Recommendations For Alexander McCall Smith

Recommended by Pam D

Alexander McCall Smith has several series.The #1 Ladies Detective Agency, 44 Scotland Street, Isabel

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Recommended by Beth Peters

Highly recommend two series by Alexander McCall Smith: The Number One Lady Detective series for some

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Books By Alexander McCall Smith

The Winds From Further West
Looking for You
How to Raise an Elephant
The Joy and Light Bus Company
A Song of Comfortable Chairs
From a Far and Lovely Country
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon
The Handsome Man's de Luxe Café
The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Precious and Grace
Tears of the Giraffe
The House of Unexpected Sisters
Morality for Beautiful Girls
The Colors of All the Cattle
The Kalahari Typing School for Men
To the Land of Long Lost Friends
The Full Cupboard of Life
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
Blue Shoes and Happiness
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive
The Miracle at Speedy Motors
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built
The Double Comfort Safari Club
The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection
The People's City
The Great Hippopotamus Hotel
The Conditions of Unconditional Love
Dream Angus: The Celtic God of Dreams
The Girl who Married a Lion
The Perfect Passion Company
Precious and the Monkeys
Mystery of Meerkat Hill
The Mystery of the Missing Lion
Precious and the Zebra Necklace
Young Precious: the Collected Adventures
The Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe's Very First Case
Precious Ramotswe: A Mysterious Profile
School Ship Tobermory
The Sands of Shark Island
The Race to Kangaroo Cliff
The Secret of the Dark Waterfall
The Case of the Vanishing Granny
The Great Clown Conundrum
The Akimbo Adventures
Akimbo and the Elephants
Akimbo and the Crocodile Man
Akimbo and the Lions
Akimbo and the Snakes
Akimbo and the Baboons
What W. H. Auden Can Do for You
My Italian Bulldozer: A Paul Stuart Novel
The Second-Worst Restaurant in France: A Paul Stuart Novel
Chance Developments: Unexpected Love Stories
Pianos and Flowers: Brief Encounters of the Romantic Kind
Tiny Tales
In a Time of Distance
I Think of You
Emma: A Modern Retelling
A Conspiracy of Friends
La's Orchestra Saves the World
Trains and Lovers
The Forever Girl
Fatty O'Leary's Dinner Party
The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists
The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse
Cook for Me
The Pavilion in the Clouds
A Laborer in the Vineyard of Love
The Private Life of Spies and The Exquisite Art of Getting Even
Heavenly Date and Other Flirtations
Portuguese Irregular Verbs
The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs
At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances
Unusual Uses for Olive Oil
Your Inner Hedgehog
Corduroy Mansions
The Dog Who Came in from the Cold
The 44 Scotland Street Cookbook
Love Over Scotland
The Department of Sensitive Crimes
The World According to Bertie
The Talented Mr. Varg
The Unbearable Lightness of Scones
The Man with the Silver Saab
The Importance of Being Seven
The Discreet Charm of the Big Bad Wolf
Bertie Plays the Blues
Sunshine on Scotland Street
Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers
The Revolving Door of Life
The Bertie Project
A Time of Love and Tartan
The Peppermint Tea Chronicles
A Promise of Ankles
Love in the Time of Bertie
The Enigma of Garlic
The Stellar Debut of Galactica Macfee
The Careful Use of Compliments
Espresso Tales
The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday
The Lost Art of Gratitude
The Charming Quirks of Others
The Forgotten Affairs of Youth
The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds
The Novel Habits of Happiness
A Distant View of Everything
The Quiet Side of Passion
The Geometry of Holding Hands
The Sweet Remnants of Summer
The Perils of Morning Coffee
The Sunday Philosophy Club
At the Reunion Buffet: An Isabel Dalhousie Story
Friends
Sweet
The Right Attitude to Rain
44 Scotland Street

Tips and Resources From Your Alexander McCall Smith Book Club Friends:

For over 20 years, the humour, compassion, and occasional cup of tea that Precious Ramotswe brings to the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency have delighted millions of people. Do you count yourself among the fans of Botswana’s premier lady detective? Or are you more a fan of the residents and neighbours of 44 Scotland Street? Perhaps you prefer the mysteries the philosopher and amateur sleuth Isabel Dalhousie solves? There are so many stories – long and short – from Alexander McCall Smith to discuss, let’s get to it!

the order of the Books and all Related Books Available
All Alexander McCall Smith’s Book Series in Order of Publication

Find the right order of the books in the series.

