Welcome to 44 Scotland Street, home to some of Edinburgh’s most colorful characters. There’s Pat, a twenty-year-old who has recently moved into a flat with Bruce, an athletic young man with a keen awareness of his own appearance. Their neighbor, Domenica, is an eccentric and insightful widow. In the flat below are Irene and her appealing son Bertie, who is the victim of his mother’s desire for him to learn the saxophone and italian-all at the tender age of five. Love triangles, a lost painting, intriguing new friends, and an encounter with a famous Scottish crime writer are just a few of the ingredients that add to this delightful and witty portrait of Edinburgh society, which was first published as a serial in The Scotsman newspaper.

Beloved author Alexander McCall Smith is a worldwide phenomenon thanks to his multiple best-selling series. In A Conspiracy of Friends, life at Corduroy Mansions, nestled in London’s hip Pimlico neighborhood, is as lively as ever. While Berthea Snark scribbles a scathing biography of a Parliament member- her son!- William French frets that his own son will never leave home. And to no one’s surprise, clever terrier Freddie de la Hay has sniffed his way into a heap of trouble.

In this latest installment of Alexander McCall Smith’s ever-delightful and perennially best-selling series, amateur sleuth and philosopher Isabel Dalhousie is called upon to help when a matchmaker begins to question her latest match. A new baby brings an abundance of joy to Isabel Dalhousie and her husband, Jamie-but Isabel’s almost four-year-old son, Charlie, is none too keen on his newborn brother. In fact, Charlie refuses to acknowledge Magnus, and Isabel must find a way to impress upon her older son the patience and understanding that have served as guiding principles in her own life. These are, of course, the qualities that bring Rosemary Hipple, an old acquaintance of Isabel’s, to seek her help in a tricky situation. Rosemary is something of a matchmaker and has brought together a cosmetic surgeon and a successful banker at her most recent dinner party. But new information comes to light about the cosmetic surgeon that causes Rosemary to doubt the auspiciousness of the match. Isabel agrees to find out more, but her inquiries take an unexpected turn, and she starts to wonder which of the two she should be investigating after all. As ever, her intelligence, quick wit, and deep empathy for others will come to her aid as she grapples with the issues that are her bread and butter: friendship and its duties, the obligation of truthfulness, and the importance of perspective.

The latest, delectably witty installment of Alexander McCall Smith’s sumptuous 44 Scotland Street series.

For the residents of 44 Scotland Street, life in Edinburgh’s intriguing New Town is a thing to be relished. After all, there are new faces to excite Domenica’s anthropological imagination, precious moments with his triplets for Matthew to savor, and the prospect of a trip to the promised land of Glasgow for young Bertie.

But there are mysteries that need solving too. Could Angus Lordie’s dog, Cyril–the only dog in Scotland with a gold tooth–have unearthed a Neanderthal skull? Does the long-suffering Stuart have any hope of kindling a new relationship when Bruce, ever the navel gazer and consummate seducer, effortlessly steps into his pas de deux? And how will the patrons of Big Lou’s cafe react to the menu’s imminent culinary transformation?

The stories of this wonderfully vibrant cast may take unexpected turns, but the warmth and humor at Scotland’s most recognizable address will ultimately affirm the joy life brings us all.

In this latest installment in the beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Grace Makutsi encounters a pair of quandaries that will require all of her and Mma Ramotswe’s insight and intuition to resolve.

Grace Makutsi’s husband, Phuti Radiphuti, 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 firm seems interested only in
profits. To make matters worse, they have a slick new advertising campaign that seems hard to beat.

Meanwhile, Grace is approached by an old friend who has a troubled son. She and Phuti agree to take Patience and Modise in and lend a hand, but things don’t work out quite as intended, and the situation proves difficult for them to handle. It will
require not only all of their persistence and dedication but also help from an unexpected quarter to find a solution that will make everyone happy.

Faced with more than her fair share of delicate dilemmas, Mma Makutsi deals with it all with her usual graciousness. This–along with the kindness, generosity, and good sense for which the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is known–assures
us that, in the end, each of these matters will be set right.

The latest installment of Alexander McCall Smith’s perennially popular and irresistibly charming 44 Scotland Street series. When Pat accepts her narcissistic ex-boyfriend Bruce’s invitation for coffee, she has no idea of the complications in her romantic and professional life that will follow. Meanwhile, Matthew, her boss at the art gallery, attracts the attention of the police after a misunderstanding at the local bookstore. Whether caused by small things such as a cup of coffee and a book, or major events such as Stuart’s application for promotion and his wife Irene’s decision to pursue a PhD in Aberdeen, change is coming to Scotland Street. But for three seven-year-old boy-Bertie Pollock, Ranald, and Big Lou’s foster son, Finlay-it also means getting a glimpse of perfect happiness. Alexander McCall Smith’s delightfully witty, wise and sometimes surreal comedy spirals out in surprising ways in this new installment, but its heart remains where it has always been at the center of life in Edinburgh’s New Town.

When a visiting croc expert invites Akimbo along on a field study, Akimbo is thrilled. But when the crocodiles attack the guide, injuring him gravely, it will be up to Akimbo to cross a crocodile-infested river and jump start a truck to bring back help. A rousing new Akimbo adventure from bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith.

Born in Zimbabwe, New York Times best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith uses his first-hand knowledge of Africa to connect with his young audience and supply his Akimbo chapter books with vivid details. In a central African animal sanctuary, young Akimbo sees the carcass of a mother elephant rotting in the sun. Hearing that his ranger father rarely catches these killers, Akimbo hatches a secret plan to apprehend these villains himself. But are the dangers too daunting for this aspiring hero? “This story … conveys appreciation and respect for the African landscape, culture, and people .” -Booklist

Alexander McCall Smith, New York Times best-selling author of the acclaimed #1 Ladies’ Detective Agency) series, captures the hearts and imaginations of young listeners with the unique and tender tale of Akimbo and his lion, Simba. When Akimbo and his park ranger father accidentally capture a lion cub, Akimbo decides to name it Simba and care for it. The two soon become inseparable. But when Simba grows too big, Akimbo must make the right choice for his wild friend. “Akimbo emerges as a brave, caring protagonist who faces dilemmas and danger in the service of the animals and people he loves.”-Booklist

New York Times best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith pens a tale that’s sure to please children and their parents. Ten-year-old Akimbo gets to spend several days with his uncle Peter at his east African snake park! His uncle first takes him on a tour of the snake-filled sanctuary. Soon Akimbo learns important facts about snakes and helps his uncle with various tasks from milking cobra venom to feeding constrictors. But when local livestock begin dropping dead, he and his uncle must capture the offending green mamba-a rare and deadly snake.

No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency author Alexander McCall Smith also writes the hugely popular Isabel Dalhousie mysteries. A favorite novella in that series, “At the Reunion Buffet” showcases Isabel’s grit and grace as a friend-and dinner host. Inviting 25 former classmates to a reunion dinner, Isabel sees an opportunity to finally resolve age-old differences among her classmates. But when damaging secrets and long-held resentments surface, Isabel finds the path to true forgiveness runs along a very slippery slope.

The irresistible wit of New York Times best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith has won over countless fans. His subtle humor and enchanting characterizations are fully on display in At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances. Professor Dr. von Igelfeld is pleased with his role as a visiting scholar at Cambridge, even if his English colleagues are difficult to comprehend. They frequently speak in metaphors and make peculiar assumptions, saying such odd things as, “I take it your journey went well,” when that is not the case at all.

Domestic bliss seems in short supply at 44 Scotland Street. Over at the Pollocks, dad, Stuart, is harbouring a secret about a secret society and Bertie is feeling kind of blue. Having had enough of his neurotic hot-housing mother, he puts himself up for adoption on eBay. Will he go to the highest bidder or will he have to take matters into his own hands? Will the lovelorn Big Lou find true love on the internet? And will Angus Lordie and Domenica make it up the aisle? Catch up with all your favourite faces down in 44 Scotland Street as we follow their daily pursuit of a little happiness.

