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No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #13
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller (2012)Alexander McCall Smith’s beloved, bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series continues as Botswana’s best and kindest detective finds her personal and professional lives have become entangled.
Precious Ramotswe is very busy these days. The best apprentice at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors is in trouble with the law and stuck with the worst lawyer in Gaborone. Grace Makutsi and Phuti Radiphuti are building the house of their dreams, but their builder is not completely on the up and up. Most shockingly, Mma Potokwane, the orphan farm’s respected matron, has been dismissed from her post. Mma Ramotswe is not about to rest when her friends are mistreated. Help arrives from an unexpected visitor. He is none other than the estimable Mr. Clovis Andersen, author of The Principles of Private Detection, the No. 1 Ladies’ prized manual. Together, Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi, and their colleague help right injustices that occur even in their beloved Botswana, and in the process discover something new about being a good detective.
Precious Ramotswe is very busy these days. The best apprentice at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors is in trouble with the law and stuck with the worst lawyer in Gaborone. Grace Makutsi and Phuti Radiphuti are building the house of their dreams, but their builder is not completely on the up and up. Most shockingly, Mma Potokwane, the orphan farm’s respected matron, has been dismissed from her post. Mma Ramotswe is not about to rest when her friends are mistreated. Help arrives from an unexpected visitor. He is none other than the estimable Mr. Clovis Andersen, author of The Principles of Private Detection, the No. 1 Ladies’ prized manual. Together, Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi, and their colleague help right injustices that occur even in their beloved Botswana, and in the process discover something new about being a good detective.
257 pages, Hardcover
First published March 12, 2012
About the author
Alexander McCall Smith
545 books12.2k followersAlexander McCall Smith is the author of the international phenomenon The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie Series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, and the 44 Scotland Street series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and he was a law professor at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland. Visit him online at www.alexandermccallsmith.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,956 reviews
May 6, 2015
This book is like going out to tea with a couple of great aunts who always give you a cheque as a present. The pair of them sit there reminiscing about old times and their old friends. And you sit there, taking tea with them, nibbling the fairy cakes, smiling and nodding in all the right places to the stories you've heard year after year. After tea, they rise to leave and as you kiss their papery cheeks goodbye, one of them presses a generous cheque into your hand, the pay-off. Only this time, it's just a neatly-folded $10 note.
There was no overarching plot, only lots of little stories all of which got sorted out right before the end in a very self-satisfied way. The characters come straight from an afternoon soap opera. The arch-villain Violet Sephoto naturally makes an appearance, although this time it is a small one, thanks for small mercies. The new villains are ridiculously sterotypical, the shyster with stolen vehicles is slick, the stupid lawyer bumbles, the corrupt businessman works off money is power and all contracts belong to him, Mma Makutsi continues to go on about her 97% certificate and her shoes continue to talk back to her. There is nothing inventive or interesting here. The book reads like it was written to a formula by someone else who has been told by McCall Smith to concentrate on the details, that it is charm that is of the essence.
Sadly, it seems that McCall Smith has fallen victim to his own success and does not want to stray from the formula that propels his books into money-making bestsellers. This is supposed to be the last book in the series, but the title of it refers to something that might happen in the future and is not a present feature in Mma Ramotswe's universe. Is there to be a new series based around the Limpopo Academy of Private Detection starring Mma Makutsi and Clovis Anderson, author of "The Principles of Private Detection" in major roles? Do we care?
Notes as I read the book
This is getting so tedious I could scream. I've just endured a whole chapter on how many cups of tea Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi drink in a week. Morning, office, lunch, afternoon, evening, day, weekend, each has to be totted up separately finally arriving at a year's total. And the totting up is done as if by a child to whom adding up is a something that is a major skill and each step to be gone through slowly, just in case something goes wrong...
*** I couldn't give a fuck ***
Where is the story, where is the plot? These have been utterly abandoned for what McCall Smith must consider "charming" detail. It's all fluff and no substance whatsoever.
This is getting worse. A whole chapter on donkeys pulling Mma Ramotswe's van out of the sand. Tedious is a euphemism. Why am I torturing myself? Is it the fascination of a train wreck in slow motion?
There was no overarching plot, only lots of little stories all of which got sorted out right before the end in a very self-satisfied way. The characters come straight from an afternoon soap opera. The arch-villain Violet Sephoto naturally makes an appearance, although this time it is a small one, thanks for small mercies. The new villains are ridiculously sterotypical, the shyster with stolen vehicles is slick, the stupid lawyer bumbles, the corrupt businessman works off money is power and all contracts belong to him, Mma Makutsi continues to go on about her 97% certificate and her shoes continue to talk back to her. There is nothing inventive or interesting here. The book reads like it was written to a formula by someone else who has been told by McCall Smith to concentrate on the details, that it is charm that is of the essence.
Sadly, it seems that McCall Smith has fallen victim to his own success and does not want to stray from the formula that propels his books into money-making bestsellers. This is supposed to be the last book in the series, but the title of it refers to something that might happen in the future and is not a present feature in Mma Ramotswe's universe. Is there to be a new series based around the Limpopo Academy of Private Detection starring Mma Makutsi and Clovis Anderson, author of "The Principles of Private Detection" in major roles? Do we care?
Notes as I read the book
This is getting so tedious I could scream. I've just endured a whole chapter on how many cups of tea Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi drink in a week. Morning, office, lunch, afternoon, evening, day, weekend, each has to be totted up separately finally arriving at a year's total. And the totting up is done as if by a child to whom adding up is a something that is a major skill and each step to be gone through slowly, just in case something goes wrong...
*** I couldn't give a fuck ***
Where is the story, where is the plot? These have been utterly abandoned for what McCall Smith must consider "charming" detail. It's all fluff and no substance whatsoever.
This is getting worse. A whole chapter on donkeys pulling Mma Ramotswe's van out of the sand. Tedious is a euphemism. Why am I torturing myself? Is it the fascination of a train wreck in slow motion?
September 13, 2023
In this 13th book in the 'No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' series, Mma Ramotswe gets to meet her role model Clovis Anderson, who wrote the 'bible' of private detection. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
To the joy of Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutski, Clovis Anderson - the revered author of their venerated guidebook "The Principles of Private Detection" - wanders into the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency when he's visiting Gabarone.
Meanwhile the detective agency is involved with a couple of crises: Mr. JLB Matekoni's apprentice Fanwell is arrested for inadvertently doing mechanical work on stolen cars; and Mma Potokwane - the director of the Orphan Farm - has her job threatened by a rich businessman Ditso Ditso. Ditso, a director of the orphanage, wants to build a large central kitchen/eating area for the children while Mma Potokwane favors "family" meals in the orphans' individual cabins.
To add to the problems Mma Makutsi and her husband Phuti Radiphuti are unhappy with the rude overweening contractor they've hired to build their dream home.
As always Mma Ramotswe is gentle, wise, and humorous as she goes about her business and Mma Makutski, who has talking shoes, is hilariously outspoken about her odd opinions.
