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Isabel Dalhousie #9
The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds
One afternoon over coffee at Cat's delicatessen, a friend of Isabel's shares a call for help from Duncan Munrowe. Crafty thieves have stolen a prized painting from his collection, a work by the celebrated French artist Nicolas Poussin that was earmarked for donation to the Scottish National Gallery. Munrowe has been approached by the thieves and hopes that Isabel will assist him in recovering the painting. Never one to refuse an appeal, she agrees, and discovers that the thieves may be closer to the owner than he ever would have expected.
Against the backdrop of this intriguing case, Isabel copes with life's issues, large and small. She and Jamie have begun to suspect that their three-year-old son, Charlie, might be a budding mathematical genius. What should be done about it? Then there is the question of whether Isabel should help a young couple who want to move in together - against the wishes of the girl's parents. The boyfriend is hoping Isabel might intercede. As she wrestles with these problems, Isabel finds herself tested as a parent, a philosopher and a friend.
But, as always, she manages to use the right combination of good sense, quick wits and a kind heart to come to the right solution, proving once again why Isabel Dalhousie has become one of Alexander McCall Smith's most beloved characters.
Audiobook Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
Against the backdrop of this intriguing case, Isabel copes with life's issues, large and small. She and Jamie have begun to suspect that their three-year-old son, Charlie, might be a budding mathematical genius. What should be done about it? Then there is the question of whether Isabel should help a young couple who want to move in together - against the wishes of the girl's parents. The boyfriend is hoping Isabel might intercede. As she wrestles with these problems, Isabel finds herself tested as a parent, a philosopher and a friend.
But, as always, she manages to use the right combination of good sense, quick wits and a kind heart to come to the right solution, proving once again why Isabel Dalhousie has become one of Alexander McCall Smith's most beloved characters.
Audiobook Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
272 pages, Audiobook
First published January 1, 2012
263 people are currently reading
2140 people want to read
About the author
Alexander McCall Smith
671 books12.7k followersAlexander McCall Smith is the author of the international phenomenon The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie Series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, and the 44 Scotland Street series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and he was a law professor at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland. Visit him online at www.alexandermccallsmith.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 623 reviews
November 23, 2015
Although I find this series quite charming there is something about Isabel Dalhousie that unsettles me a little. Perhaps it's because she is too perfect, hardly ever seems ruffled and always seems to think the right thoughts. It may also be because I thought she was much older than she is, now in her early 40s she would have been in her 30s when the series started but to my mind has always thought and behaved and thought as a much older woman, a little set in her ways and not displaying the energy and spontaneity of youth. This makes it difficult for me to reconcile her now having a young son and being being married to the youthful Jamie.
However that aside, I enjoyed this episode in which Isabel is called in by a friend to help a man who has had a valuable painting stolen. As usual there is much philosophising on morality and ethics along the way as Isabel helps to solve the mystery and many reflections on the small things in life like clouds.
However that aside, I enjoyed this episode in which Isabel is called in by a friend to help a man who has had a valuable painting stolen. As usual there is much philosophising on morality and ethics along the way as Isabel helps to solve the mystery and many reflections on the small things in life like clouds.
August 17, 2013
Just what the doctor ordered - a light, easy-to-read novel that is at once 'feel good' but not meaningless fluff.
I sometimes find the Isabel Dalhousie books not completely satisfactory - there is something about the way the relationship between Isabelle and Jamie, and their relationship with their young son, is portrayed that doesn't always ring true to me or that irritates me for reasons I haven't quite figured out. Part of the latter might be the way Isabel is never really immersed in the motherhood experience the way most mothers are in the early years. Things are never chaotic or difficult in the household; it's perhaps a bit too perfect. But I do always enjoy McCall Smith's style and the seemingly easy way he manages, through Isabel's musings, to (usually) intelligently comment upon a range of interesting ideas. And I think most of all I always appreciate Isabel's unfailing kindness and her unflinching examination of her own motivations and feelings.
The actual plots and structure of the books tend to be somewhat predictable, but it's these two elements - the ongoing musings about human relationships and ideas, and Isabel's honesty and goodness, that nearly always make the books a pleasure for me.
I sometimes find the Isabel Dalhousie books not completely satisfactory - there is something about the way the relationship between Isabelle and Jamie, and their relationship with their young son, is portrayed that doesn't always ring true to me or that irritates me for reasons I haven't quite figured out. Part of the latter might be the way Isabel is never really immersed in the motherhood experience the way most mothers are in the early years. Things are never chaotic or difficult in the household; it's perhaps a bit too perfect. But I do always enjoy McCall Smith's style and the seemingly easy way he manages, through Isabel's musings, to (usually) intelligently comment upon a range of interesting ideas. And I think most of all I always appreciate Isabel's unfailing kindness and her unflinching examination of her own motivations and feelings.
The actual plots and structure of the books tend to be somewhat predictable, but it's these two elements - the ongoing musings about human relationships and ideas, and Isabel's honesty and goodness, that nearly always make the books a pleasure for me.
January 27, 2013
Wow - this has been once of my favorite series for quite a while. What a shock to find I'm a bit disappointed by this book. I have liked and admired Isabelle Dalhousie for a while. But in this book, I was starting to find her irritating. Her perfect life - her wonderful young, handsome husband, her beautiful son, her independent wealth, her constant moral dilemma's and philosophical conversations in her head; which isn't really usual since she is a philosopher. It just seemed too much for some reason. Too good to be true, I guess.
