The careful use of compliments, by Alexander MCall.

This is the fourth novel from The Sunday Philosophy Club series by Alexander MCall.  Isabel Dalhousie is now a mother in her 40’s who is being replaced of her job in the Review of Applied Ethics as editor.  On her way through the challenges of motherhood (some will say late-motherhood, but I’m not quite sure I want to make the statement), her relationship with Jamie -who happens to be the ex of her niece Cat- and the possibility to lose a job she never thought will lose, Isabel finds herself drown into the story of a painter’s mysterious death off the island of Jura.

While the novel has some mystery in it, I wouldn’t describe it as a mystery novel but more as an observational and reflexive novel. Alexander MCall adds a sense of mystery  while peacefully describing the daily quite and domestic things  in  Isabel’s life, creating the perfect book  with a propper ambiance to read  on a Sunday afternoon while the sun goes down or at the end of your summer vacation.

Laia Vilaseca