Alexander McCall Smith’s wildly popular 44 Scotland Street series chronicles life in a corner of Edinburgh brimming with wit and humor. Newlywed painter and sometime somnambulist Angus Lordie might be sleepwalking his way into trouble with Animal Welfare when he lets his dog Cyril drink a bit too much lager at the local bar. The longsuffering Bertie, on the cusp of his seventh birthday party, has taken to dreaming about his eighteenth, a time when he will be able to avoid the indignity of unwanted girl attendees and the looming threat of a gender-neutral doll from his domineering mother Irene. Matthew and Elspeth struggle to care for their triplets, contending with Danish au pairs and dubious dukes to boot, while the narcissistic Bruce faces his greatest challenge yet in the form of an over-eager waxologist. As ever, when Alexander McCall Smith visits 44 Scotland Street, fun is sure to follow.

Life is good for Mma Ramotswe as she sets out with her usual resolve to solve people’s problems, heal their misfortunes, and untangle the mysteries that make life interesting. And life is never dull on Tlokweng Road. A new and rather too brusque advice columnist is appearing in the local paper. Then, a cobra is found in the offices of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Recently, the Mokolodi Game Preserve manager feels an infectious fear spreading among his workers, and a local doctor may be falsifying blood pressure readings. To further complicate matters, Grace Makutsi may have scared off her own fiance. Mma Ramotswe, however, is always up to the challenge. And Blue Shoes and Happiness will not fail to entertain Alexander McCall Smith’s oldest fans and newest converts with its great wit, charm, and great good will.

It is said that a picture may be worth a thousand words but an old photograph can inspire many more. In this beguiling book, Alexander McCall Smith casts his eye over five chanced-upon photographs from the era of black-and-white photography and imagines the stories behind them.Who were those people, what were their stories, why are they smiling, what made them sad?What emerges are surprising and poignant tales of love and friendship in a variety of settings – an estate in the Highlands of Scotland, a travelling circus in Canada, an Australian gold-mining town, a village in Ireland, and the Scottish capital, Edinburgh.Some will find joy and fulfilment – others would prefer happier endings. Each of them, though, will find love, and that is ultimately what matters.

In the Corduroy Mansions series of novels, set in London’s hip Pimlico neighborhood, we meet a cast of charming eccentrics, including perhaps the world’s most clever terrier, who make their home in a handsome, though slightly dilapidated, apartment block. Corduroy Mansions is the affectionate nickname given to a genteel, crumbling mansion block in London’s vibrant Pimlico neighborhood and the home turf of a captivating collection of quirky and altogether McCall-Smithian characters. There’s the middle-aged wine merchant William, who’s trying to convince his reluctant twenty-four-year-old son, Eddie, to leave the nest; and Marcia, the boutique caterer who has her sights set on William. There’s also the (justifiably) much-loathed Member of Parliament oedipus Snark; his mother, Berthea, who’s writing his biography and hating every minute of it; and his long-suffering girlfriend, Barbara, a literary agent who would like to be his wife (but, then, she’d like to be almost anyone’s wife). There’s the vitamin evangelist, the psychoanalyst, the art student with a puzzling boyfriend and Freddie de la Hay, the Pimlico terrier who insists on wearing a seat belt and is almost certainly the only avowed vegetarian canine in London. Filled with the ins and outs of neighborliness in all its unexpected variations, Corduroy Mansions showcases the life, laughter and humanity that have become the hallmarks of Alexander McCall Smith’s work.

In this course, we will discuss the various moral aspects of human reproduction from methods of conception to methods of ending a pregnancy. We will discuss the moral, cultural, legal, and political influences on reproduction as well as the scientific advances in reproductive technology.

An unstoppable combination: Alexander McCall Smith and Jane Austen, as Sandy modernizes the story of Emma Woodhouse. Emma Woodhouse’s widowed father is an anxious man, obsessed with nutrition and the latest vitamins. He lives the life of a country gentleman in contemporary England, protectively raising his young daughters, Isabella and Emma. While Isabella grows into a young woman, marries a society photographer for Vogue at the age of 19 and gets down to the business of reproducing herself, Emma pursues a degree in interior design at university in Bath, and then returns to set up shop in her home village. With her educated eye for the coordination of pattern and colour, Emma thinks she can now judge what person would best be paired with another, and sets about matchmaking her young friend, Harriet, with various possible suitors. Little does she know she is not the only person encouraging romantic pairings in the village. As Emma’s cupid-like curiosity about her neighbours, both young and old, moves her to uncover their deeper

Back are all our favorite denizens of a Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh. Bertie the immensely talented six year old is now enrolled in kindergarten, and much to his dismay, has been clad in pink overalls for his first day of class. Bruce has lost his job as a surveyor, and between admiring glances in the mirror, is contemplating becoming a wine merchant. Pat is embarking on a new life at Edinburgh University and perhaps on a new relationship, courtesy of Domenica, her witty and worldly-wise neighbor. McCall Smith has much in store for them as the brief spell of glorious summer sunshine gives way to fall a season cursed with more traditionally Scottish weather.

An all-new, never-before-published original short novel by the bestselling author of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, about a hapless American tourist’s larger-than-life comical trip to Ireland. Shortlisted for the 2015 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse prize for comic fiction Cornelius P. Fatty” O’Leary and his wife, Betty, plan a vacation in Ireland for his fortieth birthday, where they will tour his ancestral homeland and relax in the countryside. Almost immediately, things go terribly wrong: the seats in economy class on the plane are too small; the country hotel’s dinner spread and bathroom fixtures leave much to be desired; and the down-to-earth O’Learys find their fellow guests are more than a little snobbish. In this amusing and touching portrayal of a kindly, misunderstood soul, McCall Smith has created yet another memorable character who will become an instant favorite to his many fans.

In this delightful second installment in Alexander McCall Smith’s bestselling detective series, the irrepressibly curious Isabel Dalhousie gets caught up in a highly unusual affair of the heart. When Isabel is asked to cover for vacationing Cat at her delicatessen, Isabel meets a man with a most interesting problem. He recently had a heart transplant and is suddenly haunted by memories of events that never happened to him.The situation piques her insatiable curiosity: Could the memories be connected with the donor’s demise? Naturally, Isabel’s friend Jamie thinks it is none of Isabel’s business. Meanwhile, Grace, Isabel’s housekeeper, has become infatuated with a man at her spiritualist meeting, and Cat brings home an Italian lothario. That makes for some particularly tricky problems-both practical and philosophical-for Isabel to unravel in this enormously engaging and highly unusual mystery

New York Times best-selling author of more than 50 books, Alexander McCall Smith delights children with his Akimbo adventures and Harriet Bean mysteries. Something strange is happening to Mr. Fetlock’s well-trained racehorses! Suddenly his swiftest steeds are running slowly. Sometimes they just sit down. Nine-year-old Harriet Bean is just the right size to pose as a jockey and unravel this bizarre mystery. But as Harriet sits next to Black Lightning, she has second thoughts about riding such a terrifying beast and exposing the diabolical League of Cheats. “. for young readers and the inner child in all of us.”-book jacket

New York Times best-selling author of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency and recipient of two Booker Judges’ Special Recommendations, Alexander McCall Smith delivers an intriguing collection of stories about dating. The emotions in these tales run from the thrill of finding happiness to the humiliation and loneliness of rejection.

In this latest installment in the cherished No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Mma Ramotswe must balance family obligations with the growing needs of one of Charlie’s pet projects.

Precious Ramotswe loves her dependable old van. Yes, it sometimes takes a bit longer to get going now, and it has developed some quirks over the years, but it has always gotten the job done.
This time, though, the world–and Charlie–may be asking too much of it, for when he borrows the beloved vehicle, he returns it damaged. And, to make matters worse, the interior seems to have acquired an
earthy smell that even Precious can’t identify.

But the olfactory issue is not the only mystery that needs solving. Mma Ramotswe is confronted by a distant relative, Blessing, who asks for help with an ailing cousin. The help requested is of a
distinctly pecuniary nature, which makes both Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni and Mma Makutsi suspicious. And there is no peace at home, either, as the new neighbors are airing their marital grievances rather
loudly. Still, Mma Ramotswe is confident that the solutions to all of these difficulties are there to be discovered–as long as she is led by kindness, grace, and logic and can rely on the counsel of her friends and loved ones.

From the beloved author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series comes a beautiful and transporting volume of poems brimming with warmth and humanity.

