We always pick up an Alexander McCall Smith book. Because he writes great stories, he creates well-etched characters, and he states deep truths - simply.
I think of him more as an author that belongs in the simplicity of my childhood - upholding the value of human connection and kindness - things we valued as children but lost as adults.
BUT... Alexander McCall Smith writes short stories far better than he writes novels. Maybe it is my reduced attention span. But i prefer the format where each story solved a mystery and Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi solved them together, with help from Charlie. This time, the mystery is loooong drawn out, intertwined with another, rather unrelated mystery, and honestly, they are more family/business problems than mysteries.
At 230 pages (and large print) the book is a languid, easy read. If you are looking for an action packed adventure, this is not it. This book is a soap opera on paper - where the lives of the characters walk in and out of the frame, and things happen to and through them. If you want to lose yourself in the lives of other people for a while, this one is perfect.
