44 Scotland Street

By: Alexander McCall Smith

Narrated by: Robert Ian Mackenzie

Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

The brilliant Alexander McCall Smith became an international sensation with his New York Times best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels. His award-winning wit, made famous through that series, is fully on display in 44 Scotland Street.

When Pat rents a room in Edinburgh, she acquires some interesting neighbors, including a pushy Stockbridge mother and her talented, sax-playing, 5-year-old son. Pat's job at an art gallery hardly keeps her busy, until she suspects one painting in the collection may be an undiscovered work from a Scottish master. As Pat handles the mystery of the painting, she and the people surrounding her confront issues of trust, love, and loss.

Chalk up another winner for McCall Smith, whose endlessly entertaining and perceptive novel is filled with delightfully authentic sketches of all the archetypes of Edinburgh society.

©2005 Alexander McCall Smith (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Readers needn't possess plaid clothes or a brogue to savor this wise, witty send-up of Edinburgh rogues." (Booklist)
"The possibility of romance, the ongoing ups and downs of the large, well-drawn cast of characters, the intricate plot, and the way Smith nimbly jumps from situation to situation and POV to POV...works beautifully." (Publishers Weekly)

Amazing characters!

So smart and funny, with great Edinburgh references. I loved it - enjoyed every minute! Can't wait to listen to the rest of the series.

Had to force myself to finish

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Maybe. I listened to about one half of the book before it got interesting. I did enjoy the book once it got moving. I suppose it is because this book was originally written for a newspaper as a serial in installments.

Would you recommend 44 Scotland Street to your friends? Why or why not?

The author takes his time developing the story and keeps adding characters.

Which character – as performed by Robert Ian Mackenzie – was your favorite?

Bruce was such a jerk , he was hilariously entertaining. The man you love to hate.I was tempted to order the second book because the characters WERE entertaining but then I remembered how frustrated I was with the first one.

Was 44 Scotland Street worth the listening time?

Eventually it was but I am not sure I will carry on the series.

Any additional comments?

I did eventually like this book. It just took forever to get rolling.

A real treat!

A friend recommended this book to me, I had heard of the author but this book does not seem to be well known (at least in the US) which is a shame! It was created as a newspaper serial, so it is made up of short chapters which have delicate "cliff hangers" sometimes just due to a wonderful turn of phrase, but it also flows very well. It is the story of the daily lives of a cast of characters in Edinburgh, Scotland. A main character is Pat, who is on a "gap year" between high school and college, who moves into a flat and subsequently is immersed in the life of Scotland Street, which is funny, moving and has bits of history and philosophy woven in. I am especially interested in Scotland so I enjoyed it even more, but you don't have to know anything about Scottish culture to enjoy it. The reader was skilled and he did a wonderful job of acting out each voice which was necessary since this book has a lot of dialogue. I was sad when the book ended, then discovered that it is part of a series, so I went on to Espresso Tales which is so far just as wonderful, with additional settings (the part set in Glasgow is hilarious) and character development!

Totally enchanting!

I have become addicted to these stories. I especially like the Audible versions because the narration is so good.

A quiet beautiful story…

Alexander McCall Smith has such tender and sensitive insight into human nature. There is nothing ‘epic’ about this story…but it leaves the listener feeling connected in this web of human experience in a positive way. And the narrator is nothing short of excellent. I look for audio books to listen to while I work…ones that are positive, light but real and not saccharine, predictable or overly sentimental , and endearing. This fits the bill perfectly.

Enjoyed the story, hated the ending

The story was lite and fun, loads of characters you've encountered in your own life. There were a few unsavory characters but the story allowed you to laugh at them without guilt. I hated the ending due to its aburptness.

Disjointed

The origin as a daily newspaper serial doesn’t work so well as a book.
The characters felt too contrived.

Overall, very enjoyable.

I enjoyed the story and the idea of it being a serial. There were story lines that came in and out probably due to that. Some ends did not seem tied up either. My biggest annoyance was that the narrator did not have much of a Scottish accent.

Fantastic classic McCall Smith

Don't read this book if you think you are getting some tawdry mystery. This is a fantastic, gentle satire that introduces some wonderful characters and makes me long for a trip to Edinburgh.

It is subtle, sly, wonderfully aware and narrated with skill and charm. Don't miss it.

What a great story teller he is!

After listening to many of the selections in Alexander Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, I wondered if he could possibly match that great series in this new one. I was delighted to listen to "44 Scotland Street," in which he again creates a memorable set of characters and a lovely, meandering and engaging story through which to let them reveal themselves. Brought alive by the wonderful narration of Robert Ian Mackenzie, Pat--who has rented a room with Bruce in Edinburgh, finds herself a job in an art gallery (feeling a bit embarrassed because she is on her 2nd "gap year."). Her neighbors are each fascinating (and often humorous), and the book tells their tales as it shifts back and forth between several stories.

Smith slowly moves the reader/listener through various incidents in the days of the people who live in this house, which were increasingly interesting. Everyone is trying as best they can to get their needs met. Pat somewhat falls in love with Bruce, without realizing that his confidence is not all it appears. Her employer is part of a group who meet regularly at "Big Lou's"--and the reader gradually realizes that she not only dispenses food and drink--but also philosophical advice. The neurotic Irene--whose son is struggling to be a normal little boy despite her smothering attempts, and others. The thing that makes this book a gem is the reliance on good character development, description, and the underlying foundation of solid philosophical concepts that peek through at times.

In the very beginning, I wasn't sure if anything was going to happen, wondering if it was going to be boring. Then I realized that its beauty is in the attention to detail that Smith gives it. And even though things "happen" it seems as though the point is more about who they are than what they do. I would like to also say that the narration gives this book a richness that makes it wonderful to listen to. This is different from his other series, but is equally compelling. I really enjoyed listening to it!