Clovis Anderson's wise advice helps the detectives with their cases which turn out to involve the usual motives - dishonesty, greed, corruption, and cheating spouses. Even the usually lackadaisical Charlie, Fanwell's fellow apprentice, helps by cooking up a novel plan to assist his friend. This book is an excellent addition to the series with scenes that are laugh out loud funny. Highly recommended.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
April 7, 2012
I love these gentle mysteries set in Botswana. I love the slightly slower pace of life, the obtuseness of Grace Makutsi, the single-mindedness of Mma Potokwane, the fact that we still don't know what the J.L.B. stands for in the name of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, and the wisdom and kindness of Precious Ramotswe, the owner of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency!
January 9, 2013
Although I finished this book in about a day, I've been stuck on this review for weeks. Could it be that I've moved on from the series? Could it be that McCall Smith is starting to repeat himself? Has he lost his magic?
Yes, yes, and yes, along with the added discomfort of lingering weirdness for reading a book written by an old Scottish white dude about a middle-aged African woman from Botswana. There's just something that smacks of being interpreted and romanticized by the Other that doesn't set well with me. Add story fatigue and I find myself pulling away.
The Limpopo Academy begins with Precious having a dream. Attempting to share the experience with Grace Makutsi, she is interrupted by Grace's pedantic interpretation and unable to convey the portentous feeling she has. It segues to tea-time, interrupted by Mma Potokwane, the Orphan Matron. She is enlisting help in her struggle with Mr. Ditso Ditso, who has convinced the orphan board to build a formal dining hall for the orphans with the grant money they've recently received. Shortly after, Grace leaves to meet with her husband and the builder they are hiring. Meanwhile, Fanwell, one of the mechanic's helpers, gets in trouble for taking a side job and experiences an inept legal system.
Limpopo goes on to distinguish itself from its predecessors when Mma Ramotswe's mythic detective Clovis Andersen arrives on scene. It creates a wink-nudge reaction for the reader, who can see the detective is not famous, or even particularly clever, despite the admiring gaze of the women of the Ladies' Detective Agency.
In retrospect, the subtext in the detective's (in)competence plot is insulting. Yes, it tries to be gently funny, but in the end, all it serves to do is show how wisdom comes out of naive faith/ uneducated natives. Ugh. Now I'm really annoyed.
Dr. Siri has spoiled me (The Coroner's Lunch) when it comes to genre-bending detective fiction. Cotterill, as Siri's creator, contextualizes the story in regional and national political events, and if Dr. Siri occasionally is bitter, it is because it comes out of disappointed love and early participation in the emancipation of his country. In McCall Smith's Botswana, however, very little is given context or reality base--if it wasn't for the rare one-line reference, it would be difficult to historically place the series. The Precious tales take on folk-tale proportions, and I feel like Africans deserve more than another veiled Anansi story. McCall Smith should be starting to challenge the readers with more information and context, not less.
Instead of the 'talking shoes' of Grace and Precious' endless repetitive admiration for her father, perhaps we should know more about how the explosion of cattle-farming is ruining the eco-system and the land (plus, long-term father-worship is a little creepy when it doesn't come with any other family or venerated-ancestor framing). Grace selecting building materials for a house hints at the economic explosion in one of the more stable African nations, but we don't get that context, and indeed, . Truly, the only hint we get is the laborer who is afraid of losing his job and therefore his visa, but as a sub-sub storyline, the focus isn't there. I want McCall Smith to root us in the real, so that as we identify and admire, we also learn instead of romanticizing or judging.
Ultimately, the writing in this edition fails to distinguish itself in lyricism or narrative. The portrayal of Grace is heavy-handed and lacks compassion for the woman who worked so hard in secretarial school for the "97th per cent" as she struggles with the builder's sexism. The opposition in each of the small tales is the kind of grasping greed or incompetence most readers will be familiar with: influence, bureaucracy, the legal system, graft. Not to say that human nature isn't the same everywhere, but the villainous behavior is simplified and familiar; almost declaring that by becoming 'first world,' Botswana is leaving its ideals behind.
I started reading "The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency" because of the unusual heroine, the unexpected charm of the language and the insight into human nature that comes from living in a small, close-knit society (hello, Miss Jane Marple!). McCall challenged the reader to a great degree in the early books, especially with Precious' abusive ex-husband, the prevalence of orphans and social dynamics. Unfortunately, not only is 'Limpopo' not a capable entry in the series, it is one that reminds the reader of the giant disconnect between storytelling and reality.
Cross posted at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/0...
Yes, yes, and yes, along with the added discomfort of lingering weirdness for reading a book written by an old Scottish white dude about a middle-aged African woman from Botswana. There's just something that smacks of being interpreted and romanticized by the Other that doesn't set well with me. Add story fatigue and I find myself pulling away.
The Limpopo Academy begins with Precious having a dream. Attempting to share the experience with Grace Makutsi, she is interrupted by Grace's pedantic interpretation and unable to convey the portentous feeling she has. It segues to tea-time, interrupted by Mma Potokwane, the Orphan Matron. She is enlisting help in her struggle with Mr. Ditso Ditso, who has convinced the orphan board to build a formal dining hall for the orphans with the grant money they've recently received. Shortly after, Grace leaves to meet with her husband and the builder they are hiring. Meanwhile, Fanwell, one of the mechanic's helpers, gets in trouble for taking a side job and experiences an inept legal system.
Limpopo goes on to distinguish itself from its predecessors when Mma Ramotswe's mythic detective Clovis Andersen arrives on scene. It creates a wink-nudge reaction for the reader, who can see the detective is not famous, or even particularly clever, despite the admiring gaze of the women of the Ladies' Detective Agency.
In retrospect, the subtext in the detective's (in)competence plot is insulting. Yes, it tries to be gently funny, but in the end, all it serves to do is show how wisdom comes out of naive faith/ uneducated natives. Ugh. Now I'm really annoyed.
Dr. Siri has spoiled me (The Coroner's Lunch) when it comes to genre-bending detective fiction. Cotterill, as Siri's creator, contextualizes the story in regional and national political events, and if Dr. Siri occasionally is bitter, it is because it comes out of disappointed love and early participation in the emancipation of his country. In McCall Smith's Botswana, however, very little is given context or reality base--if it wasn't for the rare one-line reference, it would be difficult to historically place the series. The Precious tales take on folk-tale proportions, and I feel like Africans deserve more than another veiled Anansi story. McCall Smith should be starting to challenge the readers with more information and context, not less.
Instead of the 'talking shoes' of Grace and Precious' endless repetitive admiration for her father, perhaps we should know more about how the explosion of cattle-farming is ruining the eco-system and the land (plus, long-term father-worship is a little creepy when it doesn't come with any other family or venerated-ancestor framing). Grace selecting building materials for a house hints at the economic explosion in one of the more stable African nations, but we don't get that context, and indeed, . Truly, the only hint we get is the laborer who is afraid of losing his job and therefore his visa, but as a sub-sub storyline, the focus isn't there. I want McCall Smith to root us in the real, so that as we identify and admire, we also learn instead of romanticizing or judging.
Ultimately, the writing in this edition fails to distinguish itself in lyricism or narrative. The portrayal of Grace is heavy-handed and lacks compassion for the woman who worked so hard in secretarial school for the "97th per cent" as she struggles with the builder's sexism. The opposition in each of the small tales is the kind of grasping greed or incompetence most readers will be familiar with: influence, bureaucracy, the legal system, graft. Not to say that human nature isn't the same everywhere, but the villainous behavior is simplified and familiar; almost declaring that by becoming 'first world,' Botswana is leaving its ideals behind.