Kind of shattering when you find yourself not really liking a heroine as much as you once did; especially when she really hasn't changed that much or at all. It must be me. I must be in a different place myself now, that I find this charmed life not enjoyable, but unbelievable and not so much fun to read. Too many troubles in my own life now, I think, to believe in fairy tales any longer; and I guess Isabel is a fairy tale heroine, in a way.
Kind of shattering when you find yourself not really liking a heroine as much as you once did; especially when she really hasn't changed that much or at all. It must be me. I must be in a different place myself now, that I find this charmed life not enjoyable, but unbelievable and not so much fun to read. Too many troubles in my own life now, I think, to believe in fairy tales any longer; and I guess Isabel is a fairy tale heroine, in a way.
August 21, 2017
Back when I was driving to work every day I got through so much fiction on audiobooks. There were three of McCall Smith's series I used to follow regularly. I do love them but it's been a while. He writes about morality. But you would never know that; what I mean is that he never preaches or moralizes. Instead he embeds his dilemmas in his people. His characters, that is. They are people. The plot is slight but the people are real.
That's what I like: the people. I rarely can remember 'what happened,' anyway--for example, the Harry Potter series. I read them avidly (the series' publication coinciding well with my children's ages), but the plots evaporated as the final pages were turned. In McCall Smith's books you never have to worry about the character being shrunk or stretched to fit the plot.
Another reviewer complained that in the case of The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds the plot was more slight than usual, with events and observations untethered to the extent of being fluffy and free-floating...perhaps like clouds? Could be. I haven't caught on yet to why he chose that name. (There are several references to clouds, but it could be the sky in the painting.)
I didn't mind, though. I'm happy to drift around with McCall Smith for a while. Usually some hypotheses emerge about where he's going, and this book is no exception. Clouds is about how we are to live together in a community--but you could say that's what all his books are about. This particular book is about morality related to those we call "privileged."
Adding to the complications, the ways that wealth--and class--has been acquired in the past don't necessarily bear close examination.
Since all of this is a sensitive subject these days, he's feeling his way along, hence the indirect, seemingly meandering quality.
The plot concerns a wealthy country gentleman from whom a valuable painting that he planned to will to the nation has been stolen. He has two grown children with possible motivation, one a leftist who considers his father's personal wealth immoral and who would turn his land into a collective if he had the chance. Moreover, the son is gay, which the father doesn't accept, so they have a degree of estrangement between them. The daughter is the apple of her father's eye, but has a financially needy fiance and no real earning power. Despite my brief summaries here, each of these children is gently drawn. They are not walking stereotypes.
There is the way insurance works in these cases, with a reward that is all but a ransom.
I could also relate subplots to the main theme. Snobby parents who think their daughter's boyfriend is beneath her...
There also are allusions to other politically- and morally-related concerns, for instance, whether a paper proposing that native-Canadian orphans should not be adopted outside their ethnic group deserves publication in Isabel's (fictional) journal of philosophy. The position that residing in an orphanage is preferable to adoption outside one's ethnic group is not thought tenable by some of her editorial helpers, yet in this case the paper with which Isabel is confronted is well-argued and well-written.
The morality that is supported could be considered generally "conventional." Society has rules. Stealing is bad. Theft is disregard for others. Faithfulness and persistence are upheld; disloyalty leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
The overall picture isn't conventional in any derogatory sense, though. One should help. One has obligations to one's fellows. Civilization is worth it. But you can see how McCall Smith's picture could be trivialized or said to support entrenched privilege and so forth. This is the age of smearing people and/or groups, and since no one is perfect, no one is immune. Ad hoc arguments that people deserve their misfortunes adhere more easily once they have been targeted and roughed up.
And so, according to me, that is why McCall Smith stays light on his feet and dances like a butterfly in taking on his topic.
I saw this line in a movie review (of The Midwife, by Frank LaSalle in the San Francisco Chronicle, and reprinted in my local paper): An American movie would have found it necessary to decide whose way is right or wrong, but this is a French movie, so the concentration is not on moral categories but on the particulars of human behavior. McCall Smith does something like that, too. Guilt is not assigned. In the course of the novel, people and possibilities are turned over and over for a closer look.
That's why I love him.
That's what I like: the people. I rarely can remember 'what happened,' anyway--for example, the Harry Potter series. I read them avidly (the series' publication coinciding well with my children's ages), but the plots evaporated as the final pages were turned. In McCall Smith's books you never have to worry about the character being shrunk or stretched to fit the plot.
Another reviewer complained that in the case of The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds the plot was more slight than usual, with events and observations untethered to the extent of being fluffy and free-floating...perhaps like clouds? Could be. I haven't caught on yet to why he chose that name. (There are several references to clouds, but it could be the sky in the painting.)
I didn't mind, though. I'm happy to drift around with McCall Smith for a while. Usually some hypotheses emerge about where he's going, and this book is no exception. Clouds is about how we are to live together in a community--but you could say that's what all his books are about. This particular book is about morality related to those we call "privileged."
It was the same with a degree in philosophy. A tiny number of those who studied philosophy managed to earn their living teaching or writing about the subject, or even thinking about it; the rest had to turn to something else. She had been extremely lucky in that respect, and, even then, that she was still running the Review of Applied Ethics was entirely owing to the fact that she had been in a position to buy it. ...
