From the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency to Isabel Dalhousie, Alexander McCall Smith is famous for crafting warm and witty series beloved by fans around the world. One of his most charming series, 44 Scotland Street, tells the story of this cozy Scottish neighborhood’s residents, including the star of the show, Bertie, a remarkably precocious boy—just ask his mother.
the latest installment, love in the time of bertie is out now, so we thought it would be a good time to check out the other 44 street books of scotland. To make this easier, we’ve created a guide for all fourteen! get ready for some laughs and cozy reads that will brighten your day.
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44 Scotland Street
The first novel in Alexander McCall Smith’s beloved series introduces us to Bertie and the vast cast of characters who live at 44 Scotland Street. There is Pat, a young man in his twenties who recently moved into an apartment with Bruce, an athletic young man with a keen awareness of his own appearance. His neighbor, Domenica, is an eccentric and insightful widow. Love triangles, a lost painting, intriguing new friends, and an encounter with a famous Scottish crime writer are just a few of the ingredients that add up to this charming and witty portrayal of Edinburgh society.
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Espresso Tales
All our favorite inhabitants of a Georgian house in Edinburgh are back in the second book in the series. Bertie, the immensely talented six-year-old, is now enrolled in kindergarten and, much to his dismay, has donned a pink jumpsuit for his first day of school. Bruce has lost his job as a surveyor and, between admiring glances in the mirror, contemplates becoming a wine merchant. Pat embarks on a new life at Edinburgh University and perhaps a new relationship, courtesy of his witty and worldly neighbor Domenica. Filled with McCall Smith’s gentle humor and sympathy for his characters, Espresso Tales is a loving portrait of a city and its people.
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love over scotland
this just came from edinburgh: the complicated lives of the inhabitants of 44 scotland street are not getting any simpler. Domenica Macdonald has gone to the Straits of Malacca to conduct a dangerous anthropological study of pirate houses. Bertie is still enduring psychotherapy, but her load is lightened by a junior orchestra’s trip to Paris, where she makes new and interesting friends. Back in Edinburgh, there is an affair for Pat with a handsome young man named Wolf, until she begins to see the attractions of the more prosaically named Matthew. Brimming with McCall Smith’s wondrous wit and charming depictions of Edinburgh, Love Over Scotland is another beautiful ode to a city and its people that continue to fascinate this amazing author.
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the world according to bertie
there is never a quiet moment at 44 scotland street. In The World According to Bertie, Pat deals with the reappearance of Bruce, who has her heart pounding—and not in a pleasant way. As usual, Big Lou is still looking for love and doling out coffee and advice to the ever-contemplative Matthew. And Bertie, the beleaguered Italian-speaking six-year-old prodigy, now has a baby brother, Ulysses, who Bertie hopes will help distract his pushy mother, Irene. Beautifully observed, artfully detailed, The World According to Bertie is classic McCall Smith and a treat for avid fans of his as well as his early readers.
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the unbearable lightness of scones
The fifth book in the 44 Scotland Street series, The Unbearable Lightness of Scones, finds Bertie still worried about his rather overbearing mother, Irene, but looking to the Cub Scouts for his escape. Matthew rises to the challenge of married life with new strength and determination, while Domenica epitomizes the loneliness of the long-distance intellectual. With his usual dexterity, Alexander McCall Smith once again brings us an absorbing and entertaining story of some of Scotland’s most quirky and beloved characters, all set in the beautiful and stoic city of Edinburgh.
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the importance of being seven years old
After seven years and five books, Bertie is finally about to turn seven. But one afternoon she misleads her nosy mother, Irene, and she learns a valuable lesson: wish fulfillment can be a dangerous business. Angus and Domenica contemplate whether to give in to romance while on vacation in Italy, and Lou is even heard discussing cosmetic surgery. Fun, warm, and candid as always, The Importance of Being Seven offers fresh, wise insights into philosophy and brotherhood among Edinburgh’s loveliest residents.
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bertie plays blues
If you don’t want to start the series from scratch, this is a good place to do it, as our friends at 44 scotland street all seem to be in the midst of new beginnings. New parents Matthew and Elspeth must navigate the difficulties of raising their triplets. Angus and Domenica are newly engaged. Big Lou has started the search for a new llama, boldly exploring the new world of online dating and creating an Elvis impersonator on the first try. And then there’s Bertie, who has been thinking that she might want to start over with a new family and so she is put up for adoption on eBay. With her trademark charm and her gentle wit, Alexander McCall Smith vividly portrays the lives of Edinburgh’s most unique and beloved characters.