I started reading "The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency" because of the unusual heroine, the unexpected charm of the language and the insight into human nature that comes from living in a small, close-knit society (hello, Miss Jane Marple!). McCall challenged the reader to a great degree in the early books, especially with Precious' abusive ex-husband, the prevalence of orphans and social dynamics. Unfortunately, not only is 'Limpopo' not a capable entry in the series, it is one that reminds the reader of the giant disconnect between storytelling and reality.
Cross posted at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/0...
March 25, 2020
In this thirteen episode of this series, those excellent sleuths Precious Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi don't have any new cases to investigate, but find themselves helping friends deal with difficult situations where they are being bullied, cheated or wrongly accused. A great hero of Mma Ramotswe's (who wrote a book very dear to her) also drops in for a visit and helps them sort out a case of wrong dismissal. Written with it's usual charm, spending time with Precious and her friends in her world of goodness and respect is a balm in a crazy world that always seems to be moving too fast..
May 24, 2012
This series is really comfort food--the beloved sleuths of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency of Botswana take on several cases--apprentice mechanic Fanwell is in trouble for unwittingly assisting in car theft (and he has the world's worst lawyer), newlywed Grace and her husband wrangle with a crooked builder to get their house finished, a nouveau riche philanthropist wants to fire the long-time director of the orphan farm and there's an unexpected visit by Clovis Anderson, midwestern author of the the detective handbook that inspired the business in the first place. These are gentle, good-natured stories set in a rapidly globalizing and modernizing Africa, extolling traditional courtesy and wisdom while not ignoring very real problems.
June 2, 2022
What a lovely surprise to have the "world-famous" Clovis Anderson pop in for a courtesy call at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Ma Ramotswe and Ma Makutsi include Mr. Anderson in some of their detective work and find him to be a discerning and wise helper. They may discover that they have more than returned the debt they believe they owe to his famous work on private detection. Meanwhile, Grace and Puti are building their first house --there is some intrigue to be found there. And our favorite Orphan Farm Matron faces discrimination from the board resulting in her dismissal. Can Precious make things right and keep the orphans from losing yet another parent from their lives? I can't imagine visiting this series without Lisette Lecat's excellent narration. A delight all the way through.
October 2, 2019
Fourth read:
These are reliable comfort reads for me and I enjoy them every time I pick them up. Looking forward to the new book in this series, which was recently published.
Third read:
AMS wrote a new novel in this series, and I'm rereading the series through once more until I come to the new one and finish it. This series has magic and happiness baked right in, and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in Botswana, but more than that, for people who are looking for a panacea of decency and goodness in the midst of everything.
May God bless AMS's pen, his typewriter, his PC, Mac, and the terrific narrator for the audiobooks: Lisette Lecat.
Second read:
OK, so apparently I'm reading the entire No. 1 Ladies Detective series this calendar year - and most of them have been rereads. This is my second time reading this book this year. And it was every bit as enjoyable as the first time through.
After finishing the series earlier this year, I immediately started back at the beginning. I've come full circle and have no desire to stop. So maybe the best question is will I ever stop reading Alexander McCall Smith's books?! I hope not. They lift my soul up. I wholeheartedly recommend them.
First read:
This is the 13th book in Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies Detective series, and it's every bit as good as the first. How many long-running series can say that? We finally meet Clovis Andersen in this installment, and he doesn't disappoint. I hope AMS brings him back again.
Two of my favorite (unrelated) recurring characters ran into pretty serious trouble in this one, and I was satisfied with the way the author resolved their issues.
It's been said that this series is Smith's love letter to Botswana, and I believe it's true. Mma Ramotswe and the rest of the cast remind us of the good in the world, and books like this one give a much-needed respite from the hustle and the craziness. I'm glad he's such a prolific writer, as I hope to never run out of his wonderful works. Of all of his series, this one is my favorite. Long live AMS!
These are reliable comfort reads for me and I enjoy them every time I pick them up. Looking forward to the new book in this series, which was recently published.
Third read:
AMS wrote a new novel in this series, and I'm rereading the series through once more until I come to the new one and finish it. This series has magic and happiness baked right in, and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in Botswana, but more than that, for people who are looking for a panacea of decency and goodness in the midst of everything.
May God bless AMS's pen, his typewriter, his PC, Mac, and the terrific narrator for the audiobooks: Lisette Lecat.
Second read:
OK, so apparently I'm reading the entire No. 1 Ladies Detective series this calendar year - and most of them have been rereads. This is my second time reading this book this year. And it was every bit as enjoyable as the first time through.
After finishing the series earlier this year, I immediately started back at the beginning. I've come full circle and have no desire to stop. So maybe the best question is will I ever stop reading Alexander McCall Smith's books?! I hope not. They lift my soul up. I wholeheartedly recommend them.
First read:
This is the 13th book in Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies Detective series, and it's every bit as good as the first. How many long-running series can say that? We finally meet Clovis Andersen in this installment, and he doesn't disappoint. I hope AMS brings him back again.
Two of my favorite (unrelated) recurring characters ran into pretty serious trouble in this one, and I was satisfied with the way the author resolved their issues.
It's been said that this series is Smith's love letter to Botswana, and I believe it's true. Mma Ramotswe and the rest of the cast remind us of the good in the world, and books like this one give a much-needed respite from the hustle and the craziness. I'm glad he's such a prolific writer, as I hope to never run out of his wonderful works. Of all of his series, this one is my favorite. Long live AMS!
May 30, 2012
It's so easy for a long-running series to get stale, but somehow, Mr. Smith has avoided that pitfall with these stories of Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi, and Mr. J.L.B. Matakoni. This latest installment is just as fresh as the first with some new characters being introduced (Thomas, Mr. Ditso, and the famed Clovis Andersen!), old antagonists making appearances (Violet Sephotho, Phuti's aunt), and of course the well-loved familiar cast of characters (Mma Potokwane, Charlie, Fanwell, Phuti Radiphuti). There is just the right balance between new adventures and continuity with the past.
Once again, Precious saves the day with her keen insight and faithful adherence to the guidance in Mr. Colvis Andersen's book, and this time, Mr. Clovis Andersen himself! Based on the ending, I wouldn't be surprised to see him turn up in the next book as well. The dishonest are brought to justice and their wicked plans thwarted, the innocent are vindicated and restored to their rightful places, and all is right in the world - or at least in Gabarone.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
Once again, Precious saves the day with her keen insight and faithful adherence to the guidance in Mr. Colvis Andersen's book, and this time, Mr. Clovis Andersen himself! Based on the ending, I wouldn't be surprised to see him turn up in the next book as well. The dishonest are brought to justice and their wicked plans thwarted, the innocent are vindicated and restored to their rightful places, and all is right in the world - or at least in Gabarone.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
April 10, 2015
Brilliant, delightful and now my favorite Alexander McCall Smith book. His analysis of the truth and description of Africa are gentle and fun, making the reader linger. The shoes of Mma. Makutsi have a new feature.