It was pure privilege that determined where so many of us ended up in life, Isabel reflected; it was nothing to do with merit, it was privilege. Or, putting it another way, it was a matter of accident, or luck. To be born in circumstances where one had enough to eat was the first resounding piece of luck, and good luck could be piled upon you from that point onwards. To be given a good education, not to be struck down by debilitating illness, not to have, like Heather Darnt, a disfiguring birthmark that must, with all the courage in the world, make one's teenage years an agony of embarrassment and exclusion--all of that was pure luck and nothing to do with desert. That was so, unless one believed in karma....
Adding to the complications, the ways that wealth--and class--has been acquired in the past don't necessarily bear close examination.
Since all of this is a sensitive subject these days, he's feeling his way along, hence the indirect, seemingly meandering quality.
The plot concerns a wealthy country gentleman from whom a valuable painting that he planned to will to the nation has been stolen. He has two grown children with possible motivation, one a leftist who considers his father's personal wealth immoral and who would turn his land into a collective if he had the chance. Moreover, the son is gay, which the father doesn't accept, so they have a degree of estrangement between them. The daughter is the apple of her father's eye, but has a financially needy fiance and no real earning power. Despite my brief summaries here, each of these children is gently drawn. They are not walking stereotypes.
There is the way insurance works in these cases, with a reward that is all but a ransom.
I could also relate subplots to the main theme. Snobby parents who think their daughter's boyfriend is beneath her...
There also are allusions to other politically- and morally-related concerns, for instance, whether a paper proposing that native-Canadian orphans should not be adopted outside their ethnic group deserves publication in Isabel's (fictional) journal of philosophy. The position that residing in an orphanage is preferable to adoption outside one's ethnic group is not thought tenable by some of her editorial helpers, yet in this case the paper with which Isabel is confronted is well-argued and well-written.
The morality that is supported could be considered generally "conventional." Society has rules. Stealing is bad. Theft is disregard for others. Faithfulness and persistence are upheld; disloyalty leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
The overall picture isn't conventional in any derogatory sense, though. One should help. One has obligations to one's fellows. Civilization is worth it. But you can see how McCall Smith's picture could be trivialized or said to support entrenched privilege and so forth. This is the age of smearing people and/or groups, and since no one is perfect, no one is immune. Ad hoc arguments that people deserve their misfortunes adhere more easily once they have been targeted and roughed up.
And so, according to me, that is why McCall Smith stays light on his feet and dances like a butterfly in taking on his topic.
I saw this line in a movie review (of The Midwife, by Frank LaSalle in the San Francisco Chronicle, and reprinted in my local paper): An American movie would have found it necessary to decide whose way is right or wrong, but this is a French movie, so the concentration is not on moral categories but on the particulars of human behavior. McCall Smith does something like that, too. Guilt is not assigned. In the course of the novel, people and possibilities are turned over and over for a closer look.
That's why I love him.
November 22, 2012
What is happening to Isabel? Her typical adeptness with interactions was totally AWOL in this book, putting her foot in it several times, not just her over-reaction about Grace teaching Charlie math which, instead of looking into the book Grace was using, seemed out of character to her typical balanced approach. And how she ended up deciding who had stolen the painting... I have been through the interactions that are supposed to show that and it doesn't seem so certain to me, not that there were any other options.
Cat was nearly invisible and Eddie's story advanced slightly but not by much. All in all, still pleasant but a little boring and Isabel was somewhat annoying, maybe even losing her touch a bit, or at least her mental ramblings seemed a bit more disjointed. Well, I suppose that won't stop me from reading the next book when it comes out, but I wouldn't recommend anyone rush out and buy this one.
Cat was nearly invisible and Eddie's story advanced slightly but not by much. All in all, still pleasant but a little boring and Isabel was somewhat annoying, maybe even losing her touch a bit, or at least her mental ramblings seemed a bit more disjointed. Well, I suppose that won't stop me from reading the next book when it comes out, but I wouldn't recommend anyone rush out and buy this one.
March 25, 2013
SIGH. I have to agree with the other reviewers on this latest installment in the series. Not only was it a very unsatisfactory ending (which Isobel's comment about not living in a "cut and dry" world barely excuses), but the rest of the book and the story felt wholly undeveloped. Many threads called for much more in-depth dialogue from the characters -- the fight with Grace, Eddie's relationship, Duncan's family members. They scarcely exchange four sentences in any scene! Moreover, Isobel is growing inconsistent -- not wanting to provide a personal reference for Eddie when jumping into something like this painting business, not even investigating Grace's mathematics method before deciding Charlie was too young, etc, etc. And how many times will she not let herself express her affection (kiss, hug or touch) for Jamie before he starts to feel neglected? Always some excuse to hold back. Why? This story lacks depth, and ultimately, interest.
