Mystery

The World of Alexander McCall Smith

September 30th, 2010

With every book in his five marvelous mystery series, Alexander McCall Smith gives you a delightful protagonist, a compelling mystery, and a reading experience unlike any other. But what if you’re new to the series, and don’t know where to start? Here we give you a rundown of the series to choose from, a quick sampler of McCall Smith’s many stories—you can find the full list of each book in the series at the bottom of this post.

 

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series
Fans around the world adore Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier lady detective. With some help from her loyal associate Grace Makutsi, Mma Ramotswe navigates cases and her personal life with wisdom, good humor, and a cup of tea
Buy the first book in the series

 

 

 

 

The Sunday Philosophy Club / Isabel Dalhousie series
Isabel Dalhousie is an insatiably curious professional philosopher and reluctant detective. Whether she is investigating a mystery or philosophical quandary, Isabel is always ready to pursue the answers to all of life’s questions, large and small.
Buy the first book in the series

 

 

 

 

The Professor Dr. von Igelfeld series
A series that slyly skeweres academia, chronicling the comic misadventures of the endearingly awkward Professor Dr. Dr. Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld and his long-suffering colleagues at the Institute of Romance Philology in Regensburg, Germany.
Buy the first book in the series

 

 

 

 

44 Scotland Street series
The residents of 44 Scotland Street and the city of Edinburgh itself come to vivid life i this gently satirical, wonderfully perceptive serial novel, with young prodigy Bertie Pollock at the center of it all.
Buy the first book in the series

 

 

 

 

Corduroy Mansions
Corduroy Mansions, a handsome, though slightly dilapidated, apartment block in London’s hip Pimlico neighborhood, is home to a group of delightful eccentrics, including Freddie de la Hay—perhaps the world’s cleverest terrier.
Buy the first book in the series

 

 

 

 

The Detective Varg Series
A warm and witty send-up of Scandinavian crime that is equal parts hilarious, heartening, and intriguing—featuring dogged detective Ulf Varg, his deaf canine companion, and a colorful cast of characters and cases at the Department of Sensitive Crimes.
Buy the first book in the series

 

 

 

Stand-Alone Books
Alexander McCall Smith’s stand-alone books feature a wide-ranging variety of tales, always full of wit and charm. These books capture the joy of a moment, the inspirations of travel, the significance of chance encounters, and many other delights.

And now, the full list of McCall Smith’s titles, ready for the reading! Take a day or two in your busy fall reading schedule, hunker down with an afghan and a cup of hot tea, and dive into a McCall Smith novel. We promise you a very good time with any one of these marvelous stories.

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Series
The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
Tears of the Giraffe
Morality for Beautiful Girls
The Kalahari Typing School for Men
The Full Cupboard of Life
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
Blue Shoes and Happiness
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive
The Miracle at Speedy Motors
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built
The Double Comfort Safari Club
 The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon
The Handsome Man’s De Luxe Café
The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine
Precious and Grace
The House of Unexpected Sisters
The Colors of All the Cattle
To the Land of Long Lost Friends
How to Raise an Elephant
The Joy and Light Bus Company
A Song of Comfortable Chairs
From a Far and Lovely Country
Coming in October! The Great Hippopotamus Hotel

The Sunday Philosophy Club / Isabel Dalhousie Series
The Sunday Philosophy Club
Friends, Lovers, Chocolate
The Right Attitude to Rain
The Careful Use of Compliments
The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday
The Lost Art of Gratitude
The Charming Quirks of Others
The Forgotten Affairs of Youth
The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds
The Novel Habits of Happiness
A Distant View of Everything
The Quiet Side of Passion
The Geometry of Holding Hands
The Sweet Remnants of Summer
Coming in July! The Conditions of Unconditional Love

The Professor Dr. von Igelfeld Series
Portuguese Irregular Verbs
The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs

At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances
Unusual Uses for Olive Oil
Your Inner Hedgehog

The 44 Scotland Street Series
44 Scotland Street
Espresso Tales
Love over Scotland
The World According to Bertie
The Unbearable Lightness of Scones
The Importance of Being Seven
Bertie Plays the Blues
Sunshine on Scotland Street
Bertie’s Guide to Live and Mothers
The Revolving Door of Life
The Bertie Project
A Time of Love and Tartan
The Peppermint Tea Chronicles
A Promise of Ankles
Love in the Time of Bertie
Coming in May! The Stellar Debut of Galactica Macfee

The Detective Varg Series
The Department of Sensitive Crimes
The Talented Mr. Varg
The Man with the Silver Saab
The Discreet Charm of the Big Bad Wolf

The Corduroy Mansions Series
Corduroy Mansions
The Dog Who Came in from the Cold
A Conspiracy of Friends

Stand-alone Books
My Italian Bulldozer
The Second-Worst Restaurant in France
La’s Orchestra Saves the World
Trains and Lovers
The Forever Girl
Emma: A Modern Retelling
Chance Developments
The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse
Pianos and Flowers
Tiny Tales
In a Time of Distance
The Pavilion in the Clouds
The Private Life of Spies and the Exquisite Art of Getting Even
 The Perfect Passion Company

(author photo for post courtesy of Chris Watt)