Cornelius Patrick O'Leary lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, a genial man who bears no ill will towards those who gave him his nickname.
He runs an antique store and is happily married to Betty. He faces life's trials with equanimity. But his first trip to Ireland, for his 40th birthday, really tests him. After encountering all the problems of being a plus-sized man on a fully-booked plane, and the embarrassing consequences of losing his luggage, including his clothing, he and Betty reach their country house hotel near Tipperary, which opens up a whole new can of worms. O'Leary has a romantic ideal of what a holiday in Ireland will be like - discussing literature with Dublin literati before enjoying a fine dinner - but his first encounter with the beau monde shows him that his social aspirations are no match for their snobbery. As ever, Alexander McCall Smith is reliably and effortlessly amusing in a short comic novel that's light, upbeat and diverting.
Aye Write, April 24
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