December 20, 2012
I adore Alex McCall Smith; particularly Ladies No 1 Detective Agency & Corduroy Mansions. It is a testament to his skill that even this series, peopled by utterly annoying and unrealistic characters, is one that I continue to read and ALMOST enjoy. I hate hate hate Isobel Dalhousie, I find her never ending moral pontification, philosophizing, and flat out holier than not just thou but everyone too attitude so aggravating. Frankly, I dont blame her housekeeper for telling her almost every installment to "Shove it," how any one in this world can stand her is beyond me. Maybe this is a common Scots personality type, as he often seems to rely on pseudo-smart "women of a certain age" of independent means, who have the freedom and financial ability to float along in their lives with very few ties to the normal, mortal world...buying arcane, obscure, nearly defunct philosphy review journals, flitting off to "anthropological" studies of pirates in Malaysia (I wonder, if theyre funded by your own checkbook-what makes these pursuits qualify as a job other than you can lord it over the poor peons doing ordinary jobs and somehow justify your life? Also- how are these jaunts different from a vacation for the rest of us or a really expensive habit?) Just sayin... Anyway, if you already read this series, there is nothing untoward or unusual here except that I keep hoping I am picking up on some impending doom for Isobel such as Jaime having a torrid gay affair with a oboe player, or grace trying to strangle her in her philosopher's study....oh well, I guess once again Isobel wins....much to me everlasting regret.
July 20, 2018
3.5 stars. Alexander McCall Smith makes me happy. I can always depend on him to make me feel better about the world in general, and Scotland in particular. I think my favorite characters in this series may be Brother Fox and Grace, because they seem more 'real' to me than the main characters, but it's all good.
I've been listening to this series while writing Postcards to Voters. If you feel, as I do, that we need to flip the Congress in order to extract the current Oval Office occupant, or at least have a check on his power, then you can write postcards from home to help this happen. Handwritten cards are proven to get out the vote!
We are working on a campaign right now in OH for a US House seat. The election is Tues. August 7, so we need all hands on deck! If you are interested in getting more info, see the Frequently Asked Questions here: https://postcardstovoters.org/faq/ or the volunteer link here: https://postcardstovoters.org/volunteer/
Volunteering helps me feel I am DOing something rather than just being anxious and amazed at what is going on right in front of us. Very therapeutic. I encourage you to click the links for more info. Thank you.
I've been listening to this series while writing Postcards to Voters. If you feel, as I do, that we need to flip the Congress in order to extract the current Oval Office occupant, or at least have a check on his power, then you can write postcards from home to help this happen. Handwritten cards are proven to get out the vote!
We are working on a campaign right now in OH for a US House seat. The election is Tues. August 7, so we need all hands on deck! If you are interested in getting more info, see the Frequently Asked Questions here: https://postcardstovoters.org/faq/ or the volunteer link here: https://postcardstovoters.org/volunteer/
Volunteering helps me feel I am DOing something rather than just being anxious and amazed at what is going on right in front of us. Very therapeutic. I encourage you to click the links for more info. Thank you.
November 6, 2012
Alexander McCall Smith once again uses his character Isabel Dalhousie to ponder various philosophical issues surrounding the human condition, leaving series fans with further things to ponder & a little more character development along the way. I have to say, I get a kick out of Isabel's frequent mental meanderings, & how they have a habit of causing her to drift from conversations she's engaged in. It's a thing I think we've all done at least here & there, & I find it very endearing. I'm also seriously starting to think that, if I'm really going to get everything I can out of this series, I need to 1) at least do a quick "for dummies"-type brush-up on the artwork & artists discussed throughout the series, & 2) check out a book or two of W.H. Auden's poetry.
I enjoyed Isabel's company just as much as ever, although I found the ending of this book - excellent philosophical point though it made - a little less than satisfying. I like a nice, official tie-up to my stories, in spite of the fact that it so rarely happens in real life - or maybe because of it.
I enjoyed Isabel's company just as much as ever, although I found the ending of this book - excellent philosophical point though it made - a little less than satisfying. I like a nice, official tie-up to my stories, in spite of the fact that it so rarely happens in real life - or maybe because of it.
December 3, 2012
Isabel Dalhousie is, in my estimation, one of Alexander McCall Smith's most sympathetic characters. This philosopher and amateur detective approaches all of life's mysteries, whether they be the theft of a priceless painting or how to deal with irritating people, with integrity, compassion and grace. Devoid of mawkish sentimentality, her random observations, of even the most mundane, take on a lyrical quality that expresses joy and gratitude in being alive.
November 16, 2012
Reading the Isabel Dalhousie series is like treating your brain to a spa session -- stimulating yet soothing, and always a pleasure. This book, like the others, is a reflection on love (for her husband jamie, for her wee son Charlie, and in a broader human sense). It is also a story of detection, as Isabel helps a man to deal with art thieves who have stolen his valuable painting. I hope the series continues for a long while -- I enjoy it so much.
March 19, 2013
These Alexander McCall Smith books are not thrillers or even traditional mysteries. They are charming, thoughtful and as uncommonly appealing as the clouds. Much of the focus of the book is the every day life of Isabel Dalhousie and her husband, Jamie, as they raise their son, Charlie. Somehow the mundane becomes strangely engrossing. There is a mystery, a stolen painting and family members at odds. As usual, Isabel does solve the mystery leaving all concerned the better for it.
November 26, 2013
I select Smith's books to read when I want to relax and calm my mind as they are so soothingly written, yet intriguing enough to hold my attention. I always want to hop on a plane to visit Edinburgh when I finish one of his books, as he so lovingly describes this unique city and its culture.
June 19, 2013
At its best, this reminded me of Woolf's Mrs Dalloway... but there was quite a lot of worst.
