Author guide
Alexander McCall Smith Books in Order
Alexander McCall Smith is a Scottish author and emeritus professor of medical law. His extensive bibliography includes the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Isabel Dalhousie, 44 Scotland Street, Portuguese Irregular Verbs, Corduroy Mansions, Detective Varg, and other series, as well as standalone novels, children's fiction, poetry, short-story collections, memoir, literary criticism, and academic works.
literary fictiondetective fictionshort storieschildren's fictionpoetrymemoirliterary criticismacademic nonfictionplays
Alexander McCall Smith's Newest Book
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
The author's best-known series begins here and establishes Precious Ramotswe and Botswana.
The Sunday Philosophy Club
Introduces Isabel Dalhousie and the Edinburgh philosophical-detective novels.
44 Scotland Street
Introduces the long-running Edinburgh serial and its ensemble cast.
The Department of Sensitive Crimes
Introduces the Detective Varg series.
La's Orchestra Saves the World
A representative standalone novel.
Read in order
Books by series
novel-series · ongoing
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Detective novels featuring Precious Ramotswe in Botswana.
- 1 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective AgencyAmazon ↗
Book 1 · novel · 1998
- 2
Tears of the GiraffeAmazon ↗Book 2 · novel · 2000
- 3
Morality for Beautiful GirlsAmazon ↗Book 3 · novel · 2001
- 4
The Kalahari Typing School for MenAmazon ↗Book 4 · novel · 2002
- 5
The Full Cupboard of LifeAmazon ↗Book 5 · novel · 2003
- 6
In the Company of Cheerful LadiesAmazon ↗Book 6 · novel · 2004
- 7
Blue Shoes and HappinessAmazon ↗Book 7 · novel · 2006
- 8
The Good Husband of Zebra DriveAmazon ↗Book 8 · novel · 2007
- 9
Tea Time for the Traditionally BuiltAmazon ↗Book 9 · novel · 2009
- 10
The Miracle at Speedy MotorsAmazon ↗Book 10 · novel · 2008
- 11
The Double Comfort Safari ClubAmazon ↗Book 11 · novel · 2010
- 12
The Saturday Big Tent Wedding PartyAmazon ↗Book 12 · novel · 2011
- 13
The Limpopo Academy of Private DetectionAmazon ↗Book 13 · novel · 2012
- 14
The Minor Adjustment Beauty SalonAmazon ↗Book 14 · novel · 2013
- 15 The Handsome Man's De Luxe CaféAmazon ↗
Book 15 · novel · 2014
- 16
The Woman Who Walked in SunshineAmazon ↗Book 16 · novel · 2015
- 17
Precious and GraceAmazon ↗Book 17 · novel · 2016
- 18
The House of Unexpected SistersAmazon ↗Book 18 · novel · 2017
- 19
The Colours of All the CattleAmazon ↗Book 19 · novel · 2018
- 20
To the Land of Long Lost FriendsAmazon ↗Book 20 · novel · 2019
- 21
How to Raise an ElephantAmazon ↗Book 21 · novel · 2020
- 22
The Joy and Light Bus CompanyAmazon ↗Book 22 · novel · 2021
- 23
A Song of Comfortable ChairsAmazon ↗Book 23 · novel · 2022
- 24
From a Far and Lovely CountryAmazon ↗Book 24 · novel · 2023
- 25
The Great Hippopotamus HotelAmazon ↗Book 25 · novel · 2024
- 26
In the Time of Five PumpkinsAmazon ↗Book 26 · novel · 2025
novel-series · ongoing
Portuguese Irregular Verbs
Comic novels and stories about Professor Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld.
