The Charming Quirks of Others

The Charming Quirks of Others
By Alexander McCall Smith
Pantheon Books, 2010. 256 p. Mystery

“One should never mislead a friend, or an enemy for that matter, she thought. We owed the same duty of truthfulness to everybody, no matter what we thought of them.”

This is merely one of the ethical conclusions drawn by the beautiful mind of Isabel Dalhousie as she ponders the perplexities of the human condition. As a moral philosopher living in Edinburgh, Isabel is the endearing protagonist in the Sunday Philosophy Club series and is always engaged in more than one ethical mystery or another. Unable to say no to anyone in need of help, this time Isabel reluctantly agrees to sort out an anonymous message portending searing consequences in the hiring of a school principal.

Yet again, McCall Smith delivers his ever-charming, deliciously quirky cast of characters, juxtaposing a deep awareness of the human psyche and an entertaining story, gracefully told. But, it’s McCall Smith’s ability to gently push us to examine our own conscience that might be his greatest achievement. Although it's not a mystery of Halloween proportions, it's one that will warm your soul.

DAP