I should (but can't, quite) forgive McCall Smith getting so much wrong about a young child. The way he has Charlie talking at nearly four years old, the concern isn't that he might be a mathematical genius but how quickly they can get him to a speech and language therapist. I don't know why he finds it remarkable that young children like Marmite and so on and so on. I suppose when it comes to the way Isobel and Jamie gush over him and then he just fades out when convenient is more about my personal feelings about motherhood than that he could not be portraying accurately how a particular layer of Edinburgh society deals with its offspring.
I am not sure that never quite using the letters justifies what seems a nonsensical representation of HIV testing is carried out - and I am beginning to find the big scary but unnamed thing that happened to Eddie in his past which means he must be handled with kid gloves (instead of the ones he should be wearing for serving in the deli) rather irritating - which is grotesque given the sort of big scary thing it is starting to sound like.
Isobel handles situations far too clunkily in this book - to my mind she's supposed to be reasonably, indeed more than averagely, adept but to get things wrong often enough to be human or to raise an interesting point or to move the plot.... but here she seems mostly to be losing it.
McCall Smith can show us some important stuff subtly whilst his characters pontificate. I particularly liked the way Martha Drummond, condemned to be constantly hitting an off note (has Isobel caught it from her?) was handled. There were some interesting stories in this book - the missing painting whodunnit, the perennial issue of how much say someone to whom you devolve so much child-rearing should have in what they do in that time, Eddie's thwarted love, so part of my irritation is that it could have been better.
I should (but can't, quite) forgive McCall Smith getting so much wrong about a young child. The way he has Charlie talking at nearly four years old, the concern isn't that he might be a mathematical genius but how quickly they can get him to a speech and language therapist. I don't know why he finds it remarkable that young children like Marmite and so on and so on. I suppose when it comes to the way Isobel and Jamie gush over him and then he just fades out when convenient is more about my personal feelings about motherhood than that he could not be portraying accurately how a particular layer of Edinburgh society deals with its offspring.
I am not sure that never quite using the letters justifies what seems a nonsensical representation of HIV testing is carried out - and I am beginning to find the big scary but unnamed thing that happened to Eddie in his past which means he must be handled with kid gloves (instead of the ones he should be wearing for serving in the deli) rather irritating - which is grotesque given the sort of big scary thing it is starting to sound like.
Isobel handles situations far too clunkily in this book - to my mind she's supposed to be reasonably, indeed more than averagely, adept but to get things wrong often enough to be human or to raise an interesting point or to move the plot.... but here she seems mostly to be losing it.
McCall Smith can show us some important stuff subtly whilst his characters pontificate. I particularly liked the way Martha Drummond, condemned to be constantly hitting an off note (has Isobel caught it from her?) was handled. There were some interesting stories in this book - the missing painting whodunnit, the perennial issue of how much say someone to whom you devolve so much child-rearing should have in what they do in that time, Eddie's thwarted love, so part of my irritation is that it could have been better.
January 28, 2013
Much Philosophical Musing, Not Much Mystery
A valuable painting has been stolen from Munrowe House. Duncan Munrowe, the owner, asks for Isabels help, not to solve the mystery, but to be supportive and give him someone to talk to. In this book, Isabel goes about her daily life; taking care of Charlie, her son; listening to concerts by her musician husband, Jaime; worrying about what Grace, Charlie's sitter is teaching him; and helping Cal, her cousin, in the deli. During each of these activities she ponders the philosophical implications of people's actions.
The book is a very gentle read, unfortunately it can become rather boring unless you're riveted by Isabel's daily life. I thought the whole book was uncommonly like Isabel's thoughts on page 59, “It would be fascinating to have some sort of printout of the thoughts of other people – a stream-of-consciousness report. It would read, she suspected, like a badly constructed novel, by an author who had no sense of the flow of narrative.” I have to admit that at times this quote struck me as perfect for the book. The mystery was the interesting incident that kept me reading, but there was very little about it other than Isabel's thoughts about the characters and discussions with Duncan.
I recommend this book if you like the Scottish setting. It's done very well with many passages describing the beauty of the area. However, if you're looking for a serious mystery, or even a good cozy, this isn't it.
I reviewed this book for the Amazon Vine Program.
A valuable painting has been stolen from Munrowe House. Duncan Munrowe, the owner, asks for Isabels help, not to solve the mystery, but to be supportive and give him someone to talk to. In this book, Isabel goes about her daily life; taking care of Charlie, her son; listening to concerts by her musician husband, Jaime; worrying about what Grace, Charlie's sitter is teaching him; and helping Cal, her cousin, in the deli. During each of these activities she ponders the philosophical implications of people's actions.
The book is a very gentle read, unfortunately it can become rather boring unless you're riveted by Isabel's daily life. I thought the whole book was uncommonly like Isabel's thoughts on page 59, “It would be fascinating to have some sort of printout of the thoughts of other people – a stream-of-consciousness report. It would read, she suspected, like a badly constructed novel, by an author who had no sense of the flow of narrative.” I have to admit that at times this quote struck me as perfect for the book. The mystery was the interesting incident that kept me reading, but there was very little about it other than Isabel's thoughts about the characters and discussions with Duncan.
I recommend this book if you like the Scottish setting. It's done very well with many passages describing the beauty of the area. However, if you're looking for a serious mystery, or even a good cozy, this isn't it.
I reviewed this book for the Amazon Vine Program.