What matters most in life? For Alexander McCall Smith, it is friendship, love, and travel–the themes found throughout his work that have made him a cherished writer the world over. This first collection of McCall Smith’s poems reflects on
these topics with all his characteristic wit and charm.

In this delightful work, McCall Smith takes us on a captivating journey from Africa to Greece, London, North America, Mumbai, and back home to Scotland, celebrating people, places, animals, and books. There are moments of sweeping
insight and soaring feeling, and moments that will have you laughing along as they subtly shift your worldview. This inimitable writer shares his distinctively astute and good-natured observations on life, love, and beauty, reminding us of the deep
satisfaction that can be found when we open ourselves up to the world with our whole heart, and watch as it takes on a kinder and gentler shape.

Readers everywhere have been captivated by the New York Times best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, from award-winning wit Alexander McCall Smith. Mma Ramotswe is very busy. She has a full caseload at the agency, there’s been an intruder in her home, and her unfortunate past has returned to haunt her. Maybe it’s a good thing her husband, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, is too distracted to notice. For it seems one of his apprentices has run off with an older woman!

A 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.

In the microcosm of 44 Scotland Street, all of life’s richness can be found in the glorious goings-on of its residents.

For Bertie Pollock, things seem to be moving along at a pace that is rather out of his control. In Drummond Place Garden, it appears young Olive has their future together mapped out, wedding venue and all. Meanwhile, Bertie’s domineering
mother, Irene, is off in Aberdeen, beckoning him to come stay for a few months–and his father, Stuart, might be powerless to stand up to her. Farther up in the New Town, bumptious Bruce Anderson is up to his usual antics, scheming with
some old school friends over a crisp bacon roll and a warm cup of coffee at Big Lou’s. And in the midst of it all, just across the counter, a new love story may be writing itself for the cafe’s most personable proprietor.

With generous warmth, gentle hijinks, and genuine philosophical insight, the stories of these delightful characters offer a touching reminder that life is full of goodness and love, so long as you are willing to receive it.

The 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. This just in from Edinburgh: the complicated lives of the denizens of 44 Scotland Street are becoming no simpler. Domenica Macdonald has left for the Malacca Straits to conduct a perilous anthropological study of pirate households. Angus Lordie’s dog, Cyril, has been stolen, and is facing an uncertain future wandering the streets. Bertie, the prodigiously talented six-year-old, is still enduring psychotherapy, but his burden is lightened by a junior orchestra’s trip to Paris, where he makes some interesting new friends. Back in Edinburgh, there is romance for Pat with a handsome young man called Wolf, until she begins to see the attractions of the more prosaically named Matthew. Teeming with McCall Smith’s wonderful wit and charming depictions of Edinburgh, Love Over Scotland is another beautiful ode to a city and its people that continue to fascinate this astounding author.

Best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith enthralls children with Akimbo adventures, Harriet Bean mysteries, and Max & Maddy detective tales like Max & Maddy and the Chocolate Money Mystery. Wealthy adventurer Harry Helium hires Max and Maddy Twist-world Clue champions and children of private detective legends-to stop a saboteur from affecting a New York to Vancouver hot-air balloon race. But as the race begins and dangerous incidents grow worse, the mysterious culprit lurks closer than anyone realizes.

Alexander McCall Smith-best-selling author of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency-enthralls children with his Akimbo adventures, Harriet Bean mysteries, and Max & Maddy detective tales. Swiss banker Conrad Huffendorf hires Max and Maddy Twist-world Clue champions and children of private detective legends-to stop a rash of bank robberies. Bank security cameras show each holdup being carried out by a different Saint Bernard. But how can the young detectives find these dogs and capture their evil trainer? “Fast-moving, lighthearted mystery.”-Publishers Weekly

The quick-witted, good-natured detective Mma “Precious” Ramotswe shines in this irresistible bestseller. Between intriguing new cases and troubling personal developments, Precious’ hands are full. The four Miss Beauty and Integrity pageant finalists may have questionable moral fiber, and the brother of an important government worker has allegedly been poisoned. On top of all that, Precious’ reliable fiancE might be hiding something.

When 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 through the Italian countryside, following in the wake of Paul and his Italian Bulldozer. A story of unexpected circumstance and lesson in making the best of what you have, My Italian Bulldozer is a warm holiday read guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Pictures capture moments in time, presenting the viewer with a window into another life. But a picture can go only so far. Who are the people in the image?
What are their fears? What are their dreams? In the fourteen delightful tales in this collection, Alexander McCall Smith imagines the lives and loves of some of the
everyday people pictured in these twentieth-century photographs. A young woman finds unexpected love while perusing Egyptian antiquities. A family is
forever fractured when war comes to Penang, in colonial Malaysia. Iron Jelloid tablets help to reveal a young man’s inner strength. And twin sisters discover that
it’s never too late to forge a new path–even when standing at the altar.

There are big stories behind these simple images. Though at first glance they may appear to represent small moments, these photographs in fact speak
volumes, uncovering possibilities of love, friendship, and happiness. With his indomitable charm, Alexander McCall Smith takes us behind the lens to explore
the hidden lives of those photographed; in so doing, he reveals the humanity in us all.

From the New York Times best-selling creator of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels and winner of the inaugural Saga Award for Wit, comes the first novel starring distinguished philologist Professor Doctor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld. Von Igelfeld is the world’s leading scholar on Portuguese irregular verbs. But in other matters – such as tennis against equally dreadful opponents and the arranging of fencing duels – he is not nearly so skilled. Yet that does not stop him from having a go at life, and the results are always humorous.

The delightful seventeenth installment of the ever-popular, perennially best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier lady detective, is a little short on help. The co-director of the agency, Grace Makutsi, is busy with her own case, her client none other than their erstwhile assistant, Mr. Polopetsi, who has unwittingly involved himself in a pyramid scheme. The agency’s other assistant, Charlie, may also need more help than he can offer, as he is newly embroiled in a romance with a glamorous woman about whom the others have their doubts. So when a young Canadian woman approaches Mma Ramotswe with a complex case, it’s up to her alone to solve it-with her signature intuition and insight, of course. The young woman spent part of her childhood in Botswana and needs help finding a long-lost acquaintance. But much time has passed, and her memory yields few clues. The difficult search-and the unexpected results-will remind them all that sometimes it’s those we think we know best who most surprise us.

The author of the beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency draws from his own sailing experience to deliver this rip-roaring adventure on the high seas. The first volume in a  middle-grade adventure-mystery series perfect for boys and girls!
 
Ben and Fee MacTavish are twins who’ve been homeschooled on a submarine. Now they’re heading to the School Ship Tobermory. This is no ordinary school—it’s a sailing ship where kids from around the world train to be sailors and learn about all things nautical. Come aboard as the kids set sail for their first adventure.

Ben and Fee make friends as they adjust to life aboard the Tobermory. When a film crew arrives on a nearby ship, the Albatross, Ben is one of the lucky kids chosen as a movie extra. But after a day’s filming, his suspicions are aroused. Are the director and crew really shooting a film? Or are they protecting a secret on the lower decks of the Albatross? Ben, Fee, and their friends set out to investigate. Are they prepared for what they might find?

Once more, we catch up with the delightful goings-on in the fictitious 44 Scotland Street from Alexander McCall Smith. With customary charm and deftness, Alexander McCall Smith gives us another instalment in this popular series, now running in its eighth season in The Scotsman.

Known the world over for his No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Alexander McCall Smith is also the author of the much-loved Isabel Dalhousie mysteries. In “Sweet Thoughtful Valentine,” Isabel faces a moral dilemma after she learns a delicate secret. Entrusted with the intimate details of a former classmate’s collapsing marriage, Isabel finds herself in the awful position of having to betray a trust. With the weight of her moral obligation bearing down, Isabel must rely on her considerable wit and the guidance of her devoted husband to save the day.

The 10th entry in the internationally best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series finds Precious Ramotswe investigating a mystery that hits close to home. In this latest installment in the endlessly entertaining series, Precious Ramotswe faces problems both personal and professional. The first is the potential demise of an old friend, her tiny white van. Recently, it has developed a rather troubling knock, but she dare not consult the estimable Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni for fear he may condemn the vehicle. Meanwhile, her talented assistant Mma Makutsi is plagued by the reappearance of her nemesis, Violet Sephotho, who has taken a job at the Double Comfort Furniture store whose proprietor is none other than Phuti Radiphuti, Mma Makutsi’s fiancE. Finally, the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency has been hired to explain the unexpected losing streak of a local football club, the Kalahari Swoopers. But with Mma Ramotswe on the case, it seems certain that everything will be resolved satisfactorily.

