Alexander McCall Smith Libri

Bentornati al numero 44 di Scotland Street, indirizzo del condominio di Edimburgo dove si intrecciano storie, amori e colpi di scena al ritmo irresistibile del sassofono del talentuoso Bertie, giovane inquilino: Domenica, di ritorno da un lungo viaggio di lavoro, inizia con Antonia una sottile guerra a suon di caustiche battute a causa della scomparsa di una preziosa tazza da tè; l'affascinante Bruce è tornato da Londra senza un soldo e si rifugia tra le braccia della ricca ereditiera Julia Donald ficcandosi in guai più grandi di lui; Big Lou sembra invece aver trovato finalmente un nuovo amore. Il piccolo Bertie, da parte sua, continua a cercare di sfuggire all'incontenibile invadenza della madre, alle insopportabili lezioni di yoga e alla prepotente presenza del neonato fratellino Ulysses, protagonista nel suo piccolo di incredibili disavventure. Pat e Matthew, il romantico senza speranza, sembrano aver trovato un buon equilibrio nel loro rapporto, ma sono sul punto di commettere il più grande errore della loro vita e ancora non se ne rendono conto...

Mentre tutto il Botswana attende la benedizione delle piogge e l’eterna rinascita della vita, per la signora Ramotswe e la sua agenzia investigativa ci sono cambiamenti in vista. Il signor J.L.B. Matekoni sta provando a rinnovare la propria immagine frequentando un corso per mariti moderni, mentre la signora Makutsi dopo il matrimonio è alle prese con l’arrivo di un erede, con due cobra invadenti e un’anziana zia. La signora Ramotswe si trova così ad affrontare da sola i casi che le si presentano tra una tazza di tè e l’altra. Un ragazzo rivendica l’eredità di una grossa proprietà terriera, ma l’avvocato che cura le volontà del defunto ha fondati sospetti che si tratti di un impostore e non del vero nipote. E poi c’è un salone di bellezza appena aperto e già in difficoltà a causa di una serie di piccoli guai che non sembrano affatto casuali... Tutto bene, insomma, sotto il grande cielo dell’Africa, e nulla che non possa essere risolto con saggezza, buon umore e un’ottima fetta di torta.

Botswana, Africa del sud: territori aridi, etnie diverse, spazi ampi, ma anche uffici piccoli come pollai. In uno di questi la signora Precious Ramotswe ha aperto la Ladies’ Detective Agency N.1, la prima e unica agenzia investigativa del Botswana diretta da una donna. Stavolta deve fare i conti con una madre americana, che anni prima ha perso il suo ragazzo, impegnato nel progetto di una cooperativa agricola. Poi con un marito tradito e addolorato, nonché con una cameriera invidiosa. La signora Ramotswe, armata di un cuore d’oro, di un cervello niente male e del ricordo degli insegnamenti dell’adorato padre, parte «in groppa» al più scalcagnato furgoncino del paese e sfida polvere e calura, come uno sceriffo in gonnella. Dispensa, con un senso della giustizia tutto personale, pillole di saggezza, soluzioni pratiche e felicità a portata di mano. Alexander McCall Smith è riuscito a creare un personaggio originalissimo: una grassa, benevola protettrice dei più deboli e sfortunati, grande bevitrice di tè rosso, con un passato doloroso alle spalle – un primo marito violento – che ne accentua l’umanità. Con leggerezza e ironia l’autore tesse le avventure dell’ottima detective, sullo sfondo fresco e vivace di un’Africa insolita, sconosciuta e vera.

Preciuos Ramotswe, fondatrice dell'unica agenzia investigativa in Botswana, è alle prese con il caso del presunto avvelenamento del fratello di un importante uomo politico e con il mistero di un bambino abbandonato che ha l'odore di un cucciolo di leone piuttosto che di un umano. A complicare il tutto intervengono i problemi finanziari e il suo fidanzato, il meccanico J.L.B. Matekoni, che è molto più complicato di quanto appare. Per fortuna, l'investigatrice ha una valida aiutante: la signorina Makutsi, gran cervello dietro un grosso paio di occhiali e una chioma indomabile. Proprio lei, che nessuno ha mai considerato avvenente, deve indagare su alcune ragazze e scovarne una adatta al titolo di Miss Bellezza e Integrità.

