBay. Can Edinburgh''s most deliciously dysfunctional residents forsake discord and learn to dance to the same happy tune? Trade ReviewPraise for the 44 Scotland Street series: 'A joyous, charming portrait of city life and human foibles' Sunday Express

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Book SynopsisTHE EIGHTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES'' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIESThe one where Mma Ramotswe''s husband plays detective . . .At the No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency there are many new cases for Precious Ramotswe to attend to, including the grave matter of three suspicious deaths at the hospital. But her attention is distracted by domestic problems - for the engagement of Mma Makutsi to Phuti Radiphuti is threatening their friendship.And, unkown to them both, the good husband of Zebra Drive, Mr J. L. B. Matekoni, has been tempted into some detective work of his own, with disastrous results . . .Trade ReviewSimple, elegantly written and gently insightful * THE GOOD BOOK GUIDE *Perfect escapist fiction * THE TIMES *There is a timelessness to the tales, yet they are also of the moment . . . His talent is to see the god in small things * SUNDAY TIMES SCOTLAND *This is delicious, light-hearted stuff and I love it - my only criticism is that these books are just not long enough * THE LADY *

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Book SynopsisThe key to contentment in the Scottish climate is the right attitude to rain - just as in life the key to happiness lies in making the best of what you have.Bruised in love by her faithless Irish husband, Isabel Dalhousie is a connoisseur of intimate moral issues: she edits a philosophical journal and spends a great deal of her time considering how to improve the lives of those around her. There is her housekeeper Grace, whose future she must secure; her niece Cat, who is embarking on a new relationship with a dubious workaholic mummy''s boy; and even an American couple newly arrived in Edinburgh on a tour. And then there is Jamie, Cat''s ex-boyfriend, a handsome, gifted musician fourteen years Isabel''s junior, with whom she is slowly and hopelessly falling in love.Intensely thoughtful and consistently entertaining, THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TO RAIN is shot through with compassion and unassuming intelligence.Trade ReviewBrimming with discreet charm * Mail on Sunday *Like [Barbara] Pym, McCall Smith believes that the small stuff in life matters * Scotsman *** 'Delightful ... McCall Smith is a writer who celebrates kindness, in short supply in the world today * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *** 'Isabel is an appealing character, always trying to work out the right thing to do, and McCall Smith presents her with a series of dilemmas. One is personal, the ethics of beginning an affair with a younger man who used to be her niece's boyfriend, and * SUNDAY TIMES *

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Book SynopsisAlexander McCall Smith, best-selling author of The No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency, has turned his hand to humour. The delightful result is a creation of comic genius. For in the unnaturally tall form of Professor Doctor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld, we are invited to meet a memorable character whose sublime insouciance is a blend of the cultivated pomposity of Frasier Crane and of Inspecteur Clouseau''s hapless gaucherie.Von Igelfeld inhabits the rarefied world of the Institute of Romance Philology at Regensburg, a world he shares with his equally tall and equally ridiculous colleagues, Professors Florianus Prinzel and Detlev Amadeus Unterholzer. Their unlikely adventures are described in three deliciously funny instalments: Portuguese Irregular Verbs, The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs and At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances.

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Book SynopsisPoor put-upon Bertie is still struggling to escape his overbearing mother''s influence, his yoga lessons and his pink bedroom while wondering why new baby brother Ulysses looks uncomfortably like his psychotherapist. The insufferably handsome Bruce has returned from London to land, on his feet and rent-free, in the arms of heiress Julia Donald. But all is not well among the residents of 44 Scotland Street: Angus''s dog and constant companion Cyril is under threat of execution, victim of a miscarriage of justice, while pretty, indecisive Pat and hopeless romantic Matthew are on the verge of making the most terrible mistake of their lives . . . Big Lou finds a new man, Matthew and Pat edge their relationship towards something more permanent - although this development is not without complications, when a glimpse of someone who just might be her handsome, caddish ex-flatmate Bruce sets Pat''s pulse racing - and Domenica''s friendship with Antonia is tested to the limit when an assortment Trade Review** 'McCall Smith's confident brush picks out vivid and entertaining characters . . . A deliciously engaging Edinburgh comedy * FINANCIAL TIMES *

