Hardback: As a philosopher, mother, employer and editor of the Review of Applied Ethics - not to mention resident of Edinburgh, the birthplace of moral philosophy - Isabel Dalhousie is all too aware that to be human is to be responsible.
So when a neighbour brings her a new and potentially dangerous puzzle to solve, once again Isabel feels she has no option but to shoulder the burden of other people's difficulties.
A masterpiece painting has been stolen from the collection of Duncan Munrowe, an old-fashioned philanthropist and a very wealthy man.
As Isabel enters into ransom negotiations, a case where heroes and villains should be clearly defined turns murky: the list of those who desire the painting - or the money - lengthens, and hasty judgment must be avoided.
Morals, it turns out, are like Scottish clouds: complex, changeable and tricky to get a grip on; they require a sharp observational eye, a philosophical mindset and the habit of kindness, and fortunately Isabel Dalhousie is in possession of all three.
About the author: Alexander McCall Smith is the author of over eighty books on a wide array of subjects. For many years, he was Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh and served on national and international bioethics bodies. Then in 1999 he achieved global recognition for his award-winning series The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, and thereafter has devoted his time to the writing of fiction, including the 44 Scotland Street and Corduroy Mansions series. His books have been translated into forty-six languages. He lives in Edinburgh with his wife, Elizabeth, a doctor.
Rating: 3/5
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