Negli anni la Ladies' Detective Agency No. 1 ha aiutato spesso le persone a trovare cose che avevano perso. Ma finora non era mai successo di dover aiutare una cliente a ritrovare se stessa. Un fratello e una sorella di buon cuore hanno accolto una donna senza memoria del suo nome o di come è arrivata in Botswana. E così tocca a Precious Ramotswe e alla sua nuova socia, Grace Makutsi, scoprire l'identità della donna. Nel frattempo, nemmeno la maternità riesce a fermare l'esuberante Makutsi, che ha deciso di iniziare una nuova avventura: aprire il Caffè degli uomini avvenenti, un luogo perfetto per commensali alla moda. Eccitatissima per il progetto, ignora i numerosi avvertimenti da parte del marito Phuti Radiphuti e del suo idolo, nonché capo, Mma Ramotswe, trovandosi ad affrontare chef isterici, camerieri ubriachi e una serie di problemi inaspettati. Il signor J.L.B. Matekoni, marito di Precious Ramotswe, intanto, è costretto a fare una scelta difficile, che porterà grandi cambiamenti sia per la Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors sia per Ladies' Detective Agency No. 1. Con simpatia e infaticabile buonumore, Mma Ramotswe e le sue amiche si vedono attraverso questi grandi cambiamenti e scoprono lungo il cammino il significato della vera amicizia.

Per Precious Ramotswe, titolare della Ladies’ Detective Agency N. 1 del Botswana, non c’è un attimo di pace. Non soltanto deve placare i sensi di colpa di un nuovo cliente, legati a qualche peccatuccio di gioventù, ma è anche costretta a far fronte all’infelicità che affligge alcune persone a lei care e all’indecisione del signor JLB Matekoni, proprietario dell’officina Speedy Motors, nonché suo fidanzato, il quale non si risolve a fissare la data delle nozze. E, come se non bastasse, in città ha aperto i battenti una nuova agenzia investigativa, gestita da un tale terribilmente tronfio e maschilista. Ma la signora Ramotswe non è certo il tipo che si abbatte... bastano un po’ di buon senso, molta comprensione e una tazza di tè rosso.

La vita scorre piena di soddisfazioni e di gioia per Isabel Dalhousie, filosofa e diret-trice della "Rivista di Etica Applicata": suo figlio Charlie ha ormai diciotto mesi, gode di ottima salute e ogni giorno è motivo d'orgoglio per lei e Jamie, padre amorevole e compagno innamorato, che tra l'altro le ha chiesto di sposarla; la nipote Cat ha un nuovo fidanzato e il timido commesso della sua gastronomia sembra finalmente aver trovato un po' di serenità... Insomma, a parte le solite discussioni con la fidata go-vernante Grace, qualche grana sul lavoro e l'invidia che la sua relazione con Jamie ancora suscita in qualcuno, per Isabel è un periodo particolarmente felice e nulla sembra poter turbare un perfetto equilibrio tra famiglia e lavoro. Ma naturalmente non è da Isabel ignorare una richiesta d'aiuto, anche se proviene da quella Minty Auchterlonie con cui già in passato aveva avuto dei dissapori. E così Isabel si lascia coinvolgere in una faccenda molto privata e non del tutto chiara, che la trascina in un vortice di accuse, ricatti e bugie. E per una volta, nonostante la sua infallibile bussola morale, Isabel sente che potrebbe sbandare e cedere al richiamo della vendetta...

Billy e Margareth partono per l'india a bordo del vecchio idrovolante di zia Samosa... non per una vacanza, ma per una missione speciale: trovare l'ingrediente segreto che rende le Bombolose Rosa le gomme da masticare più buone del mondo. Tra tigri affamate, serpenti golosi e alberi rosa sarà un'avventura tutta da ridere

Isabel Dalhousie, filosofa e investigatrice, è ormai soprattutto una mamma premurosa, attenta alle esigenze del suo piccolo Charlie, di un anno e mezzo. Ma Isabel non può tirarsi indietro quando c'è da aiutare un'amica, Stella Moncrieff, il cui marito Marcus non osa più nemmeno uscire di casa, depresso e in preda alla vergogna. Medico specializzato in malattie infettive, Marcus è accusato di aver causato - con un parere errato su un nuovo farmaco - la morte di un paziente, e rischia così di perdere carriera e cattedra universitaria. È assolutamente necessario che Isabel ne sappia di più, anche perché l'assistente del dottor Moncrieff sembra nutrire un notevole astio nei suoi confronti... E poi c'è da gestire la gastronomia (e soprattutto il complicato commesso Eddie) della nipote Cat, partita per una vacanza, e non manca anche una piccola crisi di coppia con Jamie, che la trascura per nuove amicizie. E naturalmente ci sono i consueti dubbi filosofici e la Rivista di etica applicata. Insomma, certo non ci si annoia nella Edimburgo della nostra intelligente e affascinante protagonista...

