Corduroy Mansions (Corduroy Mansions Series)

Corduroy Mansions is an apartment building in Pimlico that houses an eclectic group of people. The story revolves around the building's residents and their friends, acquaintances, and co-workers, recounting entertaining anecdotes about the various characters.

For example, William, who lives on the top floor of Corduroy Mansions, is a fiftyish wine shop owner who'd prefer to think of himself as forty-eight-ish. William is frustrated with his n'er do well son Eddie - a twenty-something who has no job, plays loud music, and sponges off his dad. In an attempt to get allergic Eddie to move out William takes in a dog, Freddie de la Hay, an affectionate fellow who gets involved in various sorts of mayhem. Meanwhile, William's platonic lady friend Marcia has designs on the reluctant wine merchant and Eddie has a 'bit of fun' that endangers poor Freddie's life.

A group of young women share the middle floor apartment. One of them, Jenny, is an assistant to a self-absorbed, oily politician named Oedipus who makes up ludricous excuses to avoid each and every social interaction he's invited to. For instance, invited to a function six months away Oedipus responds that he'll be busy - attending a funeral. Oedipus is so unlikable that his own mother, Berthea, can't stand him.

Another roommate, art student Caroline, is toying with the idea of a romantic relationship with her friend James, who's not sure if he's gay or not. And Dee, who runs a health/nutrition shop, obtusely insists her young male assistant needs a colonic cleanse - which she'll administer.

Then there's Terence (Berthea's brother), a sweet but hapless fellow who drives his antique car at about eight mph. When Terrence accidently fries the car's engine he decides to get a high-powered Porche - with predictable (and unpredictable) consequences. And so on.

The story is filled with entertaining characters and humorous stories. Highly recommended for light reading.

I really enjoy reading McCall Smiths books. He's quite prolific and this one is a stand-alone book, not part of any of his ongoing series.

This novel is typical of his style and is a gentle read with very amusing and engaging characters. Not a lot happens but it does so beautifully!
Corduroy Mansions is a building in Plimlico, London where the occupants of four flats interact over a short period of time. I try and figure out why his books are so good and I think it's because of McCall Smith's ability to get people so right. In their manner and dress and in what they think. It's very funny and the people quirky.
A father is trying to put pressure on his adult son to move out so begins a dog-sharing arrangement with another London couple. His son is terrified of dogs. Will he move out? The flat downstairs has four young women all absorbed in their different lives and jobs as a colonic irrigationist, an MP's PA, an art student...They get to know the dog and his owner.
The man in the first floor flat seems to be carrying on some sort of quiet revolution with his Sri Lankan friend. He meets the girls and the dog...It's hard to out line the plot but these interactions all lead the story along and give you good laughs along the way.
Alexander McCall Smith also wrote the "Number one Ladies Detective Agency of Botswana" series which are brilliant. And two other series set in Scotland, where he's from . He was brought up in Botswana and has captured it beautifully. He has also written many great children's books.

This delightful series focuses on the comings and goings of the residents of Corduroy Mansions, a 3 flat in London's Pimlico neighborhood (not the posh part). At the top of the Mansion is William, a reluctantly 50 year old widower who would very much like to remove his 26 year old son from the flat and replace him with a lady friend. Fortunately he knows a lady, Marcia, who would very much like to do just that but Eddie clearly will not leave without a fight. The flat one floor below is shared by four young women: Dee, who runs a health food store; Jo, a free spirited Australian; Jenny, who has the misfortune to work for the most hated Member of Parliament (even his own mother thinks so) and Caroline, an Art History student. The ground floor is occupied by Mr. Wickramsinghe, a quiet man whom the others rarely saw. As the novel unfolds we learn about these people and a few others in a series of short overlapping tales which are told in short chapters (about 3 pages each) that make this a great book to take along on a commute or a vacation, although it is almost certain that at some point the reader will ignore all distractions in order to find out what happens next.

