The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday

Well, it's finally happened. I'm a little disappointed in one of Alexander McCall Smith's books. I've read every one of his 44 Scotland Street series, one of the No. 1 Ladies Detective series (there are just too many for me to get started on these!), and all of the The Sunday Philosophy Club series. Up until this point, I've loved them all. They're always funny, witty, insightful and just plain fun. However, this last installment of the Sunday Philosophy Club, The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday, fell a little flat for me. Isabel Dalhousie just didn't seem to be herself at all in this installment. The mystery portion of the book, which is never the focus of the novels, was pretty much nonexistent. It could have been left out altogether. I can't really put my finger on it, but she wasn't her normal, witty self. I didn't seem to enjoy those interior monologues of hers in which she struggles with herself over seemingly minor events. I usually find myself smiling quite often while reading these books, but it just didn't happen this time. Maybe it was just me. I'll continue to read these books, but I hope the Isabel I know and love makes a return.