PROMISE OF ANKLES: A 44 Scotland Street Novel

With deft charm, affection and wit, these now familiar characters from the 44 Scotland Street series come alive on each page. At the bottom of a sharply descending street, in the topographical sense, in Edinburgh's Georgian New Town, new residents have moved in joining the already well-known and much-loved denizens of that remarkable building, 44 Scotland Street. What exactly did Sister Maria-Fiore, the aphorism-coining socialite nun, find on the No. 23 bus? Could it be the remains of a hitherto unknown Neanderthal, homo Watsoniensis? On the romantic front, long-suffering Stuart's hopes of kindling a new relationship are dashed thanks to chino-wearing narcissist Bruce, effortlessly exercising his powers of charm. The Promised Land beckons for Bertie who is off to Glasgow for a school exchange that takes him doon the watter. Back in Edinburgh, the Duke of Johannesburg's desire to learn a new language involving his Gaelic-speaking driver Pádruig has gone horribly wrong - to be immersed in a language it seems can be a captivating linguistic mistake. And the patrons of Big Lou's café are in for a gastronomic treat. In other words, everything in Edinburgh is absolutely normal. Glamorous hardback, 297pp.