Per Isabel Dalhousie, direttrice della "Rivista di etica applicata", fondatrice del Club dei filosofi dilettanti e donna di grande acume e sensibilità, è fondamentale affrontare la vita con la mente serena e lo spirito rilassato. Ma certo in questo non l'aiutano molto la nascita del piccolo Charlie, né tanto meno la relazione con Jamie, il padre del bambino, più giovane di lei di quattordici anni. La tardiva maternità del resto non è l'unico cambiamento nella vita della nostra filosofa-detective per caso. Certo, ha raggiunto una tregua con l'amatissima nipote Cat, ex fidanzata di Jamie, che non approva granché la nuova relazione della zia. E certo, ha trovato un equilibrio nel rapporto con Grace, la fedele governante, che vorrebbe esautorarla completamente dalla cura del bebé. Ma che dire della misteriosa morte di un pittore al largo dell'isola di Jura, nella quale Isabel si trova suo malgrado coinvolta? E come se tutto ciò non bastasse, ci si mette pure il machiavellico e curiosamente affabile professor Dove, che sembra avere strane mire sull'amatissima rivista della nostra eroina...

La chiave della felicità è ottenere il meglio da ciò che si ha a disposizione. Saggio proposito che però Isabel Dalhousie, filosofa colta e raffinata, cultrice di belle arti e di teatro e detective a tempo perso, proprio non riesce a mettere in pratica. La sua vita al momento è troppo affollata di pensieri: trovare un appartamento per la fedele governante Grace, evitare alla giovane nipote Cat nuove delusioni d'amore, conservare l'amicizia con Jamie, l'ex fidanzato della nipote, nonostante il fatto che si sia irrimediabilmente innamorata di lui e le riesca davvero difficile mantenere le distanze. Ma soprattutto Isabel si annoia. Nelle sue giornate manca l'azione. Finché all'improvviso all'orizzonte compare un colto e gentile milionario americano, impegnato in un rapporto di coppia avvilente che potrebbe addirittura metterne a repentaglio la vita, e la filosofa Isabel Dalhousie si ritroverà presto coinvolta in un sorprendente giallo dei sentimenti.

Sotto la direzione della «Rivista di Etica Applicata», Isabel Dalhousie, promessa sposa e madre del piccolo Charlie, si trova coinvolta in una situazione inaspettata. Una donna distinta le chiede aiuto riguardo a una delicata questione: la nomina di un nuovo preside alla Bishop Forbes, una prestigiosa scuola maschile di Edimburgo, è minacciata da una lettera anonima che potrebbe compromettere il processo di selezione. Tra i candidati, uno ha un segreto da nascondere, e spetta a Isabel, con la sua intelligenza e discrezione, scoprire di chi si tratta e il motivo dietro la lettera. Tuttavia, la sua indagine è complicata da problemi personali che mettono in discussione la fiducia nelle persone a lei care. Isabel si interroga sul confine tra piccole debolezze e veri crimini. Sullo sfondo, si intrecciano affetti e passioni: amici, la governante Grace, la nipote Cat e il suo nuovo fidanzato, e l'acquisto di un cimelio di famiglia. Edimburgo, con il suo fascino e le sue sfaccettature, viene descritta da Isabel con l'innamoramento di chi è disposto a perdonarle tutto.

Quando spinge il portone del 44 di Scotland Street, nel centro di Edimburgo, Pat non vede l'ora di cominciare tutto daccapo. È al suo secondo anno sabbatico e una casa e un lavoro nuovi sono quello che ci vuole per ripartire. Da lì in poi dividerà l'appartamento con l'insopportabile Bruce, agente immobiliare bello e vanitoso; troverà lavoro nella galleria d'arte di Matthew, un giovane delicato ma inconcludente che di arte non capisce nulla; trascorrerà piacevoli serate con l'eccentrica vicina di casa Domenica, un'anziana antropologa dispensatrice di storie esotiche e saggi consigli sugli uomini. Intanto al piano di sotto Bertie, inquieto bambino prodigio, cerca di far capire alla madre, Irene, che preferirebbe rugby e trenini elettrici ai corsi di yoga, sassofono e italiano. A unire tutti un misterioso tentativo di furto e la caccia a un quadro che potrebbe essere una crosta o valere una fortuna...

Quattro perfetti sconosciuti si incontrano su un treno in viaggio da Edimburgo a Londra e cominciano a chiacchierare. Ciascuno di loro ha una storia da raccontare: Hugh ha fatto un incontro casuale al binario che cambierà per sempre il suo destino; Kay torna con la memoria alla sua infanzia in Australia e all'amore che ha conosciuto allora; David ha vissuto una grande amicizia da cui è sbocciato l'amore; Andrew ha imparato sulla sua pelle che l'arte e le persone possono essere ingannevoli. L'amore può entrare nelle nostre vite in molti modi diversi, anche quando meno ce lo aspettiamo, e può assumere molte forme. Ma non importano il dove e il quando: l'amore resta la cosa migliore che può capitarci.

