Corduroy Mansions

Corduroy Mansions (2009) by Alexander McCall Smith. Readers may better recall Smith as the author of "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency," his immensely successful debut novel. Since then he has written many books, of which "Corduroy Mansions" is one of the latest. I found it most enjoyable to read. It features a variety of delightful characters, most of whom have witty things to say, some of whom we can laugh at. It's set in a slightly run-down apartment building in London called Corduroy Mansions. The inhabitants of the building make up the majority of the cast of the book, and they are all a bit quirky, one way or another. It makes for a most entertaining read. Smith has a way with language and dialogue that gives it a natural sound and strikes the reader as funny because it is so true-to-life. This book also features one small, cute dog named Freddie de la Hay. Grade: A-