I fell in love with Alexander McCall Smith’s characters and philosophical novellas when I first met Mma Ramotswe in THE NO. 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY. When his other series and their intriguing characters started making a splash, I would read one or two and then eagerly go back to these latest adventures of the wise woman of Botswana. None of the others captured my heart and imagination like Precious Ramotswe and her assistant, Grace Makutsi.

The upwardly mobile residents of 44 Scotland Street, New Town, Edinburgh, caught my attention enough to go back for more. There I met a precocious five-year-old boy named Bertie who is saddled with Irene, his insufferably pretentious mother, until he can flee at age 18 to Glasgow, the only other place he has ever been. Glasgow is his Shangri-La, the never-never land of his dreams when he gains his majority (he has read the laws), but he is now only six, so 12 years might as well be eternity. Bertie’s neighbors include an eclectic group of artists, students, an anthropologist, a poet, an accountant, an art gallery owner, and a coffee house owner, each of whom lead equally interesting lives in prior novels.

"Bertie and company are now close on the heels of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, for characterizations, amusement, civility and common sense. Without being treacly, Smith delivers an armchair retreat from the meanness of the real world."

As we open book #8, Angus Lordie, the middle-aged absent-minded bachelor artist, and his amour, anthropologist Domenica Macdonald, are getting married. Angus pulls his Campbell kilt from the closet just hours before the High Scottish ceremony to discover a gaping moth hole right in front. His best man, art gallery owner Matthew, knows a guy who knows a guy who can patch it, so that being settled, he sets to fulfilling his best man duties: making sure the ring and the honeymoon airline tickets are secured for the trip to the altar. He finds that neither exists. Angus didn’t think a ring would be necessary in these days, and while he knew that honeymoons went with new marriages, he didn’t realize it was the groom’s responsibility to make arrangements.

A pawn shop and the bride, who anticipated that Angus might have overlooked the honeymoon detail, are contacted, and Matthew, organizational wizard that he is, is ready to deliver Angus to the kirk on time when Cyril, Angus’s dog, wanders into the room. Blissfully unaware of his future in new digs with a woman in residence and that he may be homeless soon due to this honeymoon, he wags his tail and sits down. Angus sees Bertie on the landing and is thrilled to take care of Cyril, so that problem is solved. Or not. Bertie’s mother hates filthy dogs, especially since there is a new baby in the house, so it falls on Bertie to find a temporary home for Cyril. If you’re familiar with the series, you’ve already guessed that Cyril is in for an adventure all his own.

SUNSHINE ON SCOTLAND STREET is about the days in the lives of these eclectic Scots. Somehow Smith manages to weave their lives together in a humorous, philosophical and very Scottish way. I was especially amused by a phone conversation between Irene and the mother of one of Bertie’s school mates. Ladies from the American South are famous for their ability to slice and dice one another in the most polite yet demoralizing ways without ever raising their voices or spilling a drop of blood. One of them must falter, verbally bloodied on the battlefield of wits, no doubt learned from their Scots ancestors. This time, Irene, the reigning champion of deadly insults, finally meets her match. We’re all cheering as Irene limps off the telephone battlefield. If only Bertie had been there to witness this epic battle of wits, it would have bolstered his spirits to survive the next 12 years.

Bertie and company are now close on the heels of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, for characterizations, amusement, civility and common sense. Without being treacly, Smith delivers an armchair retreat from the meanness of the real world. Still, I do so miss Mma Ramotswe and Botswana, Africa.