The Lost of Art of Gratitude by Alexander McCall Smith

Isabel and Jamie continue in their life together. You know, not much happens in these books. I might give up on them. In this one, she gets taken for a ride by Minty Aucherlochtie who uses her as a go between to frighten some men who are giving her a hard time. For the rest of it, it’s philosophical musings.

The Comfort of Saturdays by Alexander McCall Smith

Isabel’s life continues, as she dithers around about her relationship with Jamie and is stitched up by her perceived ethical responsibilities in terms of having a relationship with a much younger man. She tries to help a doctor who has been unethical in his conduct in reporting test results for a new drug, but the real focus of this story is more on Isabel and her musings than anything else. I am enjoying her books though.

The Careful Use of Compliments by Alexander McCall Smith

More of the Isabel Dalhousie series, in which Isabel gets on the trail of an art forger and continues in her relationship with Jamie. The philosophical musings have really grown on me and I am a victim of the charm of this woman and of Edinburgh, wonderful since we’re going there next year.

The Right Attitude to Rain by Alexander McCall Smith

Next in line of the Isabel Dalhousie series, which I listened to as I did embroidery. Very appropriate. In this one Isabel and Jamie become closer and closer. In the meantime they become involved with Isabel's cousins, Mimi and Joe, and attend a houseparty with some wealthy Americans. There is more about the philosophy surrounding small things and about the love affair than any mystery in this novel. I liked it a lot.

Friends, Lovers, Chocolate by Alexander McCall Smith

The second in the Isobel Dalhousie series, this time where a man who has had a heart transplant sees the face of a stranger and wonders what the mystery is. In some ways it reminded me of John Irving’s wonderful book The Fourth Hand – not that that particular book had such a great reception but I like everything Irving writes and am pretty uncritical. It’s a pretty wild sort of goose chase Isobel must go on and it’s hard to see how she can resolve anything sensible. In between it all are philosophical musings which are entertaining.

The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith

I decided I would give Isobel Dalhousie another go. I find the Detective Agency books a bit silly, the homespun philosophy unsatisfying, but on re-reading this book, I found I liked the protagonist. She is so human. In this one she tries to find out what really caused the death of a young man who falls from the gods at the theatre. She bumbles along in her own way, treading on people’s toes and making great leaps of imagination, but the solution is as always in real life, a simple thing.

Corduroy Mansion by Alexander McCall Smith

This is a lovely book, full of McCall Smith gentle wit and humour, wry observation and quirky characters. As usual nothing is resolved but the not-getting there is wonderful. It is about the lives of several people who live in Corduroy Mansions or thereabouts – William the wine shop owner, Marcia his would be lover, the girls in the flat downstairs, a politician called Oedipus and his mother and her brother and his girlfriend and her new lover. It’s a bit disjointed, almost unfinished, like a slice of life rather than a novel, or if it is novel, it’s unfinished. But I enjoyed it all the same. 3 stars