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Alexander McCall Smith Books in Order

27 series including Alexander McCall Smith Children's Books, No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series and more

★ 28 NYT bestsellers 27 series 188 books Latest: In the Time of Five Pumpkins (2025)

Alexander McCall Smith has been writing since 1980, producing 188 books in that time. Across 27 series, Alexander McCall Smith Children's Books stands out as the longest at 27 books. As of 2025, the latest we've recorded is In the Time of Five Pumpkins.

📚 Jump to Series 27
1 No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency 2 No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Collections 3 Professor Dr. Von Igelfeld 4 Isabel Dalhousie 5 Isabel Dalhousie Short Stories/Novellas 6 44 Scotland Street 7 Myths 8 Corduroy Mansions 9 The School Ship Tobermory 10 The Perfect Passion Company 11 Paul Stuart 12 Detective Varg 13 Detective Varg Short Stories/Novellas 14 Akimbo Series with LeUyen Pham 15 Harriet Bean 16 Max & Maddy 17 Precious Ramotswe's Very First Cases 18 Young Corgi 19 The Big-Top Mysteries 20 Alexander McCall Smith Other Novels 21 Alexander McCall Smith Children's Books 22 Alexander McCall Smith Short Story Collections 23 Alexander McCall Smith Non-Fiction Books 24 Alexander McCall Smith Short Stories/Novellas 25 Austen Project 26 Writers on Writers 27 Alexander McCall Smith Anthologies

New York Times Bestsellers

28 books

Alexander McCall Smith has placed 28 books on the New York Times bestseller lists, spending a combined 114 weeks on the charts.

Cover of The Miracle at Speedy Motors
The Miracle at Speedy Motors
No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series

9 weeks on the Times Paperback Trade Fiction list · peaked at #3 · debuted May 2008 · 13 weeks across 2 NYT lists

Full chart history →
Cover of The Double Comfort Safari Club
The Double Comfort Safari Club
No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series

7 weeks on the Times Paperback Trade Fiction list · peaked at #3 · debuted May 2010 · 11 weeks across 2 NYT lists

Full chart history →

Bestseller chart data from BestsellerStats.net — explore Alexander McCall Smith’s complete chart history, week by week.

Reading Order

27 series · 188 books
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series

0 of 26 read
→ View stand-alone series page
✓ # Book Title Year Awards Buy
1 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency 1998 🏆 Martin Beck Award 2004Full award history → 🎬 Adapted for film/TV → Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
2 Tears of the Giraffe 2000 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
3 Morality for Beautiful Girls 2001 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
4 The Kalahari Typing School for Men 2002 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
5 The Full Cupboard of Life 2003 🏆 Audie Award 2005Full award history → Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
6 In the Company of Cheerful Ladies 2004 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
7 Blue Shoes and Happiness 2006 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2008Full award history → Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
8 The Good Husband of Zebra Drive 2007 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
9 The Miracle at Speedy Motors 2008 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
10 Tea Time for the Traditionally Built 2009 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
11 The Double Comfort Safari Club 2010 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
12 The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party 2010 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
13 The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection 2012 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
14 The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon 2013 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
15 The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café 2014 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
16 The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine 2015 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
17 Precious and Grace 2016 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
18 The House of Unexpected Sisters 2017 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
19 The Colors of All the Cattle 2018 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
20 To the Land of Long Lost Friends 2019 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
21 How to Raise an Elephant 2020 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
22 The Joy and Light Bus Company 2021 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
23 A Song of Comfortable Chairs 2022 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
24 From a Far and Lovely Country 2023 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
25 The Great Hippopotamus Hotel 2024 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
26 In the Time of Five Pumpkins 2025 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
The Cleverness of Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith

No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Collections

0 of 1 read
✓ # Book Title Year Awards Buy
1 The Cleverness of Ladies 2012 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
Portuguese Irregular Verbs by Alexander McCall Smith

Professor Dr. Von Igelfeld Series

0 of 5 read
→ View stand-alone series page
✓ # Book Title Year Awards Buy
1 Portuguese Irregular Verbs 2003 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
2 The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs 2003 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
3 At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances 2003 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
4 Unusual Uses for Olive Oil 2011 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
5 Your Inner Hedgehog 2021 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith

Isabel Dalhousie Series

0 of 15 read
→ View stand-alone series page
✓ # Book Title Year Awards Buy
1 The Sunday Philosophy Club 2004 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
2 Friends, Lovers, Chocolate 2005 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
3 The Right Attitude to Rain 2006 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
4 The Careful Use of Compliments 2007 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
5 The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday / The Comfort Of Saturdays 2008 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
6 The Lost Art of Gratitude 2009 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
7 The Charming Quirks of Others 2010 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
8 The Forgotten Affairs of Youth 2011 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
9 The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds 2012 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
10 The Novel Habits of Happiness 2015 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
11 A Distant View of Everything 2017 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
12 The Quiet Side of Passion 2018 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
13 The Geometry of Holding Hands 2020 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
14 The Sweet Remnants of Summer 2022 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
15 The Conditions of Unconditional Love 2024 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia

Isabel Dalhousie Short Stories/Novellas

0 of 3 read
✓ # Book Title Year Awards Buy
1 The Perils of Morning Coffee (Short Story) 2011 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
2 At the Reunion Buffet 2015 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
3 Sweet, Thoughtful Valentine (Short Story) 2016 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith

44 Scotland Street Series

0 of 17 read
→ View stand-alone series page
✓ # Book Title Year Awards Buy
1 44 Scotland Street 2005 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
2 Espresso Tales 2005 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
3 Love Over Scotland 2006 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
4 The World According to Bertie 2007 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
5 The Unbearable Lightness Of Scones 2008 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
6 The Importance of Being Seven 2010 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
7 Bertie Plays the Blues 2011 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
8 Sunshine on Scotland Street 2012 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
9 Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers 2013 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
10 The Revolving Door of Life 2015 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
11 The Bertie Project 2017 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
12 A Time of Love and Tartan 2017 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
13 The Peppermint Tea Chronicles 2019 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
14 A Promise of Ankles 2020 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
15 Love in the Time of Bertie 2021 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
16 The Enigma of Garlic 2023 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
17 The Stellar Debut of Galactica Macfee 2024 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
Dream Angus: The Celtic God of Dreams by Alexander McCall Smith

Myths Series

0 of 2 read
✓ # Book Title Year Awards Buy
1 Dream Angus: The Celtic God of Dreams 2006 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
2 The Fire Gospel by Michel Faber 2006 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith

Corduroy Mansions Series

0 of 3 read
✓ # Book Title Year Awards Buy
1 Corduroy Mansions 2009 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
2 The Dog Who Came in from the Cold 2009 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
3 A Conspiracy of Friends 2010 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
School Ship Tobermory by Alexander McCall Smith

The School Ship Tobermory Series

0 of 4 read
✓ # Book Title Year Awards Buy
1 School Ship Tobermory 2015 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
2 The Sands of Shark Island 2016 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
3 The Race to Kangaroo Cliff 2019 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
4 The Secret of the Dark Waterfall with Iain Mcintosh 2019 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia

The Perfect Passion Company Series

0 of 3 read
✓ # Book Title Year Awards Buy
1 Cook For Me 2023 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
2 A Laborer in the Vineyard of Love 2023 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
3 The Girl From Melbourne 2024 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
My Italian Bulldozer by Alexander McCall Smith

Paul Stuart Series

0 of 2 read
✓ # Book Title Year Awards Buy
1 My Italian Bulldozer 2017 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
2 The Second-Worst Restaurant in France 2019 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia

Detective Varg Series

0 of 5 read
→ View stand-alone series page
✓ # Book Title Year Awards Buy
1 Varg in Love (Short Story) 2013 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
2 The Department of Sensitive Crimes 2019 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
3 The Talented Mr. Varg 2020 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
4 The Man with the Silver Saab 2021 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia
5 The Discreet Charm of the Big Bad Wolf 2023 Buy on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy on Amazon Australia

Detective Varg Short Stories/Novellas

1 book · 2019

Akimbo Series

5 books · 1992–2008 · full reading order

Harriet Bean Series

3 books · 1990–1993

Max & Maddy Series

2 books · 1997–1999

Precious Ramotswe's Very First Cases Series

5 books · 2009–2015 · full reading order

Young Corgi Series

3 books · 1988–1990

The Big-Top Mysteries Series

1 book · 2020

Alexander McCall Smith Other Novels

8 books · 1989–2025

Alexander McCall Smith Children's Books

27 books · 1980–2020

Alexander McCall Smith Short Story Collections

14 books · 1989–2023

Alexander McCall Smith Non-Fiction Books

2 books · 2014–2017

Alexander McCall Smith Short Stories/Novellas

2 books · 2014–2017

Austen Project Series

4 books · 2013–2016

Writers on Writers Series

8 books · 2009–2020 · full reading order

Alexander McCall Smith Anthologies

17 books · 2000–2017

About the Author

Alexander McCall Smith, often referred to as ‘Sandy’, is one of the world’s most prolific and best-loved authors. For many years he was a professor of Medical Law and worked in universities in the UK and abroad before turning his hand to writing fiction. He has written and contributed to more than 100 books including specialist academic titles, short story collections, and a number of immensely popular children’s books.

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