Corduroy Mansions Books in Order

This reading order guide provides the complete list of Corduroy Mansions books in order, from the very first to the latest, so you won’t miss anything!

About the Corduroy Mansions Series

Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith is a series of gently-paced novels about a bunch of down-to-earth blokes and birds living in a rather ramshackle old flat in London. The place itself, Corduroy Mansions, is a bit rough around the edges & has a bit of a “lived in” feel to it. None of these books are about far-out events or dramatic plot twists either – they’re more about ordinary life, everyday niggles & how people get on with each other. When Smith started knocking around ideas with fellow writer Armistead Maupin, it wasn’t with the intention of writing something similar, but the conversation stuck in his head & eventually found its way into Corduroy Mansions. It was when The Daily Telegraphagreed to publish his stories online that things really started to take shape for Smith, & he suddenly had a handle on something rather special.

At the heart of the whole series is William French – a widowed wine merchant in his fifties who calls the top floor home. He’s a pretty laid back bloke, but his life isn’t exactly a smooth ride. His adult son Eddie is still living in the flat, & that’s just one of many worries for William. Around him are all sorts of characters, each with their own unique vibe – people who are chasing their dreams, people who are feeling a bit adrift, & people who seem to cause a bit of chaos just by being there. There isn’t some big overarching story that ties everything together, & that’s kind of the point. Each book is a standalone tale that focuses on different people’s little struggles, the conversations they have, the thoughts they have & the everyday struggles they face. A few people thought that kind of series wouldn’t last long, but Smith kept coming back for more because the characters just feel so real – they talk, they grow, & you can imagine meeting them down the pub. For readers who like straightforward stories, dry humour & characters that sort of sneak up on you & win you round, the Corduroy Mansions books are pretty easy to love & hard to put down.