This is the 10th installment in the Isabel Dalhousie series from Alexander McCall Smith and I continue to enjoy the thoughtful nature of the series. They are never your traditional mysteries and for some readers the idea of having to evaluate human response can diminish the pleasure of a mystery story. In terms of life or death consequences Isabel is drafted to help determine if a boy’s stories about another life are plausible or childhood fantasy. As in all of the previous books you meander with Isabel and what she questions you question. I loved her evaluation of negative thoughts about people-yes we all do it but do we really have to and her vision of Toby in an avalanche was priceless. If you are looking for “thoughtful guilty pleasure” you can’t go wrong this summer with spending some time with Isabel.
Month: July 2015
A Trip to Trollope
I have been having a bit of a classic mania summer and currently am immersed in the Chronicles of Barsetshire. For those of you that have already visited with Septimus Harding of The Warden or Mary Thorne of Dr. Thorne you will understand how easy it is to get vested in the country life of Trollope . Lily Dale from the Small House at Allington is my new acquaintance and I am trying desperately to not jump ahead and see if Adolphus is the cad I fear he is. After the Small House at Allington I have only to read The Last Chronicles of Barchester to have completed this summer’s “Trip to Trollope”.
If you have read the “6” I welcome your comments on your favorite and least favorite characters!
What on earth could be more luxurious than a sofa, a book, and a cup of coffee?…Was ever anything so civil?”
-Anthony Trollope, The Warden
a literary explorer 