Precious Ramotswe is the eminently sensible and cunning proprietor of the only ladies’ detective agency in Botswana. In Tears of the Giraffe she tracks a wayward wife, uncovers an unscrupulous maid, and searches for an American man who disappeared into the plains many years ago. In the midst of resolving uncertainties, pondering her impending marriage to a good, kind man, Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni, and the promotion of her talented secretary (a graduate of the Botswana Secretarial College, with a mark of 97 per cent), she also finds her family suddenly and unexpectedly increased by two.

The newest installment of Alexander McCall Smith’s perennially popular and irresistibly charming 44 Scotland Street series. Bertie’s respite from his overbearing mother, Irene, is over. She has returned home from the Middle East, only to discover that her son has been exposed to the worst of evils: cartoons, movies, and even carbonated beverages. But the one who should be most concerned is her unfortunate husband, Stuart, upon whom her wrath is about to descend. Meanwhile, Bruce has fallen in love with someone other than himself; Big Lou wants to adopt her beloved Finlay; Matthew and Elspeth host the Duke of Johannesburg for supper; and Bertie decides he wants to move away from Scotland Street altogether and live with his grandmother, Nicola. Will Irene and Stuart’s marriage survive? Will Bruce’s newfound love last? And can Bertie really be leaving home? With wit, warmth, and humor, Alexander McCall Smith explores these matters of the heart and more with the colorful cast of characters from 44 Scotland Street.

Nothing captures the charm of Edinburgh like the bestselling Isabel Dalhousie series of novels featuring the insatiably curious philosopher and woman detective. Whether investigating a case or a problem of philosophy, the indefatigable Isabel Dalhousie, one of fiction’s most richly developed amateur detectives, is always ready to pursue the answers to all of life’s questions, large and small. In the fourth installment of this enchanting, beloved series, Isabel Dalhousie, who is now a mother, returns to investigate an irresistible puzzle in the art world. Isabel Dalhousie-the nosiest and most sympathetic philosopher you are likely to meet-now has a son, Charlie, whose doting father Jamie has an intriguing idea to pose to Isabel: marriage. But Isabel wonders if Jamie is too young to be serious? And how would Cat respond? On top of these matters, the ambitious Professor Dove has seized Isabel’s position as editor of the Review of Applied Ethics. However, nothing it seems can diminish Isabel’s innate curiosity. And when she recognizes that two paintings attributed to a deceased artist have simultaneously appeared on the market, she can’t help but think that they’re forgeries. So Isabel begins an investigation and soon finds herself diverted from her musings about parenthood and onto a path of inquiry into the soul of an artist.

Nothing captures the charm of Edinburgh like the bestselling Isabel Dalhousie series of novels featuring the insatiably curious philosopher and woman detective. Whether investigating a case or a problem of philosophy, the indefatigable Isabel Dalhousie, one of fiction’s most richly developed amateur detectives, is always ready to pursue the answers to all of life’s questions, large and small. Isabel has been asked to discreetly investigate the candidates for the position of headmaster at a local boys’ school. The board has three final candidates but has received an anonymous letter alleging that one of them is not suitable.What she discovers about the candidates is surprising, but what she discovers about herself and about Jamie, the father of her young son, turns out to be equally revealing. Isabel’s investigation will have her exploring issues of ambition, as well as of charity, forgiveness, and humility, as she moves nearer and nearer to some of the most hidden precincts of the human heart.

Precious Ramotswe dips her toe into the world of politics in the newest addition to the beloved and best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. When Mma Potokwane suggests to Mma Ramotswe that she run for a seat on the City Council, Mma Ramotswe is at first unsure. But when she learns about the proposed construction of the flashy Big Fun Hotel next to a graveyard, she allows herself to be persuaded. Her opponent is none other than Violet Sephotho, who is in the pocket of the hotel developers. Although Violet is intent on using every trick in the book to secure her election, Mma Ramotswe refuses to promise anything beyond what she can deliver-hence her slogan: “I can’t promise anything-but I shall do my best.” To everyone’s surprise, she wins. As it turns out, politics does not agree with Mma Ramotswe. Though everyone is supportive, she eventually resigns. She thinks there will be a new election, but she discovers that the rules state that in such an event, the runner-up automatically takes the seat. Violet is triumphant, and sure that she will get the Big Fun Hotel planning application through without a hitch. But Mma Makutsi and Mma Potokwane are not about to make it easy for her. Through it all, Mma Ramotswe uses her good humor and generosity of spirit to help the community navigate divisive issues, and proves that honesty and compassion will always carry the day.

In the delectable fifth installment of the bestselling adventures of Isabel Dalhousie, our cherished inquisitive heroine returns to investigate a medical mystery. A doctor’s career has been ruined by allegations of medical fraud and Isabel cannot ignore what may be a miscarriage of justice. Besides, Isabel’s insatiable interest is piqued and she finds herself asking questions. Would a respected doctor make such a grave mistake? If not, what explains the death of the patient? Clearly, an investigation is in order. Meanwhile, there is her baby Charlie, who needs looking after; her niece Cat who needs someone to mind her deli; and a mysterious composer who has latched on to Jamie, making Isabel decidedly uncomfortable. Whatever the problem, whatever the case, we know we can count on Isabel’s instincts to help her find the right solution.

Harriet Bean is thrilled! Her two detective aunts Thessalonika and Japonica are taking her across the vast Atlantic Ocean to the wilds of America. When they arrive at their destination, Harriet is happy to discover she has a sixth aunt-Aunt Formica the cowgirl. To add to her joy, Harriet soon learns there’s also a mystery to solve. Crafty cattle rustlers are somehow stealing Aunt Formica’s cows. But Harriet and her three madcap aunts must move quicker than greased lightning if they want to catch these slippery thieves and save the ranch. It’s time to saddle up and follow the clues. “. Alexander McCall Smith [pens] a charming new mystery that will keep young readers guessing-and laughing-from the first clue to the last.”-Fantasticfiction.co.uk

From the beloved and bestselling author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series comes a lighthearted comedic novel about a Swedish police department tasked with solving the most unusual, complicated, and, often, insignificant crimes. The detectives who work in Malmo Police’s Department of Sensitive Crimes take their job very seriously. The lead detective, Ulf Varg, prioritizes his cases above even his dog’s mental health. Then there are detectives Anna Bengsdotter, who keeps her relationship with Varg professional even as she realizes she’s developing feelings for him . . . or at least for his car, and Carl Holgersson, first to arrive in the morning and last to leave, who would never read his colleagues’ personal correspondence–unless it could help solve a crime, of course. Finally, there’s Erik Nykvist, who peppers conversations with anecdotes about fly fishing. Along with an opinionated local police officer named Blomquist, the Department of Sensitive Crimes takes on three extremely strange cases. First, the detectives investigate how and why a local business owner was stabbed . . . in the back of the knee. Next, a young woman’s imaginary boyfriend goes missing. And, in the final investigation, Varg must determine whether nocturnal visitations at a local spa have a supernatural element. Using his renowned wit and warmth, Alexander McCall Smith brings a unique perspective on Scandinavian crime. Equal parts hilarious and heartening, The Department of Sensitive Crimes is a tour de farce from a literary master.

New York Times best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith brings his peerless wit to this second entry featuring a motley collection of residents in London’s Pimlico neighborhood. Literary agent Barbara Ragg has agreed to represent a man writing a book about his experiences hanging out with the Abominable Snowman. And our small, furry, endlessly surprising canine hero, Freddie de la Hay, has been recruited by MI6 to infiltrate a Russian spy ring. Needless to say, the other denizens of Corduroy Mansions have issues of their own. But all of them will be addressed with the wit, charm, and insight into the foibles of the human condition that have become the hallmark of this truly peerless storyteller.