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Book SynopsisIsabel Dalhousie, philosopher and amateur solver of other people''s problems, meets an old foe, Minty Auchterlonie, at a birthday party attended by their young children. Ambitious Minty, now the head of a small investment bank, is in trouble with her shareholders. Isabel becomes involved, and is drawn into a murky world of financial concealment. Minty is not the only high-flier in Isabel''s life; her niece Cat has just become engaged to a tightrope-walking stuntman. Isabel fears his next job - and the engagement - could end in disaster. Meanwhile, her own boyfriend Jamie has marriage in mind too . . .Trade ReviewBrimming with discreet charm * Mail on Sunday *Like [Barbara] Pym, McCall Smith believes that the small stuff in life matters * Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisIsabel Dalhousie is a new mother and a connoisseur of philosophy; she''d rather not be a sleuth. But when a chance conversation at a dinner party draws her into the case of a doctor whose career has been ruined, she cannot ignore what may be a miscarriage of justice. Because for Isabel ethics are not theoretical at all, but an everyday matter of life and death. As she attempts to unravel the truth behind Dr Thompson''s disgrace, Isabel''s patient intelligence is also required to deal with challenges in her own life. There is her baby son Charlie; Cat''s deli to look after, not to mention her vulnerable assistant Eddie; and a mysterious and unlikeable composer who has latched on to Jamie, making Isabel fear for the future of her new family. Isabel treads a difficult path between trust and gullibility, philanthropy and interference, while keeping in her sights the small but certain comforts of family, philosophy and a fine Saturday morning.

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Book SynopsisTo the casual observer, the great enlightened city of Edinburgh, home of no-nonsense philosophers and cream teas, might appear immune to the rollercoaster of strong emotions. But at 44 Scotland Street, as Matthew and Elspeth embark on the risky enterprise of married love, the raffish portrait painter Angus Lordie has a premonition of disaster. And soon enough Irene Pollock is shocked to learn that her small son Bertie harbours a highly unsuitable ambition; the gloriously vain Bruce discovers a wrinkle and confronts rejection; and Angus finds himself facing the grave consequences of unbridled bliss, not to mention a large Glaswegian gangster bearing gifts . . .

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Book Synopsis** 'The evocation of war-torn England, with its palpable mood of defiance, determination and survival, is beautifully caught' SCOTSMANTrade Review** 'The evocation of war-torn England, with its palpable mood of defiance, determination and survival, is beautifully caught * SCOTSMAN *** 'Alexander McCall Smith writes about the enduring, patient qualities of love . . . the novel pays heed to our natural yearning for a story to chew on * THE TIMES *** 'A gentle and uplifting read * DAILY MAIL Books of the Year *** 'Beautifully precise and psychologically acute * INDEPENDENT *

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Book SynopsisWelcome to Corduroy Mansions in Pimlico: a temple of Arts and Crafts architecture, with comforting, weathered brickwork and frankly frivolous dormer windows, it is home to a delightfully eccentric cast of Londoners.In the top flat lives William, with a faithful ex-vegetarian dog named Freddie de la Hay and a freeloading son who he hopes will soon fly the nest. Four lively young women share the first-floor flat, including twinset-and-pearls Caroline from Cheltenham, Dee, vitamin addict and avid subscriber to Anti-oxidant News, and Jenny, a put-upon PA. And round the corner lives Oedipus Snark MP, possibly the world''s only loathsome Lib Dem, who has succeeded in offending everyone he knows, and many others besides. But what dark revenge is being plotted by his mother, Berthea Snark, and by his girlfriend, Barbara Ragg...?Trade ReviewQuirky and original . . . told with warmth, wit and intelligence, and McCall Smith's cast of characters are beautifully observed. It's a page-turner with many happy endings. Perfect * DAILY EXPRESS ** 'Bags of warmth and wisdom and easy, accomplished writing that begs for a comfy chair’ *Kate Saunders, THE TIMES ** 'Richly illustrates McCall Smith's absolute mastery of the art of storytelling * THE LADY ** 'The author's gentle humour and playful teasing-out of moral dilemmas great and small are there in abundance’ *SCOTSMAN ** 'The seriousness is always sugar-dusted in McCall Smith's delight in the ridiculous and his perfectly paced humour * DAILY TELEGRAPH *

