THE CAREFUL USE OF COMPLIMENTS: V. 4: AN ISABEL DALHOUSIE NOVEL

US: Abacus, 2008. Very Good. In the fourth installment of this enchanting, beloved series, Isabel Dalhou sie, who is now a mother, returns to investigate an irresistible puzzle in the art world.Isabel Dalhousie-the nosiest and most sympathetic philosopher you are likely to meet-now has a son, Charlie, whose doting father Jamie h as an intriguing idea to pose to Isabel: marriage. But Isabel wonders if Ja mie is too young to be serious? And how would Cat respond? On top of these matters, the ambitious Professor Dove has seized Isabel's position as edito r of the Review of Applied Ethics. However, nothing it seems can diminish I sabel's innate curiosity. And when she recognizes that two paintings attrib uted to a deceased artist have simultaneously appeared on the market, she c an't help but think that they're forgeries. So Isabel begins an investigati on and soon finds herself diverted from her musings about parenthood and on to a path of inquiry into the soul of an artist.