Bertie Plays the Blues

If you haven't listened to Alexander McCall Smith's wonderfully amusing collection about the neighbors at 44 Scotland Street, you'll want to get to know them before starting this seventh book in the series. Narrator Robert Ian Mackenzie's performance is wise, witty, and usually tongue-in-cheek as he recounts the tribulations of Matthew and Elspeth, new parents of triplets; the realizations of engaged couple Angus and Domenica; and Big Lou's latest romantic entanglement with an Elvis impersonator. Mackenzie is completely convincing when precocious 7-year-old Bertie puts himself up for adoption on eBay, and he's believable without using cloying children's voices for Bertie's school chums, Tofu, Ranald, and Olive. Even Cyril the dog is credible. Mackenzie makes McCall Smith's humorous stories delightful listening. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine