a super start, 12 Nov 2004

She is both fascinated and concerned with those people she meets in her daily life. A sub-plot involving her niece draws out the empathy she feels towards others. In the main plot, as a chance observer to a violent death, this Scots lady finds herself being drawn by default rather than design into detective work. She is determined to get to the bottom of this awful tragedy, which is resolved quite beautifully in the final few pages.

This is not the ending that the reader would expect if Precious were in charge of this case, which is just as well if McCall wants us to view them as different characters, and not in competition. They are indeed quite different, and McCall succeeds admirably in beginning to present us with a very believable and likeable person in Miss Dalhousie. He seems to want the reader to remain guessing about much of her personality, giving just enough to make her appear "solid" and real, yet also tantalising about other aspects of her personality. At times she seems a "40-something going on 80" , her behaviour appearing to be that of someone much older, yet we also hear her musing about the possible romantic and sexually charged feelings she may have towards her niece's ex-boy friend. Little is mentioned about the "Sunday Philosophy Club" itself, but no doubt Alexander McCall Smith will fill in these frustrating gaps in further episodes with this intriguing lady.

This book was a joy to read, and I look forward to the next instalment.

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