Book of the Week: Corduroy Mansions

Take alight-hearted trip to London with Corduroy Mansions, the first book in a new series by Alexander McCall Smith, beloved Scottish author of The Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency, 44 Scotland Street and Portuguese Irregular Verbs.

This is a character-based book that you won’t read for the plot, but to becomeacquainted with the residents of London’s quirky and companionable apartment building affectionately known as “Corduroy Mansions.”

Local wine merchant and widower William French is the building’s senior resident, who tries various strategies to oust his lazy, grown son from the nest.

Four single girls occupy another flat, and one ofthem works for an odious Member of Parliament, Oedipus Snark.

The book’s 100 shortchapters were originally released as a serial, so they could stand alone, but taken together, they build a sense of place and community that readers will enjoy like meeting newfriends in a fascinating old city.

Be warned that some chapters have the feel of a British sitcom script ("Keeping Up Appearances" from the BBC). In fact, it is easy to think of Corduroy Mansions as a British "Seinfeld." McCall Smith’s trademarks of rich language, character development, laughter and kindness are again part of his engaging new series.