In this story, Precious Ramotswe deals with issues of mistaken identity and great fortune against the beautiful backdrop of Botswana’s remote and striking Okavango Delta. Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi head to a safari camp to carry out a delicate mission on behalf of a former guest who has left one of the guides a large sum of money. But once they find their man, Precious begins to sense that something is not right. To make matters worse, shortly before their departure Mma Makutsi’s fiancee, Phuti Radiphuti, suffers a debilitating accident, and when his aunt moves in to take care of him, she also pushes Mma Makutsi out of the picture. Could she be trying to break up the relationship? Finally, a local priest and his wife independently approach Mma Ramotswe with concerns of infidelity, creating a rather unusual and tricky situation. Nevertheless, Precious is confident that with a little patience, kindness and good sense things will work out for the best, something that will delight her many fans.

The next installment in Alexander McCall Smith’s charming 44 Scotland Street SeriesIt’s the most anticipated, and perhaps controversial, event of the decade—Lou and Bob’s wedding—and everyone is invited. But the relative peace and tranquility of 44 Scotland Street is about to be disrupted. Outspoken Irene is returning home for a two-month stay, with plans to send young Bertie to a sleepaway camp—a most unappealing proposition. She also manages to come between the enigmatic nun, Sister Maria-Fiore dei Fiori di Montagna, and her dear friend, Antonia Collie.And what of Bruce Anderson who, after a lightning strike, has developed an unfamiliar personality and outlook? His newfound perspective will be put to the test as he prepares to abandon all creature comforts for a life of monastic simplicity. His house sitter, Borthy Borthwick, meanwhile, gets a little too comfortable in his new surroundings and discovers that his talented patron’s shoes are all too easy to slip into. With great taste comes great responsibility. Though the personal lives of this lovable cast may twist and turn in unexpected ways, one thing always remains certain—home is where the heart is. And that heart lies at 44 Scotland Street.

With millions of copies of his New York Times best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency mysteries in print across the globe, Alexander McCall Smith is one of the most popular novelists and humorists in the world. Starring the brilliant but bumbling Professor Doctor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld, The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs is a wonderfully entertaining showcase for Smith’s award-winning wit. Invited to lecture in America, von Igelfeld envisions a visit to California or New York. Instead, he finds himself surrounded by hogs.

New York Times best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith launches a humorous mystery series that’s sure to please children and their parents. Nine-year-old Harriet Bean can’t believe her ears. She has aunts-five of them! Why has her absent-minded father never mentioned them before? Armed with a faceless family portrait and musty old clues, Harriet begins the quest for her long-lost aunts. But are her detective skills sufficient to track down muscular Veronica, musical Harmonica, mysterious Majolica, and the mind-reading twins Japonica and Thessalonika?

The author of the best-selling and universally adored No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series now gives us The Forever Girl, a novel about love and following one’ s heart, and the unexpected places to which this can lead us. Amanda and her husband, David, feel fortunate to be raising their son and daughter in the close-knit community of ex-pats on Grand Cayman Island, an idyllic place for children to grow up. Their firstborn, Sally, has always listened to her heart, deciding at age four that she would rather be called Clover and then, a few years later, falling in love with her best friend, James. But the comforting embrace of island life can become claustrophobic for adults, especially when they are faced with difficult situations. At the same time that Clover falls in love with James, Amanda realizes that she has fallen out of love with David . . . and that she is interested in someone else. While Amanda tries to navigate the new path her heart is leading her down, Clover finds, much to her dismay, that James seems to be growing away from her. And when they leave the island for boarding school– James to England and Clover to Scotland– she feels she may have lost him for good. As Clover moves on to university, seldom seeing James but always carrying him in her heart, she finds herself torn between a desire to go forward with her life and the old feelings that she just can’ t shed. Through the lives of Clover and James, and Amanda and David, acclaimed storyteller Alexander McCall Smith tells a tale full of love and heartbreak, humor and melancholy, that beautifully demonstrates the myriad ways in which love shapes our lives.

In this eighth installment in Alexander McCall Smith’s captivating Isabel Dalhousie series, our irrepressible heroine tries to untangle complex questions about both the past and the present. Isabel’s new friend Jane Cooper, a visiting Australian philosopher who was adopted as a small child, has come to Edinburgh searching for information about her biological father. Naturally, Isabel is more than happy to offer her services. At the same time, she must find time for her own concerns: her young son Charlie, who’s leaving babyhood further behind each day; her housekeeper Grace, who has recently begun getting financial advice from her spiritualist; her niece Cat, who’s in a new relationship, and the most pressing question of all: when and how Isabel and Jamie will finally get married. As she investigates the forgotten affairs of youth Isabel begins to wonder what those affairs lead to in the present, and in the process she discovers a whole new understanding of the meaning of family.

New York Times best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith’s critically acclaimed No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series continues in this engaging book that won the first ever Saga Award for Wit, given to the wittiest British book of the year. Mma Ramotswe has been engaged to Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni for quite some time, yet still they have no wedding date. And now Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni has other things on his mind. He has been tricked into performing a parachute jump to benefit charity. The cupboard of life is full indeed in this charming, gently funny novel.

Isabel Dalhousie finds herself entangled in some tricky familial and financial situations that will require all
of her kindness, charm and philosophical expertise to navigate.
Just when Isabel and Jamie finally seem to have some time to connect and unwind, a wealthy Edinburgh resident

reaches out to Isabel with an unusual request–he would like her to become the executor of his large Highland
estate. Though Isabel initially demurs, he presses on. He has only a short time to live and, without any direct heirs, is
struggling to determine which of his three cousins would be the best caretaker. Should the estate go to the bohemian
artist, the savvy city property developer, or the quiet, unassuming bachelor?

And if this weren’t enough to keep Isabel occupied, she’s also spending more time helping her niece, Cat, at
the deli. Cat, perennially unlucky in love, appears to have finally found her match in the leonine Leo. But Isabel is
beginning to suspect that Leo might be interested in more than Cat’s charms–namely, her access to the family trust.
Isabel will need to rely upon her remarkable reserves of intelligence and compassion in order to give all parties exactly
what they want and deserve–no more and no less.

From the author of “The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency,” this completely charming collection of 40 tales from the Ndebele people of Zimbabwe and the Setswana people of Botswana demonstrates the wealth and variety of traditional African folk tales.

There is rarely a dull moment in the life of Precious Ramotswe, and on Zebra Drive and Tlokweng Road many changes are afoot. Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni wants be put in charge of a case involving an errant husband, and Mma Makutsi is considering leaving the agency, taking her near perfect score on the Botswana Secretarial College typing exam with her. Meanwhile, Mma Ramotswe has been asked to investigate a series of unexpected deaths at the hospital in Mochudi. Along the way, she encounters other tricky mysteries, and once again displays her undying love for Botswana, a country of which she is justly proud.

From the beloved and best-selling author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series comes a heartwarming tale of hope and friendship set amid the turmoil of World War II. Val Eliot, a young woman working on an English farm during the war, meets Mike, a U.S. Air Force pilot stationed nearby. When Val rescues a Border Collie named Peter Woodhouse, who is being mistreated by his owner, she realizes the dog would actually be safer with Mike. And so Peter Woodhouse finds a new home on the air force base, and Val finds herself falling in love. Peter Woodhouse becomes Dog First Class, a canine mascot on the base who boldly accompanies the officers on their missions, and Val becomes Mike’s fiancee. But then a disaster jeopardizes the future of them all, and Peter Woodhouse brings Ubi, a German corporal, into their orbit, sparking a friendship that comes with great risk but carries with it the richest of rewards. Infused with Alexander McCall Smith’s renowned charm and warmth, The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse is an uplifting story of love and the power of friendship to bring sworn enemies together.

THE 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.

In this delightful fifteenth installment, Mma Ramotswe has her hands full both at home and in the office. To add to her current challenges, her devoted partner, Grace Makutsi, has decided to branch out on her own and open The Handsome Man’s Deluxe Cafe. But even “Miss 97 Per Cent” can’t quite meet all the demands of running a business-not to mention those that a lightning strike makes on her building. Eventually, she’ll have to accept all the help she can get-even if it comes from a completely unexpected source.