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Book SynopsisAs well as its advantages, there are drawbacks to the enlightened village that is twenty-first-century Edinburgh, where every Saturday night ears burn at dinner parties across the city, and anyone requiring the investigative abilities of a philosophical soul knows where to find her.Jillian McKinlay -- wife of a trustee of an illustrious school -- is the latest petitioner; she asks Isabel to look into a poison-pen letter that makes insinuations about applicants for the position of principal. Isabel''s niece Cat has another new boyfriend who seems too good to be true. And when a pretty cellist with a tragic story takes a fancy to her husband-to-be, Isabel finds herself contemplating an act of heroic and alarming self-sacrifice.

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Book SynopsisTHE TWELFTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES'' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIESThe one where Mma Makutsi gets married . . . As the countdown to Mma Makutsi''s big day begins, Violet Sephotho, her former rival for the affections of Phuti Radiphuti, is up to no good as usual. And will Mma Makutsi bury her differences with pushy Mma Potokwani, who has offered to help with the wedding feast?Meanwhile Mma Ramotswe is called away on a case at a southern cattle post, and Charlie has again got himself in a bit of bother with a young lady. At least they all have the happy occasion to look forward to . . .

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Book SynopsisTHE THIRTEENTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES'' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIESThe one where Mma Ramotswe meets her hero . . . Mma Ramotswe, normally a peaceful sleeper, finds her slumbers disturbed by dreams of a tall stranger - but she is not quite ready to learn what this vision portends.Soon even Mma Makutsi has to admit that untoward things are occurring around the No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency: at Speedy motors, Fanwell finds himself in trouble with the law, and the indomitable Mma Potokwani disappears from the orphan farm. Armed with courage, kindness and an instinct for the truth, Mma Ramotswe sets out to restore order . . .

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Book SynopsisDespite inhabiting a great city renowned for its impeccable restraint, the extended family of 44 Scotland Street is trembling on the brink of reckless self-indulgence. Matthew and Elspeth receive startling - and expensive - news on a visit to the Infirmary, Angus and Domenica are contemplating an Italian ménage a trois, and even Big Lou is overheard discussing cosmetic surgery. But when Bertie Pollock - six years old and impatient to be seven - mislays his meddling mother Irene one afternoon, a valuable lesson is learned: that wish-fulfilment is a dangerous business.Warm-hearted, wise and very funny, The Importance of Being Seven brings us a fresh and delightful set of insights into philosophy and fraternity among Edinburgh''s most loveable residents.

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Book SynopsisIn the genteel environs of Corduroy Mansions, Pimlico, strange doings are afoot, mostly in the name of love. Lonely William French and his faithful canine Freddie are recruited to the service of MI6 by a beguiling lady operative, William''s neighbour Caroline finds her suitor James mysteriously lacking, and Barbara Ragg is tempted to the Highlands by blossoming romance. Meanwhile sage psychiatrist Berthea Snark, under normal circumstances the voice of reason, finds herself called away to protect her brother from a band of scheming New Age fraudsters seeking to insert themselves into the bosom of the family.Hilarious and affectionate, The Dog Who Came In from the Cold rejoins Alexander McCall Smith''s delightful London tribe of loveable misfits and hopefuls in a new set of adventures in life, love and philosophy.

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Book SynopsisCorduroy Mansions, Pimlico is an oasis of old-fashioned civilisation, its inhabitants considerate and peace-loving. But beneath the polite exterior seismic change is stirring.Barbara Ragg makes an eye-popping discovery about her stolid Scottish suitor''s past, while Oedipus Snark - newly appointed and tirelessly self-interested Government Minister - has a close encounter in Switzerland that leaves him a new man all together. Then plucky canine Freddie de la Hay goes missing, and his owner, widower William French, is so shaken by an unexpected declaration of love that he seriously considers making a disappearance himself.Goodhearted, well-intentioned but often to be found barking up the wrong tree, the residents of Corduroy Mansions remain a thoroughly entertaining example to us all.