November 7, 2012
In this 9th installment of the Isabel Dalhousie series, she is asked to help in the search of a stolen Poussin painting. Although she is the editor of a small journal devoted to philosophical matters, she has participated in other sleuth like activities. As in other Alexander McCall Smith books, the plot is very thin and not quite the point. It deals with characters and human interactions.
As a philosopher, Isabel is always looking at events from different angles and finding ethical answers. This requires a lot of thinking and, frankly, get quite tiring. The household help, Grace, starts to teach Isabel's 3 year old son, Charlie, simple math problems. He takes to it like a duck to water. Isabel and her husband, Jamie, are in a moral dilemna. What if Grace is teaching math improperly? Does this mean that Charlie is not a math prodigy? They decide Grace must quit teaching Charlie math and when they tell her, Grace quits in a huff. This dilemna goes on and on and I don't get the point of it. So what if Grace teaches him some little math?
The book goes on with other little moral dilemnas that are just as insignifact to me. I would seriously have a nervous breakdown if I examined my every action the way she does. Of course, for Dalhousie fans this could be quite good. It has a plot even though it's quite slim. Characters from past novels pop up. It's just not my cup of tea.
As a philosopher, Isabel is always looking at events from different angles and finding ethical answers. This requires a lot of thinking and, frankly, get quite tiring. The household help, Grace, starts to teach Isabel's 3 year old son, Charlie, simple math problems. He takes to it like a duck to water. Isabel and her husband, Jamie, are in a moral dilemna. What if Grace is teaching math improperly? Does this mean that Charlie is not a math prodigy? They decide Grace must quit teaching Charlie math and when they tell her, Grace quits in a huff. This dilemna goes on and on and I don't get the point of it. So what if Grace teaches him some little math?
The book goes on with other little moral dilemnas that are just as insignifact to me. I would seriously have a nervous breakdown if I examined my every action the way she does. Of course, for Dalhousie fans this could be quite good. It has a plot even though it's quite slim. Characters from past novels pop up. It's just not my cup of tea.
November 6, 2012
What is there about some series that you have to read even when you know you will not be completely captivated. I have followed this protagonist through all her musings and her antics even when they are similar and repetitive. I admit, I like her. I like the characters. I like the comfort of dipping into their life now and then. But, I also admit to thinking, "and why am I reading this?" This particular book was not the best in the series. Nothing really moved the characters or the drama forward, made a big dent in their lives, or actually grabbed my interest. Even the ending was wishy-washy. I wondered if Smith was tired of writing the series.
May 21, 2023
The mystery had such an unsatisfactory ending. Went on and on only to conclude in the most random way possible. Isabel’s upper crust snobbery was on full display, and without any remorse or self reflection as usual, but boy, there are those charming descriptions of Edinburgh and Scotland, and learning about Anthony Blunt and Poisson was worthwhile as were many of the philosophical questions mulled over, although the nature of property and what belongs to whom and why could have been done so much better. Can’t stop, won’t stop reading. Truly in a love-annoyance relationship with this series, but it has me hooked and is a good antidote to the heavy duty non-fiction I otherwise prefer.
March 19, 2013
In this ninth installment of the Isabel Dalhousie series, McCall Smith has written another wonderful mystery. The star of the mystery, as always, is the ever-thoughtful and always-engaging Isabel Dalhousie, a philosophical ethicist who seems constantly drawn into other peoples problems and little mysteries. And here again, she is called upon to help a friend of a friend whose valuable and prized painting that is intended for eventual donation to the Scottish National Gallery has been stolen. The thieves have been in touch, and Isabel is going to help negotiate the return of the artwork. But, the mystery isn't just about the painting. As she gets to know Duncan Munrowe, she discovers some unrest among he and his two children that take her into things deeper than theft.
The mystery is well crafted, but what really drives the book are its characters. Isabel and her husband Jamie have a wonderful and warm relationship, but not one without its own dynamics. And the two together wrestle with how best to raise their son, Charlie. Isabel also advises one of the young employees of her niece's delicatessen, inviting readers into another circle of relationships. The mystery doesn't necessarily unite all of these stories, but there are deeper themes, such as the relationship of past and future, the pull of posterity, and the assignment of value (theft is really a personal statement of non-value toward the true owner). The thoughtful reflections the permeate the book dove tail with the core mystery to make this an enjoyable read. It's not gritty, and maybe has a slight haze of pleasantness that sacrifices a touch of the verisimilitude to reality, but these also add to the enjoyability of the book. Escape to Isabel's world, and enjoy your time there.
The mystery is well crafted, but what really drives the book are its characters. Isabel and her husband Jamie have a wonderful and warm relationship, but not one without its own dynamics. And the two together wrestle with how best to raise their son, Charlie. Isabel also advises one of the young employees of her niece's delicatessen, inviting readers into another circle of relationships. The mystery doesn't necessarily unite all of these stories, but there are deeper themes, such as the relationship of past and future, the pull of posterity, and the assignment of value (theft is really a personal statement of non-value toward the true owner). The thoughtful reflections the permeate the book dove tail with the core mystery to make this an enjoyable read. It's not gritty, and maybe has a slight haze of pleasantness that sacrifices a touch of the verisimilitude to reality, but these also add to the enjoyability of the book. Escape to Isabel's world, and enjoy your time there.
May 12, 2013
Isabel and Jamie's son Charlie is now walking, talking, and attending nursery school. Grace the housekeeper is as devoted and as pig-headedly difficult as ever. Isabel's niece, Cat, is for once not involved in a disastrously inappropriate relationship.
