Alexander McCall Smith

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Alexander McCall Smith's Latest Book

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  • Bibliography:
    141 Books (15 Series)
  • First Book:
    April 1987
  • Latest Book:
    August 2025
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Full Series List in Order

44 Scotland Street

1 - 44 Scotland Street (Jun-2005)
2 - Espresso Tales (Nov-2005)
3 - Love Over Scotland (Nov-2007)
4 - The World According to Bertie (Aug-2007)
5 - The Unbearable Lightness of Scones (Jan-2010)
6 - The Importance of Being Seven (Aug-2012)
7 - Bertie Plays the Blues (Oct-2013)
8 - Sunshine on Scotland Street (Aug-2014)
9 - Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers (Feb-2015)
10 - The Revolving Door of Life (Feb-2016)
11 - The Bertie Project (Feb-2017)
12 - A Time of Love and Tartan (Feb-2018)
13 - The Peppermint Tea Chronicles (Dec-2019)
14 - A Promise of Ankles (Dec-2020)
15 - Love in the Time of Bertie (Mar-2022)
16 - The Enigma of Garlic (Jan-2023)
17 - The Stellar Debut of Galactica Macfee (May-2024)

Akimbo

1 - Akimbo and the Elephants (Sep-2005)
2 - Akimbo and the Lions (Sep-2005)
3 - Akimbo and the Crocodile Man (Apr-2006)
4 - Akimbo and the Snakes (Sep-2006)
5 - Akimbo and the Baboons (Oct-2008)

A Big-Top Mystery

1 - The Case of the Vanishing Granny (Apr-2019)
2 - The Great Clown Conundrum (Oct-2019)

A Corduroy Mansions Novel

1 - Corduroy Mansions (Jul-2009)
2 - The Dog Who Came in from the Cold (Jul-2011)
3 - A Conspiracy of Friends (Jun-2012)

A Detective Varg Novel

0.5 - The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists (Feb-2019)
1 - The Department of Sensitive Crimes (Apr-2019)
2 - The Talented Mr. Varg (May-2020)
3 - The Man with the Silver Saab (Jul-2021)
4 - The Discreet Charm of the Big Bad Wolf (Sep-2023)

Harriet Bean

1 - The Five Lost Aunts Of Harriet Bean (1990)
2 - Harriet Bean and the League of Cheats (Apr-2007)
3 - The Cowgirl Aunt of Harriet Bean (Oct-2006)

An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery

1 - The Sunday Philosophy Club (Sep-2004)
2 - Friends, Lovers, Chocolate (Sep-2005)
3 - The Right Attitude to Rain (Sep-2006)
4 - The Careful Use of Compliments (Sep-2007)
5 - The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday (Oct-2008)
6 - The Lost Art of Gratitude (Oct-2009)
7 - The Charming Quirks of Others (Oct-2010)
7.5 - The Perils of Morning Coffee (Oct-2011)
8 - The Forgotten Affairs of Youth (Dec-2011)
9 - The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds (Oct-2012)
9.5 - At the Reunion Buffet (May-2015)
10 - The Novel Habits of Happiness (Jul-2015)
10.5 - Sweet, Thoughtful Valentine (May-2016)
11 - A Distant View of Everything (Jul-2017)
12 - The Quiet Side of Passion (Jul-2018)
13 - The Geometry of Holding Hands (Aug-2020)
14 - The Sweet Remnants of Summer (Jul-2022)
15 - The Conditions of Unconditional Love (Jul-2024)

Max & Maddy

1 - Marzipan Max (Jan-1993)
2 - Max & Maddy and the Chocolate Money Mystery (Mar-2007)
3 - Max & Maddy and the Bursting Balloons Mystery (Apr-2008)