No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Books In Order
Isabel Dalhousie Books In Order
44 Scotland Street Books In Order
Detective Varg Books In Order
Perfect Passion Company Books In Order
Professor Dr von Igelfeld Entertainment Books In Order
Corduroy Mansions Books In Order
Precious Ramotswe Books In Order
Akimbo Books In Order
School Ship Tobermory Books In Order
Recommendations From Alexander’s Fans

Elizabeth Peters

Recommended by Dorothy Beams

I have read the whole Amelia Peabody series at least four times! Like the Inspector Gamache series,

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Sara Nisha Adams

Recommended by Marie Maples

The Reading List is Sara Nisha Adams’ first book. It’s a lovely book that will stay with me for a wh

Read More Sara Nisha Adams

Janet Evanovich

Recommended by Gianna Ramirez

I’m a huge fan of mysteries with humour and a dash of romance Janet Evanovich’s books are on the top

Read More Janet Evanovich

Shelby Van Pelt

Recommended by Ava Davis

I really loved Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures and have recommended it to everyone. I

Read More Shelby Van Pelt

Peter Lovesey

Recommended by Maya Torres

I first learned about Peter Lovesey books featuring detective Peter Diamond from Louise Penny who ha

Read More Peter Lovesey

Martha Grimes

Recommended by Eleanor Jackson

Martha Grimes’ mysteries with Richard Jury and Melrose Plant are well written and entertaining. I en

Read More Martha Grimes

Rhys Bowen

Recommended by Beth Peters

Rhys Bowen’s Molly Murphy series is great. Good stories with a sense of humor. This is one of my fav

Read More Rhys Bowen

Nell Goddin

Recommended by Victoria Baker

I am really enjoying Nell Goddin’s Molly Sutton mysteries. I like the setting in a small village of

Read More Nell Goddin

Ian Rankin

Recommended by Savannah Cooper

Ian Rankin is a fantastic storyteller and writes well on so many levels. Has a great ear for dialogu

Read More Ian Rankin

Alan Bradley

Recommended by Amanda Scrip

Alan Bradley’s series about Flavia de Luce are wonderfully written delights. Wish there were more of

Read More Alan Bradley

Rhys Bowen

Recommended by Susan Walker

I love Rhys Bowen’s Royal Spyness series. Such fun! They’re light, but clever and amusing. I started

Read More Rhys Bowen

Annie Barrows

Recommended by Hannah Carter

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is an excellent, enjoyable and informative epistol

Read More Annie Barrows
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Recommended Books From Alexander McCall Smith Fans

