The Sunday Philosophy Club

An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery

By: Alexander McCall Smith

Narrated by: Davina Porter

Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith, winner of the first-ever Saga Award for Wit, has entertained millions with his beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency mysteries. Now this phenomenally popular author introduces a fresh series, brimming with the charm and humor his stable of dedicated fans can't get enough of.

Isabel Dalhousie is a philosopher by training, and an amateur sleuth by choice. When a young man falls from a balcony to his death, Isabel's curiosity is aroused. She does not believe the fall was an accident, and she is determined to root out the truth. With a little help from some friends (her housekeeper, her niece, and her niece's rather attractive ex-boyfriend), Isabel plunges into the shady business community of Edinburgh to find some answers.

With its distinctive characters and captivating suspense, The Sunday Philosophy Club further cements McCall Smith's status as one of today's most imaginative and enjoyable authors.

©2004 Alexander McCall Smith (P)2004 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"A world of kindness, gentility and creature comforts...the literary equivalent of herbal tea and a cozy fire." (The New York Times)
"Utterly enchanting....It is impossible to come away from an Alexander McCall Smith 'mystery' novel without a smile on the lips and warm fuzzies in the heart." (Chicago Sun-Times)

Charming

I have recently finished the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series and I was looking forward to starting this series. Isabel Dalhausie is as charming and engaging a character as Mma. Ramotswe in the #1 Ladies Detective Agency books. This narrator has done such a good job creating specific and distinct characters with her voice. I love her accent and she adds so much to the story.

Poor narration

So many mispronounced words I am reluctant to continue with the series. McCall Smith deserves better

Eh.

This was my first Alexander McCall read and I honestly can’t decide whether or not it will be my last. My favorite part of the book was the narrator. Aside from that, I enjoyed the philosophical insights throughout - rather thought provoking points. However, I felt that the plot and characters were rather flat. I completed the book out of sheer curiosity of how it would end. Wouldn’t recommend.

Another good AMS series

Good to discover another good series to explore by a good and prolific writer, Alexander McCall Smith.

Not Number One Ladies Detective Agency!

This is a well-narrated, gentle tale told in very good prose but, if the SETTING of Number One Ladies Detective Agency is important to you as it is to me, you may not enjoy "The Sunday Philosophy Club" as much. The humourous obsevations on human nature are similar, however.

I thought I would like a tale of a Scottish academic/sleuth more since I love British literary "campus comedies," but I did not.

If you are tempted to try this series, though, then the audio format might be more pleasing than print due to the pleasant narration that suited the text very well.

As another reviewer said, this listen left a smile on my face, but for me, I'm not sure it was worth the time and download.

Okay, but minor

I was disappointed in the mystery, and the attempt to meld it with philosophy didn't work for me. (For one thing, this Sunday Philosophy Club never meets that I can remember.) Every now and again the heroine stops and thinks about some ethical dilemma, but she comes to such quick conclusions that it's hard to think that the dilemmas were all that difficult. It's sort of like watching Dr. Phil-- I spent the whole book thinking, "Big deal... that's just common sense."

On the other hand, the reader has a lovely Scots accent. It was a joy to listen to her narrate, and then use other Scots accents for secondary characters. Even if the mystery itself is pretty lame, you can't go wrong with this reader-- wonderful voice and accent.

I'm in Love!

If you could sum up The Sunday Philosophy Club in three words, what would they be?

Three words?? Forget it. I'm completely hooked on the Isabel Dalhousie series. It really feels like being in love. And Davina Porter is heavenly. My only complaint is that the books are so short (only 8+ hours), I'm ready for the next one in the series long before I receive my next credit. And waiting with no Isabel Dalhousie to listen to is out of the question! So I'm racking up quite a tab. The things we do for love!

Thank you Davina for helping me find this series!

I really didn't know what I was expecting out of this book. I picked this book purely because the audio version is read by my absolute favorite narrator - Davina Porter. The thought of having another whole series with her was too hard to resit (even if they're short books). The fact that there was supposedly philosophy mixed in was just a bonus. Davina of course did an excellent job, and hearing her say the name "Jamie" and in the second book "Ian" made my heart happy (because of Outlander). I felt like I was hearing from old friends again lol.
Anyways, I read a bunch of the reviews saying they hated the characters, and they were disappointed by the story and so on. I actually really liked it and truly wish Isabel was someone who actually existed. I'd be friends with her in a heartbeat, even with her propensity to interject herself into people's affairs - who are we kidding? We all do that from time to time.
I will admit this book is a bit heavy-handed on the philosophical ponderings for the everyday person, but that's part of what I loved. Philosophy major here after all... though for a philosophy major they are just mostly musings. I would expect for most people there were probably more than desirable because they are essentially just tangents to the novel's story line.
As far as the comment, "this book was written by a man who thinks he understands women, but doesn't" I disagree. I didn't get that feeling and I have in books before. I wouldn't say it's spot-on, but I see many feminine characteristics in the book reflected accurately - though, I'm not talking about a"girly-girl", I'm talking about the woman who has mostly male friends save for a few very close female friends. So perhaps he's just not talking about most females, which again makes me like Isabel even more.
Also, this is a book that, I think at the heart of it, is about loving the wrong person. If you keep that in mind, and you've experienced that, you may be able to connect to the book and the characters (even if you hate philosophy - although, if you hate philosophy, why would you look at a book called The Sunday Philosophy Club?).
Finally, this is minor, but it got under my skin... the title is completely ridiculous. The entire commentary about the Sunday Philosophy Club, in fact, ads nothing to the story. I think it was left in as a way of trying to tie the philosophical pandering back into the story (which I can accept), but to actually title the book about something that is only anecdotal at best?! Come on.

If You Don't Like a Lot of Action, This Is For You

I am a huge mystery fan, but I tend to gravitate towards the more graphic grizzly authors. This was a pleasant outing, a palate-cleanser after reading Jo Nesbo and Tana French. I kept thinking what a boring life Isabel Dalhousie led. It seemed like she was living in another era, but I know that's not true. Perhaps it is more common in Scotland, but I heard her (audio book) as a set-in-her-ways older woman and had to keep reminding myself that she was in her 40s. I have a more interesting active life than she does and I'm 65.

This is my first book by this author. I heard him speak locally about six months ago. He is charming and funny and someone you'd love to have dinner with. I expected his writing to be similar to his speaking style, and it is, though he is much funnier than the characters in this book.

If you've been jitter-bugging all night, and you need a slow dance to catch your breath, this is just right. Have a cup of tea and a nice chat while you solve the mystery.

Warm and Delightful

No, it's not another No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency-like series, but it is at least in the same vein in that it's warm and charming, with detailed character study. Thoughtful and gently humorous, with lovely bits of philosophical thought sprinkled throughout. Enjoyable narrator.