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

1 - The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998)
2 - Tears of the Giraffe (Sep-2002)
3 - Morality for Beautiful Girls (Nov-2002)
4 - The Kalahari Typing School for Men (Apr-2003)
5 - The Full Cupboard of Life (Apr-2004)
6 - In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (Apr-2005)
7 - Blue Shoes and Happiness (Apr-2006)
8 - The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (Apr-2007)
9 - The Miracle at Speedy Motors (Apr-2008)
10 - Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (May-2009)
11 - The Double Comfort Safari Club (Apr-2010)
12 - The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party (Apr-2011)
13 - The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (Apr-2012)
14 - The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon (Nov-2013)
15 - The Handsome Man's Deluxe Cafe (Nov-2014)
16 - The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine (Nov-2015)
17 - Precious and Grace (Oct-2016)
18 - The House of Unexpected Sisters (Nov-2017)
19 - The Colors of All the Cattle (Nov-2018)
20 - To the Land of Long Lost Friends (Oct-2019)
21 - How to Raise an Elephant (Dec-2020)
22 - The Joy and Light Bus Company (Nov-2021)
23 - A Song of Comfortable Chairs (Sep-2022)
24 - From a Far and Lovely Country (Nov-2023)
25 - The Great Hippopotamus Hotel (Oct-2024)

Paul Stuart

1 - My Italian Bulldozer (Apr-2017)
2 - The Second-Worst Restaurant in France (Jul-2019)

The Perfect Passion Company

1 - Cook for Me (Feb-2023)
2 - A Laborer in the Vineyard of Love (Sep-2023)

Precious Ramotswe

1 - Precious and the Puggies (Mar-2011)
2 - Precious and the Monkeys (Jul-2011)
3 - Precious and the Mischief at Meerkat Brae (May-2013)

Precious Ramotswe (Kids)

1 - The Great Cake Mystery (Apr-2012)
2 - The Mystery of Meerkat Hill (Oct-2013)
3 - The Mystery of the Missing Lion (Oct-2014)

A Professor Dr. von Igelfeld Entertainment

1 - Portuguese Irregular Verbs (Aug-2003)
2 - The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs (Jan-2005)
3 - At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances (Aug-2003)
4 - Unusual Uses for Olive Oil (Jan-2013)
5 - Your Inner Hedgehog (Apr-2021)

School Ship Tobermory

1 - School Ship Tobermory (Oct-2016)
2 - The Sands of Shark Island (Jul-2017)
3 - The Race to Kangaroo Cliff (Apr-2018)

Multi-Author Series List

Jane Austen's Emma

Emma: A Modern Retelling (Apr-2015)

Book List in Order: 141 titles

  • On the Road

  • Film Boy

  • The Five Lost Aunts Of Harriet Bean

    Harriet Bean - 1

    When Harriet Bean's father mentions that he has five sisters--whom Harriet has never met--she is immediately intrigued. Harriet is determined to uncover the whereabouts of her five lost aunts, but with nothing more than an unfinished family portrait ...

  • Children of Wax

  • The Ice-Cream Bicycle

  • Marzipan Max

    Max & Maddy - 1

  • Calculator Annie

    No matter how hard Annie tries, she just cannot do even the simplest sums. It's so embarrassing! When she goes to the shops, she can't work out how much money to hand the shopkeeper, and she always gets 0 for her maths homework. That is, until Annie ...

  • The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

    • / Cozy Mystery
    • Buy Buy
    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 1

    MEET PRECIOUS RAMOTSWE, "the Miss Marple of Botswana" (The New York Times Book Review) --a heroine who is endearing, engaging, and simply irresistible. With persistent observation, gentle intuition, and a keen desire to help people with the problems ...

  • Monkey Boy

    Professor Frederick J. Dodd from the institute of Monkeyology thinks George O'Tang looks amazingly like a monkey. George is perfect to help the Professor save the rare Congo Stripy Monkeys from a gang of evil gorillas. Join George on his tree-swingin...



  • Tears of the Giraffe

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 2

    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 in...

  • Morality for Beautiful Girls

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 3

    In Morality for Beautiful Girls, Precious Ramotswe, founder and owner of the only detective agency for the concerns of both ladies and others, investigates the alleged poisoning of the brother of an important "Government Man," and the moral character...

  • The Kalahari Typing School for Men

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 4

    Mma Precious Ramotswe is content. Her business is well established with many satisfied customers, and in her mid-thirties ("the finest age to be") she has a house, two adopted children, a fine fiance. But, as always, there are troubles. Mr. J.L.B. Ma...

  • At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances

    A Professor Dr. von Igelfeld Entertainment - 3

    Readers who fell in love with Precious Ramotswe, proprietor of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, now have new cause for celebration in the protagonist of these three light-footed comic novels by Alexander McCall Smith. Welcome to the insane and rar...