As I was reading this series I was strongly reminded of Maupin's TALES OF THE CITY series, a long time favorite of mine. I was not at all surprised when I that McCall Smith had been inspired by that series and that CORDUROY MANSIONS, like THE TALES OF THE CITY had originally appeared, a chapter at a time, in a newspaper. Like the TALES OF THE CITY, the characters and stories in this series are sweet and gentle, people who really could live right next door and who experience things that really could happen to you or someone you know.

Since I came late to this series I could happily pick up the next book THE DOG WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD as soon as I finished the final page of this one.

Corduroy Mansions is the first of the Corduroy Mansions series by Alexander McCall Smith. This novel is along the same style as the 44 Scotland Street series: it was originally published on the Telegraph.co.uk website in daily chapters. The setting here is a run-down block of flats in Pimlico. The residents are William, a wine merchant and his lazy son Eddie; the girls in the first floor flat, Caroline, Jenny, Dee and Jo; and Basil Wickramsinghe. Associated characters are William's friend, caterer Marcia; Caroline's friends, fellow student James and photographer Tim Something; Jenny's boss, MP Oedipus Snark; Oedipus' girlfriend, publisher Barbara Ragg; Oedipus' mother, psychologist Berthea and her brother Terence, an enthusiast of Sacred Dance; Barbara Ragg's partner, Rupert Porter; and, last, but certainly not least, Freddie de la Hay, a Pimlico terrier, retrenched airport sniffer dog and eventual companion to William.
I have read criticism of this book that it is the same as 44 Scotland Street. I don't agree and unless it was word for word and character for character the same, anything written by Alexander McCall Smith is worth reading. His books are about his characters, their foibles and virtues, and their interactions with each other and the world at large. Their comments about people and situations are what makes McCall Smith's books such a joy to read. His sharp powers of observation of the human race translate to characters and dialogue that we can all identify with, having had those thoughts ourselves or heard those comments from others. I spend the whole of these novels chuckling or laughing out loud. Can't wait for the second instalment, The Dog Who Came In From The Cold.

In London, several eccentric people reside at Corduroy Mansions. Wine merchant and connoisseur William wants his twentyish year old son Eddie to move out, but a nuclear bomb is not going to budge his offspring. He gets Freddie the vegan canine whose prime mission is to propel Eddie to move in with people his age. Restaurateur Marcia wants Eddie out of the house also so then she can make a move on empty nester William.

Another occupant Dee works at a vitamin store where she tries to help a peer who she feels needs to cleans his system of excess salt. Her flat-mate Jenny earns a difficult living working for detestable MP Oedipus Snark, who treats his employee like a low form of dog excrement. Snark's mom Berthea is writing the definitive biography of her son while her agent Barbara wants to become Mrs. MP.

As the walls crumble around the quirky residents, their squabbles make for an enjoyable slice of London life. Low keyed and not for everyone, fans of the author will enjoy the jocularity of everyday people interrelating in a dysfunctional manner as Corduroy Mansions is sort of like an aging supercollider with the people living there as the subatomic particles being sliced and diced. More like Alexander McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street books, than his No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, this is a fun look at the foibles of human interactions.

Harriet Klausner

Alexander McCall Smith has succeeded in establishing a niche of his own in popular fiction. His No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency mysteries launched him as one of the world's best known and beloved writers. Not content to rest on his laurels, he went on to create new, non-mystery novels starring the denizens of an Edinburgh apartment building at 44 Scotland Street, and another featuring the wise and philosophical Isobel Dalhousie and her circle of friends and colleagues. In each of these series, we meet a charming coterie of neighbors, friends, lovers and co-workers whose lives intermingle in fascinating and often amusing ways. The stories serve as a charming guide to Edinburgh, and through the eyes of the characters, we learn some fairly astonishing bits of Scottish history, geography and culture, served up with considerable wry wit.