June 24, 2016
After the little bump in the road which was the weak The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party, McCall Smith not only finds his bearings again with this part 13(!) in the series, but manages one of the very top books with it. I was hesitant of him bringing the (for Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makuti at least) legendary Clovis Andersen to Botswana, but he pulls it off beautifully and the character is one you instantly sympathize with and even grow fond of.
There are a fair number of parallel stories in this and this time I felt them perfectly serious enough and non-transparent enough to keep interest all the way up. The character gallery is complete and at their best - even Violet Sephoto - the Ernst Stavro Blofeld of Gabarone - shows her far-reaching bad power without even appearing once in person.
One of the things I like best with the book in the series is that they are stand-alone and finished stories, I think you could read these in any order, really. Even if there (of course) are developments, these are swiftly given background to.
There are a fair number of parallel stories in this and this time I felt them perfectly serious enough and non-transparent enough to keep interest all the way up. The character gallery is complete and at their best - even Violet Sephoto - the Ernst Stavro Blofeld of Gabarone - shows her far-reaching bad power without even appearing once in person.
One of the things I like best with the book in the series is that they are stand-alone and finished stories, I think you could read these in any order, really. Even if there (of course) are developments, these are swiftly given background to.
October 21, 2015
Another pleasant read about the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency in Botswana. Precious Ramotswe is dealing with multiple problems. Help arrives in the person of Clovis Andersen, author of "The Principles of Private Detection." Together they resolve these problems and set the stage for another book.
I give it 4.5 stars out of 5.
I give it 4.5 stars out of 5.
December 23, 2013
Last October or November I won a couple of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books, and even though there were no obligations, I nevertheless felt obligated to "catch up" on this series, so here's the next-to-last.
It's not hard to read these books. In fact, for me each book is like several thousand of dollars worth of therapy (which, given today's prices, may be less than you think). I'm just saying McCall Smith has a gift of framing comments in a very positive manner. He voices what, from a positive point of view, needs to be said. Each book represents a prescription-sized dose of sanity. What we hear and, in consequence, what we see has its impact on existence, if you will--at the very least on what we work to bring into existence!
When I listen to the audio version, the narrator's beautiful Setswana- (or Tswana-)accented English is part of that equation, and I hear it even when reading traditionally. In fact, English is the official language of Botswana. There is a nod in this book to the Setswana vocabulary that is even now being lost.
As to plot, the author juggles several threads centering, this time out, on money, and on what happens when a formerly rural country is becoming urban and modern. On the pressures exerted on traditional values, as voiced by the capable but formidable Mma Potokwane, matron of the orphan farm:
The topic becomes the corruption of some people by money, and money as conferring the power to bully other people. The difficulties of the more retiring or of naive people in standing up to such aggression. The fear and depression that can occur when an individual becomes the victim of such bullying. Under those circumstances it's never amiss for a detective to sort out underhanded schemes and shine a light on dark doings. When people exit such complications, they naturally rally--or at least they do in Mma Ramotswe's Gaborone, Botswana.
Also in this book Mma Ramotswe experiences a version of "if you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him," when Clovis Anderson, who has mentored her via his book (fictional) The Principles of Private Detection, visits Gaborone. Of course, "kill" doesn't really apply to her version.
By the end of the book all the loose threads are capably tied up.
I want to end with one additional quote because it's about shoes; in another book I've been studying off and on, Muller's The Mind and the Market: Capitalism in Western Thought, shoes were being used in 18th century England, Scotland, and Europe to measure and compare economic progress. So here is a disquisition on shoes in Botswana from around 20 years ago to the present.
It's not hard to read these books. In fact, for me each book is like several thousand of dollars worth of therapy (which, given today's prices, may be less than you think). I'm just saying McCall Smith has a gift of framing comments in a very positive manner. He voices what, from a positive point of view, needs to be said. Each book represents a prescription-sized dose of sanity. What we hear and, in consequence, what we see has its impact on existence, if you will--at the very least on what we work to bring into existence!
When I listen to the audio version, the narrator's beautiful Setswana- (or Tswana-)accented English is part of that equation, and I hear it even when reading traditionally. In fact, English is the official language of Botswana. There is a nod in this book to the Setswana vocabulary that is even now being lost.
As to plot, the author juggles several threads centering, this time out, on money, and on what happens when a formerly rural country is becoming urban and modern. On the pressures exerted on traditional values, as voiced by the capable but formidable Mma Potokwane, matron of the orphan farm:
"...(T)hey are dazzled by all the money that they are being offered. That is what money does, Mma Ramotswe--you must have seen that. Sometimes we need to look the other way when people put money in front of our noses. We have to look at the other things we can see so that the money doesn't hide them."
The topic becomes the corruption of some people by money, and money as conferring the power to bully other people. The difficulties of the more retiring or of naive people in standing up to such aggression. The fear and depression that can occur when an individual becomes the victim of such bullying. Under those circumstances it's never amiss for a detective to sort out underhanded schemes and shine a light on dark doings. When people exit such complications, they naturally rally--or at least they do in Mma Ramotswe's Gaborone, Botswana.
Also in this book Mma Ramotswe experiences a version of "if you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him," when Clovis Anderson, who has mentored her via his book (fictional) The Principles of Private Detection, visits Gaborone. Of course, "kill" doesn't really apply to her version.
By the end of the book all the loose threads are capably tied up.
I want to end with one additional quote because it's about shoes; in another book I've been studying off and on, Muller's The Mind and the Market: Capitalism in Western Thought, shoes were being used in 18th century England, Scotland, and Europe to measure and compare economic progress. So here is a disquisition on shoes in Botswana from around 20 years ago to the present.
There were a number of possible reasons for Mma Makutsi's attachment to shoes. One of these was profound: as a young girl, she had had none, and she remembered looking with envy at those so placed as to afford them. At the age of eight she was still unshod--which was not unusual in a remote village in that rather hard part of the country. But over the next year or so, shoes started to appear on the feet of other members of her class at school, and her heart ached, ached, for a pair. The other children's shoes tended to be hand-me-downs. But she had to wait, though a sympathetic friend lent her a pair of shoes for the duration of her birthday--blissful, remembered hours, even if the shoes in question were slightly too small and pinched her feet in places.
With such memories, what could one do but love shoes, long for them, dream of the day when one might have several pairs safely stacked away; comfortable shoes, shoes that fitted one's feet, shoes with no history of other owners, of other feet? That day dawned for her, of course, and it brought its expected pleasure."
April 6, 2017
An Exceptional Tale of Botswana's #1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Many years ago, when I was pretending to be a science fiction writer, I got to know a famous figure in the genre. Though he himself never admitted as much, I was told that he had worked himself through a prestigious college in the 1950s by turning out shelves-full of sci-fi novels at a penny a word. He rented an office near campus and would show up every weekday morning at 9, remove the cover of his typewriter, and begin typing — nonstop, and without hesitation — until precisely noon. At that point, he would recover the typewriter and leave for lunch and his afternoon classes. Now, some four decades later, I’m inclined to believe that story, because he is credited with having published a total of more than 300 books, a fair number of them award-winners.
Alexander McCall Smith must be a little like that sci-fi writer. Not a lot — just a little, just in the ease with which he manages to write. After all, he has published a total of just 72 books: 36 novels, 21 children’s books, 3 short story collections, and 12 academic texts. But, to give the guy a break, during most of his 64 years he was employed full-time as a teacher of medical law at the University of Edinburgh and other universities. In fact, Smith is renowned worldwide as an expert in the field of medical ethics. By comparison, the sci-fi author I alluded to above has worked full-time as a writer ever since graduating from college.
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection is the 13th and latest in Smith’s best-known series of novels about the #1 Ladies’ Detective Agency in Gaborone, the capital of the small, land-locked nation of Botswana, bordering South Africa. To my mind, it’s one of the best. As always, the story revolves around the lives of Mma (“Ms.”) Precious Ramotswe, founder and proprietor of the agency, and her consistently exasperating assistant, Mma Grace Makutsi. Grace graduated from the local secretarial school with an unprecedented grade of 97 percent on her final exam — and she never lets anyone, and I mean anyone, walk into the office without learning about it.
Here, for example, is a typical comment by Mma Makutsi on a statement by Mma Potokwane, Mma Ramotswe’s friend, who was despairing of her life at the time:
“Nobody is useless,” she said heatedly, “and you are less useless than nobody else, Mma. Definitely.” This remark was greeted with silence while Mma Ramotswe and Mma Potokwane had tried to work out what it meant. The spirit in which it was made, though, was clear enough, and Mma Potokwane simply thanked her.”
In The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are confronted with a series of surprises: the completely unexpected visit of their idol, Clovis Andersen of Muncie, Indiana, author of The Principles of Private Detection; the shocking dismissal of Mma Ramotswe’s good friend, Mma Potokwane, as matron of the orphan farm; and the arrest of Fanwell, a young man who apprenticed with Mma Ramotswe’s husband (“the finest mechanic in Botswana”), Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni, and now works for him as a certified mechanic. Each of these story lines moves along at the measured pace of life in the near-desert of Botswana. As always, of course, Mma Ramotswe solves every mystery and rights every wrong, but this time she receives timely help from her hero, Clovis Andersen.
If there’s a single word that sums up the novels in the #1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, it’s “charming.” These are books full of gentle humor, folk wisdom, and a view of life and the world that is both generous and optimistic. However, The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection dwells more on the story’s setting, exploring the land, its history, and its people more in-depth than in previous books in the series. In the background — always in the background, but unmistakably present — are poverty, the AIDS epidemic, and the tragic events that unfold with alarming frequency in Botswana’s neighbors.
If you haven’t read any of the previous 12 books, you might find The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection to be a good place to start.
(From www.malwarwickonbooks.com)
Many years ago, when I was pretending to be a science fiction writer, I got to know a famous figure in the genre. Though he himself never admitted as much, I was told that he had worked himself through a prestigious college in the 1950s by turning out shelves-full of sci-fi novels at a penny a word. He rented an office near campus and would show up every weekday morning at 9, remove the cover of his typewriter, and begin typing — nonstop, and without hesitation — until precisely noon. At that point, he would recover the typewriter and leave for lunch and his afternoon classes. Now, some four decades later, I’m inclined to believe that story, because he is credited with having published a total of more than 300 books, a fair number of them award-winners.
Alexander McCall Smith must be a little like that sci-fi writer. Not a lot — just a little, just in the ease with which he manages to write. After all, he has published a total of just 72 books: 36 novels, 21 children’s books, 3 short story collections, and 12 academic texts. But, to give the guy a break, during most of his 64 years he was employed full-time as a teacher of medical law at the University of Edinburgh and other universities. In fact, Smith is renowned worldwide as an expert in the field of medical ethics. By comparison, the sci-fi author I alluded to above has worked full-time as a writer ever since graduating from college.
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection is the 13th and latest in Smith’s best-known series of novels about the #1 Ladies’ Detective Agency in Gaborone, the capital of the small, land-locked nation of Botswana, bordering South Africa. To my mind, it’s one of the best. As always, the story revolves around the lives of Mma (“Ms.”) Precious Ramotswe, founder and proprietor of the agency, and her consistently exasperating assistant, Mma Grace Makutsi. Grace graduated from the local secretarial school with an unprecedented grade of 97 percent on her final exam — and she never lets anyone, and I mean anyone, walk into the office without learning about it.
Here, for example, is a typical comment by Mma Makutsi on a statement by Mma Potokwane, Mma Ramotswe’s friend, who was despairing of her life at the time:
“Nobody is useless,” she said heatedly, “and you are less useless than nobody else, Mma. Definitely.” This remark was greeted with silence while Mma Ramotswe and Mma Potokwane had tried to work out what it meant. The spirit in which it was made, though, was clear enough, and Mma Potokwane simply thanked her.”
In The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are confronted with a series of surprises: the completely unexpected visit of their idol, Clovis Andersen of Muncie, Indiana, author of The Principles of Private Detection; the shocking dismissal of Mma Ramotswe’s good friend, Mma Potokwane, as matron of the orphan farm; and the arrest of Fanwell, a young man who apprenticed with Mma Ramotswe’s husband (“the finest mechanic in Botswana”), Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni, and now works for him as a certified mechanic. Each of these story lines moves along at the measured pace of life in the near-desert of Botswana. As always, of course, Mma Ramotswe solves every mystery and rights every wrong, but this time she receives timely help from her hero, Clovis Andersen.
If there’s a single word that sums up the novels in the #1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, it’s “charming.” These are books full of gentle humor, folk wisdom, and a view of life and the world that is both generous and optimistic. However, The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection dwells more on the story’s setting, exploring the land, its history, and its people more in-depth than in previous books in the series. In the background — always in the background, but unmistakably present — are poverty, the AIDS epidemic, and the tragic events that unfold with alarming frequency in Botswana’s neighbors.
If you haven’t read any of the previous 12 books, you might find The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection to be a good place to start.
(From www.malwarwickonbooks.com)
December 20, 2015
Audiobook performed by Lisette Lecat
Book thirteen in the series featuring Mma Precious Ramotswe, her associate Mma Grace Makutsi, and their husbands, friends and clients. In this volume personal and professional lives become entwined. The best apprentice at Mr J L B Matekoni’s garage is arrested, Grace and her husband are building their dream house, and Mma Potokwane (matron of the orphan farm) has been dismissed.
I love this gentle cozy series, where the mysteries are usually of the financial or political kind, and not typically murders. Still Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are tenacious in ferreting out corruption and misbehavior, and in setting things right. For who could possibly look either of these ladies in the eye and NOT follow the right path they so clearly set out.
I think I’ll never get tired of this series. Reading one of these books is simply a balm for my soul.
Lisette Lecat is nothing short of spectacular performing the audio. She really brings this cast of characters alive. I feel as if I’ve been sitting on the veranda with Mma Ramotswe, enjoying some tea and drinking in the beauty that is Botswana and its people.
Book thirteen in the series featuring Mma Precious Ramotswe, her associate Mma Grace Makutsi, and their husbands, friends and clients. In this volume personal and professional lives become entwined. The best apprentice at Mr J L B Matekoni’s garage is arrested, Grace and her husband are building their dream house, and Mma Potokwane (matron of the orphan farm) has been dismissed.
I love this gentle cozy series, where the mysteries are usually of the financial or political kind, and not typically murders. Still Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are tenacious in ferreting out corruption and misbehavior, and in setting things right. For who could possibly look either of these ladies in the eye and NOT follow the right path they so clearly set out.
I think I’ll never get tired of this series. Reading one of these books is simply a balm for my soul.
Lisette Lecat is nothing short of spectacular performing the audio. She really brings this cast of characters alive. I feel as if I’ve been sitting on the veranda with Mma Ramotswe, enjoying some tea and drinking in the beauty that is Botswana and its people.
July 28, 2012
In the midst of mass shootings and too many 90-degree days and droughts and fires and all the other worries that plague our lives (when we let them) it is so nice to escape once again to Gaberone, Botswana with Mma Romotswe, Mma Makutsi, and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni and their friends and families where, although there are problems, they usually have a much more human scale than those facing us in more metropolitan environments. The newest book in this big-hearted series is called The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection and is, as usual, by Alexander McCall Smith.
When Mma Romotswe first set up the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, she used the principles described by her chosen mentor, Mr. Clovis Anderson in his book The Principles of Private Detection. In this current adventure, Clovis Anderson, runs across Mma Romotswe’s detective business totally by accident (are there any true accidents) while he is visiting friends in Gaberone after his wife, as Mma would say, ‘became late’. He helps Mma Romotswe and her associate detective, Mma Makutsi, solve at least two of the everyday sorts of cases that they solve so well. These two women are very good at keeping evil people from complicating the lives of good people.
We can see that Clovis Anderson is having some difficulty accepting the praise being heaped upon him by his two-person fan club and this situation must also be unraveled. And it will be, all in good time, and accompanied by the drinking of many, many cups of tea (bush tea for Mma R. and black tea for Mma M.) In fact, while traveling to the edge of the Kalahari to help their friend, Mma Potokwane, they actually estimate the number of cups of tea they drink in year and then try to estimate the number of cups of tea quaffed in larger establishments all over Botswana – a mind-boggling number.
If you get a chance, visit Gaberone soon. It will slow you down and warm your heart and bring you some solace. It will help you see that the world may not be “going to hell in a hand-basket” quite yet.
When Mma Romotswe first set up the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, she used the principles described by her chosen mentor, Mr. Clovis Anderson in his book The Principles of Private Detection. In this current adventure, Clovis Anderson, runs across Mma Romotswe’s detective business totally by accident (are there any true accidents) while he is visiting friends in Gaberone after his wife, as Mma would say, ‘became late’. He helps Mma Romotswe and her associate detective, Mma Makutsi, solve at least two of the everyday sorts of cases that they solve so well. These two women are very good at keeping evil people from complicating the lives of good people.
We can see that Clovis Anderson is having some difficulty accepting the praise being heaped upon him by his two-person fan club and this situation must also be unraveled. And it will be, all in good time, and accompanied by the drinking of many, many cups of tea (bush tea for Mma R. and black tea for Mma M.) In fact, while traveling to the edge of the Kalahari to help their friend, Mma Potokwane, they actually estimate the number of cups of tea they drink in year and then try to estimate the number of cups of tea quaffed in larger establishments all over Botswana – a mind-boggling number.
If you get a chance, visit Gaberone soon. It will slow you down and warm your heart and bring you some solace. It will help you see that the world may not be “going to hell in a hand-basket” quite yet.
August 25, 2016
Take a slow, deep breath, curl up in your favorite chair with a hot drink and prepare to enjoy another satisfying meal of literary comfort food. The latest instalment in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series may not win any new converts, but it will most definitely not disappoint its fans. All the familiar characters are back and their stories are woven in with little musings on subjects like always doing your best or the value of taking time out just to sit, gaze upon static things and be calm.
Ever since Mma Ramotswe embarked on her career as a private detective, her "bible" has been Clovis Anderson's book about the principals of private detection. She is thrilled to discover that he is visiting Botswana. They become friends, but it is apparent that Clovis is troubled by something. It's quite endearing to read her gushing praise of him, her assumption that he is internationally renowned, while he is clearly nothing of the sort. However they do work together on a case, which makes a refreshing change in formula.
Mma Ramotswe's a case is very dear to her heart. Her friend Mma Potokwani, wants her to check the motivations of a member of the orphan farm board. As the conflict between Mma Potokwani and her foe escalates, Clovis and Mma Ramotswe will need to combine their talents to get to the bottom of the affair.
Meanwhile, Fanwell (one of the Speedy Motors apprentices) is getting himself into hot water. A favour for an old acquaintance has lead into illegal territory. And Mma Makutsi's new husband has decided to build them a new home. However the builder whom he has chosen is not particularly interested in Phuti's input and is even less interested in anything that Mma Makutsi has to say. It also appears that one of his builders is wary of Phuti - but why?
If you love this series - as I do - you are bound to enjoy this addition to it.
Ever since Mma Ramotswe embarked on her career as a private detective, her "bible" has been Clovis Anderson's book about the principals of private detection. She is thrilled to discover that he is visiting Botswana. They become friends, but it is apparent that Clovis is troubled by something. It's quite endearing to read her gushing praise of him, her assumption that he is internationally renowned, while he is clearly nothing of the sort. However they do work together on a case, which makes a refreshing change in formula.
Mma Ramotswe's a case is very dear to her heart. Her friend Mma Potokwani, wants her to check the motivations of a member of the orphan farm board. As the conflict between Mma Potokwani and her foe escalates, Clovis and Mma Ramotswe will need to combine their talents to get to the bottom of the affair.
Meanwhile, Fanwell (one of the Speedy Motors apprentices) is getting himself into hot water. A favour for an old acquaintance has lead into illegal territory. And Mma Makutsi's new husband has decided to build them a new home. However the builder whom he has chosen is not particularly interested in Phuti's input and is even less interested in anything that Mma Makutsi has to say. It also appears that one of his builders is wary of Phuti - but why?
If you love this series - as I do - you are bound to enjoy this addition to it.
February 24, 2018
A lovely book about Bostwana, a beautiful place with very beautiful people (inside not outside) living in it. This book is like a comfort food, something you partake to bring smiles (and occasional tears) to your face. I really admired Mma Ramotswe and if everyone could learn to be a bit more like her, then I think the world would be a much better place.
January 3, 2013
I have probably read 10 or 12 McCall Smith books. Can't say that this one stands out from the crowd but the "No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series definitely does (a whole order of magnitude above "the Isabel Dalhousie" series or "the Portuguese Irregular Verbs" or "the 44 Scotland Street" series.
One thing I noticed as I read this book, which I expect applies to McCall Smith's other Botswana books as well, and may apply accross the board to African speach: almost everything that is said, is said twice, and in two slightly different ways. As in the Old Testement of the Bible, and probably, probably a characteristic of all Hebrew speach: eg. "The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork." An example at random from this book (p. 10, Mma Ramotswe speaking about a man she saw in a dream) "It was not him. It was a man I had never seen before. And he did not come from here. He was a stranger."
That is only one of many things about these books that make you feel like you are in Africa.
One thing I noticed as I read this book, which I expect applies to McCall Smith's other Botswana books as well, and may apply accross the board to African speach: almost everything that is said, is said twice, and in two slightly different ways. As in the Old Testement of the Bible, and probably, probably a characteristic of all Hebrew speach: eg. "The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork." An example at random from this book (p. 10, Mma Ramotswe speaking about a man she saw in a dream) "It was not him. It was a man I had never seen before. And he did not come from here. He was a stranger."
