Product Description

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

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3329 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-24
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Review
** 'McCall Smith's confident brush picks out vivid and entertaining characters ... A deliciously engaging Edinburgh comedy' FINANCIAL TIMES

About the Author
Following a distinguished career as a Professor of Medical Law, Alexander McCall Smith has turned to writing full-time. He is the author of over sixty books on a wide array of subjects, and his books have been translated into thirty-six languages. He lives in Edinburgh with his wife.

Customer Reviews

Great fun!
Another delightful volume of sketches from the lives of the inhabitants, past and present, of 44 Scotland Street, Edinburgh. The stories have a fair dash of local colour which is understandable given that the chapters were serialised in the Scotsman, but that should not put-off readers from Kidderminster or Kathmandu as the characters and storylines are pretty universal. All the usual suspects are here - indecisive Matthew; outrageous Angus; put-upon Big Lou; bullying Bruce; poor six year old Bertie, whose every waking minute is organised by his overbearing mother - and more.

Great story-telling - very amusing, occasionally acerbic but never unkind. A good, uplifting read. How does he do it?

The Master Returns
Bertie is back, with all the usual crowd and a pawbiting Cyril the gold toothed canine anti-hero plot to boot.
Sandy McCall Smith although best known for his 1st Ladies Dective Agency series, always hits the spot with 44 Scotland Street.
If you live in Edinburgh, you will recognise many of the places and probably some of the characters.
For those who don't know is that the books are first serialised in the "Scotsman Newspaper" similar to Dickens and The Times and then collated into an exellent volumes, amply illustrated by Iain McIntosh.
Roll on the next volume,if you have not read any of the earlier volumes go and buy them, pull up a comfy chair, some single malt and lose yourself to some quality plots,then when you have read them, go out and buy the Isobel Dalhousie trilogy, you will thank me for telling you

an absolute delight
The 44 Scotland Street series is just perfection..somehow the books manage to be very funny and insightful, as well as quite calming. This latest installment does not disappointment, and quite rightly the focus is now on Bertie, who is still being smothered by his awful mother. If you haven't read them yet, go and get the first one, and work your way through - the books are wonderful.