And the mystery Isabel has been asked to apply her philosophical skills to is a real and genuine mystery, the theft of a valuable work of art, a smaller work by Nicholas Poussin, a leading French Baroque painter.
Duncan Munrowe is a wealthy art collector, and a single painting from his collection has been stolen during an open house at his country estate. It's a particularly treasured piece, and one he had planned to donate to an art museum. Because Isabel is known as a smart, helpful meddler woman, she is asked to help Munrowe work his way through the ransom demand and negotiation with the thieves. She's not sure what she can do, but, of course, she can't say no to someone asking for her help.
This is a pretty typical Isabel Dalhousie story, and if you've enjoyed the others you'll enjoy this one. This series isn't big on excitement; it's big on moral philosophizing and Isabel's personal relationships, with her household, her relatives, and her friends and acquaintances.
While Isabel is sorting out the mystery of the stolen painting, she's also struggling to sort out differences of opinion with Grace, about Charlie's education, and some interesting and potentially challenging developments in the life of Eddie, Cat's assistant at the delicatessen.
A gentle read, recommended if you've enjoyed previous books in the series.
I borrowed this book from the library.
And the mystery Isabel has been asked to apply her philosophical skills to is a real and genuine mystery, the theft of a valuable work of art, a smaller work by Nicholas Poussin, a leading French Baroque painter.
Duncan Munrowe is a wealthy art collector, and a single painting from his collection has been stolen during an open house at his country estate. It's a particularly treasured piece, and one he had planned to donate to an art museum. Because Isabel is known as a smart, helpful meddler woman, she is asked to help Munrowe work his way through the ransom demand and negotiation with the thieves. She's not sure what she can do, but, of course, she can't say no to someone asking for her help.
This is a pretty typical Isabel Dalhousie story, and if you've enjoyed the others you'll enjoy this one. This series isn't big on excitement; it's big on moral philosophizing and Isabel's personal relationships, with her household, her relatives, and her friends and acquaintances.
While Isabel is sorting out the mystery of the stolen painting, she's also struggling to sort out differences of opinion with Grace, about Charlie's education, and some interesting and potentially challenging developments in the life of Eddie, Cat's assistant at the delicatessen.
A gentle read, recommended if you've enjoyed previous books in the series.
I borrowed this book from the library.
May 26, 2017
I'm a great fan of Alexander McCall Smith, especially the #1 Ladies Detective Agency, Scotland Street and Portuguese Irregular Verbs series. However, every time I finish an Isabel Dalhousie novel, I don't feel that same sense of satisfaction I get from those books. In some ways, I feel as though I'm reading them because I "should" and in doing so I might find that magic spark of character, charm and observation of the other series. But I never do and still I read on.
There is nothing charming about Isabel Dalhousie, nor her husband. I understand that her self-righteous, snobbish and self-centred character is intentional, but it prevents me from making the emotional connection I have with the likes of Precious Ramotswe and Bertie Pollock. I do however enjoy the philosophy and wisdom, but what good is it when the character conveying it is so disagreeable.
As for this volume, it was one of the less inspiring ones. The story and characters were weak and there seemed to be more cooing over her son and husband, than there was any headway with "the case". There was a great opportunity to develop the character of Eddie, the café assistant, but after a promising build-up, this got lost in Isabel's self-indulgence.
But I know I'll succumb and read the next one and the one after that, then I'll get a new volume of the author's truly charming series and I'll forget how disappointing Isabel Dalhousie is - until the next book. Perhaps I have a weird addiction.
There is nothing charming about Isabel Dalhousie, nor her husband. I understand that her self-righteous, snobbish and self-centred character is intentional, but it prevents me from making the emotional connection I have with the likes of Precious Ramotswe and Bertie Pollock. I do however enjoy the philosophy and wisdom, but what good is it when the character conveying it is so disagreeable.
As for this volume, it was one of the less inspiring ones. The story and characters were weak and there seemed to be more cooing over her son and husband, than there was any headway with "the case". There was a great opportunity to develop the character of Eddie, the café assistant, but after a promising build-up, this got lost in Isabel's self-indulgence.
But I know I'll succumb and read the next one and the one after that, then I'll get a new volume of the author's truly charming series and I'll forget how disappointing Isabel Dalhousie is - until the next book. Perhaps I have a weird addiction.
November 15, 2012
It's painful to give anything by Alexander McCall Smith just one star. His No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series is vibrant and evocative, plus the mysteries are always interesting. He manages to make Botswana come alive.
The Isabel Dalhousie stories, by contrast, have always been more studied and mannered, but no less interesting. As a moral philosopher, much of the stories are conducted entirely within Isabel's head. If her voice lacks a certain dynamic element, she still approaches life gently and with moral rectitude.
For me, the Isabel Dalhousie series is often a literary palate cleanser between more vigorous and treacherous reads, so I approach it for comfort. Unfortunately, this particular book in the series was entirely phoned in. Regular characters, such as Grace and Cat and Brother Fox, make the slightest of appearances. Another regular, Eddie, is promoted to a light secondary story-line and then his story line is abruptly terminated with little reason for existing. Isabel essentially sleep walks through the story, and even the presence of her young, musician husband, Jamie, and her toddler son, Charlie, do nothing to liven the mood.
While I can heartily recommend the other books in the series before this one, it would do a disservice to give this particular volume any good recommendation. I wish I could get my money back.
