Full Cupboard of Life.

I saw a few other Alexander McCall Smith books proffered for the Read Scotland 2015 Challenge which reminded me that I still had this fifth volume in the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series to read. I picked up The Full Cupboard Of Life at the Camping Florantilles library several weeks ago.

Reading out of order, as I've skipped volumes three and four, didn't seem to be a real problem as McCall Smith fills in any backstory when needed. The familiar characters are still their positive-thinking joyful selves and I like the gentle pace of the novel. Perfect for today's hot Spanish sun! The reliance on nostalgia did wear a little thin towards the second half of the story and there is actually very little detecting in this detective story, but I came away uplifted and happy with the world which I believe is the point of the book.