With CORDUROY MANSIONS, McCall Smith has now moved house to London. The plotting is familiar, in that the people who live in the genteel and stately townhouse very near, but not quite in the more posh area of London, also represent a broad variety of personalities, livelihoods, income levels and ages.

The widowed William, a successful London wine merchant, has occupied the top floor of the building longer than anyone else in the house. William would be content to batch it in the comfortable rooms by himself, but his 25-year-old unemployed son, Eddie, adheres to the old adage of "to the manor born," even though the manor is a flat in a London townhome. Eddie is bent on staying in his father's home, assuring him that he is there to care for him until he becomes old and infirm, then can inherit it and the business. William's lady friend differs with this idea and is cooking up schemes to boot Eddie from the premises so she can move in to take care of William, who needs no care at all. This includes bringing a dog into the household to dislodge Eddie, who hates dogs. Freddie de la Hay, a Pimlico terrier recently retired as a drug-sniffing dog at Heathrow, is adopted by William as a way to dislodge Eddie. It doesn't work, but Freddie's well-schooled nose leads to adventures for everyone.

Jennifer, who shares the third floor flat with three other young women, works as the personal assistant to a loathsome Member of Parliament with the Dickensian name of Oedipus Snark, who seems not to have a friend in the world. Snark is distrusted and disliked by even those closest to him. His mistress, Barbara, a successful partner in a publishing house, sees the advantages of being the wife of an MP, despite her personal feelings for the man. Oedipus's mother, a prominent London psychologist, has decided to write a tell-all biography of her son, whom she also detests. She moves in with her brother, an eccentric and wealthy old man who manages to bumble through life. This entourage surrounding the MP lends a political twist to the story, adding drama and surprising turns.

McCall Smith is at his best when he offers his stream of consciousness observations on societal ills, culture gaps, and the loss of civility among the young. An amusing exchange arises in a hallway conversation between the 50-year-old William and one of the pretty young women in the downstairs flat. She refers to her roommate's boss, MP Oedipus Snark, as a creep, which prompts William to launch a historical note about CREEP --- the Committee to Re-Elect the President --- and the scandal surrounding Richard Nixon. The blank stare returned by the young lady reminds him that she was probably born 20 years after the Watergate scandal, and the depressing age gap is brought home when she doesn't recognize the name of Margaret Thatcher.

As ever, McCall Smith is droll, philosophical, full of original insights, and above all, entertaining. CORDUROY MANSIONS is a pleasant read that relieves us from the constant hammering of distant wars, celebrity misbehavior, spewing oil and unemployment. What better and more welcome diversion as we ourselves bumble through the long, hot summer of 2010.

--- Reviewed by Roz Shea

This was my first foray into Alexendar McCall Smith's work so I cannot compare this to past works such as the Lady's Detetive series, but, standing alone, I found Courdory immensely charming and warm. Truth be told, I'd seen this in the book store and the picture of the dog on the cover sold me - it was nice to finally read a story where nothing bad happens to the dog at the end. Smith writes with a warmth and realness that is a true pleasure. Each character, even Freddie de la Hay (the dog) has his or her own lovingly rendered point of view. Each of them, including Freddie, want only to love be loved. Its difficult to desribe in terms of plot because the work is almost Seinfeld-esque; that is, the action is day to day life but the genius is in the warmth of the characters and the amusig way in which all of their separate stories interact. Its the type of book where you want to curl up on a coxy couch with a warm cup of tea and lose yourself among the characters.

I you like the 44 Scotland Street series you will love this one too. English humor is more subtle than American pie-in-the-face comedy, but there are a number of places in this book where I had to lay down the book and laugh out loud. The cast of characters, again is paradisiacally rich. There is William, the retiring wine merchant, the flat of single girls--all with personal life dramas and the mysterious Asian man with his "organisation." Oedipus the member of parliament is fascinatingly vile.
McCall Smith has been compared to Dickens with his talent of introducing a veritable village of characters in his books. I agree with enthusiasm and look forward to the next adventure of Freddie de la hay.