Precious Ramotswe learns valuable lessons about first impressions and forgiveness in this latest installment of the beloved and best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are approached by their part-time colleague, Mr. Polopetsi, with a troubling story: a woman, accused of being rude to a valued customer, has been wrongly dismissed from her job at an office furniture store. Never one to let an act of injustice go unanswered, Mma Ramotswe begins to investigate, but soon discovers unexpected information that causes her to reluctantly change her views about the case. Other surprises await our intrepid proprietress in the course of her inquiries. Mma Ramotswe is puzzled when she happens to hear of a local nurse named Mingie Ramotswe. She thought she knew everybody by the name of Ramotswe, and that they were all related. Who is this mystery lady? Then, she is alerted by Mma Potokwani that an unpleasant figure from her past has recently been spotted in town. Mma Ramotswe does her best to avoid the man, but it seems that he may have returned to Botswana specifically to seek her out. What could he want from her? With the generosity and good humor that guide all her endeavors, Mma Ramotswe will untangle these questions for herself and for her loved ones, ultimately bringing to light important truths about friendship and family-both the one you’re born with and the one you choose.

Perhaps best known for his No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith delights fans around the world with his warmhearted 44 Scotland Street novels. In the series’ sixth entry, the residents of 44 Scotland Street grapple with problems both trivial and severe, but none so great as when six-year-old Bertie Pollock – who longs to be seven – mislays his mum and learns a valuable lesson about wish fulfillment.

In this latest installment in the beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Mma Ramotswe is tempted to put the brakes on a business venture before it even gets rolling.

Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni attends a course hosted by the local chamber of commerce entitled “Where Is Your Business Going?” But rather than feeling energized, he comes back in low spirits, not sure if he should be satisfied with the already venerable and successful
Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. Then an old friend from school approaches him with an exciting new business venture. When it turns out he will need to mortgage the garage in order to pursue this endeavor, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi worry about the
potential repercussions for his current business–as well as for their own.

But even as she puzzles over mysteries on the domestic front, Mma Ramotswe’s professional duties must take precedence. When a concerned son learns that his aging father’s nurse now stands to inherit the family home, he begins to doubt her intentions and
takes his case to Botswana’s premier detective agency. Fortunately, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi, committed agents of justice, agree to investigate.

Tricky as these matters may be, Mma Ramotswe, armed with her usual supply of tact, humor and good will, knows that the most creative solutions are often found with the support of friends and family and a cup of red bush tea. With these reliable assets, she is
certain to ensure that all involved find the happiness that they deserve.

International best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith delivers another delightful tale from his critically acclaimed No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. Precious Ramotswe’s comfortable existence as the only detective in Botswana is suddenly rattled when the Satisfaction Guaranteed Detective Agency opens, and its brochure proclaims, “Don’t take any chances! Entrust your enquiries to a MAN!” But with wisdom on her side, Mma Ramotswe figures to upstage her competition.

Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series has become a worldwide phenomenon thanks to the appeal of endearing protagonist Precious Ramotswe and the author’s charmingly quirky prose. In this 13th installment, Mma Ramotswe’s attention is focused on a pesky disciplinary problem at her adopted daughter’s school-while Grace Makutsi adjusts to wedded bliss and the famed Clovis Andersen arrives in Botswana looking for more than bush tea.

New York Times best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith crafts the sixth entertaining novel starring the ever ethical Isabel Dalhousie. The sensational sixth installment in the best-selling chronicles of the irrepressibly curious Isabel Dalhousie finds our inquisitive heroine and new mother racing two very troublesome people from her past. Isabel’s son, Charlie, is only eighteen months, but his social life is already kicking into high gear, and it’s at a birthday party, where Isabel is approached by Minty Auchterlonie, an old adversary and now a high-flying financier. Minty, it seems, is having trouble in her personal life, and seeks Isabel’s help. To make matters worse, the anything but peaceable Professor Dove has accused Isabel’s journal of plagiarism. There is also the ever-pressing question of the future of her relationship with Jamie. As always, she makes her way toward the heart of each problem by philosophizing, sleuthing, and downright snooping as only she can

In the hilarious new novel in the best-selling Detective Varg series, an eminent art historian is framed and the ace investigators of the department of sensitive crimes are on the case.

Detective Ulf Varg is a man of refined tastes and quite familiar with the art scene in Malmo. So when art historian Anders Kindgren visits the Department of Sensitive Crimes to report a series of bizarre acts that have been committed against him, Ulf and his team swing into action. Fish stuffed into the vents of Kindgren’s car and a manipulated footnote in a recent publication would be cause enough for an investigation, but when a painting Kindgren had confidently appraised as genuine is later declared to be a fake, it’s clear that someone is out to tarnish his reputation.

Meanwhile, Ulf is also weathering personal issues, which quickly spiral out of control. When his lip-reading dog, Martin, engages in a contretemps with a squirrel that results in a grievous wound, Ulf must rush Martin to the veterinarian and weigh the merits of cosmetic surgery for animals. And later, when Martin’s blood is found in the back of Ulf’s classic Saab, Ulf finds himself the subject of a departmental investigation.

In the end, Ulf will have to muster all his detective skills and bureaucratic cunning to restore Kindgren’s reputation–as well as his own.

Modern ideas get tangled up with traditional ones in the latest intriguing installment in the beloved, best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. Precious Ramotswe has taken on two puzzling cases. First she is approached by the lawyer Mma Sheba, who is the executor of a deceased farmer’s estate. Mma Sheba has a feeling that the young man who has stepped forward may be falsely impersonating the farmer’s nephew in order to claim his inheritance. Mma Ramotswe agrees to visit the farm and find out what she can about the self-professed nephew. Then the proprietor of the Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon comes to Mma Ramotswe for advice. The opening of her new salon has been shadowed by misfortune. Not only has she received a bad omen in the mail, but rumors are swirling that the salon is using dangerous products that burn people’s skin. Could someone be trying to put the salon out of business? Meanwhile, at the office, Mma Ramotswe has noticed something different about Grace Makutsi lately. Though Mma Makutsi has mentioned nothing, it has become clear that she is pregnant . . . But in Botswana – a land where family has always been held above all else-this may be cause for controversy as well as celebration. With genuine warmth, sympathy, and wit, Alexander McCall Smith explores some tough questions about married life, parenthood, grief, and the importance of the traditions that shape and guide our lives.

Under the endless skies of Botswana, there is always something Mma Ramotswe can do to help someone and here she finds herself assisting a woman looking for her family. The problem is the woman doesn’t know her real name or whether any of her family members are still alive. Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi is the recipient of a beautiful new bed that causes more than a few sleepless nights. And, at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni has come under the influence of a doctor promising a miracle cure for his daughter’s medical condition, which Mma Ramotswe finds hard to accept. Nonetheless, Precious Ramotswe handles these things in her usual compassionate and good-natured way, while always finding time for a cup of red bush tea.

Precious 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.

A detective in the wild.
 
Precious Ramotswe gets a very special treat. She gets a trip to visit her Aunty Bee at a safari camp. On her first day in camp, a new lion arrives. But this is no average lion: Teddy is an actor-lion who came with a film crew. When Teddy escapes, Precious and her resourceful new friend Khumo decide to use their detective skills to help track him. They will brave the wilds of the bush—and its hippos and crocodiles—as they try to find where Teddy has gone.

This remarkably fresh and charming best-seller took the world by storm upon its publication. It has since earned two Booker Judges’ Special Recommendations and was voted one of the “International Books of the Year and the Millennium” by the Times Literary Supplement. Mma “Precious” Ramotswe sets up a detective agency in Botswana on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, making her the only female detective in the country. At first, cases are hard to come by. But eventually, troubled people come to Precious with a variety of concerns. Potentially philandering husbands, seemingly schizophrenic doctors, and a missing boy who may have been killed by witch doctors all compel Precious to roam about in her tiny van, searching for clues. Chosen as a Top Ten Mystery by the Organization of Independent Booksellers, U.S.A., The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is that rare novel that imparts a sage wisdom while inspiring hearty laughter and lasting smiles.

The ever-delightful, insatiably curious Edinburgh philosopher and amateur sleuth returns to take on a case unlike any she’s had before-this one with paranormal implications-in the tenth installment of this beloved author’s consistently best-selling series. From a small town outside Edinburgh comes the news that a young boy has been recounting vivid recollections of a past life: a perfect description of an island off the coast of Scotland which he couldn’t possibly know, and a house there, where he claims to have spent his former life. When the boy’s mother asks Isabel to investigate his claims, she feels she must-of course!-help them learn the truth, and she and her husband, Jamie, set off for the island. But finding the house the boy described only leads to more complicated questions. And when she learns about the unusual story of the family who lived there, Isabel is suddenly faced with a situation of extraordinary delicacy that will require all of her skills both as sleuth and philosopher.

