Love Over Scotland    by Alexander McCall Smith Order:  USA  Can Anchor, 2007 (2007) Softcover, Audio, CD, e-Book Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Love Over Scotland is a grand title for a grand new book, third in Alexander McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street series. In it, the ongoing saga of the residents of 44 Scotland Street continues to beguile and entertain readers. Domenica travels to Malacca on an anthropological quest to study pirates. Little Bertie dazzles Paris with his street busking, playing As Time Goes By on a borrowed saxophone. His mother Irene continues in her controlling ways, driving Bertie and his father to distraction. Pat falls for Wolfe only to have her hopes dashed. Matthew is the lucky one here - financially as well as romantically. Angus disgraces himself at a dinner party, but his dog Cyril returns. Big Lou is in for a surprise. Charming, whimsical, uplifting, and just pure fun, Smith's books are full of the kind of pondering one might do in deep discussion with a good friend. Profound utterances abound – so much so that one must stop enjoying the story and cogitate on what has just been said. These occurrences do not crack the storyline, however, but rather enhance it. Subject matter includes the merits of various forms of olive oil, the nature of moral duty, the principles of flight, and our human search for happiness. As in his Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, Smith seems to enjoy writing of everyday life and the people involved. He finds the good in most of his characters, though a few tend to show some bad tendencies. He usually brings them around one way or another – as he does with Eddie in Love Over Scotland. Don't miss this one. Write on, Mr. Smith. Please. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews