ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH has a double existence. He is a Professor of Medical Law, but also an author who has now written over fifty books on a wide range of subjects. These range from specialist titles such as 'Forensic Aspects of Sleep', (the only book on the subject) to 'The Criminal Law of Botswana' (also the only book on the subject) and from the widely translated 'The Perfect Hamburger' (a children's novel) to 'Portuguese Irregular Verbs' (a collection of stories about eccentric German professors). His collection of African stories, 'Children of Wax', received critical acclaim and has been the subject of an award-winning film.
Awards: Wodehouse (2015), CWA (2004), Nibbies (2004) see all
Genres: General Fiction, Mystery, Children's Fiction, Romance, Literary Fiction, Historical, Fantasy
New and upcoming books
Series
Akimbo
1. Akimbo and the Elephants (1990)
2. Akimbo and the Crocodile Man (1993)
3. Akimbo and the Lions (1992)
4. Akimbo and the Snakes (2006)
5. Akimbo and the Baboons (2008)
1. Akimbo and the Elephants (1990)
2. Akimbo and the Crocodile Man (1993)
3. Akimbo and the Lions (1992)
4. Akimbo and the Snakes (2006)
5. Akimbo and the Baboons (2008)
Harriet Bean
1. The Five Lost Aunts of Harriet Bean (1992)
2. Harriet Bean and the League of Cheats (1992)
3. The Cowgirl Aunt of Harriet Bean (1993)
1. The Five Lost Aunts of Harriet Bean (1992)
2. Harriet Bean and the League of Cheats (1992)
3. The Cowgirl Aunt of Harriet Bean (1993)
No 1 Ladies' Detective agency
1. The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998)
2. Tears Of The Giraffe (2000)
3. Morality for Beautiful Girls (2001)
4. The Kalahari Typing School for Men (2002)
5. The Full Cupboard of Life (2003)
6. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (2004)
7. Blue Shoes and Happiness (2006)
8. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (2007)
9. The Miracle at Speedy Motors (2008)
10. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (2009)
11. The Double Comfort Safari Club (2010)
12. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party (2011)
13. The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (2012)
13.5. The Cleverness of Ladies (2012)
The Slice of No.1 Celebration Storybook (2013)
14. The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon (2013)
15. The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe (2014)
16. The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine (2015)
17. Precious and Grace (2016)
18. The House of Unexpected Sisters (2017)
19. The Colours of all the Cattle (2018)
20. To the Land of Long Lost Friends (2019)
21. How to Raise an Elephant (2020)
22. The Joy and Light Bus Company (2021)
Precious Ramotswe: A Mysterious Profile (2022)
23. A Song of Comfortable Chairs (2022)
24. From a Far and Lovely Country (2023)
25. The Great Hippopotamus Hotel (2024)
1. The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998)
2. Tears Of The Giraffe (2000)
3. Morality for Beautiful Girls (2001)
4. The Kalahari Typing School for Men (2002)
5. The Full Cupboard of Life (2003)
6. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (2004)
7. Blue Shoes and Happiness (2006)
8. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (2007)
9. The Miracle at Speedy Motors (2008)
10. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (2009)
11. The Double Comfort Safari Club (2010)
12. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party (2011)
13. The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (2012)
13.5. The Cleverness of Ladies (2012)
The Slice of No.1 Celebration Storybook (2013)
14. The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon (2013)
15. The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe (2014)
16. The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine (2015)
17. Precious and Grace (2016)
18. The House of Unexpected Sisters (2017)
19. The Colours of all the Cattle (2018)
20. To the Land of Long Lost Friends (2019)
21. How to Raise an Elephant (2020)
22. The Joy and Light Bus Company (2021)
Precious Ramotswe: A Mysterious Profile (2022)
23. A Song of Comfortable Chairs (2022)
24. From a Far and Lovely Country (2023)
25. The Great Hippopotamus Hotel (2024)
Professor Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld
1. Portuguese Irregular Verbs (2003)
2. The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs (2003)
3. At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances (2003)
4. Unusual Uses for Olive Oil (2011)
5. Your Inner Hedgehog (2021)
6. The Lost Language of Oysters (2025)
1. Portuguese Irregular Verbs (2003)
2. The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs (2003)
3. At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances (2003)
4. Unusual Uses for Olive Oil (2011)
5. Your Inner Hedgehog (2021)
6. The Lost Language of Oysters (2025)
Isabel Dalhousie
1. The Sunday Philosophy Club (2004)
2. Friends, Lovers, Chocolate (2005)
3. The Right Attitude to Rain (2006)
4. The Careful Use of Compliments (2007)
5. The Comfort Of Saturdays (2008)
6. The Lost Art of Gratitude (2009)
7. The Charming Quirks of Others (2010)
8. The Forgotten Affairs of Youth (2011)
8.5. The Perils of Morning Coffee (2011)
9. The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds (2012)
10. The Novel Habits of Happiness (2015)
10.5. At the Reunion Buffet (2015)
10.7. Sweet, Thoughtful Valentine (2016)
11. A Distant View of Everything (2017)
12. The Quiet Side of Passion (2018)
13. The Geometry of Holding Hands (2020)
14. The Sweet Remnants of Summer (2022)
15. The Conditions of Unconditional Love (2024)
1. The Sunday Philosophy Club (2004)
2. Friends, Lovers, Chocolate (2005)
3. The Right Attitude to Rain (2006)
4. The Careful Use of Compliments (2007)
5. The Comfort Of Saturdays (2008)
6. The Lost Art of Gratitude (2009)
7. The Charming Quirks of Others (2010)
8. The Forgotten Affairs of Youth (2011)
8.5. The Perils of Morning Coffee (2011)
9. The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds (2012)
10. The Novel Habits of Happiness (2015)
10.5. At the Reunion Buffet (2015)
10.7. Sweet, Thoughtful Valentine (2016)
11. A Distant View of Everything (2017)
12. The Quiet Side of Passion (2018)
13. The Geometry of Holding Hands (2020)
14. The Sweet Remnants of Summer (2022)
15. The Conditions of Unconditional Love (2024)
44 Scotland Street
1. 44 Scotland Street (2005)
2. Espresso Tales (2005)
3. Love Over Scotland (2006)
4. The World According to Bertie (2007)
5. The Unbearable Lightness of Scones (2008)
6. The Importance of Being Seven (2010)
7. Bertie Plays The Blues (2011)
8. Sunshine on Scotland Street (2012)
9. Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers (2013)
10. The Revolving Door of Life (2015)
11. The Bertie Project (2016)
12. A Time of Love and Tartan (2017)
13. The Peppermint Tea Chronicles (2019)
14. A Promise of Ankles (2020)
15. Love in the Time of Bertie (2021)
16. The Enigma of Garlic (2022)
17. The Stellar Debut of Galactica MacFee (2023)
1. 44 Scotland Street (2005)
2. Espresso Tales (2005)
3. Love Over Scotland (2006)
4. The World According to Bertie (2007)
5. The Unbearable Lightness of Scones (2008)
6. The Importance of Being Seven (2010)
7. Bertie Plays The Blues (2011)
8. Sunshine on Scotland Street (2012)
9. Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers (2013)
10. The Revolving Door of Life (2015)
11. The Bertie Project (2016)
12. A Time of Love and Tartan (2017)
13. The Peppermint Tea Chronicles (2019)
14. A Promise of Ankles (2020)
15. Love in the Time of Bertie (2021)
16. The Enigma of Garlic (2022)
17. The Stellar Debut of Galactica MacFee (2023)
Corduroy Mansions
1. Corduroy Mansions (2009)
2. The Dog Who Came in From the Cold (2010)
3. A Conspiracy Of Friends (2011)
1. Corduroy Mansions (2009)
2. The Dog Who Came in From the Cold (2010)
3. A Conspiracy Of Friends (2011)
Precious Ramotswe
0.5. The Great Cake Mystery (2012)
1. Precious and the Monkeys (2010)