It is 1938 and the final days of the British Empire. In a bungalow high up in the green hills above the plains of Ceylon, under a vast blue sky, live the Ferguson family: Bella, a precocious eight-year-old; her father Henry–owner of Pitlochry, a
tea plantation–and her mother Virginia. The story centres around the Pavilion in the Clouds, set in the idyllic grounds carved out of the wilderness. But all is not as serene as it seems. Bella is suspicious of her governess Miss White’s intentions.

Her suspicion sparks off her mother’s imagination and after an unfortunate series of events, a confrontation is had with Miss White and a gunshot rings off around the hills.

Years later, Bella, now living back in Scotland at university in St Andrews, is faced once again with her past. Will she at last find out what happened between her father and Miss White? And will the guilt she has lived with all these years be reconciled by a long overdue apology?

To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose; it is summer in Scotland Street (as it always is) and for the habitues of Edinburgh’s favourite street some extraordinary adventures lie in waiting.

For the impossibly vain Bruce Anderson – he of the clove-scented hair gel – it may finally be time to settle down, and surely it can only be a question of picking the lucky winner from the hordes of his admirers. The Duke of Johannesburg is keen to take his flight of fancy, a microlite seaplane, from the drawing board to the skies. Big Lou is delighted to discover that her young foster son has a surprising gift for dance but she is faced with big decisions to make on his and her futures. And with Irene now away to pursue her research in Aberdeen, her husband, Stuart, and infinitely long-suffering son, Bertie, are free to play. Stuart rekindles an old friendship over peppermint tea whilst Bertie and his friend Ranald Braveheart Macpherson get more they bargained for from their trip to the circus. And that s just the start …

Take a few minutes to relax with a cup of tea of your favourite tea and savour the affairs of the world in microcosm, teeming with life’s loves and challenges. Little dramas writ large by the master chronicler of modern life and manners.

From the beloved author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series comes a new short story collection: half spy stories, half tales of revenge, all highlight the kinder, funnier, and gentler side of espionage and retribution. In this dual collection of short stories, Alexander McCall Smith brings his trademark humor and warmth to inventive tales of spying and vengeance. In one story, a spy dropped deep into enemy territory manages to disguise himself–quite convincingly–as a nun. In another, an invitation to join the Vatican Secret Service sends a prospective operative down a rabbit hole of controversy and confusion. A third story finds an author, on the brink of public ruin, seeing the error of his ways after an act of kindness saves the day. A keen observer of humanity imbued with a sparkling imagination, Alexander McCall Smith illustrates throughout that transparency is paramount and forgiveness is restorative. With surprising insight and a healthy helping of humor, these stories remind us that, in the end, the high road is often the better one for all involved.

Isabel Dalhousie grapples with complex matters of the heart as she tries to juggle her responsibilities to friends, family, and the philosophical community. With two small boys to raise, a mountain or articles to edit for the Review of Applied Ethics and the ever-increasing demands of her niece, Cat, who always seems to need a helping hand at the deli. Isabel barely has any time for herself. Her husband, Jamie, suggests acquiring extra help, and she reluctantly agrees. In no time at all, Isabel and Jamie have a new au pair, and Isabel hires an intelligent assistant editor to share her workload. Both women, though, have romantic entanglements that threaten to interfere with their work, and Isabel must decide how best to navigate this tricky domestic situation. Should an employer ever inject herself into her employees’ affairs? Meanwhile, Isabel makes the acquaintance of Patricia, the mother of her son Charlie’s friend Basil. Isabel tries to be supportive, especially given that Patricia is raising her son on her own, without the help of his father, a well-known Edinburgh organist also named Basil. But when Isabel sees Patricia in the company of an unscrupulous man, she begins to rethink her assumptions. Isabel must once again call on her kindness and keen intelligence to determine the right course of action, at home, at work, and in the schoolyard.

Once more, we catch up with the delightful goings-on in the fictitious 44 Scotland Street from Alexander McCall Smith. With customary charm and deftness, Alexander McCall Smith gives us another instalment in this popular series, now running in its ninth season in The Scotsman. Anything could happen to Bertie and the gang…

The delectable new installment in the bestselling and already beloved adventures of Isabel Dalhousie and her no-nonsense housekeeper, Grace. When friends from Dallas arrive in Edinburgh and introduce Isabel to Tom Bruce – a bigwig at home in Texas – several confounding situations unfurl at once. Tom’s young fiancEe’s roving eye leads Isabel to believe that money may be the root of her love for Tom. But what, Isabel wonders, is the root of the interest Tom begins to show for Isabel herself? And she can’t forget about her niece, Cat, who’s busy falling for a man whom Isabel suspects of being an incorrigible mama’s boy. Of course Grace and Isabel’s friend Jamie counsel Isabel to stay out of all of it, but there are irresistible philosophical issues at stake – when to tell the truth and when to keep one’s mouth shut, to be precise – and philosophical issues are meat and drink to Isabel Dalhousie, editor of the Review of Applied Ethics. In any case, she’s certain of the ethical basis for a little sleuthing now and again – especially when the problems involve matters of the heart.

Imagine going to school on a boat! The rip-roaring excitement continues in the second volume of this adventure-mystery series set on the high seas, from the author of the beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency!
 
Ben and Fee MacTavish and their schoolmates on board the School Ship Tobermory are headed thousands of miles from their base in Mull to a small island in the Caribbean. They will learn extraordinary details about Captain Macbeth’s past and come face to face with modern-day pirates. The students and crew aboard the Tobermory will have to band together and use their wits to escape harm and overcome the evil pirates.

Fans around the world adore the bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, and 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. In this latest 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 van been miraculously revived, or is she hallucinating? Further complicating matters are Violet Sephotho’s newly launched campaign for a seat in Botswana’s parliament, and Grace Makutsi’s growing fears that she’ll never be able to marry her fiancE Phuti Radiphuti if she can’t find the perfect pair of wedding shoes. As ever, Precious will draw on her trademark grace and wisdom as she helps unravel all these tangled threads.

In a delightful sequel to the best-selling comedic novel My Italian Bulldozer, we are in a French village where the local restaurant’s haute cuisine leaves a lot to be desired–and two books into an astounding ninth series from one of our most beloved authors. Renowned cookbook writer Paul Stuart, renewed and refreshed from his time in Tuscany, has returned to Scotland to work on his new book, The Philosophy of Food in Six Easy Chapters. Writing, though, is complicated by Paul’s changed domestic circumstances. His editor and new girlfriend, Gloria, has moved in with him despite not being specifically invited, and she’s brought her two rather demanding Siamese cats. When Paul’s cousin, Chloe, suggests Paul visit her in the French countryside, Paul jumps at the chance. However, once he arrives, he finds his fortunes tangled up with the infamous local restaurant that gives the book its title. In this story about a man who prides himself on his taste finding delight in the most unexpected places, we have Alexander McCall Smith at his most witty and charming.

Detective Ulf Varg from the Department of Sensitive Crimes is often called upon to investigate unusual matters. But rarely is he asked to conduct an inquiry on behalf of his own family. Is such a thing ethical? Adding to Ulf’s moral discomfort is the fact that he does not exactly see eye to eye with his younger brother Bjorn-a leading player in one of Sweden’s right-wing parties, the Moderate Extremists. Still, family is family, so Ulf finds himself working to uncover the mole leaking secrets to a rival party, the Extreme Moderates. All of this in addition to his responsibilities to the Department, which include investigating a case of cat-related sabotage. As always, it’s up to Ulf to close the case … even if he encounters unexpected resistance from the victims themselves. From literary master McCall Smith, this is a bewitching short foray, witty and warm, into Scandinavian mystery.

From internationally best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith, creator of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, comes a new mystery series brimming with the same wit and charm. Isabel Dalhousie is a philosopher by training, and an amateur sleuth by choice. When a young man falls from a balcony to his death, Isabel does not believe it was an accident. Plunging deep into the shady business community of Edinburgh, she is determined to root out the truth.

