‘The wronged people in three of these nimble tales are happy to mete out ‘wild justice’ to the sources of their rage. In Monty, Tiger, Rose, Etc it’s the unapologetic owner of a boisterous dog; in The Principles Of Soap a neat plot twist sees off a nepotistic producer, while in Vengeance Is Mine, a small, moral community take a mafia-style approach to the unapologetic arrival of a gangster on the island of Mull. The final story provides a sweet coda to previous acts of comeuppance as kindness prevails’

‘As in all McCall Smith’s work, we are reminded that the necessary quality in social life is kindness. Reading McCall Smith is always comforting, but there is an edge to his work too, for he does, in a quiet, well-mannered way, suggest that we look at ourselves, and that we should be as ready to judge ourselves as to condemn others; perhaps even readier’