Isabel Dalhousie è una dilettante di filosofia, una detective a tempo perso, una cultrice di belle arti e di teatro. Ma è anche una donna, senza dubbio. E in certe occasioni sente chiaramente che tutto il suo universo morale, così faticosamente costruito, potrebbe crollare sotto i semplici colpi del fascino maschile. Quando, per esempio, incontra l'uomo che avrebbe dovuto sposare sua nipote Cat, anche lei, che pure ha appena finito di stroncare in una recensione un po' stizzita un "Elogio del peccato", cede davanti alla sua bellezza e si trova in una situazione di imprevista e conturbante difficoltà. Ma altre ben più inquietanti prove attendono la simpatica Isabel: l'incontro con un uomo che ha appena subito un trapianto di cuore e che le confida di essere da quel momento tormentato da ricordi inspiegabili, che sicuramente non gli appartengono, rendono la vicenda davvero complicata e intrigante. E Isabel, come al solito, non si tira indietro: accompagnata dalla fedele Grace, percorre le strade e i salotti più curiosi di una Edimburgo quasi magica, addentrandosi in un'indagine pericolosa e imprevedibile, in cui emergono di nuovo tutta la sua umanità e simpatia, insieme alla capacità di riflettere con semplicità sugli ingredienti essenziali della vita, l'amore, l'amicizia e naturalmente anche la tentazione, che non sempre si presenta sotto forma di cioccolata...

Durante una prima all'opera al teatro di Edimburgo, il giovane manager Mark Fraser muore cadendo in platea dalla balconata: sembra una morte assolutamente accidentale, ma a Isabel Dalhousie, donna single di gusto e di cultura, fondatrice del Club dei filosofi dilettanti e assidua frequentatrice di mostre e concerti, non tutto pare così semplice. E si sente quasi moralmente obbligata a improvvisarsi detective, seguendo i fili di un'indagine che McCall Smith descrive con prosa lieve e divertita, seguendo gli incontri e le conversazioni della sua curiosa protagonista. Alexander McCall Smith, nato e cresciuto in Africa, è professore di medicina legale presso l'Università di Edimburgo e conosciuto in Italia per la serie di Precious Ramotswe.

Precious Ramotswe, titolare della prima agenzia investigativa femminile del Botswana, ha sempre molte gatte da pelare. Non solo per via del suo mestiere, l'affascinante professione di detective, ma anche perché all'interno dell'agenzia sono in atto veri e propri rivolgimenti. Suo marito, il signor JLB Matekoni, uomo che sembra nato per prendersi cura dei motori, stanco di starsene chiuso tra quattro mura a respirare i fumi del carburante, vuole mettersi alla prova come investigatore e sentirsi protagonista. Inoltre, la signorina Makutsi, l'occhialuta assistente qui promossa a detective associata, morde il freno e non tollera più tanto che le vengano impartiti ordini. Per non parlare dei casi da risolvere: un impiegato sospettato di adulterio dall'insopportabile moglie; una minuscola imprenditrice che denuncia furti nella sua tipografia; tre decessi misteriosi avvenuti in un ospedale, tutti di venerdì, tutti alla stessa ora. La signora Ramotswe si fa un po' da parte, lascia che ognuno insegua i propri sogni e intanto districa qualche matassa. È una figlia dei grandi spazi, abituata a osservare, ascoltare e a prendersi il tempo per farlo. Così risolve ogni dilemma, anche quelli della sua vita privata, compreso l'imprevisto attacco di gelosia di un buon marito come il suo.

La signora Precious Ramotswe, fondatrice della Ladies' Detective Agency n. 1 del Botswana, deve affrontare alcune scomode vicende dai risvolti inquietanti: un'appropriazione indebita di provviste alimentari; un ricatto; un medico disonesto che trascura la salute dei pazienti... E, come sempre, le indagini rappresentano per la detective anche un'occasione per approfondire i complicati meccanismi che muovono i comportamenti umani, soprattutto quelli delle persone a lei più vicine: il marito JLB Matckoni, con la testa sempre tra i motori; la direttrice dell'orfanotrofio, decisa e altruista; il nuovo collaboratore Polopetsi, pasticcione e volenteroso; l'immancabile occhialuta signorina Makutsi, sua assistente, che perde la testa per un paio di vistose scarpe azzurre. Tra loro, la signora Ramotswe si muove a proprio agio come una grossa dea dell'abbondanza, rassicurante e affidabile, intelligente e granitica...