  • Portuguese Irregular Verbs

    A Professor Dr. von Igelfeld Entertainment - 1

    Readers who fell in love with Precious Ramotswe, proprietor of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, now have new cause for celebration in the protagonist of these three light-footed comic novels by Alexander McCall Smith. Welcome to the insane and rar...

  • The Full Cupboard of Life

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 5

    In the fifth book in the prodigiously successful series, traditionally built, eminently sensible Mma Precious Ramotswe continues her enterprise at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Gaborone, Botswana, a country that is indeed fortunate. Still ...

  • Heavenly Date: And Other Flirtations

    In these hilarious stories of perverse meetings, casual dates and romantic encounters, we are enthralled, saddened, inspired and surprised by the encounters we witness. McCall Smith, a master of the unexpected and a seamless storyteller, revels in of...

  • The Sunday Philosophy Club

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 1

    Introducing Isabel Dalhousie the heroine of the latest bestselling series from the author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Isabel, the editor of the Review of Applied Ethics and an occasional detective, has been accused of getting involved in p...

  • The Girl Who Married a Lion: and Other Tales from Africa

    Gathered here is a beguiling selection of folktales from Zimbabwe and Botswana as retold by the best-selling author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. This treasury contains most of the stories previously collected in Children of Wax and seven ne...

  • The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs

    A Professor Dr. von Igelfeld Entertainment - 2

    Readers who fell in love with Precious Ramotswe, proprietor of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, now have new cause for celebration in the protagonist of these three light-footed comic novels by Alexander McCall Smith. Welcome to the insane and rar...



  • In the Company of Cheerful Ladies

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 6

    In this latest, widely praised addition to the beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the charming and ever-resourceful Precious Ramotswe finds herself faced with new challenges--and intriguing surprises. Precious is busier than usual at t...

  • 44 Scotland Street

    44 Scotland Street - 1

    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, Dome...

  • Akimbo and the Elephants

    Akimbo - 1

    Imagine living in the heart of Africa, where the sun rises each morning over blue mountains, and great plains stretch as far as the eye can see. Imagine living in a place where wild animals still roam freely -- elephants, lions, crocodiles. Akimbo li...

  • Akimbo and the Lions

    Akimbo - 2

    Imagine living in the heart of Africa, where the sun rises each morning over -- blue mountains, and great plains stretch as far as the eye can see. Imagine living in a place where wild animals still roam freely -- elephants, lions, crocodiles. Akim...

  • Friends, Lovers, Chocolate

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 2

    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...

  • Espresso Tales

    44 Scotland Street - 2

    Alexander McCall Smith's many fans will be pleased with this latest installment in the bestselling 44 Scotland Street series. Back are all our favorite denizens of a Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh. Bertie the immensely talented six year old is...

  • Akimbo and the Crocodile Man

    Akimbo - 3

    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 he...

  • Blue Shoes and Happiness

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 7

    In this latest installment in the internationally best-selling, universally beloved series, there is considerable excitement at The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. A cobra has been found in Precious Ramotswe's office. Then a nurse from a local medica...

  • Akimbo and the Snakes

    Akimbo - 4

    Akimbo can't believe his luck when his father allows him to visit his uncle Peter's snake park. And when a local village calls to report a sighting of a green mamba snake―the rarest and most deadly one of all―Akimbo hopes to help his uncle cat...

  • The Right Attitude to Rain

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 3

    Mimi, Isabel's cousin from Dallas, and her husband, Joe, visit Edinburgh and introduce Isabel to a wealthy Texan friend and his lithe fiancee. Isabel quickly begins to suspect that the fiancee is more interested in his money than his love, but should...



  • The Cowgirl Aunt of Harriet Bean

    Harriet Bean - 3

    When Harriet discovers that she has yet another lost aunt―a cowgirl named Formica―she jumps at the chance to join her two detective aunts on a visit. Aunt Formica's ranch is being plagued by devious cattle rustlers, and she needs Harriet's hel...

  • Dream Angus: The Celtic God of Dreams

    Dream Angus is one of the earliest of the Celtic deities, and one of the most beloved. Angus comes bounding over the heather with his bag of dreams to dispense to those who want them. He is lithe of foot and beautiful -- as befits one who is also t...

  • Max & Maddy and the Chocolate Money Mystery

    Max & Maddy - 2

    Max and Maddy Twist have a flair for solving crimes. You might even say it's in their blood. That's because their parents once ran a thriving detective agency―until the notorious Professor Claude Sardine shut them down. But now Max and Maddy are...

