The first in a series. Isabel Dalhousie witnesses a man's fatal fall from a balcony. Since she is the last person he saw before his death, she feels she owes it to him to investigate.
Critic Reviews
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Favorable
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Chicago Sun-Times Henry Kisor
If you loved Precious Ramotswe, you'll take Isabel Dalhousie to your heart this fall.
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Favorable
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Daily Telegraph Anthony Daniels
McCall Smith has the gift of evoking an entire social atmosphere in very few and simple words. Edinburgh had better brace itself for more of his gentle satire and social commentary.
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Favorable
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Entertainment Weekly Jennifer Reese
Opportunities to read about an intelligent, inquisitive woman trying to lead a meaningful, moral life crop up so infrequently that the mild-mannered, loosely constructed Philosophy Club glows like a rare jewel. [1 Oct. 2004, p. 76]
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Favorable
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Houston Chronicle Jeanne A. LeBlanc
Smith has once again succeeded brilliantly in constructing not only believable and engaging characters but also a vivid and particular sense of place.
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Favorable
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Kirkus Reviews
This new series, which makes Edinburgh feel as intimate as Mma Ramotswe's Gaborone, just might fill the bill for patient, literate readers mourning the death of Amanda Cross.
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Favorable
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San Francisco Chronicle Allison Block
McCall Smith's assessments of fellow humans are piercing and profound.
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Favorable
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The Globe And Mail [Toronto] Bill Richardson
Writing is an act of leading, and reading demonstrates a willingness to be led -- Alexander McCall Smith's gift, one of them, is to inspire an eagerness to follow. [9 Oct. 2004, D4]
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Favorable
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The New York Times Janet Maslin
This book is a clear demonstration of Mr. McCall Smith's own philosophy: that there is wisdom in inviting readers into a world of kindness, gentility and creature comforts. Offer the literary equivalent of herbal tea and a cozy fire. They'll come back for more.
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Favorable
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The New York Times Book Review Marilyn Stasio
Isabel's search for truth (and a moral solution to murder) follows a route that offers tantalizing glimpses of Edinburgh's complex character and a nice, long look into the beautiful mind of a thinking woman.
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Favorable
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USA Today Deirdre Donahue
The Sunday Philosophy Club captures the cold, foggy, history-drenched atmosphere of Edinburgh as effectively as McCall's African series conveys that continent's heat and landscape.
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Mixed
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The Spectator Antonia Fraser
The picture of genteel Edinburgh, where an art exhibition is the local version of a rave-up, is amusing enough, even if the unregenerate like me may find themselves longing for the rougher Edinburgh world of Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus. The trouble is that Isabel Dalhousie herself is not very amusing, or, to put it more bluntly, charm was left out of the equation of her character.
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Mixed
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Library Journal Nicole A. Cook
Unfortunately, Smith's subplots are more interesting than the main mystery, and Isabel tends to get bogged down in philosophical digressions, but the writing and characters propel the narrative forward.
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