The Bertie Subplot - Rated 
Am I the only one who feels uncomfortable reading about Bertie? Here is this sweet kid with an overbearing mother and a passive lout of a father. I feel that the author is bordering on cruelty with the way the child is treated. It might have been funny in Volume 1 but not so anymore. The way the mother treats him is dangerous and I wait for some sort of pay-off that is not happening. Does Mr. Smith think this is cute in an 'aw, shucks' sort of way? I do give the books 5 stars because all of the plots are compelling and touching but there needs to be some sort of comeuppance to Bertie's mother: does Bertie become gay at 13, dye his hair blue, and form a punk rock band?
Great fun! - Rated 
Another delightful volume of sketches from the lives of the inhabitants, past and present, of 44 Scotland Street, Edinburgh. The stories have a fair dash of local colour which is understandable given that the chapters were serialised in the Scotsman, but that should not put-off readers from Kidderminster or Kathmandu as the characters and storylines are pretty universal. All the usual suspects are here - indecisive Matthew; outrageous Angus; put-upon Big Lou; bullying Bruce; poor six year old Bertie, whose every waking minute is organised by his overbearing mother - and more.
Great story-telling - very amusing, occasionally acerbic but never unkind. A good, uplifting read. How does he do it?
an absolute delight - Rated
The 44 Scotland Street series is just perfection..somehow the books manage to be very funny and insightful, as well as quite calming. This latest installment does not disappointment, and quite rightly the focus is now on Bertie, who is still being smothered by his awful mother. If you haven't read them yet, go and get the first one, and work your way through - the books are wonderful.
The Master Returns - Rated
Bertie is back, with all the usual crowd and a pawbiting Cyril the gold toothed canine anti-hero plot to boot.
Sandy McCall Smith although best known for his 1st Ladies Dective Agency series, always hits the spot with 44 Scotland Street.
If you live in Edinburgh, you will recognise many of the places and probably some of the characters.
For those who don't know is that the books are first serialised in the "Scotsman Newspaper" similar to Dickens and The Times and then collated into an exellent volumes, amply illustrated by Iain McIntosh.
Roll on the next volume,if you have not read any of the earlier volumes go and buy them, pull up a comfy chair, some single malt and lose yourself to some quality plots,then when you have read them, go out and buy the Isobel Dalhousie trilogy, you will thank me for telling you
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