  • Harriet Bean and the League of Cheats

    Harriet Bean - 2

    Harriet Bean loves nothing more than a good mystery. And together with her five extraordinary aunts (Veronica, Harmonica, Majolica, and twins Japonica and Thessalonika), she is always ready to take on a new case.

    Harriet doesn't think twice ...

  • The Good Husband of Zebra Drive

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 8

    In the eighth installment of Alexander McCall Smith's endlessly enjoyable, bestselling series, the judicious Precious Ramotswe comes to discover what is true, stable, and genuine in an ever-shifting world. There is rarely a dull moment in the life o...

  • The World According to Bertie

    44 Scotland Street - 4

    There is never a quiet moment on 44 Scotland Street. In The World According to Bertie, Pat deals with the reappearance of Bruce, which has her heart skipping--and not in a pleasant way. Angus Lordie's dog Cyril has been taken away by the authorities,...

  • The Perfect Hamburger and Other Delicious Stories

    The Appetizer: The Perfect Hamburger
    When a snazzy fast-food chain moves into town, business at Joe's favorite hamburger restaurant begins to suffer. He gets an idea that's sure to bring back the diners, but there's just one problem. The secret...

  • The Careful Use of Compliments

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 4

    In the latest beguiling installment of this beloved series, Isabel Dalhousie -- the nosiest and most sympathetic philosopher you are likely to meet -- returns to investigate an irresistible puzzle in the art world. Isabel Dalhousie now has a son, Ch...

  • Love Over Scotland

    44 Scotland Street - 3

    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 d...

  • Max & Maddy and the Bursting Balloons Mystery

    Max & Maddy - 3

    When a famous millionaire asks young detectives Max and Maddy Twist to investigate who is sabotaging an international balloon race for charity, they find themselves competing against world-renowned balloonists--and one old nemesis. Reprint....



  • The Miracle at Speedy Motors

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 9

    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 M...

  • The Comfort Of Saturdays

  • Akimbo and the Baboons

    Akimbo - 5

    Akimbo is excited to have his cousin, Kosi, visit him on the game reserve where he lives,. and when a visiting scientist invites the boys to join her when she studies a pack of baboons, they can't wait to assist her in the bush. The baboons they f...

  • The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 5

    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 i...

  • La's Orchestra Saves the World

    La's Orchestra Saves the World is another delightful story celebrating friendship and the healing power of music, told with the warmth and charm we've come to love from this favourite storyteller. It's 1939 and the war in Europe casts a long, all-...

  • Tea Time for the Traditionally Built

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 10

    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 k...

  • Corduroy Mansions

    A Corduroy Mansions Novel - 1

    From universally beloved author Alexander McCall Smith, comes the first novel in a brand new series with a colorful cast of characters and one incredibly crafty canine. In London's hip Pimlico neighborhood the much-loved Corduroy Mansions sits on ...

  • The Lost Art of Gratitude

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 6

    The sixth book in this bestselling series gives us Isabel, intrigue -- both moral and financial -- a fox bite, two engagements and at least one wedding! While attending a second birthday party with her son, Charlie, Isabel meets Minty Auchterl...

  • The Unbearable Lightness of Scones

    44 Scotland Street - 5

    The witty and utterly delightful new novel in the national bestselling 44 Scotland Street series. Featuring all the quirky characters we have come to know and love, The Unbearable Lightness of Scones, finds Bertie, the precocious six-year-old, sti...

  • The Double Comfort Safari Club

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 11

    The delightful new installment in Alexander McCall Smith's beloved and best-selling series finds Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi traveling to the north of Botswana, to the stunning Okavango Delta, to visit a safari lodge where there have been several un...



  • The Charming Quirks of Others

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 7

    In this latest, felicitous addition to the Isabel Dalhousie series, our inquisitive heroine comes to see that there are very few of us who are not flawed . . . herself included. A couple who are old friends of Isabel's ask for her help in a rath...

  • Precious and the Puggies

    Precious Ramotswe - 1

    'World First' a brand new story from Alexander McCall Smith that is now available in paperback! A world first from Itchy Coo, this is a brand new book for younger readers, telling the story of the girlhood adventures of Precious Ramotswe, founder of ...

  • The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 12

    At a remote cattle post south of Gaborone two cows have been killed, and Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's No. 1 Lady Detective, is asked to investigate by a rather frightened and furtive gentleman. It is an intriguing problem with plenty of suspects -- ...

