Alexander McCall Smith

Y chromosome notwithstanding, novelist Alexander McCall Smith has a deft touch for writing female characters. His two popular series feature middle-aged heroines, Precious Ramotsowe and Isabel Dalhousie, whose good intentions frequently involve them in other people’s affairs and mysteries. But when Isabel falls for a younger man in the just-published The Right Attitude To Rain, Smith demonstrates his own empathetic wisdom. Isabel is insecure about her age, honest about her desire, and painfully aware of how such relationships can turn out. Smith’s frank portrayal keeps us rooting for Isabel to follow her own advice—and her heart.