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44 Scotland Street cover art

44 Scotland Street

Written by: Alexander McCall Smith
Narrated by: Robert Ian Mackenzie
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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

What the critics say

"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)

What listeners say about 44 Scotland Street

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Lovely story.

Excellent prose, both funny and thought provoking. I don't think it was finished though and I wonder about a conclusion. I loved the narrator.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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45 Scotland street

I loved this book. It was very funny and entertaining. The audio was well done and easy to understand. Can’t wait to start the next book in the series

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely the best of McCall Smith

i listen to this book over and over because it is so much fun and so well written. The performance is wonderful and the dry humor of Scotland is wonderful. Best of all are the characters who i've gotten to know in depth. one of my favorite books.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Boring!

l rarely leave a bad review but I'm unsure of the point of this story other then the author trying to impress us with his knowledge of psychology, art and literature. Nothing really happens and most of the characters are unlikable and pretentious. It also contains some of the most boring conversations I've ever come across in a book.
I listen and read to a wide variety of genres but this was not an enjoyable listen for me.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Dull beyond words!

An interesting premise but the outcome is definitely not something I enjoy listening to. My interest waned constantly. I just didn't care anything about these characters. Book is being returned!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A wonderfully enjoyable and entertaining book

A perfectly narrated view of some wonderful characters in modern day Edinburgh. I didn't want it to end.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Boring, boring boring!

I have read all of McCall's "Lady Detective Agency" series and enjoyed them very much, but this book was extremely boring and very drawn out. There were many characters that were thrown in without explanation and subplots that were never satisfactorily completed. This book was originally written as a newspaper or magazine serial with over 100 episodes . I would have quit after 3 or 4.
It was good for my insomnia.
I would not recommend it.

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