A cast of troubled souls throng the pages of Alexander McCall Smith's The Enigma of Garlic, the latest in the 44 Scotland Street series. Big Lou and Fat Bob are about to be married, but the bride has much on her mind. Her coffee bar business keeps her busier than she'd like and rumours are that Fat Bob is seeing another woman. Could it be true? Bruce Anderson has been struck by lighting, apparently resulting in a personality change – for the better. Gone is his vanity and replacing it a sense of purpose. He flirts with joining a monastery. And finally, Stuart Pollock is trying to assert himself when his pushy, estranged wife, Irene, makes an unwelcome return. Stuart's mother tries to dispatch Irene, but events take an unexpected turn. Most of the novel's plot turns on the resolving of several moral quandaries. Comic relief is offered in the guise of Sister Maria-Fiore dei Fiori di Montagna, an intrepid nun who has received training from the Vatican's secret service. She successfully trails Fat Bob to find out what his secret is. A sympathetic, realistic portrait of everyday lives engaged in life's central struggles. The Enigma of Garlic, by Alexander McCall Smith. Published by Polygon. $34.99 Review by Chris Saliba Comments are closed.
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