First, and most important-ANY BOOK in which a dog gets kicked or any other animal is abused, and that purports to be amusing, is just plain vile. The main character, a wine-shop owner, is a spineless coward who, because he cannot speak to his son directly, ends up getting a dog and a girlfriend, neither of which he wants. Another character is supposedly so clueless that we are expected to believe that he doesn't know electricity is dangerous! It's all too contrived for me.

"If you are wise, you are wise for yourself," -- Proverbs 9:12 (NKJV)

Don't miss this book!

Corduroy Mansions displays all of the best traits of Alexander McCall Smith's writing about UK characters: Introspection, musings about the human condition, gentle seeking for love, outrageous satire, canine perspectives on humans, and one of the most obnoxious politicians you can imagine.

I was very impressed by the story. Only the absurd M.P. Oedipus Snark seems seriously unlikely to be a real person. He provides a perfect foil for introducing the other characters and making them sympathetically interesting. The other characters resonated with me in their discomfort, inertia, and willingness to step into the world of possibilities when the door to the future opens. The plot itself has many delightful twists that make for both gentle humor and belly laughs. Through it all, Alexander McCall Smith provides the kind of wisdom about knowing oneself and living authentically that makes his books so life affirming and enjoyable to read.

Alexander McCall Smith is one of my favorite writers, but unfortunately "Corduroy Mansions" is not a winner. Set largely in London, it seems to be far too much like the "44 Scotland Street" series but without the charm of Edinburgh. Indeed, there is so very little sense of place that the London scenes might often just as well be set in Boston.

Here he recycles tropes from other works (in addition to the small apartment-house setting, as with "44 Scotland Street," there are the shoes that speak to their owner, as in "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" novels, and the older woman/younger man combination, as in the Isabel Dalhousie series). This struck me as cheating. Of course, writing a serial novel must be very difficult, but McCall Smith is such a talented writer that this sort of thing suggests a certain of lack of imagination, something I never would have thought he could be accused of.

The characters are rarely engaging (except for the dog, and I like Cyril better) and often far too unbelievable. There is an MP who is so totally odious that one wonders how he managed to have both a girlfriend and a mother who are fairly likable, and there is a man who seems industrious, meek, and inoffensive but whose son appears quite lazy, cruel, and nasty. Yes, that could happen, but to be credible it would require more character development than can be done in a work like this.

All in all, not worth more than three stars.

I was anxiously awaiting this book to see what Alexander McCall Smith had done with the setting of one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the world. Well, I'm sorry to say, not much. The novel begins with a description of the immediate setting of Corduroy Mansions, Pimlico, which promises more than it delivers. I had hoped these descriptions would then broaden to encompass some of the intriguing aspects of London and work them into the plot, but they really don't. There are some side trips, but even these, to the ancient town of Rye, for instance, fail to draw the reader into the beautiful setting and colorful history of this famous little town. Having got all the nasty comments out of the way, I can say that the characters here interact quite well with each other, although I do think they get a bit too preachy at times. Unlike Mr. Smith's other novels, there is something flat about the whole story, and this is a shame because I am sure, like many of his readers, I was a little disappointedMurder, That's What.

Prior to reading Corduroy Mansions, I had just finished reading the Chet & Bernie series, starting with Dog on It: A Chet and Bernie Mystery, and wanted something else that involved a wonderful dog. Sadly, Freddie de la Hay has precious little to do in this story. He's a very promising presence, but the author has a despicable character named Eddie kick him with no follow up or reaction from other characters witnessing the abuse. Then Eddie steals him to "have a little fun," setting the stage for a brutal dog fight. Again, very little reaction, except that William, Eddie's extremely passive father, grows enough temporary backbone to speak up and bring the intended dogfight to a halt. Don't worry that I've ruined the story for you, as this is not a major plotline. It was just a chance for the characters to actually do something besides have tea, cook, take a walk, ruminate or think out loud. For all its chattiness, as other reviewers have said, it was almost entirely an introduction to a pretty disconnected group of characters, and I found it fairly difficult to work up concern about any of them. To my credit as a loyal reader of Mr. McCall's, I finished the book. It was not the engaging, absorbing read that so many of his books, such as The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books, prove to be. I bought this book along with its follow-up, and I'm hoping for better on the second installment.

This first book in the series is unlike the first in others. Character development is a bit lacking due to so many different people with intertwined relationships. I loved the #1 Ladies' Detective Agency series and others, but this one is difficult to get through. I suppose it's because there is no one main character.

I love A.M.Smith's work, particularly his characters' thought-trails uniquely interesting quirks. This is a highly readable book and I anticipated it, but I would've preferred stories were more interwoven and too many unexplained parts. Son should've been developed more...Snark's mother's attitude. I'm guessing some or all will be in next book but just couldn't give it more stars. Though I truly think Smith is a genius author. Tops on my list.

Alexandar McCall Smith may have written Corderoy Mansions for a target audience of Telegraph readers, and especially for its cryptic crossword puzzle-solvers. His word pictures have meanings within meanings, a touch of Thackeray's Vanity Fair satire, and hat-tips to other British writers. I wish I knew more about English society and London, so I could appreciate even more the "in" jokes and allusions that are liberally sprinkled throughout the chapters. The way that his characters touch on the lives of the other characters and help to describe their lives and personalities is also reminiscent of the way that crossword clues intersect to aid in solving the puzzle. Even having the main characters live in a vertical environment...
Can you tell that I love to do crossword puzzles?

I really enjoyed this book! It has the same style that makes his books so enjoyable. I really like the 44 Scotland Street Series, which this book is similar but based in London. I love how McCall Smith can paint pictures of peoples souls with his words and show human weakness and triumph in such a way that you feel good after reading his books.

Delightful book -- the 2nd in this series. the characters are delightful. There are so many of them, at times it took me a sentence or two into the new chapter to mentally picture which character I was reading about. Great book.

Having just finished Curdory Mansions, I confess I am a McCall Smith Newbie. I neither read nor saw the Ladies Dective Series.

I really enjoyed the writing style of the book. The short chapters, designed as they were, for series publication, made the reading pace both convenient and engaging.

My criticism lies in the myriad loose ends. The mysterious Basil and his lady friend are teased with their "sympathizer" reference is never revealed. What about the mysterious Eddie painting. Why this sudden additude change in deplorable Marcia? What aout the hint of Jo being attracted to Dee and, perhaps being a lesbian? Who is the stranger that Caroline will meet? Is Hugh really as good as he seems?

There are many stories in which loose ends are meaningful. The ending of the movie "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" is one. The movie is themed on gambling, where the outcome is always uncertain. And thus the ending. But Curdory Mansions' ending has no such correlation. It is simply a well-written book with open-ended storylines.

This book is Alexander McCall Smith at his absolute best - he effortlessly juggles the stories of many different intriguing and sometimes eccentric characters, with many deft turns of plot and touching and funny incidents. It will remind readers a lot of the 44 Scotland Street series, and is just as well done. I loved it!

Smith introduces a great cast of interesting characters with unique perceptions on life....all bound together by Corduroy Mansions, where most of them reside. The clear breakout star of the group has to be one Freddie de la Hay, a little terrier whose straightforward ways of viewing the world are awesome. Loved the book so much that I immediately bought the sequel, and it's even better! Freddie has the potential to be Smith's next fictional star!!!!!

I love this tenderhearted writer's lovely way of writing. I love his command of the language. And instead of telling some story with gritty...ucky...stuff, it was a nice story to listen to. I plan to read more of his books. This one was a pleasure.

Quirky characters and unusual situations presented in Smith's witty and gentle prose. This is a book to savor slowly when alone and the house is quiet. It may have some similarity in style to his previous books but it is no less a a joy to read. His books are filled with kindness and understanding that is life affirming even when the characters act foolishly. And att times I laughed out loud which I never do when reading. Smile often and occasionally chuckle but not laugh.

London is the setting for a new character-driven novel by prolific author Alexander McCall Smith, titled Corduroy Mansions. Fans of Smith's earlier novels set in Scotland and Botswana will enjoy a change in locale and the familiarity of a large cast of interesting characters, both the loveable and the despicable. The relationships in the new novel are often in stress: father and son; mother and son; lovers; and the cover art clues the readers that a dog will also find a way into some relationships. The entertainment from Smith's novels comes from the fun readers have in observing ordinary lives brought to life in the capable hands of a writer who can catch our attention and help us care about what happens to others. Any reader who likes those novels that tell clear stories about recognizable characters will appreciate this and other Smith novels.

Rating: Three-star (Recommended)

Corduroy Mansion poised for a great new series, but Alexander McCall Smith has managed to create nothing new. Characters are cut-out dolls, and Isabel Dalhousie has channeled herself into William the wine merchant. In reading Mc Call Smith in the past, I found not only his characters refreshing, but I enjoyed his incredible artistry in creating place. Instead of London, I felt that I was on 44 Scotland Street with a new troup of bad actors. If you have never read McCall Smith, please don't start here. Sorry, but this fan is terribly disappointed.

Okay, so we feel guilty whenever we think less of a close relation, but William is legitimized by a less than perfect relationship with -- a caterer who brings home the overage. Delightful release from guilty thoughts. I love you Alexander. You make me whole!

Whenever I tried on Wikipedia to say that Alexander McCall Smith was the Dickens of the 21st century, some officious editor would complain and say that McCall Smith is no Dickens. Well, in a way that is true: CORDUROY MANSIONS is far more fun to read and not even remotely depressing, which Dickens can often be.

And even the most fastidious Wiki editor had to admit that McCall Smith has revived the serial novel, the form that Dickens made so famous in the 19th century. First we had the magnificent series set in Edinburgh (44 Scotland Street) and now we have the equally wonderful and totally enjoyable CORDUROY MANSIONS.

The characters are as brilliantly drawn as always and are just as funny, poignant, thoughtful and superbly observed as ever. We have got to know a lot of wonderful new people through the serialization in the Daily Telegraph and now we have it in permanent book form.

(And some of the characters are real people, as at least one chapter shows....)

One final thing: ALL McCall Smith's novels are as good as each other: this really ought to have the same sales as the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series, as it is every bit as enjoyable and fun to read.

I will be buying several copies of this and giving them to friends - why not do the same? Summer is coming, and this is the ideal summer present to have as holiday reading.

Christopher Catherwood (author of WINSTON CHURCHILL: THE FLAWED GENIUS OF WORLD WAR II)

For reasons unknown to me, this didn't sound like the author who wrote the other series at all. The character development was nonexistent and no true plot or "meaning" existed. Several characters appeared and disappeared with no "link" to anyone or anything such as the young lady who came to the door of the Sri Lankan fellow and "inquired" whether the other young woman who just had tea with him was "sympathetic" - no follow up, no explanation.... Several examples like this existed in the book. I pity you if you started reading Alexander McCall Smith with this book as his other series are absolutely delightful and thought provoking.

What I relished in the 44 Scotland Street series of 'serial novels' published by Alexander McCall Smith was the uniqueness and quirkiness of his characters and the gentle pace of the narration, where life simply happens, the way most of us experience it in fact (as opposed to the frenetic pace of thrillers or the intense drama of romantic novels.) But after four or five volumes of that series, the formula had already begun to wear thin. Ultimately, I like anything I read -- fiction or fiction -- to have some kind of point (the eggheads refer to it as a narrative arc) and there simply isn't one here. It's not impossible to achieve this in a serial novel (after all, Dickens managed it with aplomb), but McCall Smith is flagging.

