Isabel Dalhousie Books in Order

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

About the Isabel Dalhousie Series

Alexander McCall Smith‘s Isabel Dalhousie books show a more subdued side to Edinburgh. a place where everyday little things make you pause & reflect on the world around you. Isabel Dalhousie is a woman in her early forties who looks after the ethics section of a journal. Most of the time she listens to that voice in the back of her head – her conscience, even if it means getting drawn into some pretty awkward situations most people manage to steer clear of. At first Isabel can seem a bit detached, but the more you get to know her, you see that she’s really a very kind thoughtful person.

One of the things readers enjoy the most is that they spend a lot of time inside Isabel’s head. She’s one of those people who questions everything – what’s right, what’s wrong, why on earth people behave the way they do & where love fits into all that malarkey. The people around her make her world feel like real life. There’s Grace the housekeeper who always seems to have a sassy witty comment at the ready – & Cat – Isabel’s lively, bubbly niece who always brings some welcome mayhem into Isabel’s life.

Isabel is a well-rounded character because – let’s face it – she’s imperfect in all sorts of very normal ways. She worries about all the wrong things, gets bogged down in the little things & lets her heart lead the way, even when it’s leading her right into trouble. Especially once Jamie comes on the scene. As the series goes on you can see her grow & develop a bit, both in the mysteries she tries to unravel & in her personal life.

The books are a mix of light-hearted mysteries, gentle humour & some of those quiet emotional moments that sneak up on you when you least expect them. Whether Isabel is trying to piece together some bizarre death or untangling her own tangled feelings, she’s someone you can really picture in real life – someone you’d want to root for, & someone you’ll be happy to go back to in the next book.