- 1
Portuguese Irregular VerbsAmazon ↗Book 1 · novel · 2003
- 2
The Finer Points of Sausage DogsAmazon ↗Book 2 · novel · 2003
- 3 The 2½ Pillars of WisdomAmazon ↗
Book 3 · short-story-collection · 2004
- 4
Unusual Uses for Olive OilAmazon ↗Book 4 · novel · 2011
- 5
Your Inner HedgehogAmazon ↗Book 5 · novel · 2021
- 6 The Secret Language of OystersAmazon ↗
Book 6 · novel · 2025
- 1 The Sunday Philosophy ClubAmazon ↗
Book 1 · novel · 2004
- 2
Friends, Lovers, ChocolateAmazon ↗Book 2 · novel · 2005
- 3
The Right Attitude to RainAmazon ↗Book 3 · novel · 2006
- 4
The Careful Use of ComplimentsAmazon ↗Book 4 · novel · 2007
- 5
The Comfort of SaturdaysAmazon ↗Book 5 · novel · 2008
- 6
The Lost Art of GratitudeAmazon ↗Book 6 · novel · 2009
- 7
The Charming Quirks of OthersAmazon ↗Book 7 · novel · 2010
- 8
The Forgotten Affairs of YouthAmazon ↗Book 8 · novel · 2011
- 9
The Uncommon Appeal of CloudsAmazon ↗Book 9 · novel · 2012
- 10
The Novel Habits of HappinessAmazon ↗Book 10 · novel · 2015
- 11
A Distant View of EverythingAmazon ↗Book 11 · novel · 2017
- 12
The Quiet Side of PassionAmazon ↗Book 12 · novel · 2018
- 13
The Geometry of Holding HandsAmazon ↗Book 13 · novel · 2020
- 14
The Sweet Remnants of SummerAmazon ↗Book 14 · novel · 2022
- 15
The Conditions of Unconditional LoveAmazon ↗Book 15 · novel · 2024
- 16
The Perils of Morning CoffeeAmazon ↗Book 8.1 · novella · 2011 Optional
- 17
At the Reunion BuffetAmazon ↗Book 10.1 · novella · 2015 Optional
- 18 Sweet, Thoughtful ValentineAmazon ↗
Book 10.2 · short-story · 2016 Optional
- 1 44 Scotland StreetAmazon ↗
Book 1 · novel · 2004
- 2
Espresso TalesAmazon ↗Book 2 · novel · 2005
- 3
Love Over ScotlandAmazon ↗Book 3 · novel · 2006
- 4
The World According to BertieAmazon ↗Book 4 · novel · 2007
- 5 The Unbearable Light of SconesAmazon ↗
Book 5 · novel · 2008
- 6
The Importance of Being SevenAmazon ↗Book 6 · novel · 2009
- 7
Bertie Plays the BluesAmazon ↗Book 7 · novel · 2011
- 8
Sunshine on Scotland StreetAmazon ↗Book 8 · novel · 2012
- 9
Bertie's Guide to Life and MothersAmazon ↗Book 9 · novel · 2013
- 10
The Revolving Door of LifeAmazon ↗Book 10 · novel · 2015
- 11
The Bertie ProjectAmazon ↗Book 11 · novel · 2016
- 12
A Time of Love and TartanAmazon ↗Book 12 · novel · 2017
- 13
The Peppermint Tea ChroniclesAmazon ↗Book 13 · novel · 2019
- 14
A Promise of AnklesAmazon ↗Book 14 · novel · 2020
- 15
Love in the Time of BertieAmazon ↗Book 15 · novel · 2021
- 16
The Enigma of GarlicAmazon ↗Book 16 · novel · 2022
- 17
The Stellar Debut of Galactica MacFeeAmazon ↗Book 17 · novel · 2023
- 18 Bertie's Theory of Ice CreamAmazon ↗
Book 18 · novel · 2025
- 1 The Department of Sensitive CrimesAmazon ↗
Book 1 · novel · 2019
- 2
The Talented Mr VargAmazon ↗Book 2 · novel · 2020
- 3
The Man with the Silver SaabAmazon ↗Book 3 · novel · 2021
- 4
The Discreet Charm of the Big Bad WolfAmazon ↗Book 4 · novel · 2023
- 5
The Strange Case of the Moderate ExtremistsAmazon ↗Book 0.1 · short-story · 2019 Optional
- 6
Varg in LoveAmazon ↗Book 0.2 · short-story · 2019 Optional
novel-series · ongoing
The Perfect Passion Company
Romantic novels and short works about an Edinburgh matchmaking agency.
children-series · complete
Precious Ramotswe Mysteries for Young Readers
Children's mysteries featuring a young Precious Ramotswe.
