Book Review - Alexander McCall Smith's The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe

The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe is the fifteenth installment in Alexander McCall Smith's popular No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. I've read them all and each new book is like spending an afternoon with an old friend. 

PLOT- The title of the book, The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe, is in reference to Grace Makutsi's latest business venture as a restauranteur. She is still working as a recently promoted co-owner of the detective agency, but her marriage has made her a wealthy woman with new ambitions. On the opposite end of the financial spectrum, is Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. His garage is seeing less business and he must make the tough decision to let-go of his apprentice, Charlie. Mma Ramotswe comes up with a plan to help Charlie out, by selling off her cattle to pay for him to work as an assistant detective. The agency is struggling to solve their latest case involving the identity of an Indian woman with amnesia. 

LIKE - This series gets better with every book and I think that is owed to the rich and wonderful characters that Smith has created. There is a sweetness and moral to every story, but it is never preachy. Last month, while I was on jury duty, I was discussing the series with a fellow juror and Smith fan. The conclusion that we drew as to why we found the stories so endearing, is that they always left us with the warm fuzzies. The world needs more books that leave you with the warm fuzzies.

DISLIKE- Nothing to dislike, but I did miss the "Africa" repetition at the end. Where was it? I'm so used to it closing all of the stories and it was missed.

RECOMMEND- Yes. If you're a fan of the series, it's a must. If you haven't read the series...what's wrong with you? Get to a bookstore immediately!

Book Review- Alexander McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street

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I'm a huge fan of Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Smith is a very fast and prolific author (writing multiple series and typically churning out a book per series per year)  and I decided that it was time to plunge into another of his series. 

I timed starting the first book in the series, 44 Scotland Street, with my trip to Edinburgh, where the story is set. Although I only spent a few hours in the city, it was enough to give me a small frame of reference. It's a gorgeous city and I hope that I will be able to return to it in the future.

 As Smith mentions in the forward, his 44 Scotland Street series is reminiscent of Armistead Maupin's late 70's Tales of the City book series set in San Francisco. I discovered Maupin's series when I was in high school and quickly devoured all of the books over a Christmas holiday.

The comparison between the two series is a good one, as both include a plethora of quirky characters, a good mix of comedy vs serious content and both series make the city in which the story is set a primary character. The characters are all very much a product of their environment.

Just as in The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, Smith writes characters with their warts exposed, but in a gentle manner. He has a keen eye towards social interactions and knows how to translate his observations into his writings. He has an ability to create a multitude of characters from all sorts of backgrounds, but manages to bring forth the commonalities make all of the characters relatable. I always feel like a Smith book is similar to watching an episode of Little House on the Prairie, except less sappy. Smith writes stories that leave me feeling warm and fuzzy. 

I'm excited to have read the first book in the 44 Scotland Street series and can't wait to dive into the next one!