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Book SynopsisHappy with her husband-to-be and beloved son, Isabel Dalhousie has feelings about parenthood that grow more tender daily. So when Jane, a visiting academic adopted and sent to Australia as a baby, asks for help in tracing her Scottish origins, she cannot refuse.However, habitually upright Isabel finds herself beset by temptation - for instance, to be suspicious of Professor Lettuce''s latest subterfuge, and of her niece Cat''s weakness for the wrong man. And when the search for Jane''s parents turns troubling, she can hardly prevent herself from interfering too forcefully in family secrets. As she steers a course between love and laissez-faire, our philosopher heroine succeeds in resisting all temptations but those which must be answered, and teases a solution from every problem.

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Book SynopsisTHE FOURTEENTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES'' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIESThe one with the one hundred per cent new addition . . . There are joyful tidings at the No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency with the arrival of Mma Makutsi''s baby. However, while her assistant is busy with motherhood, Mma Ramotswe must tackle tea-making and detective work alone. Well-known troublemaker Violet Sephotho may or may not be behind a smear campaign against the Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon, and a dispute over the will of a local dignitary points to a shocking family secret. But the agency is resilient, adaptable and open to useful lessons - in particular, that our enemies and allies are not always obvious.Trade ReviewBlake may have been able to see the world in a grain of sand, but McCall Smith can encapsulate the human condition in a plate of stewed pumpkin. His talent is to see the god in small things * Sunday Times Scotland *The magnificent Mma Ramotswe is a delightful original and a reminder of a calm, leisured way of life that still exists in parts of post-colonial Africa * Guardian *Unalloyed pleasure * Sunday Telegraph *A small slice of heaven * Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisBOOK ONE IN THE MUCH-LOVED ISABEL DALHOUSIE SERIESIsabel Dalhousie knows that behind Edinburgh''s Georgian facades, its moral compasses spin with greed, dishonesty and lust. As a philosopher, editor of the Review of Applied Ethics and founder of the Sunday Philosophy Club, her business is to map the intricacies of human behaviour. But when she sees a man tumble from the balcony at the Usher Hall, it''s her instinct that tells her strongly that he didn''t fall: he was pushed. Isabel turns amateur sleuth in a bid to solve the mystery of the falling man, and what she lacks in official status she makes up for in contacts and informants, including her housekeeper Grace, her beautiful niece Cat, and Cat''s ex-boyfriend Jamie, whose charms are causing Isabel to review her own ethics.PRAISE FOR THE ISABEL DALHOUSIE NOVELS:''Isabel Dalhousie''s charm is undeniable'' Sunday Times''The No. 2 Lady Detective . . . anyone who Trade ReviewBrimming with Discreet charm * Mail on Sunday *Like [Barbara] Pym, McCall Smith believes that the small stuff in life matters * Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisIsabel Dalhousie thinks often of friends, sometimes of lovers, and on occasion of chocolate. As an Edinburgh philosopher she is certain of where she stands. She can review a book called In Praise of Sin with panache and conviction, but real life is . . . well, perhaps a bit more challenging - particularly when it comes to her feelings for Jamie, a younger man who should have married her niece, Cat. Jamie''s handsomeness leaves Isabel feeling distinctly uneasy, and ethically disturbed. ''I am a philosopher'', she thinks, ''but I am also a woman''. And more disturbance is in store. When Cat takes a break in Italy, Isabel agrees to run her delicatessen. One of the customers, she discovers, has recently had a heart transplant and is now being plagued by memories that cannot be rationally explained and which he feels do not belong to him. Isabel is intrigued. So intrigued that she finds herself rushing headlong into a dangerous investigation. But she still has time to think about the thingsTrade ReviewLike [Barbara] Pym, McCall Smith believes that the small stuff in life matters * Scotsman *Brimming with discreet charm * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisFor philosophically minded Isabel Dalhousie, editor of the Review of Applied Ethics, getting through life with a clear conscience requires careful thought. And with the arrival of baby Charlie, not to mention a passionate relationship with his father Jamie, fourteen years her junior, Isabel enters deeper and rougher waters. Late motherhood is not the only challenge facing Isabel. Even as she negotiates a truce with her furious niece Cat, and struggles for authority over her son with her formidable housekeeper Grace, Isabel finds herself drawn into the story of a painter''s mysterious death off the island of Jura. Perhaps most seriously of all, Isabel''s professional existence and that of her beloved Review come under attack from the machiavellian and suspiciously handsome Professor Dove. A master storyteller whether debating ethics in Edinburgh or pursuing lady detectives in Africa, here Alexander McCall Smith is as witty and wise as his irresistibly spirited heroine.<