- 2
Precious and the MonkeysAmazon ↗Book 1 · children · 2011
- 3
Precious and the Mystery of Meerkat HillAmazon ↗Book 2 · children · 2012
- 4
Precious and the Mystery of the Missing LionAmazon ↗Book 3 · children · 2013
- 5
Precious and the Zebra NecklaceAmazon ↗Book 4 · children · 2015
- 1 Precious and the PuggiesAmazon ↗
Book 0 · children · 2010
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (13)
- La's Orchestra Saves the WorldAmazon ↗
novel · 2008
-
Trains and LoversAmazon ↗novel · 2012
-
The Forever GirlAmazon ↗novel · 2013
-
Fatty O'Leary's Dinner PartyAmazon ↗novel · 2014
-
EmmaAmazon ↗novel · 2014
-
The Good Pilot Peter WoodhouseAmazon ↗novel · 2017
-
The Pavilion in the CloudsAmazon ↗novel · 2022
- The Love Story of Herb la FoucheAmazon ↗
novel · 2024
-
The Winds from Further WestAmazon ↗novel · 2024
- The Private Side of FriendshipAmazon ↗
novel · 2025
- The Captain's CabinAmazon ↗
novella · 2022
- Who Built ScotlandAmazon ↗
nonfiction · 2017
- A Work of Beauty: Alexander McCall Smith's EdinburghAmazon ↗
nonfiction · 2014
Nonfiction (1)
-
What W. H. Auden Can Do for YouAmazon ↗literary-criticism · 2013
Short fiction (10)
- The Private Life of SpiesAmazon ↗
short-story-collection · 2023
- Children of Wax: African Folk TalesAmazon ↗
short-story-collection · 1989
- Heavenly Date and Other StoriesAmazon ↗
short-story-collection · 1995
-
The Girl Who Married a Lion: And Other Tales from AfricaAmazon ↗short-story-collection · 2004
-
The Baboons Who Went This Way and ThatAmazon ↗short-story-collection · 2006
-
Chance DevelopmentsAmazon ↗short-story-collection · 2015
- Marvellous Mix-upsAmazon ↗
short-story-collection · 2016
-
Pianos and FlowersAmazon ↗short-story-collection · 2019
-
Tiny TalesAmazon ↗short-story-collection · 2020
-
The Exquisite Art of Getting EvenAmazon ↗short-story-collection · 2022
Children's books (34)
- The White HippoAmazon ↗
children · 1980
- The Little TheatreAmazon ↗
children · 1982
-
The Perfect HamburgerAmazon ↗children · 1982
- On the RoadAmazon ↗
children · 1987
- Film BoyAmazon ↗
children · 1988
- Mike's Magic SeedsAmazon ↗
children · 1988
- Alix and the TigersAmazon ↗
children · 1988
- Uncle GangsterAmazon ↗
children · 1989
- The Ice-Cream BicycleAmazon ↗
children · 1990
- The Tin DogAmazon ↗
children · 1990
- Suzy's MagicianAmazon ↗
children · 1990
- Jeffrey's Joke MachineAmazon ↗
children · 1990
- The Spaghetti TangleAmazon ↗
children · 1991
- Marzipan MaxAmazon ↗
children · 1991
- The Princess TrickAmazon ↗
children · 1992
- The Doughnut RingAmazon ↗
children · 1992
- Springy JaneAmazon ↗
children · 1992
- Calculator AnnieAmazon ↗
children · 1992
- The Muscle MachineAmazon ↗
children · 1993
- My Chameleon UncleAmazon ↗
children · 1993
- Crazy CrocsAmazon ↗
children · 1994
- Who Invented Peanut Butter?Amazon ↗
children · 1994
- The Banana MachineAmazon ↗
children · 1994
- Teacher TroubleAmazon ↗
children · 1994
- Paddy and the RatcatcherAmazon ↗
children · 1994
- Billy RubbishAmazon ↗
children · 1995
- The Bubblegum TreeAmazon ↗
children · 1996
- The Watermelon BoysAmazon ↗
children · 1996
- Bursting Balloons MysteryAmazon ↗
children · 1997
- Chocolate Money MysteryAmazon ↗
children · 1997
- The Popcorn PiratesAmazon ↗
children · 1999
- Monkey BoyAmazon ↗
children · 2000
- Good Dog LionAmazon ↗
children · 2014
-
Freddie Mole: Lion TamerAmazon ↗children · 2016
Poetry (2)
Edited works (1)
- A Gathering: A Personal Anthology of Scottish PoetryAmazon ↗
poetry-anthology · 2018
Other (10)
- The Tumbling LassieAmazon ↗
operetta · 2018
- Justice and the Prosecution of Old CrimesAmazon ↗
academic · 2000
- Errors, Medicine and the LawAmazon ↗
academic · 2001
- Forensic Aspects of SleepAmazon ↗
academic · 1997
- Duty to Rescue: The Jurisprudence of AidAmazon ↗
academic · 1993
- The Criminal Law of BotswanaAmazon ↗
academic · 1992
- Scots Criminal LawAmazon ↗
academic · 1992
- Family Rights: Family Law and Medical AdvanceAmazon ↗
academic · 1990
- Butterworths Medico-Legal EncyclopaediaAmazon ↗
academic · 1986
- Law and Medical EthicsAmazon ↗
academic · 1983