'The whole world has become a prison, and Alfred Furnace is its master. Monsters rule the streets, beasts of pure fury that leave nothing but murder and madness in their wake. I have to find a way to use my powers to destroy Furnace, but in doing so I risk becoming the very force that kills us all.'

The gripping third instalment in Alexander Gordon Smith's epic series about Furnace, a terrifying underground prison for teenagers - now with the bestselling US cover. We had one last shot at freedom and we failed.

Anonymous photography has a magic all of its own. The intriguing images assembled here by collector and curator Robert Flynn Johnson are all mysterious, but their appeal is undeniable.

"Precious Ramotswe is a kind, warm-hearted and large African lady. She is also the only female private detective in Botswana. Her agency - the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - is the best in the country. With the help of her secretary, Mma Makutsi, and her best friend, Mr JLB Matekoni, she solves a number of difficult - and sometimes dangerous - problems. A missing husband, a missing finger and a missing child - she will solve these mysteries in her own special way"--Back cover

Once upon a time in Botswana in Africa there was a little girl who would later grow up to be a famous detective: Precious Ramotswe of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Having already cracked the case of the missing cakes at school, she now has a new mystery to solve.

As the countdown to Mma Makutsi's wedding begins, all is not as it should be at the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency. While investigating unpleasant occurrences on a southern cattle-post, Mma Ramotswe, always on the side of the weak against the strong, has reason to reflect on Rule No.3 of The Principles of Private Detection: never lie to the client. Apprentice mechanic Charlie seems to be avoiding certain important responsibilities. And as Mma Makutsi's big day approaches, her nemesis Violet Sephotho is casting her net wider: by standing for election which could spell trouble for the entire nation. But as friends and family gather under starry African night skies, it turns out that even the most perplexing of apparitions - and the most shocking of crimes - may yield to rational explanation. And, of course, to Mma Ramotswe's inimitable way with love, intuition and redbush tea.

"In the microcosm of 44 Scotland Street, all of life's richness is found in the glorious goings-on of its residents. There's Domenica, whose anthropological training has honed her observations of her neighbors; Matthew, whose growing triplets are more than a handful; Bruce, whose challenge as ever is thinking of anything but himself; and Big Lou, who may just have found her shot at romance. And of course, there's young Bertie Pollock, whose starry-eyed explorations of Edinburgh's New Town are a touching reminder that life itself is an adventure and there's joy to be found wherever you choose to look"-- Provided by publisher

Asked by a Swiss banker to investigate a series of bank robberies committed by dogs, young detectives Max and Maddy Twist travel to Switzerland, where they discover that the man behind the robberies is none other than Professor Sardine. Reprint.

The gripping fourth installment in an epic series about Furnace - a terrifying, underground prison for teenagers - now with a stunning new cover treatment. Alex thought that escape was impossible.

The second book in Alexander Gordon Smith's no-holds-barred teen series, where the terror has only just begun - now with the bestselling US cover. We thought we'd made it, we thought we were free.

The story follows young Precious as she visits her Aunty Bee at a safari camp, where she encounters Teddy, a lion with a flair for acting. When Teddy escapes from the film crew, Precious teams up with her clever friend Khumo to embark on a detective adventure to find him. Their journey is filled with excitement and teamwork, showcasing the themes of friendship and bravery. The book features vibrant full-color illustrations, enhancing the adventurous spirit of their quest.

Life for Bertie seems to be moving at a pace that is rather out of his control. In Drummond Place gardens it seems that Olive has their future together all planned out. Meanwhile, upstairs at 44 Scotland Street, Bertie's father Stuart is powerless to stop over-bearing Irene and her motion for Bertie to travel to Aberdeen on a three-month secondment. And, further up in the New Town, while Bruce Anderson plots with old-school chums, love blossoms in Big Lou's Cafe. Warm hearted, humorous and wonderfully wise, Love in the Time of Bertie offers philosophical insight as well as sartorial elegance. Catch up once again with the extended family at No 44, in this the latest instalment in the Scotland Street series.

The 2nd installment of the School Ship Tobermory Adventures

Wayward daughters. Missing Husbands. Philandering partners. Curious conmen. If you've got a problem, and no one else can help you, then pay a visit to Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's only - and finest - female private detective. but she's got warmth, wit and canny intuition on her side, not to mention Mr J.L.B. Maketoni, the charming proprietor of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. And Precious is going to need them all as she sets out on the trail of a missing child, a case that tumbles our heroine into a hotbed of strange situations and more than a little danger... captivating glimpse of an unusual world.