  • The Dog Who Came in from the Cold

    A Corduroy Mansions Novel - 2

    The heartwarming and hilarious new installment in the Corduroy Mansions series presents the further adventures of Alexander McCall Smith's newest beloved character: the Pimlico terrier Freddie de la Hay. In the elegantly crumbling mansion block i...

  • Precious and the Monkeys

    Precious Ramotswe - 2

    Well before Precious Ramotswe founded her Number One Ladies' Detective Agency, as an eight-year-old girl she was already solving mysteries. Here, in this delightful, enchanting tale for children, we find out just who has been stealing her schoolfrien...

  • The Strange Story of Bobby Box

    in What You Wish For

    A stellar collection from Newbery medalists and bestselling authors written to benefit Darfuri refugees With contributions from some of the best talent writing for children today, What You Wish For is a compelling collection of affecting, inspirin...

  • The Perils of Morning Coffee

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 7.5

    In this Isabel Dalhousie original short story, available exclusively in electronic format, our intrepid heroine -- accused by a distraught wife of being the "other woman" -- makes a surprising discovery as she attempts to defend her reputation.Summer...

  • The Forgotten Affairs of Youth

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 8

    In this latest installment of the beloved Isabel Dalhousie series, our inquisitive heroine helps a new friend discover the identity of her father. Isabel and her fianc know who they are and where they come from. But not everybody is so fortunate....

  • The Great Cake Mystery

    Precious Ramotswe (Kids) - 1

    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 ...

  • The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 13

    In this latest episode in the beloved, best-selling series, the kindest and best detective in Botswana faces a tricky situation when her personal and professional lives become entangled. Precious Ramotswe is haunted by a repeated dream: a vision ...

  • A Conspiracy of Friends

    A Corduroy Mansions Novel - 3

    It’s back to Corduroy Mansions -- the slightly dilapidated but well-lived-in mansion block in London’s hip Pimlico neighborhood -- for the third installment in Alexander McCall Smith’s latest beloved series. It seems the universe itself is ...

  • The Importance of Being Seven

    44 Scotland Street - 6

    All our favorite characters are up to new tricks in the utterly charming sixth novel in the bestselling 44 Scotland Street series. The great city of Edinburgh is renowned for its impeccable restraint, so how, then, did the extended family of 44 S...

  • The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 9

    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 Dalhou...

  • Unusual Uses for Olive Oil

    A Professor Dr. von Igelfeld Entertainment - 4

    Welcome to the insane and rarified world of Professor Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld of the Institute of Romance Philology. Von Igelfeld is engaged in a never-ending quest to win the respect he feels certain he is due -- a quest which has the tendency ...

  • Precious and the Mischief at Meerkat Brae

    Precious Ramotswe - 3

    Well before Precious Ramotswe founded her Number One Ladies Detective Agency, as an eight-year-old girl she was already solving mysteries. Here, in this delightful, new, enchanting tale for children, we see how the young Precious became the crafty an...

  • Trains and Lovers

    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 anachronis...

  • Bertie Plays the Blues

    44 Scotland Street - 7

    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 seven-year-old Bertie, a remarkably precocious boy -- just ask his mother. ...

  • The Mystery of Meerkat Hill

    Precious Ramotswe (Kids) - 2

    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. S...

  • The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 14

    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 Mm...

  • The Forever Girl

    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 husba...

  • Fatty O'Leary's Dinner Party

    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. Cornelius P. “Fatty” O'Leary and his wif...

  • Sunshine on Scotland Street

    44 Scotland Street - 8

    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. Fr...

  • Good Dog Lion

  • The Mystery of the Missing Lion

    Precious Ramotswe (Kids) - 3

    A detective in the wild. Young Precious gets a very special treat. She gets a trip to visit her Aunty Bee at a safari camp. While there she makes a new friend, a boy named Khumo, and meets an actor-lion named Teddy, who is starring in a film. Wh...

  • The Handsome Man's Deluxe Cafe

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 15

    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 Makuts...

  • Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers

    44 Scotland Street - 9

    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 ...

  • Emma: A Modern Retelling

    Jane Austen's Emma

    The best-selling author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series deftly escorts Jane Austen’s beloved, meddlesome heroine into the twenty-first century in this delightfully inventive retelling. The summer after university, Emma Woodhouse ...

  • At the Reunion Buffet

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 9.5

    A Vintage Shorts “Short Story Month” Original SelectionIn this warm, intelligently observed novella, Isabel Dalhousie, Alexander McCall Smith's wonderful heroine, learns valuable lessons about inviting the past (and everyone in it) back into your...

  • The Novel Habits of Happiness

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 10

    Isabel Dalhousie, the insatiably curious Edinburgh sleuth and philosopher, takes on a case unlike any she’s had before: a six-year-old boy has been experiencing vivid recollections of a past life. His visions include a perfect description of a Scot...

  • The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 16

    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 Makuts...

  • The Revolving Door of Life

    44 Scotland Street - 10

    Excitement abounds when the revolving door of life brings fresh faces and hilarious new developments to the residents of 44 Scotland Street. Things are looking up for seven-year-old Bertie Pollock. The arrival of his spirited grandmother and the a...

  • Sweet, Thoughtful Valentine

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 10.5

    Philosopher and amateur sleuth Isabel Dalhousie has an unstinting commitment to her principles. Sticking to her promises has always been one of them. Then Isabel runs into an old classmate facing marital and financial troubles, who reveals a secret t...

  • Chance Developments: Stories

    From the bestselling author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series comes this splendid collection. Inspired by vintage photographs, these five lyrical stories capture the surprising intersections of love and friendship that alter life's journey...

  • Boing Boing

    National treasure Aleander McCall Smith joins up-and-coming illustrator Zoe Persico in this utterly adorable story of family, acceptance and difference.Jane has always been just a little bit different she has springs in her knees! She bounce, bounce...

  • Precious and Grace

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 17

    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 Makuts...

  • School Ship Tobermory

    School Ship Tobermory - 1

    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 ...

  • The Bertie Project

    44 Scotland Street - 11

    Our beloved cast of characters are back, as are the joys and trials of life at 44 Scotland Street in this latest installment of Alexander McCall Smith’s delightfully charming series. Bertie’s mother, Irene, returns from the Middle East to dis...

  • My Italian Bulldozer

    Paul Stuart - 1

    The best-selling author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series returns with an irresistible new novel about one man’s adventures in the Italian countryside.Paul Stuart, a renowned food writer, finds himself at loose ends after his longtime ...

  • The Perfect Hamburger

    A funny and poignant children''s story from one of the world''s most prolific and popular authors Alexander McCall Smith.

    It''s all about hamburgers!

    Joe has just created the yummiest, juiciest, most delicious hamburger ever - and his f...

  • A Distant View of Everything

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 11

    In this installment of the beloved Isabel Dalhousie series, Isabel is called upon to navigate complex social situations both at home and in her community. A new baby brings an abundance of joy to Isabel and her husband, Jamie -- but almost-four-ye...

  • The Sands of Shark Island

    School Ship Tobermory - 2

    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 s...

  • The House of Unexpected Sisters

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 18

    Precious Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi investigate a new mystery in this latest installment of the irresistibly charming, perennially best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Fans around the world adore the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency a...

  • Hari and His Electric Feet

    Hari is a dreamer with an unusual talent. He spends the few coins he earns washing cars on cinema trips to watch (and learn from) his beloved Bollywood films. Then one day Hari's gloriously fancy footwork is spotted by Mr Ram, a man on a mission to r...

  • A Time of Love and Tartan

    44 Scotland Street - 12

    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 r...

  • The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse

    Val Eliot is working on an English farm during the war when she meets Mike, a U.S. Air Force pilot stationed nearby. The two become close, and after Val rescues a border collie named Peter Woodhouse, who is being mistreated by his owner, she realizes...

  • The Race to Kangaroo Cliff

    School Ship Tobermory - 3

    In this third and final installment of the School Ship Tobermory adventure series, the same loveable cast and crew are back, sailing to new locales in Australia with adventures that don't disappoint.Ben and Fee MacTavish and the rest of the school sh...

  • Freddie Mole: Lion Tamer

    From the bestselling adult author of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series as well as the middle-grade series School Ship Tobermory comes an exciting tale of bravery set in and around the circus, with fun, energetic illustrations throughout. Fr...

  • The Quiet Side of Passion

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 12

    As a full-time mother, wife, and editor, Isabel barely has any time for herself. When her husband, Jamie, suggests acquiring extra help, she reluctantly agrees and soon hires a new au pair, and an intelligent assistant editor. Both women, though, hav...