Everyone’s favorite moral philosopher, Isabel Dalhousie, finds herself caught up in a delicate dispute between members of a prominent family while her husband, Jamie, is dragged into an internecine rivalry of his own.

When Isabel is invited to serve on the advisory committee of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, her husband, Jamie, expresses concern about the demands on her time. Never one to duck an obligation, however, Isabel says she’d be happy to
join. There she meets a woman named Laura, whose husband–a prominent wine merchant from an illustrious family–and son are at odds. Laura asks whether Isabel might arbitrate between them. Isabel is reluctant to intervene in a familial
drama, but, always one for practical and courteous solutions to theoretical problems, she feels obligated to help. Will the demands on her moral attention never cease?

Meanwhile, having criticized Isabel for getting involved in the affairs of others, Jamie does precisely that himself. He’s helping to select a new cellist for his ensemble but suspects that the conductor’s attention may be focused on
something other than his favored candidate’s cello skills. Jamie feels it’s important that the most qualified applicant gets the job–but how to determine whether the conductor has the right qualifications in mind?

With so many complicated and fraught issues demanding their attention, Isabel and Jamie will have to tap deep into their reserves of tact and goodwill as they navigate the tricky and turbulent waters of these emotional matters.

In the second installment of the best-selling Detective Varg series, Ulf and his team investigate a
notorious philanderer–a wolf of a man whose bad reputation may be all bark and no bite.

The Department of Sensitive Crimes, renowned for taking on the most obscure and irrelevant cases, is always
prepared to dive into an investigation, no matter how complex. So when the girlfriend of an infamous author
who insists her bad-boy beau is being blackmailed approaches Ulf Varg, the department’s lead detective, Ulf
is determined to help. It’s rather difficult to determine what skeletons hide in the hard-living lothario’s closet,
though. And while Swedes are notoriously tolerant … well, there are limits. Even for the Swedish.

The case requires Ulf’s total concentration, but he finds himself distracted by his ongoing attraction to his
coworker, Anna, whose own fears about her husband’s fidelity are causing a strain on her marriage. When Ulf is
also tasked with looking into a group of dealers exporting wolves that seem more canis familiaris than canis lupus,
it will require all of his team’s investigative instincts and dogged persistence to put these matters to bed.

The 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. Featuring all the quirky characters we have come to know and love, The Unbearable Lightness of Scones, finds Bertie, the precocious six-year-old, still troubled by his rather overbearing mother, Irene, but seeking his escape in the Cub Scouts. Matthew is rising to the challenge of married life with newfound strength and resolve, while Domenica epitomizes the loneliness of the long-distance intellectual. Cyril, the gold-toothed star of the whole show, succumbs to the kind of romantic temptation that no dog can resist and creates a small problem, or rather six of them, for his friend and owner Angus Lordie. With his customary deftness, Alexander McCall Smith once again brings us an absorbing and entertaining tale of some of Scotland’s most quirky and beloved characters–all set in the beautiful, stoic city of Edinburgh.

Alexander McCall Smith charms fans across the globe with his best-selling works, including the mega-hit No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. This ninth entry in his beloved Scotland-set Isabel Dalhousie series finds its philosopher heroine helping the wealthy Duncan Munrowe track down a painting that was stolen from his collection. But as new information arises, Isabel finds it difficult to tell who is the painting’s rightful owner, and who is the thief.

This latest installment of Alexander McCall Smith’s bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series…as endearing and delectable as ever! Precious Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are both back in harness at the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, but for once business is a bit slow. At Mma Makutsi’s suggestion, Mma Ramotswe allows herself to be persuaded to take a holiday–her first ever!–even if she finds it a bit odd that Mma Makusti should be so adamant about it. But just as Mma Ramotswe is ready to depart, a new client arrives, a young woman whose father was regarded as a hero in the history of Botswana. Now his reputation is being called into question–was he courageous, as is widely believed, or was he merely a philanderer and opportunist? Though Mma Ramotswe initially wants to cancel her trip, she is cajoled into going by Mma Makutsi’s assurances that she and Charlie have the situation well in hand. However Mma Ramotswe finds that she cannot possibly submit to the luxuries of a carefree holiday without knowing exactly what’s going on at the Agency, so she asks Charlie to be her eyes and ears while she’s away–failing to account for the fact that Charlie is not an altogether reliable emissary, particularly with much of his attention diverted to the challenges of a newly adopted dog. At the close of the investigation, everyone at the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency will confront some uncomfortable truths from their own past and learn to treat certain ordinary human failings with a large helping of charity and compassion.

The World According to Bertie is the fourth in the series and revolves around the many colorful characters that come and go at No. 44 Scotland Street. McCall Smith handles the characters with his customary charm and deftness-the stalwart Tory chartered surveyor, the pushy mother, and, most importantly in this novel, the beleaguered Italian-speaking prodigy, Bertie. This is classic McCall Smith-clever, witty and entertaining- and beautifully illustrated. A chance encounter with Armistead Maupin in San Francisco inspired Alexander McCall Smith to write this series of novels based around the fictional No. 44 Scotland Street in Edinburgh’s New Town.

It is often said that the best things in life come in small packages; anyone in search of proof need look no further than the stories in this collection: brief, utterly engaging tales that offer lasting surprise and delight.

In Tiny Tales, Alexander McCall Smith explores romance, ambition, kindness, and happiness in thirty short stories. Here we meet the first Australian pope, who hopes to finally find some peace and quiet back home in Perth; a psychotherapist turned motorcycle racetrack manager; and an aspiring opera singer who gets her unlikely break onstage. And, of course, we spend time in McCall Smith’s beloved Scotland, where we are introduced to progressive Vikings, a group of housemates with complex romantic entanglements, and a couple of globe-trotting dentists.

These tales depict the full scope of human experience and reveal the rich tapestry of life–painted in miniature.

In the latest book in the widely beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Precious Ramotswe takes on a case for a childhood acquaintance and finds that family relationships are always a tricky proposition–even for Botswana’s premier female detective.

Mma Ramotswe has reconnected with an old friend who has been having problems with her daughter. Though Precious feels compelled to lend a hand, she discovers that getting involved in family affairs is always a delicate affair. The young woman appears to be involved with a charismatic preacher. But are his ministrations entirely of a godly nature?

Elsewhere, Charlie is also struggling with a tricky matter of the heart. He wishes to propose to his girlfriend, Queenie-Queenie, but he’s struggling to come up with a bride price that will impress her father. When Queenie-Queenie’s brother offers to help by giving him a job, the offer may not be quite what Charlie expected.

As always, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni will offer wise counsel, Mma Makutsi will weigh in with her opinions, and Mma Potokwane will be there with her welcome fruit cake. But in the end it will be up to Mma Ramotswe to reflect on love, family, and the nature of men and women in order to resolve family dramas and remind everyone about all the good things they have in life–so many, in fact, that it would take far too long to count them.

As 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.

The best-selling author of the internationally acclaimed No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Alexander McCall Smith continues to delight audiences with the hilarious adventure Unusual Uses for Olive Oil. When colleagues take issue with von Igelfeld’s bachelor status, his friend Ophelia Prinzel endeavors to find him a good woman. Soon, the professor is on the path to romance with the charming widow Frau Benz – and it seems his true worth may finally be recognized.

In the latest entertaining and hilarious Professor Dr. Dr. Moritz-Maria Von Igelfeld novel, our hopelessly out-of-touch hero is forced to confront uppity librarians, the rector of the university, and a possible hostile takeover, all while trying to remain studiously above it all. An Anchor Original.

Professor Dr. Dr. Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld and his colleagues at the University of Regensburg’s Institute of Romance Philology pride themselves on their unwavering commitment to intellectual excellence. They know it is their job to protect a certain civilized approach to the scholarly arts. So when a new deputy librarian, Dr. Hilda Schreiber-Ziegler, threatens to drag them all down a path of progressive inclusivity, they are determined to stop her in the name of scholarship–even if that requires von Igelfeld to make the noble sacrifice of running for director of the Institute. Alas, politics is never easy, and in order to put his best foot forward, von Igelfeld will be required to take up a visiting fellowship at Oxford and cultivate the attentions of a rather effusive young American scholar. Still, von Igelfeld has always heeded the clarion call of duty, especially when it comes with a larger office.