Alexander McCall Smith is probably best known for his 'Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency' series, but he's a prolific author who pens other series as well.
In this 13th book in the 'Isabel Dalhousie' series, ethicist Isabel tackles problems related to her niece's engagement, and deals with a dying man's unusual request. The book can be read as a standalone but familiarity with the characters is a plus.
*****
Isabel Dalhousie and her younger husband Jamie live in Edinburgh and have two little boys, Charlie and Magnus. Isabel is a philosopher who publishes and edits The Review of Applied Ethics.....
…..and Jamie is an elite musician who gives concerts, teaches music, and assists with a high school band.
Isabel is the prime beneficiary of a well-funded family trust, but is nevertheless reluctant to splurge on 'fripperies' like expensive restaurants, though she and Jamie do treat themselves on occasion.
Isabel's niece Cat owns an artisanal deli......
…..and has a single employee, a vulnerable young man named Eddie who was rescued from difficult circumstances.
Cat doesn't hesitate to call Isabel when the deli needs an extra pair of hands, and Isabel is always happy to help. Nevertheless the two women have a tricky relationship because Isabel's husband Jamie was once Cat's boyfriend - the only 'nice one.' Cat has a habit of taking up with bad boys, and her current fiancé Leo is a loutish 'hot body' with an eye on Cat's assets, including Cat's small share of the family trust.
Isabel is uncertain what to do about this because, on one hand she doesn't want to see Cat taken advantage of, and on the other hand she thinks people should be allowed to learn from their mistakes.
This kind of thinking is typical of Isabel, who always feels compelled to look at every side of an issue.....to tease out all the ethical implications. Moreover, Isabel's mind constantly wanders down tangents. For example, when Isabel is talking to Cat about the trustees of the family assets, MacGeorge and MacGregor, who travel to other countries to participate in Scottish folk dancing exhibitions.....
…..she starts to think about the men "playing golf together and having tea in the clubhouse, sharing a Dundee cake."
Then Isabel thinks about the trustees " sitting at a shared desk, counting Greek government bonds, a Greek dictionary at their side. She sees them doing a Zorba-like dance on the beach of a Greek Island, still wearing their identical glasses, the sun on their pallid Scottish skin, with, in the background, a chorus of local fisherman and their wives clapping their hands to the music."
Isabel's mind is frequently distracted with random thoughts like this.
In addition to being concerned about Cat, Isabel is thinking about a 68-year-old man named Iain Melrose, who has terminal cancer. Melrose approaches Isabel in a café, mentions acquaintances they have in common, and asks her to be the executor of his will.
Melrose is impressed with Isabel's moral philosophy and wants her to choose which of his relatives will inherit his estate - which is close to his heart, and which he wants to be well-managed. The candidates are artist Jack and his wife Hillary; developer Sarah; and accountant John. As it happens Isabel knows something compromising about one of these people, which complicates the situation.
Isabel's chats with Melrose drift into side issues like films as works of art; irresponsible capitalism; morality in countries that committed genocide like Germany, Cambodia, and Japan; unfulfilled good intentions; the pharmaceutical industry; and so on....all of which have ethical implications. Isabel indulges in this type of chitchat at every opportunity, including with her husband Jamie.
The various ethical issues Isabel tackles in this book come to affect her niece Cat; deli employee Eddie; Jamie's music student Mark; Melrose's heirs; Isabel's philosopher colleagues; and more. On a personal level, Isabel gets help from her housekeeper/nanny Grace and takes care of little Magnus and Charlie. Charlie is a biter, and Isabel agonizes over her remedy for this behavior.
Isabel also has unpleasant interactions with Cat's crude boyfriend Leo, and works on The Review of Applied Ethics (which I'd like to read if it was real 😊).
The plot is slight but engaging, and the book lends itself to a cozy read with a beverage and a snack. I'm curious to see what happens with Cat and Leo, so I look forward to the next entry in the series.
I think fans of Alexander McCall Smith's quiet musings would like the book.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Alexander McCall Smith) and the publisher (Pantheon Books) for a copy of the book.
Rating: 3.5 stars
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