Publisher: 28th July 2020 by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group Pantheon
Pages: 304 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: contemporary, fiction, philosophy
My Rating: 3.5 cups
Synopsis:
Isabel Dalhousie applies her moral philosopher's mind to wrongdoings in Edinburgh, and will have to call upon her powers of deduction and her unflappable moral code to unravel another social mystery in the new novel from the bestselling author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.
Isabel Dalhousie finds herself entangled in some tricky familial and financial situations that will require all of her kindness, charm and philosophical expertise to navigate.
Just when Isabel and Jamie finally seem to have some time to connect and unwind, a wealthy
Edinburgh resident reaches out to Isabel with an unusual request--he would like her to become
the executor of his large Highland estate. Though Isabel initially demurs, he presses on. He has only a short time to live and, without any direct heirs, is struggling to determine which of his three cousins would be the best caretaker. Should the estate go to the bohemian artist, the savvy city property developer, or the quiet, unassuming bachelor?
And if this weren't enough to keep Isabel occupied, she's also spending more time helping her niece, Cat, at the deli. Cat, perennially unlucky in love, appears to have finally found her match in the leonine Leo. But Isabel is beginning to suspect that Leo might be interested in more than Cat's charms--namely, her access to the family trust. Isabel will need to rely upon her remarkable reserves of intelligence and compassion in order to give all parties exactly what they want and deserve--no more and no less.
My Thoughts
‘The happiness of others was often inexplicable. People got by; people sought different things; they felt their way through the accidental circumstances of their lives. They snatched at small scraps of happiness which, sometimes to the surprise of others, were enough.’
Alexander McCall Smith could write on a serviette and I would pay to read it - it’s pure and it’s simple. I have read some but not all the 'Isabel Dalhousie' series (this volume is number 13) but luckily they can be read as a standalone. These are quick and easy reads that satiate my wish for Alexander’s writing - a quiet, reflective escape to consider life with a cup of tea in hand. For you see, Isabel being the philosopher she is, often finds herself contemplating various everyday ethical issues that, in turn, encourage the reader to do likewise.
“Things happen,” he said. “We don’t like all of them.” Isabel reflected that sometimes she liked very little of what was happening in the world. “But you have to accept things,” Jamie insisted. He remembered Isabel saying something about the Stoics and acceptance. “Didn’t the Stoics say, ‘Accept what you can’t influence or change’?”
On this occasion her life is increasingly getting busier with two small children and still editor of an Ethics Journal. There are always a couple of issues in each book and it is Isabel’s rumination on each of them that I find so appealing. This is why I love Alexander’s writing - he can take something so simple and ponder the case from all sides - he gives voice, through Isabel’s musings, of wider world issues. Add to this a delightful few days in the celebrated city of Edinburgh and there is much to endear these books.
‘Perhaps it was only a prolonged education, coupled with the security it brought, that encouraged nuanced thinking. Isabel sometimes wondered whether liberalism was most enthusiastically practised by those who could afford it: you could be generous to others if the likelihood of your ever wanting for anything was remote; you could be kind to asylum seekers if they would never take up resources you would need yourself; you could be tolerant of crime if there was not much of it in your neighbourhood. And so on...’
Much like the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series which I simply adore, The Geometry of Holding Hands has some quirky characters, everyday angst and deliberations to reflect upon over a cup of tea. It’s whimsical and fun, light and easy. Not a bad thing in these uncertain days to lose yourself for a short while.
‘Three figures, in a typical Celtic circle, held hands with one another, arms in a complicated pattern of intermingling. “I love that,” he said. “I think it says everything there is to be said about helping one another and loving one another and being part of . . . well, I suppose being part of something bigger than oneself.” Isabel looked. “The geometry of holding hands,” she said.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
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