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Book SynopsisAs summer blooms in Edinburgh''s gardens and Bertie Pollock''s birthday appears on the horizon, all at 44 Scotland Street is not cake and sunshine. Newlywed Angus Lordie has been booked by his bride into what he must not call the loony bin; Bruce''s first encounter with hot wax brings more anguish than he bargained for; and Bertie''s birthday dreams of scout camp and a penknife look set to be replaced by a game of Royal Weddings and a gender-neutral doll. But fate, an amorous Bedouin and the Dubai Tourist Authority conspire to transport Bertie''s mother Irene to a warmer - if not a better - place, and once again in Scotland Street the triumph of human kindness over adversity gives cause for celebration.Trade ReviewFor an author to entertain and instruct with such effortless simplicity is one thing, but to achieve this effect upon readers is remarkable. I can think of no author save Dickens who has achieved it, and no author now writing currently more deserving of an enormous audience * New Statesman *Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers lets us immediately relax, secure in the knowledge that we are in a safe pair of hands as McCall Smith is an engaging and a witty guide to the goings on (and comings off) at fictional 44 Scotland Street * Sunday Express *

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Book Synopsis''While My Italian Bulldozer certainly advocates a kind, considerate, some might even say old-fashioned approach to resolving affairs of the heart, it also succeeds in subtly, almost imperceptibly ripping up the traditional rules of the romantic comedy and creating something refreshingly original'' ScotsmanWhen writer Paul Stewart heads to the idyllic Italian town of Montalcino to finish his already late book, it seems like the perfect escape from stressful city life. Upon landing, however, things quickly take a turn for the worse when he discovers his hired car is nowhere to be found. With no record of any reservation and no other cars available it looks like Paul is stuck at the airport. That is, until an enterprising stranger offers him an unexpected alternative. While there may be no cars available there is something else on offer: a bulldozer.With little choice in the matter, Paul accepts and so begins a series of laugh out loud adventures tTrade ReviewWhile My Italian Bulldozer certainly advocates a kind, considerate, some might even say old-fashioned approach to resolving affairs of the heart, it also succeeds in subtly, almost imperceptibly ripping up the traditional rules of the romantic comedy and creating something refreshingly original * Scotsman *This novel has the usual combination of light-hearted gentleness and forensic acuity, reminding the reader never to underestimate McCall Smith's fundamental seriousness of purpose * Sydney Morning Herald *

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Book SynopsisTHE TWENTIETH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES'' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIESThe one with the mysterious reverend . . . At a local wedding, Mma Ramotswe reunites with a friend whose daughter has inexplicably turned away from her. Elsewhere, several ladies in the region fall under the spell of a charismatic self-styled reverend. With little work on at the agency, Precious and Mma Makutsi see no harm in looking into such curious events. Meanwhile, Charlie is anxious. How can he, the part-time detective, secure his love''s hand in marriage? Even in the quietest months, it seems, there''s plenty for the No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency to investigate . . . (To the Land of Long Lost Friends is the 20th book in The No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency series, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.)''Irresistible''The Times''Every page contains a gem of wit and insight''ScotsmanTrade Review[To the Land of Long Lost Friends] touch[es] on both the minutiae of life and discussions of greater questions . . . Every page contains a gem of wit and insight, and there are also beautiful descriptions of the landscape, so much so that you can almost feel the throbbing heat of the day and the coolness of night. The gentle pace of the narrative gives the characters - and readers - time for reflection, and to dig deeper into wider questions of love, compassion and respect. The novel doesn't shy away from the most difficult subjects either. A moving passage about the life of a young orphan is likely to prompt tears in all but the hardest of hearts * Scotsman *

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