Books like The charming quirks of others by Alexander McCall Smith

Don Tillman, a genetics professor with Asperger’s, designs a scientific survey to find a wife, only to meet Rosie Jarman, a drinker and late arriver who challenges his controlled worldview and leads him to discover that love can’t be measured.

A charming and clever women detective, Precious Ramotswe, solves mysteries in Botswana's small town of Midsomin, South Africa, from 1986 to 1997, facing dangers and love in the process. The novel is beloved by readers worldwide for its clever dialogue and characters who are as flawed as the rest of us. The book is a bestseller and has been translated into 45 languages, including Polish, German, and Japanese, among others. It was also voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement.

In the idyllic English village of Edgecombe St. Mary, retired Major Ernest Pettigrew finds unexpected companionship—and love—with Mrs. Jasmina Ali, a Pakistani shopkeeper, as they navigate friendship, loss, and cultural boundaries.

When a young girl's skeleton is found in the neighborhood of a long‑missing childhood friend, forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan must decide whether the two victims are the same person.

Myron Bolitar, a sports agent, is drawn into a murder investigation involving a young tennis star and her former fiancé.

Monsieur Perdu, a literary apothecary aboard a Seine barge, prescribes novels to heal broken hearts. When his own love remains a mystery, he journeys south of France to find closure and prove stories can mend souls.

When a Montreal murder reveals a skeleton linked to an ancient dig, forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan uncovers a global mystery that could rewrite 2,000 years of religious history.

A woman detective in Edinburgh searches for answers to her niece's heart transplant mystery.

Delaney Nichols, a bookseller in Edinburgh, races to recover a rare Oor Wullie edition from Castle Doune, only to uncover a murder mystery that could land her in danger.

Isabel Dalhousie wrestles with a complex paternity mystery involving a single mother, an Edinburgh organist, and her own niece, using her kindness and sharp mind to navigate ethical dilemmas.

Isabel Dalhousie, a devoted editor and future mother in Edinburgh, becomes a reluctant sleuth when a visiting academic asks her to trace her Scottish heritage, unveiling a web of secrets and identity in this witty mystery.

In the third Corduroy Mansions novel, Alexander McCall Smith explores London’s Pimlico neighborhood through quirky residents, a missing MI6 terrier, and humorous, intertwined lives.

The sensational sixth installment in the best-selling chronicles of the irrepressibly curious Isabel Dalhousie. Isabel's son, Charlie, is now of an age--eighteen months--to have a social life, and so off they go to a birthday party, where, much to Isabel's surprise, she encounters an old adversary, Minty Auchterlonie, now a high-flying financier. Minty had seemed to Isabel a woman of ruthless ambition, but the question of her integrity had never been answered. Now, when Minty takes Isabel into her confidence about a personal matter, Isabel finds herself going another round: Is Minty to be trusted? Or is she the perpetrator of an enormous financial fraud? And what should Isabel make of the rumors of shady financial transactions at Minty's investment bank?Not that this is the only dilemma facing Isabel: she also crosses swords again with her nemesis, Professor Dove, in an argument over plagiarism. Of course her niece, Cat, has a new, problematic man (a tightrope walker!) in her life. And there remains the open question of marriage to Jamie--doting father of Charlie.As always, there is no end to the delight in accompanying Isabel as she makes her way toward the heart of every problem: philosophizing, sleuthing, and downright snooping in her inimitable--and inimitably charming--fashion.From the Hardcover edition.

A woman embarks on an investigation into the world of art, discovering the secrets of an artist and uncovering a web of lies and deception.

Edinburgh philosopher Isabel Dalhousie tackles a mysterious case involving a boy’s strange past‑life memories linked to a remote Scottish island.

Detective Isabel Dalhousie uncovers a stolen painting in Scotland, leading to a mystery that involves her philosophy and a wealthy owner.

When a celebrated doctor faces fraud accusations over a new drug, Isabel Dalhousie investigates the tragic death that may expose a pharmaceutical cover‑up. Her philosophical insights and relentless curiosity unravel a complex web of deceit.

Miss Maud Silver, a governess-turned-detective, untangles the murder of a powerful British man and the dark secrets of the Porlock family.

A humorous London tale of a terrier recruited by MI6 and a writer whose book on the Abominable Snowman lands him a literary agent.

When Irene returns from the Middle East, her son Bertie confronts every modern temptation, from TV to the National Portrait Gallery, while her anger lands on her husband Stuart, who discovers a newfound vigor.

Isabel Dalhousie must juggle parenting a new baby, a resentful son, and a friend’s dubious matchmaking plan, using her wit and empathy to navigate family, friendship, and truth.