Lost in her own thoughts, Isabel Dalhousie was startled when Martha Drummond, a neighbour joined her on her walk to Cat's Delicatessen. To Isabel, Martha was in that awkward territory of being not just an acquaintance, but not quite a true friend. Despite her small fears that they would have just another of their irritating and pointless conversations, Isabel is a little surprised when Martha asked her to help out a friend who recently had a theft occur at his home. Would she just talk to him?

When Isabel had chance to tell her much younger and handsome husband, about it later in the day, Jamie expressed concerns about it and was worried about her safety. This seemed different that the other requests she had had in the past when others had asked for her help. When not actively caring for her happy and busy family with now three and three-quarters year old son, Charlie, juggling Jamie's varied schedule as Bassoonist and music instructor and her own as the Editor and Reviewer of the Review of Applied Ethics, Isabel enjoys at times helping others resolve problems. Not that she doesn't have issues of her own. How could she tactfully deal with Grace, her housekeeper, who unknown to the parents, had been training the wee boy in math?

Now, after meeting Duncan Munrowe, the well-educated and old school country gentleman, she is intrigued by his situation and his strength of character. For generations, his family had been well off as farmers and he had inherited a large family art collection; some still in his spacious home while much had been donated to the Scottish National Gallery. The painting that had been stolen from his house was "Time Reconsidered" by Nicolas Poussin. Aside from being his personal favourite and very valuable, he feels terrible about the loss as had made a personal promise to donate it to the National Gallery. Now, lawyers have launched a not unheard of demand for a ransom for the painting, thus reducing the cost to the insurers. Would Isabel help him with the meeting and dilemma?

THE UNCOMMON APPEAL OF CLOUDS is the ninth book in Alexander McCall Smith's delightful series involving the gentle minded Edinburgh philosopher and amateur sleuth, Isabel Dalhousie. Isabel is an amazing character who fluctuates between the insecurities of decisions to be made in normal life while finding strength in her convictions after ruminating the logic and flow of ideas and thoughts in her mind. She ponders difficult decisions that need to be made while also let her thoughts meander around the most ordinary of actions or events, yet can find the largest of ramifications in the small details. I particularly enjoyed how Isabel speculates on Duncan and his children and their situation as to who might have had motive as well as opportunity while philosophizing on clouds, light, friendship and the quandaries of everyday life.

While THE UNCOMMON APPEAL OF CLOUDS can easily and enjoyable be read as a standalone book, McCall Smith's many existing fans will be sure to savour this latest story and relish getting to revisit some previous characters. Enjoy!