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bookchew's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 My favorite in the series so far. Isabel is becoming less tedious and her emotionality is becoming more realistic with each novel. This one was less focused on a mystery and more focused on character development. Perhaps McCall Smith is finding his groove with these characters.
coops456's review against another edition
3.0
Isabel Dalhousie is asked to help a doctor who has been disgraced by allegations of scientific fraud concerning a newly marketed drug.
This series is gently thought-provoking, Isabel being a philosopher concerned with ethics rather than a detective solely in search of truth and/or justice. This instalment is more of the same. If you liked earlier ones then you'll probably like this one, although it was fairly slow even by the standards of the series.
My main criticisms are 1) that Isabel is written to seem much older than she actually is; and 2) that threads frequently dissolve into nothing - e.g. the character of Nick Smart - or are left drifting across multiple books - e.g. Eddie's sad past/current problems.
However I enjoy Smith's style more than enough to forgive any flaws.
This series is gently thought-provoking, Isabel being a philosopher concerned with ethics rather than a detective solely in search of truth and/or justice. This instalment is more of the same. If you liked earlier ones then you'll probably like this one, although it was fairly slow even by the standards of the series.
My main criticisms are 1) that Isabel is written to seem much older than she actually is; and 2) that threads frequently dissolve into nothing - e.g. the character of Nick Smart - or are left drifting across multiple books - e.g. Eddie's sad past/current problems.
However I enjoy Smith's style more than enough to forgive any flaws.
annebennett1957's review against another edition
4.0
Alexander McCall Smith is simply one of my favorite authors. I love everything he has written and he can really crank out the books!
daveenabadyal's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
2.5
quaint, reflective and cosy in the most endearing way
pupylov's review against another edition
4.0
Another good installment. Much better mystery in this one than in some!
yetilibrary's review against another edition
3.0
The coziest kind of cozy mystery, where no one dies during the timeline of the narrative and everything is solved over a few lunches. Enjoyable, but don’t expect a lot of plot; expect coffee and Auden quotes.
judyward's review against another edition
3.0
Does Alexander McCall Smith ever sleep? How does he keep up this publishing schedule? While I prefer his books that are set in Africa, this Sunday Philosophy Club series is a charming, laid-back series of stories set in contemporary Scotland. I wouldn't rush out to buy one of this series as soon as they are published, but usually check them out when they appear on the new book shelf at the library. The main character, Isabel Dalhousie intrigues me. I think that her complex character is masked by the rather bland face that she often presents to the world. I particular like the on-going struggle for power between Isabel and her housekeeper/nanny Grace. The philosophical questions raised in this book are not going to keep me up nights pondering their implications, but it was a nice, gentle read.
marilynsaul's review against another edition
1.0
I really, really disliked Isabel. She's bombastic, interfering, intrusive, dithering, overly over-thinking everything (most often wrong but doesn't seem to care, an "I know I shouldn't [do], [feel], [say], this, but I'm going to anyway, because I'm wonderful"), so proud of her "intuition" (only in hindsight, because she never acts on it at the time needed), and ohhhhh sooooo insecure (Jaimie's going to leave me; he looked at me funny so he's going to leave me; he has a male friend and he's going to leave me). (I kept saying RUN, JAIMIE, RUN while reading this book). Absolutely the WORSE female character ever created by Alexander McCall Smith. Obviously, I don't intend to follow this series.
mimster's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyable. From library: I’d already listened to audiobook but didn’t remember it very well