Will Bertie ever get away from his overbearing mother? And will we say goodbye to a Scotland Street resident Angus Lordie and his gold-toothed dog Cyril as a jaunt to the hills of Tuscany beckons? They star alongside the familiar cast of favourites, as we follow their daily pursuit of a little happiness.

Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi have always relied on the advice of the classic guide to their trade, The Principles of Private Detection. But who is the eminent author, Mr Clovis Andersen, and what if he were to come to Botswana? That seems a very unlikely possibility, and yet . . . When Mr Andersen visits Botswana on holiday, he is delighted and intrigued to stumble across a roadside sign that reveals the existence of the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Professional courtesy suggests that he call and announce himself. Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi and Phuti Radiphuti are embarking on married life and building a new house - a tricky business under any circumstances but especially hazardous when the name of the contractor is the Joy and Light Building Company.

Fans 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 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 fiancé, 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.

When international detectives, Max and Maddy, tackle the Bursting Balloons mystery, they're onto a tough case. Someone wants to sabotage a hot-air balloon race across America and they'll stop at nothing - bursting balloons, stealing sandbags, breaking baskets and guzzling gas!

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, Phtui 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 Makutsi deals with it all with her usual grace. That, along with the kindness, generosity, and good sense that the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is known for, assure us that in the end, all these matters will be set right

It's not that poor Bertie Pollock is wishing his life away, but having anticipated his 7th birthday for so long he's now longing to be 18. But there's a lot of living to do and Bertie isn't alone amongst the residents of Scotland Street in trying to do just that - with mixed fortunes.

THE PERFECT HAMBURGER by the bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith is a wonderfully entertaining story, ideal for young readers. 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!

Book 17 in the hugely popular 44 Scotland Street series by worldwide bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith

Even 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?

Akimbo loves his life in Africa and the animals that live there. In this story, Akimbo finds out all about baboons, and comes closer than he would like to a much more dangerous animal.

* The eighth instalment of Alexander McCall Smith's wonderful No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.

This newest entry in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series continues the adventures of Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's leading, and only, female private detective.

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 is cleary going to have to employ the utmost tact in dealing with such a delicate situation. And all the time, she and her assistant, Grace Makutsi, are getting on with their normal lives - which, includes birthdays and the buying of birthday presents. A new dress makes a fine present, but not if, when being tried on, it spilts in a way that is thought to be irreparable. If ever an emergency call for the problem-solving skills of Mma Potokwani this is it. But, despite these rumbles, life in Botswana, that far and lovely country, continues relatively smoothly. That, after all, is what Mma Ramotswe and her friends want- and most certainly deserve.

"The Department of Sensitive Crimes is downsizing in light of a recent downturn of sensitive crime, and staff members are wondering who among them will be transferred elsewhere. As the bickering between colleagues intensifies, Ulf tries his best to stay above the fray. But when Anna, a longtime friend and coworker, appears to blame him for an old case that went sideways, it seems she may be putting her own job prospects above their friendship. In the midst of all this, Ulf embarks on an important inquiry: a man's cabin has mysteriously disappeared and Ulf is tasked with finding out what happened. How exactly does one steal a house? And, more to the point, how does one track down a stolen house?"--

Perplexing, unfathomable, and perhaps unimportant, the cases that Malmo's Department of Sensitive Crimes take on will test them to their limits. Life--and crime--is not always as it seems for Ulf Varg and the other fearless detectives in Malmo's Department of Sensitive Crimes. There are always surprising new cases to take on, and the latest batch is no exception. And that's not to mention Ulf's struggle to contain his feelings for his colleague Anna Bengsdotter. All in all, things are distinctly difficult in Malmo, and it seems up to Ulf and the Department to set them right.

The thirteenth novel in Alexander McCall Smith's much-loved Isabel Dalhousie series.

In Pianos and Flowers we are invited, through the medium of sepia images, to glimpse a world long departed. In these stories, inspired by long-lost photographs, the lives of the people in the frame are imagined and then explored, layer by layer. What must have it like to be them? We hold our breath for them. Our heart beats faster for them. We look again at the photograph in a new light, and say Yes, it might have happened just like that.This journey of exploration takes us to some exotic places. We share the lives of three sisters, brought up in Penang. We read of what happened to them, and to their Chinese neighbours caught in the tides of war. We see a group of small boys in a Glasgow slum, their young lives stunted by poverty, and hear how life worked out in contrasting ways for them. We follow a young woman's search for love in the unlikely realm of Egyptian antiquities. And through all of these photographs, and all of these stories, there runs the same refrain: the possibilities of love, of friendship, of happiness lie before us.There are big stories in these simple pictures. At first glance the photographs may seem unexceptional: the mere freezing of a moment in time. But delve deeper and you will realise that these photographs speak volumes.