This book simply transplants the 44 Scotland Street formula to the streets of London; specifically a particular street in Pimlico, where stands a house transformed into a block of flats that is known to one and all as Corduroy mansions. Anyone who has already read McCall Smith's other serial novels (which I expect will be 95% of the potential readers for this book) knows what happens: the building's various inhabitants interact with each other and with those outside its walls. (For instance, one of the girls sharing one of the flats is the personal assistant to the only nasty Liberal Democrat member of Parliament, rejoicing in the name of Oedipus Snark; one subplot involves what happens to Oedipus's mother and her brother, who rejoices in the name of Terence Moongrove; another follows his girlfriend, Barbara Ragg, after their breakup.)

But the plotlines stutter along at best, leaving the reader dangling. For instance, we learn that Barbara's new lover has a traumatic event in his past -- he tells her half of the story but the book ends without the other half, while Oedipus's mother discusses the nature of her literary plans but that's about it. Ultimately the number of loose ends of that kind, combined with the frequent digressions (one of Barbara's co-workers is discussing a real plot-related element with his wife, and suddenly the two start pondering the nature of crimes against others and forgiveness -- "Mr. Blair said sorry to Ireland, but he was the first British leader to find it possible to do that") become increasingly irritating. The philosophical musings that work in McCall Smith's series of serial-style novels featuring Isabel Dalhousie work because the nature of her profession is philosophy; these lofty internal monologues and ramblings don't work, particularly when the extend for pages on end.

I've rated this 3.5 stars, because McCall Smith has an eye for a goofy character and because I think it's great to have this approach to storytelling still around. (He's also, at heart, a good writer with an ear for dialogue.) But while writing about Botswana in this manner can work for readers simply because most of us aren't familiar with daily life there (see his Number One Ladies Detective Agency series), the same isn't true of writing about daily life in London. His characters have begun to feel precious and neither they or their various predicaments felt real to me; when that happens, I don't care about what happens to them or the story as a whole. I began the book with hopes that by shifting his geographic focus, McCall Smith had rediscovered his storytelling prowess, but within the first few dozen pages, hope was the only thing that kept me turning the pages. When feel relief rather than sadness on finishing a book, I know that it's at best a three-star read.

Recommended only for the author's die-hard fans. After this one, I'll be getting his books in paperback or from the library.

The author admits in his remarks that the book is character-driven and not overly concerned with plot. The only real tension concerns Eddie the son and he melts away by mid-book. I admire Mr. Smith's writing for his wit and his choice to keep with the light side of things. He has brought much joy to people all over the world. But this book was hard to follow; even characters had not enough "ooomph" to keep the reader on track. A playbill might have helped.

I really wanted to like the characters , just couldn't do it. A father that can't tell his son to grow up. A son who feels put upon at the suggest that he work. And they weren't the only misfits. Maybe that was the point. Gets a bit to much for me. Couldn't make myself read more then half.

I have loved every one Of Alexander McCall Smith's "Ladies' #1 Detective Agency" books, but "Corduroy Mansions" was my first non "Ladies" read.

I found there were too many characters to keep track of, and the book didn't hold my attention.

I have enjoyed the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie series and the 44 Scotland Street series, so when I saw this new book by McCall Smith I picked it up without hesitation. I was very, very disappointed. There is no plot. Most of the characters appear to lead meaningless lives, changing course on a whim or even without a whim. And most of them are not even particularly interesting or likeable. Yes, I liked William, and the dog, but that's about it.

None of the sweetness of the Ladies series. The dog character and storyline which I thought would be integral based on the cover is instead strange and minor. Clearly this series is meant to suck readers in to a lengthy soap opera but I won't be among them.