Saving Faith
Beyond the Ice Limit
But For The Grace: A DC Smith Investigation
State of Terror
The Summer That Never Was
Deborah's Judgment: A Deborah Knott Short Story
Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death
Vertigo 42: A Richard Jury Mystery
Three Weeks to Say Goodbye
The Torment of Others
Bonfire Night
Shell Game: A V.I. Warshawski Novel
Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station
Hidden Prey
The Woman in Suite 11
Talking to Strange Men
The Witch Elm
Serpent Gate
Keeper of the Bride
Sanctuary: A Decker/Lazarus Novel
Off the Grid
Left for Dead
Lightning Strike
Leaving Everything Most Loved
The Stone Circle
Nobody Walks
Out of Bounds
Kissed a Sad Goodbye
The Gate Keeper
Storm Front
Sick of Shadows
Foul Matter
Badlands: A Nora Kelly Thriller
Robicheaux
A Perilous Undertaking
Cause of Death
Dead Man's Grip
The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag
What's Left Behind
Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding
O Jerusalem
Breaking Point
Lying in Wait
Dr. No
City of the Dead
Catch Me When I Fall
A Bitter Truth
So Sure of Death
Death in a Strange Country
Death of a Hussy
One Fine Day You're Gonna Die
An Impartial Witness
Death at the Sanatorium
The Shadow Side
Fire and Ice
Missing Pieces: A Kings Lake Investigation
OverKill
The Last Camel Died at Noon
At Some Disputed Barricade
Beau Death
A Darker Reality
When the Bough Breaks
None of This Is True
Grave Secrets
Barriers to Entry
Victim 2117
Corridors of the Night: A William Monk Novel
Dance Hall of the Dead
Postcards From the Mediterranean
The Falcon at the Portal
Mrs. Pollifax and the Lion Killer
The Girls in the Garden
Reader
Standing in Another Man's Grave
The Skeleton in the Closet
A Traitor to Memory
The Most Dangerous Thing
Unusual Suspects: Stories of Mystery and Fantasy
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
The Mist in the Mirror
Blood Trail
The A List
Quantum
Mrs Pollifax and the Golden Triangle
How the Light Gets In
Photo Finish
I is for Innocent
An Unmarked Grave
Death of an Expert Witness
Trace Elements
Judgment Prey
The Miracle at Speedy Motors
Miss Kopp Investigates
The Travelling Companion
Dead Tomorrow
The Whole Truth
The Grave Maurice
Harm Done
Spirit of Steamboat: A Longmire Story
Mexican Hat
Wolf to the Slaughter
The Crow Trap
One by One
Fire and Ice
A Christmas Witness
Burn Marks: A V. I. Warshawski Novel
Echo Park
Dead or Alive
The Fallen Man
Killing Grounds
The Murders of Richard III
The Comforts of Home
C Is for Corpse
Kindness Goes Unpunished: A Longmire Mystery
The Woods
Silent Prey
Grave of the Lawgiver
Lightning Strikes the Silence
Cadillac Jukebox
Two for the Dough
In Their Footsteps
Bark M for Murder
Dark Places
In a Strange City
The Knowledge: A Richard Jury Mystery
No Shred of Evidence
A World of Curiosities
The Geometry of Holding Hands
No Time Left
The Custom of the Army: An Outlander Novella
The Garden of Eden and Other Criminal Delights
Edge of Evil
The Widows
The House at Sea's End
The Blackhouse
City of Endless Night
Bloodstream
On Eden Street: A Kings Lake Investigation
Waxwork
Mercy Falls
Means of Evil and Other Stories
A Question of Betrayal
The Gimlet Slip
One Perfect Couple
The Forgotten
Love You to Death
Downriver
The Mysterious West
The Theory of Death
One Fatal Flaw
Lone Wolf
Ropa Vieja
I'm Not Done with You Yet
Hangman: A Decker/Lazarus Novel
The Chimney Sweeper's Boy
Locked Rooms
To Die For
All the Wicked Girls
Midnight Rendezvous
Bones Are Forever
The Last Mile
Clawback
The Cabinet of Dr. Leng
Mrs. Pollifax Unveiled
A Dark-Adapted Eye
The Full Cupboard of Life
Theft of an Idol
Dishing the Dirt
Midnight Come Again
Thunder Bay
The Last Passenger
Live Flesh
A Necessary End
Christmas in Absaroka County: Walt Longmire Christmas Stories
K is for Killer
Duma Key
The Mill on the Shore
Lean Mean Thirteen
The Buzzard Table
The Cliff's Edge
The King Arthur Case: A Brittany Mystery
Lie Down with Lions
Paragon Walk
Full Scoop
The Sunday Philosophy Club
Bless the Bride
The Fool's Run
A Conspiracy of Bones
Livid
The Burning: A Novel
Suicide Run
Explosive Eighteen
A New Lease of Death
A Killing Spring
Girl in a Box
The Good Daughter: A Novel
A Christmas Hope: A Novel
The Deep Dark Descending
Sunstroke: A Thriller
Curious Minds
Peril in Paris
Blowback
A Dangerous Collaboration
Deserves to Be Dead: MatchUp Collection
Capital Crimes: A Novel
Bedford Square
Back of Beyond
The Shape of Night
A Grave Talent
Summer of the Dragon
The Satapur Moonstone
Police: A Harry Hole Novel
Den of Iniquity
Jolie Blon's Bounce
Shoulder the Sky: A Novel
To the Nines
Dark Assassin: A William Monk Novel
The Speaker Of Mandarin
Started Early
Trick of the Dark
Liberty Falling
The Outcast Dead
Bullseye: An Original Will Robie / Camel Club Short Story
In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner
Christmas at Patchin Place: Two Molly Murphy Mysteries
The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches
Hard Row
Down Cemetery Road
Blue Genes
Cold Wind
Spirit Crossing
The Lion and the Rose
A Monstrous Regiment of Women
The Vault
Skeleton Man
Mercy
Skinwalkers
Night Gate
Milk and Honey: A Decker/Lazarus Novel
Trouble
The Monster in the Box
The Stranger Diaries
The Fallen Angel
Dead Mountain
Baby Doll Games
Storm Watch
Fallout: A V.I. Warshawski Novel
Wish You Were Dead: Quick Reads
Alone
The Cellist
Headhunters
Eye of the Wolf
Flags on the Bayou
Southern Cross
Hush Hush
Hasty Death
Venus in Copper
The Sugar House
The Babes in the Wood
A Private Cathedral
F is for Fugitive
The Pharaoh Key
The White Lady
The Benefit of Hindsight
The Child's Child
Death Without Company: A Longmire Mystery
Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?
The Dark Wind
Spin
Murder Unfolds
Bitterroot
Winter's Child
The Glass Coffin
A Calamity of Souls
The Kalahari Typing School for Men
Gaslighted
Dark Corners
The Snowman
Blood Shot
Down Among the Dead Men
The Betrayal of Trust
The Sedgemoor Strangler and Other Stories of Crime
Farriers' Lane
Criminal: A Novel
The Third Girl
Fatal Legacy
Frozen: A Vera Stanhope Short Story
Patriot's Dream
Hand of Evil
The Family Way
Hardcore Twenty-Four
Look Alive Twenty-Five
Switchblade
A Question of Honor
A Letter of Mary
Less Than a Treason
Vantage Point
Death's Half Acre
The Lewis Man
Lost Light

“You can go through life and make new friends every year – every month practically – but there was never any substitute for those friendships of childhood that survive into adult years. Those are the ones in which we are bound to one another with hoops of steel.”

Alexander McCall Smith, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
RJ Martin
“If you’ve never read a book in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series you are in for a treat. I love the gentle humour and wisdom of detective Precious Ramotswe. The series is one of my favourites and every outing is a delight. I also love Isabel Dalhousie. In fact, I pretty much love anything and everything Alexander McCall Smith writes.”

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