Alexander McCall Smith was born in Zimbabwe and was educated there and in Scotland.

He enjoyed a distinguished career as Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh, and it was in this role that he first returned to Africa to work in Botswana and Swaziland. In 2005, he left the University of Edinburgh to concentrate on his writing. He has written more than sixty books ranging from reference works to children’s titles, as well as his much loved series of gentle detective novels set in Botswana: The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series.

Alexander McCall Smith is married with two daughters and lives with his wife in Edinburgh. He is patron to a number of charities including Waverley Care and Scottish Book Trust. He plays in an amateur orchestra, The Really Terrible Orchestra, which he co-founded with his wife.

In 2007 Alexander was awarded a CBE for his services to literature.