📖 About Isabel Dalhousie

Isabel Dalhousie is a series universe written by Alexander McCall Smith. The complete collection runs to 18 books across 2 series, published between 2004 and 2024.

The main series is Publication Order of Isabel Dalhousie Books with 15 books. It opens with The Sunday Philosophy Club (2004) and currently runs to The Conditions of Unconditional Love (2024).

Series included on this page:

🎯 Where to Start with Isabel Dalhousie

New readers should begin with the first book of the main series in publication order: The Sunday Philosophy Club (2004), book 1 of Publication Order of Isabel Dalhousie Books. Reading in publication order lets the world and characters develop the way the author intended, and it avoids spoilers that later books may contain.

Each of the 2 series on this page is expandable — click a series heading to see every title it contains, in order, with a direct link to buy the book on Amazon.

📚 Isabel Dalhousie Books in Order

Publication Order of Isabel Dalhousie Books
15 books
1
The Sunday Philosophy Club book cover1The Sunday Philosophy Club2004Buy on Amazon
Friends, Lovers, Chocolate book cover2Friends, Lovers, Chocolate2005Buy on Amazon
The Right Attitude to Rain book cover3The Right Attitude to Rain2006Buy on Amazon
The Careful Use of Compliments book cover4The Careful Use of Compliments2007Buy on Amazon
The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday / The Comfort Of Saturdays book cover5The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday / The Comfort Of Saturdays2008Buy on Amazon
The Lost Art of Gratitude book cover6The Lost Art of Gratitude2009Buy on Amazon
The Charming Quirks of Others book cover7The Charming Quirks of Others2010Buy on Amazon
The Forgotten Affairs of Youth book cover8The Forgotten Affairs of Youth2011Buy on Amazon
The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds book cover9The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds2012Buy on Amazon
The Novel Habits of Happiness book cover10The Novel Habits of Happiness2015Buy on Amazon
A Distant View of Everything book cover11A Distant View of Everything2017Buy on Amazon
The Quiet Side of Passion book cover12The Quiet Side of Passion2018Buy on Amazon
The Geometry of Holding Hands book cover13The Geometry of Holding Hands2020Buy on Amazon
The Sweet Remnants of Summer book cover14The Sweet Remnants of Summer2022Buy on Amazon
The Conditions of Unconditional Love book cover15The Conditions of Unconditional Love2024Buy on Amazon
Publication Order of Isabel Dalhousie Short Stories/Novellas
3 books
2
The Perils of Morning Coffee book cover1The Perils of Morning Coffee2011Buy on Amazon
At the Reunion Buffet book cover2At the Reunion Buffet2015Buy on Amazon
Sweet, Thoughtful Valentine book cover3Sweet, Thoughtful Valentine2016Buy on Amazon

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many Isabel Dalhousie books are there?
There are 18 books in the Isabel Dalhousie collection, organised into 2 series and published between 2004 and 2024.
What is the first Isabel Dalhousie book?
The first book is The Sunday Philosophy Club, published in 2004.
What order should I read the Isabel Dalhousie books in?
Most readers use publication order, which is the order the books were originally released. A chronological order is also provided on this page for readers who prefer to follow the internal timeline of the story.
Who wrote the Isabel Dalhousie books?
The Isabel Dalhousie books were written by Alexander McCall Smith.
Is the Isabel Dalhousie series finished?
The main series, Publication Order of Isabel Dalhousie Books, has 15 books so far. The most recent title listed on this page gives the current end point of the series.
When did the Isabel Dalhousie series start?
The earliest title in this collection was published in 2004, and the most recent in 2024.