It is summer in Scotland Street (as it always is) and for the habitués 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 beginning . . .

The new Botswana book from bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith, this is Mma Ramotswe's nineteenth wonderful adventure.

The twelfth novel in the 44 Scotland Street series, the longest running serial novel in the world.

Mma Ramotswe knows she is very lucky indeed. She has a loving family, good friends, and a thriving business doing what she enjoys most: helping people. But the latest mystery she is called upon to solve is distinctly trickier than it initially appears, and, of course, there's plenty to handle in her personal life between Charlie and his new bride and Mma Makutsi and her talking shoes.

Bertie's respite from his overbearing mother, Irene, is over. She has returned from the middle-east, only to discover that her son has been exposed to the worst evils of cartoons, movies and Irn Bru, and her wrath falls upon her unfortunate husband, Stuart. 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 out of Scotland Street altogether and live with his grandmother, Nicola. Can Irene and Stuart's marriage survive? Will Bruce's newfound love last? And will Bertie really leave Scotland Street? Find out in the next instalment of this charming, beloved series.

For seven-year-old Bertie Pollock, life in Edinburgh's most celebrated fictional street has just got immeasurably better. The enforced absence of his endlessly pushy mother Irene - currently consciousness-raising in a Bedouin harem (don't ask) - has manifold and immediate blessings: no psychotherapy, no Italian lessons and no yoga classes. Bliss. For Scotland Street's grown-ups, life throws up some new dilemmas. Matthew makes a discovery that could make him even richer but also leaves him worried. Pat makes one that could make her poorer and her father miserable - unless that uber-narcissist, Bruce, can help her out. And the Duke of Johannesburg, we discover, isn't exactly who he says he is. From what happens behind Edinburgh Airport's luggage carousel to Machiavellian manoeuvrings at the Association of Scottish Nudists, Alexander McCall Smith guides us through the brighter, lighter and frankly unexpected side of Edinburgh life. As ever with his 44 Scotland Street series, his readers will make their own discovery: that its blend of wit and wisdom mark it out as a comedic tour de force.

The House of Unexpected Sisters is the latest instalment from Botswana's leading No. 1 ladies' detective agency: Mma Ramotswe's eighteenth adventure.

The olive harvest is drawing to a close in the town of Dendra, and when Hermes Diaktoros arrives for the celebratory festival he expects an indulgent day of food and wine. But as young men leap a blazing bonfire in feats of daring, one of them is badly burned. Did he fall, or was he pushed? Then, as Hermes learns of a deep-running feud between two families, one of their patriarchs dies. Determined to find out why, Hermes follows a bitter trail through the olive groves to reveal a motive for murder, and uncovers a dark deed brought to light by the sin of gluttony.

A look at the lives of the residents of an apartment building in Edinburgh.

It's full-time monkey business on the high seas in this new family adventure from Alexander McCall Smith, the bestselling author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.Noah can't believe it when he finds out his uncle owns a zoo! But the zoo is closing down, and there are animals who need homes. Before he knows it, Noah and his family are setting sail on a round-the-world trip returning the zoo animals to the places they were born. But when they try to return one very cheeky monkey, they're in for a whole boat-load of trouble!

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 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.

In this engaging mystery, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi investigate a series of troubling incidents at The Great Hippopotamus Hotel, where food poisoning, missing laundry, and a scorpion sting suggest foul play. As they delve deeper, they uncover unexpected complexities, particularly involving the enigmatic Violet Sephotho. Simultaneously, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni navigates a delicate situation with a client seeking a secretive sports car purchase. Through humor and compassion, the detectives aim to restore the hotel's reputation and resolve the unfolding dilemmas.

The story of Bertie and his dysfunctional family continues in this fifth instalment alongside the familiar cast of favourites - Big Lou, Domenica, Angus Lordie, Cyril and others - in their daily pursuit of a little happiness. With customary charm and deftness, Alexander McCall Smith has again given us a clever, witty and utterly delightful new novel.

Come and discover The Enigma of Garlic and join the delightful denizens of Edinburgh's most famous address. This latest instalment of the much-loved 44 Scotland Street series is wise, witty, and full of warmth.

Our favorite moral philosopher is caught up in a delicate dispute between members of a prominent family as her husband, Jamie, is dragged into his own internecine rivalry. Isabel accepts an invitation to serve on the advisory committee of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, but soon finds herself swept up in an all-too-familiar dilemma. David is the grandson of a Scottish clan chief and is supportive of Scottish nationalism. But his fervent beliefs are threatening family harmony, especially because his sister Catriona's socialist views put her at odds with her brother. When their mother, Laura, a fellow committee member, asks Isabel to intervene, she tries to demur. But always one for courteous resolutions to philosophical disagreements, Isabel can't help but intercede. In the meantime, Jamie, having criticized Isabel for getting involved in the affairs of others, does precisely that himself. Jamie is helping to select a new cellist for his ensemble, but he suspects that the conductor may be focused on something other than his favoured candidate's cello skills. With so many factors complicating matters, Isabel and Jamie will have to muster all their tact and charm to ensure that comity is reached between all these fractious parties

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?

Little, Brown/Abacus has sold more than 12 million copies of Alexander McCall Smith's books. This is the twenty-first book in the perennially adored The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series.

Precious and Grace is a story about life at Botswana's leading No. 1 Ladies' detective agency.

The third in a new series of adventure books from the creator of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

When Aunt Bat announces that she has to sell up her banana plantation, her niece Patty comes up with an invention to make their bananas so unusual that everyone will want to buy them. Suggested level: primary.

Praise for the 44 Scotland Street series 'A joyous, charming portrait of city life and human foibles' Sunday Express Scotland Street witnesses the wedding of the century of Angus Lordie to Domenica Macdonald, but as the newlyweds depart on honeymoon Edinburgh is in disarray. Recovering from the trauma of being best man, Matthew is taken up by a Dane called Bo, while Cyril eludes his dog-sitter and embarks on an odyssey involving fox-holes and the official residence of a cardinal. Narcissist Bruce meets his match in the form of a sinister doppelganger; Bertie, set up by his mother for fresh embarrassment at school, yearns for freedom; and Big Lou goes viral. But the residents of Scotland Street rally, and order - and Cyril - is restored by the combined effects of understanding, kindness, and, most of all, friendship.

The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency" introduced the world to the one and only Precious Ramotswe -the engaging and sassy owner of Botswanas only detective agency. In Tears of the Giraffe Mma Ramotswe faces a new challenge: resolving a mothers pain for her son who is long lost on the African plains. Mma Ramotswes own impending marriage to the most gentlemanly of men, Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, the promotion of Mmas secretary to the dizzy heights of Assistant Detective, and the arrival of new members to the Matekoni family, all brew up the most humorous and charmingly entertaining of tales. Acclaim for "The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency": "The authors prose has the merits of simplicity, euphony and precision. His descriptions leave one as if standing in the Botswanan landscape. This is art that conceals art. I havent read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time." - Anthony Daniels, "Sunday Telegraph" "The most entertaining read of the year." -"The Guardian" "An African ' Miss Marple . . . superb." -"Sunday Times" One of the "International Books of the Year and the Millennium" -"Times Literary Supplement

Almost everything starts in a small way. Often it is a very small and apparently insignificant event that ends up moulding the whole shape of our lives.And so it was for Dr Neil Anderson who had barely been in his new post at the University of Edinburgh for three months when he meets Kirsty. After no time at all, they move in together to a beautiful Georgian flat in the south side of the city and start their life together. Everything seems to be working out well for Neil. But after a throw-away comment lands him in a difficult situation, his principles are put to the test. He ultimately has no choice but to rethink his career and his life. He leaves his job, Kirsty and Edinburgh far behind for the seclusion and remote beauty of the Isle of Mull off the west coast of Scotland.No sooner has he started to piece the bits of his shattered life together when a ship comes into Tobermory harbour whose cargo – two wolf cubs – changes the course of his life yet again. These cubs divide opinion on the island and introduce Neil to Katie, a vet on the island, and soon love once again blossoms.A new standalone novel from Alexander McCall Smith.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo introduced us to 'Scandi noir'. Now, welcome to Alexander McCall Smith's world of Scandi blanc . . .

The latest novel in Alexander McCall Smith's much-loved Isabel Dalhousie series, which have sold over 1.7m copies

Like [Barbara] Pym, McCall Smith believes that the small stuff in life matters Scotsman

Cal, Brick and Daisy are three ordinary teenagers whose lives suddenly take a terrifying turn for the worst. They begin to trigger a reaction in everybody they meet, that makes friends and strangers alike want to tear them to pieces. These victims of the Fury - the ones that survive - manage to locate each other.

When Precious Ramotswe asks her dependable husband Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni to fix her tiny, white van, she fears he might just sell the vehicle and buy her something more modern. And so he does. But this will not do. So Precious tries to track her beloved van down--and learns it has already been stolen from its new owner

A client, who was adopted, askes Precious Ramotswe to trace her biological family. But will her searches bring happiness or something rather different, something rather frightening?

Book 15 in the beloved Isabel Dalhousie series