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sunshine on scotland street
From social media to the finer details of human behavior, this episode of Alexander McCall Smith’s popular series offers an entertaining commentary on a small corner of modern life in Edinburgh where, contrary to popular wisdom, the sun it almost always shines. Angus Lordie and Domenica Macdonald are finally getting married. Unsurprisingly, Angus isn’t quite ready. Long-suffering Bertie knows firsthand how strict his mother’s rules can be, and decides to help Cyril go on an adventure. Meanwhile, Big Lou becomes a viral internet sensation, and Bruce, the incurable narcissist, meets his match in the form of a neighbor doppelganger, who proposes a plan that could change both of their lives. p>
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the revolving door of life
Things are looking up for seven-year-old Bertie Pollock in the tenth novel in this series. the arrival of her feisty grandmother and the absence of her nosy mother, who currently runs a book club in a Bedouin harem (don’t ask), bring unforeseen blessings. meanwhile, surprises await the adults of scotland street. Matthew makes a discovery that could be a big windfall for her family, but it also presents a troubling dilemma. Pat discovers a secret about her father’s fiancée that could shake up her family. Alexander McCall Smith guides us through the risks and rewards of friendship, love, and family with his usual inimitable wit and irresistible charm of hers.
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the bertie project
bertie’s mother, irene, returns from the middle east to discover that, in her absence, her son has been exposed to the worst of evils: television shows, ice cream parlors, and even unauthorized art at the national portrait gallery. Her wrath descends on Bertie’s long-suffering father, Stuart. But Stuart has found a reason to spend more time out of the house and seems to have a new momentum in his stride. And as Irene resumes work on what she calls Ella’s Bertie Project, reinstating Bertie’s Italian lessons, yoga classes, and psychotherapy, Bertie begins hatching a project of his own, one that promises freedom. p>
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a time of love and tartan
When Pat accepts her narcissistic ex-boyfriend Bruce’s invitation for coffee, she has no idea of the complications in her romantic and professional life that will follow. Meanwhile, Matthew, her boss at the art gallery, attracts the attention of the police after a misunderstanding at the local bookstore.
whether it’s small things like a cup of coffee and a book, or major events like stuart’s application for a promotion and his wife irene’s decision to pursue a doctorate at aberdeen, change is coming to scotland street. But for three seven-year-olds (Bertie, Ranald, and Finlay, Big Lou’s adopted son), it also means a glimpse of perfect happiness.
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The Peppermint Tea Chronicles
summer has come to scotland street. With domineering Irene chasing academic challenges, Stuart and Bertie are free to enjoy some summer fun. stuart reconnects with an old acquaintance over refreshing mint tea while bertie takes her friend ranald braveheart macpherson to the circus. But their trip to the big top turns out to be more than just the good fun they expected. Once again, Scotland Street is filled with the daily triumphs and challenges of those who call it home, providing a warm, wise and witty chronicle of affairs in this corner of the world.
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a promise of ankles
for the residents of 44 scotland street, life in the intriguing new city of edinburgh is something to enjoy. After all, there are new faces to excite Domenica’s anthropological imagination, precious moments with her triplets for Matthew to enjoy, and the prospect of a trip to the promised land of Glasgow for young Bertie. but there are also mysteries that need to be solved. The stories of this wonderfully vibrant cast may take unexpected turns, but the warmth and humor in Scotland’s most recognizable place will ultimately affirm the joy life brings us all.
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love in the time of bertie
last but not least, the final book in the 44 scotland street series, love in the time of bertie, is out now! In the microcosm of 44 Scotland Street, all the richness of life is found in the glorious comings and goings of its residents. there’s Domenica, whose anthropological training has honed her observations of her neighbors; Mateo, whose growing triplets are more than a handful; Bruce, whose challenge as always is to think of anything but himself; and Big Lou, who may have found her chance at romance. And, of course, there’s young Bertie Pollock, whose hopeful explorations are a poignant reminder that life is full of joy and adventure.
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