The Isabel Dalhousie stories, by contrast, have always been more studied and mannered, but no less interesting. As a moral philosopher, much of the stories are conducted entirely within Isabel's head. If her voice lacks a certain dynamic element, she still approaches life gently and with moral rectitude.
For me, the Isabel Dalhousie series is often a literary palate cleanser between more vigorous and treacherous reads, so I approach it for comfort. Unfortunately, this particular book in the series was entirely phoned in. Regular characters, such as Grace and Cat and Brother Fox, make the slightest of appearances. Another regular, Eddie, is promoted to a light secondary story-line and then his story line is abruptly terminated with little reason for existing. Isabel essentially sleep walks through the story, and even the presence of her young, musician husband, Jamie, and her toddler son, Charlie, do nothing to liven the mood.
While I can heartily recommend the other books in the series before this one, it would do a disservice to give this particular volume any good recommendation. I wish I could get my money back.
November 22, 2012
I'd give this 3.5 stars. It's the ninth installment of McCall Smith's Isabel Dalhousie series, set in Edinburgh, Scotland. Isabel is the owner and editor of a journal on moral philosophy and in her spare time, she manages to get involved in various adventures as she tries to help her acquaintances with a host of problems in their lives. Her much younger husband, a classical musician, has mixed feelings about her escapades. He is bothered by what he considers to be her inability to mind her own business, but he's also proud of the help she gives people. The mysteries are light and always involve some sort of ethical dilemma that a moral philosopher's viewpoint helps to solve. Her philosophical musings about the simple things in life are sometimes annoying, but usually entertaining. There's not a lot of character development and the pace of these stories is slow. In many ways, they're reminiscent of his "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series set in Botswana, but with an urban intellectual feel.
July 31, 2020
3.5 rounded down: I was disappointed in this one in the Isabel Dalhousie series. It seems that Alexander McCall Smith has moved to presenting mysteries without a reveal. He did that also in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. While it may be truer to life, it's not why I read mysteries. I want the reveal; I want to know who did it and why. This book leaves three possible solutions open (2 really). On the other hand, as usual, we get the fascinating thought rambles of Isabel, the further deepening of Isabel's and Jaime's marriage, the growth of their son Charlie, and further insight into the character of Eddie, Isable's niece's employee at the delicatessen.
April 15, 2014
I need to get over it and just drop this series - Isabel has become just so, so boring since the first book. There are multiple pages of her 'daydreaming' while in the midst of a conversation that even the other character she's talking to says "Hello????" She's also a bit of a snooty, judgemental person who constantly tries to rationalize her views. Any character with any kind of interest is just background material (Grace, Eddie and Cat, for instance) or, as with Jaime, it's all about his looks and not much more. There really are no mysteries here so I am hoping Smith doesn't write any more and if he does, god grant me the self restraint I need to let it go.
November 21, 2016
I have lost interest in Isabel, Jamie, Charlie (whom AMS has talking in staccato words, not the sentences that you would expect from a smart little boy), and even Grace, who hasn't been allotted time to develop. I am sick of Isabel's florid and unlikely musings of adoration for her Adonis-like husband and son, and sick of her Swedish car, and her sainted American mother. Too many books, and not enough time for our beloved author to do his job. The issues of moral philosophy that Isabel faces in editing the Review are interesting, and hearing about famous painters can inspire further research, but these comfies have lost their charm.
August 5, 2013
Alexander McCall Smith's Isabel Dalhousie series is one of my favorites. Isabel Dalhousie is a philosopher and amateur detective who lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. In this book, Isabel is asked to help recover a stolen painting, one of great value. She is always eager to help a friend in trouble, and she uses her great reasoning skills and kind heart to get to the bottom of the theft.
Smith blends Isabel's philosophical musings and family life into this story, which was a truly a beautiful reading experience.
Smith blends Isabel's philosophical musings and family life into this story, which was a truly a beautiful reading experience.
December 27, 2021
It had been too long since I had read an Isabel Dalhousie book from the series by Alexander McCall Smith. I was not disappointed. It was like catching up with an old friend. The basis for this book centers around an art theft and a dysfunctional family. All the philosophical musings, the Latin, the Scottish sayings and the vocabulary (that sends me off to the dictionary periodically) makes me feel like I'm learning while thoroughly enjoying all the thought Isabel puts into solving her problems and the problems of others. Her uncertainty and questioning of everything is very familiar and something with which I can easily identify. As always, Isabel is dealing with the complexities of her relationships with those she encounters while reveling in her marriage to Jamie and enjoying being the mother of the precocious Charlie. You could describe her as a reluctant busy-body who has developed a knack at sorting things out while applying ethics, morality and philosophy in general. It is worth your time and will pose questions you'll enjoy considering long after you've put the book down.
July 5, 2018
I usually love Alexander McCall Smith's books and the digressions that are part of his style, but this book contained too many. I wanted to proceed with the solving of the mystery of who stole the painting and I began to get a little impatient with Isabel's continual musings. The end of the story was also somewhat disappointing in its lack of clarity.
February 12, 2019
I love this series. This was a good one. However, more than once I had to laugh while Isabel, the philosopher, dissembled to great lengths during luncheons and other social engagements. I was imagining her friends waiting and waiting for her to stop with the internal philosophizing and rejoin the conversation. Too funny.
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