The Dog Who Came in from the Cold

Alexander McCall Smith continues to astound me.  With this latest installment of the Corduroy Mansion series, he has written 33 books since 1998!  That doesn't include the 25 children's books and 3 short story collections, (since 1980),  OR the 12 academic texts.  (He has a Ph.D. in law.)  His mind is just BURSTING with great ideas.

One of his greatest has to be Freddie de la Hay.  Freddie is an immensely interesting character.  He is also a dog.  A Pimlico Terrier to be precise, which is a happy coincidence, because he and his master live in the Pimlico neighborhood of London in the slightly-worse-for-wear mansion block nicknamed "Corduroy Mansions".  Many other characters abound in the converted flats, but Freddie is the star of this book.  Why?  Because Freddie becomes a spy for MI6.  Does he save the world?  Does he get involved with a svelt female Pimlico Terrier double agent?  Do they call him "F"?  You'll have to read it to find out.

The Corduroy Mansion series which Freddie inhabits is written and originally published as a serial, so part of the charm is that each chapter can stand on its own as a little story within the bigger picture.  (One of my other FAVORITE McCall book series is 44 Scotland Street, which is also written as a serial.) So, I hope you get to know Pimlico and Freddie in The Dog Who Came in from the Cold, and I hope you'll be glad you did.

Cheerio!