That is only one of many things about these books that make you feel like you are in Africa.
April 14, 2013
It's like Clovis Anderson himself says (making a personal appearance in this installment), "I won't forget you, Mma Ramotswe."
Mma Ramotswe's response: She smiled at him. It was a kind thing for him to say, but of course he would forget her. He was an important, busy man from far away: Why should he remember a woman who lived in a place that was small by comparison with his own country; a women who had only a tiny business and not very important things to do? Why should he remember?"
I'm with Clovis.
Mma Ramotswe's response: She smiled at him. It was a kind thing for him to say, but of course he would forget her. He was an important, busy man from far away: Why should he remember a woman who lived in a place that was small by comparison with his own country; a women who had only a tiny business and not very important things to do? Why should he remember?"
I'm with Clovis.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2020
I really loved this book in the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. In this story, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi meet Clovis Anderson, the author of the private detection book they always refer to when working on cases. I love that he is an unexpected guest, and that he is able to help them, and them to help him, with issues going on in the lovely land of Botswana.
September 5, 2019
I always enjoy a good Precious Ramotswe novel. They're a quick,light read with a touch of humour, and usually well written and enjoyable. This one presents the mysteries of life more close to home, as it is now Precious' friends and relations who need her help and expertise. As usual, she sorts it all out with little effort. I did wonder, however, how she could make sure that a corrupt official would not renege on his promise to do better--if she can pull that one off, I'm sure more than one government would like to talk to her.
I do have a couple of mysteries to solve myself, though. What happened to Mma Ramotswe's new blue van? Did she get rid of it? Suddenly she's back in the tiny white one again. Of course, without it, some of the events wouldn't have taken place, but still.
I was also amused when I remembered suddenly that in the first book, Grace Makutsi is presented as a widow woman--I actually went back and looked. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that in this series of novels, Mr McCall decided to change the character into one he found more satisfying. After all, Precious is a sort of "grass widow"--maybe the unattractive eversingle (until now) Mma Makutsi made a better foil for "traditionally built" Mma Ramotswe. Now we see that Mma Makutsi is getting a bit "traditional" herself. I wonder if there could possibly be a little Radiphuti on the way?
I was a bit disappointed that there was less interaction than I expected with "the great" Clovis Anderson. We are told that Mma Ramotswe takes him off to Mochudi so he can see her village--but turn the page, and they're back already; there's nothing about the trip. The Anderson thread just kind of fizzles out...aside from the fact that for a man from Muncie, IN, he talks awfully like an Englishman! I was raised in the Midwest myself and we don't speak of kids as "ginger-haired." Redheaded, or with red hair, yes. But it's not the issue it is in the UK, either. You might find people speaking of red-haired friends as having a temper or being very forceful people (not to say pushy! LOL) but never, ever "ginger." That's just one example. Perhaps Mr McCall Smith doesn't know very many Americans.
I found the end rather dissatisfying; it reads almost like a transitional episode. Will there be more books in the series? Or has "Show me the Money" McCall Smith finally mined the mother lode for all it's worth? It does seem at times, when you look at his body of work, that he's trying to turn every aspect of his life and work into money on the book market. Mma Ramotswe is, for my money, the pick of the crop...I hope if the books continue that he treats the characters with the respect they deserve.
I do have a couple of mysteries to solve myself, though. What happened to Mma Ramotswe's new blue van? Did she get rid of it? Suddenly she's back in the tiny white one again. Of course, without it, some of the events wouldn't have taken place, but still.
I was also amused when I remembered suddenly that in the first book, Grace Makutsi is presented as a widow woman--I actually went back and looked. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that in this series of novels, Mr McCall decided to change the character into one he found more satisfying. After all, Precious is a sort of "grass widow"--maybe the unattractive eversingle (until now) Mma Makutsi made a better foil for "traditionally built" Mma Ramotswe. Now we see that Mma Makutsi is getting a bit "traditional" herself. I wonder if there could possibly be a little Radiphuti on the way?
I was a bit disappointed that there was less interaction than I expected with "the great" Clovis Anderson. We are told that Mma Ramotswe takes him off to Mochudi so he can see her village--but turn the page, and they're back already; there's nothing about the trip. The Anderson thread just kind of fizzles out...aside from the fact that for a man from Muncie, IN, he talks awfully like an Englishman! I was raised in the Midwest myself and we don't speak of kids as "ginger-haired." Redheaded, or with red hair, yes. But it's not the issue it is in the UK, either. You might find people speaking of red-haired friends as having a temper or being very forceful people (not to say pushy! LOL) but never, ever "ginger." That's just one example. Perhaps Mr McCall Smith doesn't know very many Americans.
I found the end rather dissatisfying; it reads almost like a transitional episode. Will there be more books in the series? Or has "Show me the Money" McCall Smith finally mined the mother lode for all it's worth? It does seem at times, when you look at his body of work, that he's trying to turn every aspect of his life and work into money on the book market. Mma Ramotswe is, for my money, the pick of the crop...I hope if the books continue that he treats the characters with the respect they deserve.
May 3, 2012
The Limpopo Academy had better make a repeat appearance, because with the appearance of Clovis Anderson, I was looking forward to seeing what the academy had to offer and who would take the classes. But it ended up as an idea that was never developed. I would love to see Charlie take the classes, as he's clearly not a great mechanic, and would drive any instructor crazy, which would be amusing (but who knows, he might be good at this!). And Grace's ambition does seem to lead to her not being happy even as an 'associate detective' forever, so running an academy might be right up her alley. At any rate, I have to let go of that for now.
The book is as to be expected for the series...I love Precious and JLB, at turns love and grow annoyed at Grace, am growing attached to Phuti. I would like for the adopted children to become a little big more developed as characters, even though they are only briefly in the books since it centers on the detective work more than Precious's home life. I liked Clovis showing up, and feared for a minute that he had not actually written the book the women idolize him for. So I was relieved that fear was unfounded. Just another quiet, enjoyable read for the series. They don't leave you hanging, so I'm never anxious for the next book, but I'm always happy to see another one on the shelf.
The book is as to be expected for the series...I love Precious and JLB, at turns love and grow annoyed at Grace, am growing attached to Phuti. I would like for the adopted children to become a little big more developed as characters, even though they are only briefly in the books since it centers on the detective work more than Precious's home life. I liked Clovis showing up, and feared for a minute that he had not actually written the book the women idolize him for. So I was relieved that fear was unfounded. Just another quiet, enjoyable read for the series. They don't leave you hanging, so I'm never anxious for the next book, but I'm always happy to see another one on the shelf.
August 16, 2012
Having read all of the other No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency novels, I thought this one fell short. Maybe it's because the mysteries weren't solved as the book went along, but kind of all together in a hurry at the end. Maybe it's because Violet Sephotho didn't really make an appearance. Mma Makutsi's house wasn't finished at the end even though the teaser on the inside front flap made the house building out to be a big dramatic part of the book and it wasn't. I got a bit lost in the long musings about the affairs of humanity and the long musings about stew.
It was disappointing that Clovis Anderson was a lost, depressed character who, even though he went along on one client visit, didn't seem to add anything or be the strong source of detective wisdom that Mma Ramwotse relied on all these years. *An out-of-place character, both in personality, clothing and mood, can be a great writer and source of wisdom even if he doesn't have a bestseller.*
I was left wondering if Mma Makutsi is a bit emotionally disturbed because she believes her shoes really are talking to her and she takes it too seriously.
I have loved the series though and thoroughly enjoy the warmth that this series conveys along with its heartening dose of morals. I would still recommend reading this feel-good series.
It was disappointing that Clovis Anderson was a lost, depressed character who, even though he went along on one client visit, didn't seem to add anything or be the strong source of detective wisdom that Mma Ramwotse relied on all these years. *An out-of-place character, both in personality, clothing and mood, can be a great writer and source of wisdom even if he doesn't have a bestseller.*
I was left wondering if Mma Makutsi is a bit emotionally disturbed because she believes her shoes really are talking to her and she takes it too seriously.
I have loved the series though and thoroughly enjoy the warmth that this series conveys along with its heartening dose of morals. I would still recommend reading this feel-good series.
December 1, 2012
I just happened to take a detour, a beautiful detour, into Botswana. I stayed there a couple of weeks (long enough to drink up 13 delicious books) soak up the sun and scenery, and get well reacquainted with some old friends to hear their latest joys & woes.
They've really buoyed me up, made me laugh, filled me with their beauty, kindness goodness, humanity. 13 books and there's still fresh stories to tell and the same feeling of love shared....broadcasted, in fact.
...
McCall Smith...regarding this series....the man knows how to use words so wonderfully, these books are such a joy to read...really, sheer joy for an admittedly snobbish-about-quality-in-literature gal.
It's been a while since I'd read these (and obviously I hadn't yet read this brand new one). I'd forgotten that the first two were a little more rough around the edges. I mention this so that anyone who gives up on this series if they didn't fall head over heels for it in the beginning ought to seriously consider trying again. These books spread light with their fundamental themes of compassion, caring, kindness, living in peace, belief in the inherent goodness of humanity. They at a true rarity & treasure in or day of popular toxic shock penny rags.
I hope this series continues forever. Really!
They've really buoyed me up, made me laugh, filled me with their beauty, kindness goodness, humanity. 13 books and there's still fresh stories to tell and the same feeling of love shared....broadcasted, in fact.
...
McCall Smith...regarding this series....the man knows how to use words so wonderfully, these books are such a joy to read...really, sheer joy for an admittedly snobbish-about-quality-in-literature gal.
It's been a while since I'd read these (and obviously I hadn't yet read this brand new one). I'd forgotten that the first two were a little more rough around the edges. I mention this so that anyone who gives up on this series if they didn't fall head over heels for it in the beginning ought to seriously consider trying again. These books spread light with their fundamental themes of compassion, caring, kindness, living in peace, belief in the inherent goodness of humanity. They at a true rarity & treasure in or day of popular toxic shock penny rags.
I hope this series continues forever. Really!
September 27, 2013
As always, this series makes me laugh out loud at our human foibles! Wouldn't it be nice if life were reflective, slow paced and agreeable as it is in Botswana. Do we take time to think about our neighbors, friends and coworkers? Do we recognize that they may have troubles and concerns in their lives? I doubt that we do. We are all so busy with our own lives in this modern, rush and succeed world that we don't take time to ponder how others are doing! Do we remember to do the right thing as Thomas did? If we see a wrong being done, do we try to right the wrong? Perhaps, we need to realize that there are time when minding
our own business is shirking our responsibility for a better society. (Sorry if I got carried away, didn't mean to preach to anyone....just wondering in print!)
These stories are like an old friend to me. A friend that you haven't seen in a long time but the conversation picks up like it was only yesterday! I come back to them to renew my feelings for others. I like to read and relax with Mma Ramotswe and her fellow countrymen. Please keep them coming, Mr. McCall Smith!
our own business is shirking our responsibility for a better society. (Sorry if I got carried away, didn't mean to preach to anyone....just wondering in print!)
These stories are like an old friend to me. A friend that you haven't seen in a long time but the conversation picks up like it was only yesterday! I come back to them to renew my feelings for others. I like to read and relax with Mma Ramotswe and her fellow countrymen. Please keep them coming, Mr. McCall Smith!
May 10, 2012
Another comfortable addition to the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. At this point, I can practically finish McCall Smith's sentences, and it is that cozy familiarity with the characters and what they will think, say and do that makes me love reading these novels. I never imagined, however, that the great Clovis Anderson would turn out to be American. Any self published writer will develop a soft spot for that great detective in the course of this book. This installment does not involve working for clients. Instead, the ladies find themselves helping good friends get out of trouble. I think that is why this is one of the best novels in the series. We really care about the resolution of the cases, because they involve characters we have come to care about. I may be wrong, but I think this is the first time Mma Ramotse and Mma Makutsi actually break down in tears about their cases. It's nice to see a series that is this mature hit a new high. When can I pre order the next one?
April 8, 2012
As usual a very pleasurable read. McCall's simple style is captivating, heartfelt, poetic- and conveys his deep love for Botswana. I have come to love all his characters over the series and I admire Mma Ramotswe's approach to life and love, her generosity of spirit. I think you have to love the entire series to love this book because it is very similar to all the others. The cases she solves and the dilemmas the characters face are solved neatly using the common-sense-and-redbush-tea formula. The plot however is only a fraction of what makes these books so good- they carry you along gently and leave you feeling satisfied. Sorry not to be more specific about the storyline, but fans of this series probably know how I feel!
October 25, 2016
This is book 13 in Alexander McCall Smith's sweet series, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and by this time you should know what to expect. The setting is the same–Botswana, Africa; the characters are the same–Mm Ramotswe's friends and neighbors; and the underlying philosophy which could be stated, "Do what is right by your fellow man (or woman) and it will all work out", is also the same. That being said, this is my favorite of the series so far. There are 3 plot lines, a surprise character and a tiny amount of suspense. It's all still within the formula and still gives the expected blood pressure lowering payoff. You are guaranteed to be transported to a place where the complex challenges of your own life will suddenly seem tractable if you just apply the quiet wisdom imparted here.
June 5, 2024
AUTHOR Smith, Alexander McCall
TITLE: The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection
DATE READ 01/05/2018
RATING 4/B
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF Mystery/2012/midwest Tape/ 9 CD's
SERIES/STAND-ALONE: #13
CHARACTERS Precious Ramotswe
TIME/PLACE: Present / Botswana
COMMENTS: Mma meets Clovis Anderson the author of The Principles of Private Detection -- the book she uses as a bible in her business. Grace and Phuti are building a house and their contractor is building a beautiful home but something is not being handled honestly.
Listened to and enjoyed it!
TITLE: The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection
DATE READ 01/05/2018
RATING 4/B
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF Mystery/2012/midwest Tape/ 9 CD's
SERIES/STAND-ALONE: #13
CHARACTERS Precious Ramotswe
TIME/PLACE: Present / Botswana
COMMENTS: Mma meets Clovis Anderson the author of The Principles of Private Detection -- the book she uses as a bible in her business. Grace and Phuti are building a house and their contractor is building a beautiful home but something is not being handled honestly.
Listened to and enjoyed it!
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