ISABEL DALHOUSIE SERIES ;

AMATEUR SLEUTH ISABEL DALHOUSIE IS A PHILOSOPHER WHO ALSO USES HER TRAINING TO SOLVE UNUSUAL MYSTERIES. ISABEL IS EDITOR OF THE REVIEW OF APPLIED ETHICS - WHICH ADDRESSES SUCH QUESTIONS AS 'TRUTH TELLING IN SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS' - AND SHE ALSO HOSTS THE SUNDAY PHILOSOPHERS' CLUB AT HER HOUSE IN EDINBURGH. IN THIS FIRST BOOK IN MCCALL SMITH'S NEW SERIES ISABEL INVESTIGATES HOW A YONG MAN CAOULD HAVE FALLEN TO HIS DEATH FROM THE TOP BALCONY OF THE USHER HALL. SHE IS AIDED IN THIS BY HER BEAUTIFUL NIECE, CAT, HUGO, CAT'S EX- BOYFRIEND (WHOSE OWN GOOD LOOKS ISABEL IS TANTALISED BY) AND HER STRICT HOUSEKEEPER, GRACE. ISABEL IS DRAWN INTO THE HEART OF EDINBURGH'S WELL-HEELED IF SOMEWHAT SHADY BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS SHE SETS OUT TO DISCOVER THE TRUTH.