  • The Colors of All the Cattle

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 19

    In this latest installment of the beloved and best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Precious Ramotswe finds herself running for office -- much to her dismay. When Mma Potokwane suggests to Mma Ramotswe that she run for a seat on t...

  • Max Champion and the Great Race Car Robbery

    Start your engines and get in gear for an action-packed story from the bestselling author of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, Alexander McCall Smith, with fun and energetic illustrations by Kate Hindley.When Max finds an old car that has...

  • The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists

    A Detective Varg Novel - 0.5

    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 t...

  • The Case of the Vanishing Granny

    A Big-Top Mystery - 1

    Roll up! Roll up! The Shortbread Family Circus is in town! Introducing the first tale in The Big Top Mysteries, an exciting new series from Alexander McCall Smith and illustrator Sam Usher.Billy, Fern and Joe Shortbread are the stars of their family ...

  • The Department of Sensitive Crimes

    A Detective Varg Novel - 1

    In the Swedish criminal justice system, certain cases are considered especially strange and difficult, in Malmö, the dedicated detectives who investigate these crimes are members of an elite squad known as the Sensitive Crimes Division. These are...

  • The Second-Worst Restaurant in France

    Paul Stuart - 2

    In this delightful sequel to the best-selling comedic novel My Italian Bulldozer, Paul Stuart's travels take him to a French village, where the local restaurant's haute cuisine leaves a lot to be desired. Renowned Scottish cookbook writer ...

  • The Secret of the Dark Waterfall

    Longlisted for the Highland Book Prize 2019 The School Ship Tobermory and its intrepid young crew are back in Hebridean waters. When a violent storm blows them off course to a remote island, they discover a fisherman's journal written a hundred year...

  • The Great Clown Conundrum

    A Big-Top Mystery - 2

    Roll up! Roll up! For the second exciting instalment in The Big-Top Mysteries series, packed with all the fun of the circus and an intriguing new mystery to be solved!A new season is about to begin at the Shortbread familys circus! The big-top is rea...

  • To the Land of Long Lost Friends

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 20

    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 ...

  • Pianos and Flowers

    A delightful collection of stories and photographs from the best-selling author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, imagining the lives and loves of everyday people in the twentieth centuryPictures capture moments in time, presenting the vi...

  • The Peppermint Tea Chronicles

    44 Scotland Street - 13

    Summer has come to Scotland Street. The long days have prompted its denizens to engage in flights of fancy. Some, like the Duke of Johannesburg’s plan to create a microlite seaplane, are literal flights, and some, like the vain Bruce Anderson’s i...

  • The Talented Mr. Varg

    A Detective Varg Novel - 2

    In the second installment in 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...

  • The Geometry of Holding Hands

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 13

    One of the author's most beloved characters is back--and once again she will have to call upon her powers of deduction and her unflappable moral code to unravel a new philosophical mystery. In Edinburgh, rumors and gossip abound. But Isabel we...

  • How to Raise an Elephant

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 21

    The next book in the perennially adored No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series sees Precious Ramotswe calling upon all her maternal instincts when she's faced with a two-ton case. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but can Mma Ra...

  • A Promise of Ankles

    44 Scotland Street - 14

    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 ...

  • Your Inner Hedgehog

    A Professor Dr. von Igelfeld Entertainment - 5

    Welcome to the insane and rarified world of Professor Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld of the Institute of Romance Philology. Von Igelfeld is engaged in a never-ending quest to win the respect he feels certain he is due -- a quest that has a tendency to ...

  • Noah Wild and the Floating Zoo

    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...

  • Tiny Tales: Stories of Romance, Ambition, Kindness, and Happiness

    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, Alexand...

  • Young Precious: The Collected Adventures

  • The Man with the Silver Saab

    A Detective Varg Novel - 3

    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 fami...

  • The Pavilion in the Clouds

    “This is one of the most enjoyable of his many enjoyable novels” "The ScotsmanIt 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 fam...

  • Alexander McCall Smith's Explosive Adventures

  • Alexander McCall Smith's Marvellous Mix-ups

  • The Baboons Who Went This Way And That

  • The Cleverness Of Ladies

  • The Joy and Light Bus Company

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 22

    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 com...

  • Love in the Time of Bertie

    44 Scotland Street - 15

    The latest installment in the delightful 44 Scotland Street series finds all our favorite residents up to their usual hilarious hijinks. In the microcosm of 44 Scotland Street, all of life’s richness is found in the glorious goings-on of its res...

  • The Sweet Remnants of Summer

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 14

    The latest Isabel Dalhousie novel finds 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. When Isabel is invited to serve on ...

  • The Exquisite Art of Getting Even

  • A Song of Comfortable Chairs

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 23

    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 cleverness and generosity to resolve.“An escape from life’s woes as...

  • Sphinx

    In this short story from Alexander McCall Smith’s Pianos and Flowers, inspired by a photograph from the Times of London archive, a young woman finds unexpected love while perusing Egyptian antiquities. With his indomitable charm, Alexander McCall S...

  • The Enigma of Garlic

    44 Scotland Street - 16

    The latest installment in the charming and congenial 44 Scotland Street series finds all our favorite residents of Scotland's most celebrated address up to their usual hilarious hijinks.It's the most anticipated event of the decade -- Big Lou and Fat...

  • Cook for Me

    The Perfect Passion Company - 1

    Katie Donald’s aunt Ness announces that she’s heading to Canada for a late-in-life gap year, asking Katie to take over management of her matchmaking bureau in her absence. Katie, who is always ready for a new challenge, enthusiastically accepts t...

  • The Private Life of Spies and The Exquisite Art of Getting Even

    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...

  • The Love Story of Herb la Fouche

  • The Discreet Charm of the Big Bad Wolf

    A Detective Varg Novel - 4

    In the hilarious new novel in the best-selling Detective Varg series, Ulf Varg will need to resolve both a sensitive crime and his own delicate dilemma in the hopes of preserving the peace.The Department of Sensitive Crimes is downsizing in light of ...

  • A Laborer in the Vineyard of Love

    The Perfect Passion Company - 2

    For fans of Alexander McCall Smith’s many beloved series and romantic standalone novels, The Perfect Passion Company e-original series shows him at his most perceptive, playful, and generous.Katie Donald is learning the ropes at the Perfect Passion...

  • From a Far and Lovely Country

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 24

    In this latest installment in Alexander McCall Smith’s cherished No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, two confounding cases compete for Mma Ramotswe’s attention -- and she may need to call in back up.“An escape from life’s woes as well as...

  • The Perfect Passion Company

    From the beloved author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency comes a fabulous new novel in three parts: The Perfect Passion Company, tales of love and companionship from Scotland’s most low-key dating agency.As the new manager of The Perfect Pas...

  • The Stellar Debut of Galactica Macfee

    44 Scotland Street - 17

    The latest installment in the warm and welcoming 44 Scotland Street series finds all our favorite residents of Scotland's most celebrated address navigating their enchanting and eventful lives.Angus Lordie is approached in the park by a shadowy, Deep...

  • The Conditions of Unconditional Love

    An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery - 15

    Everyone’s favorite moral philosopher and amateur sleuth, Isabel Dalhousie, is back and once again finds herself facing a number of tricky situations and philosophical questions, both public and private.“McCall Smith’s assessments of fellow hum...

  • The Great Hippopotamus Hotel

    The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 25

    In this latest installment of Alexander McCall Smith’s beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi take on an intriguing new case and uncover surprising truthsIn the rolling hills just outside Gaborone, surrounded by a gr...

  • Looking for You

    In this latest installment of The Perfect Passion Company, our favorite matchmaker, Katie Donald, continues her unwavering endeavor to help the lonely hearts of Edinburgh find love.After facilitating a handful of successful romances, Katie Donald is ...

  • The Winds from Further West

    From the beloved author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series comes a dazzling and uplifting novel of new beginnings and endless possibilities, in which a slew of personal and professional disasters cause a young researcher to upend his seemin...

Award-Winning Books by Alexander McCall Smith

The Full Cupboard of Life
2005 Audies -- Solo Narration-Female
The Great Cake Mystery
2013 Audies -- Children Ages Up to 8


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Alexander McCall Smith has published 141 books.

The next book by Alexander McCall Smith, The Winds from Further West, will be published in August 2025.

The first book by Alexander McCall Smith, On the Road, was published in April 1987.

Yes. Alexander McCall Smith has 15 series.
Author Series
Multi-Author Series
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