aka Precious and the Puggies
2. Precious and the Mystery of Meerkat Hill (2012)
3. Precious and the Mystery of the Missing Lion (2013)
4. Precious and the Zebra Necklace (2015)
Young Precious (2018)
0.5. The Great Cake Mystery (2012)
1. Precious and the Monkeys (2010)
aka Precious and the Puggies
2. Precious and the Mystery of Meerkat Hill (2012)
3. Precious and the Mystery of the Missing Lion (2013)
4. Precious and the Zebra Necklace (2015)
Young Precious (2018)
Detective Varg
0.5. Varg in Love (2012)
0.75. The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists (2019)
1. The Department of Sensitive Crimes (2019)
2. The Talented Mr. Varg (2020)
3. The Man with the Silver Saab (2021)
4. The Discreet Charm of the Big Bad Wolf (2023)
0.5. Varg in Love (2012)
0.75. The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists (2019)
1. The Department of Sensitive Crimes (2019)
2. The Talented Mr. Varg (2020)
3. The Man with the Silver Saab (2021)
4. The Discreet Charm of the Big Bad Wolf (2023)
School Ship Tobermory
1. School Ship Tobermory (2015)
2. The Sands of Shark Island (2016)
3. The Race to Kangaroo Cliff (2018)
4. The Secret of the Dark Waterfall (2019)
1. School Ship Tobermory (2015)
2. The Sands of Shark Island (2016)
3. The Race to Kangaroo Cliff (2018)
4. The Secret of the Dark Waterfall (2019)
Perfect Passion Company
0.1. Cook for Me (2023)
0.2. A Laborer in the Vineyard of Love (2023)
1. The Perfect Passion Company (2024)
2. Looking for You (2025)
0.1. Cook for Me (2023)
0.2. A Laborer in the Vineyard of Love (2023)
1. The Perfect Passion Company (2024)
2. Looking for You (2025)
Novels
Uncle Gangster (1989)
La's Orchestra Saves the World (2008)
No Rest for the Dead (2011) (with others)
Trains and Lovers (2012)
The Forever Girl (2014)
Fatty O'Leary's Dinner Party (2014)
The Good Pilot, Peter Woodhouse (2017)
The Pavilion in the Clouds (2021)
The Private Life of Spies (2023)
The Love Story of Herb la Fouche (2024)
The Winds From Further West (2024)
La's Orchestra Saves the World (2008)
No Rest for the Dead (2011) (with others)
Trains and Lovers (2012)
The Forever Girl (2014)
Fatty O'Leary's Dinner Party (2014)
The Good Pilot, Peter Woodhouse (2017)
The Pavilion in the Clouds (2021)
The Private Life of Spies (2023)
The Love Story of Herb la Fouche (2024)
The Winds From Further West (2024)
Collections
Sally and the Booted Puss (1994) (with others)
Heavenly Date (1995)
Trouble At the North Pole And Other Stories (1996) (with others)
The Girl Who Married a Lion (2004)
One City (2006) (with Ian Rankin and Irvine Welsh)
The Perfect Hamburger and Other Delicious Stories (2007)
The Baboons Who Went This Way And That (2009)
Imagined Lives (2011) (with others)
What You Wish For: A Book for Darfur (2011) (with others)
Chance Developments (2015)
Marvellous Mix-ups (2016)
Pianos and Flowers (2019)
Tiny Tales (2020)
In a Time of Distance (poems) (2020)
The People's City (2022) (with others)
The Exquisite Art of Getting Even (2022)
I Think of You (poems) (2023)
Heavenly Date (1995)
Trouble At the North Pole And Other Stories (1996) (with others)
The Girl Who Married a Lion (2004)
One City (2006) (with Ian Rankin and Irvine Welsh)
The Perfect Hamburger and Other Delicious Stories (2007)
The Baboons Who Went This Way And That (2009)
Imagined Lives (2011) (with others)
What You Wish For: A Book for Darfur (2011) (with others)
Chance Developments (2015)
Marvellous Mix-ups (2016)
Pianos and Flowers (2019)
Tiny Tales (2020)
In a Time of Distance (poems) (2020)
The People's City (2022) (with others)
The Exquisite Art of Getting Even (2022)
I Think of You (poems) (2023)
Novellas and Short Stories
Anthologies edited
Series contributed to
Picture Books show
Chapter Books show
Non fiction show
Omnibus editions show
Books containing stories by Alexander McCall Smith
More books
Awards
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Award nominations
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