2025 #24 The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (McCall Smith) - No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #13

 

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After a fairly long hiatus from this series, I'm not sure if absence made the heart grow fonder or what, but this installment had everything I was looking for. I missed Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi's shoes, Mma Potokwane, and all the sundry characters. This volume is particularly rewarding for devotees of the series, with a guest appearance of some significance (it is on the blurb on the back, people, but I'll not be blamed for spoilers). Mma Makutsi and Mma Ramotswe seem to have (mostly) comfortably settled in as ... associates, and this story shows how friends can band together, laying aside petty differences. The most charming and touching aspect of the book comes at the end, where we see that Mma Ramotswe's true gift is to find the value in most people and things -- maybe not Violet Sepotho, however. :-)

View all my reviews

2018 #4: The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party (A. McCall Smith) - No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency #12

The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For a while I felt like the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series had jumped the proverbial shark. So after a several year hiatus, I decided to pick it back up again. The The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party seems to pick up the energy that was lost in the series, and keeps all the familiar joys: Grace Makutsi's relationship with her shoes, Mma Ramotswe's love for her little white van, etc. As he does in the earlier books in the series, Alexander McCall Smith manages to undergird his charming story with tougher questions about the secrets and assumptions that assail us every day. My only real criticism here is the title--the actual wedding itself is summed up in a couple of pages, so those hoping for an energetic description of Phuti and Grace's actual wedding will be disappointed.

50BC10 #4: The Double Comfort Safari Club (No.1 Ladies Detective Agency #11)

The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith My rating: 3 of 5 stars I think this series may have jumped the proverbial shark, at least for me. The main mystery in this installment piqued my interest, but fell flat at the end. The characters are still great, and the final scene with Mma Potokwane was worth it. I think if the series is going to survive, we need some new characters or more intriguing plots and mysteries (e.g. Mr. JLB Matekoni's struggles in earlier books, etc.).

50BC09 #14: Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (No.1 Ladies Detective Agency #10)

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith My rating: 4 of 5 stars This latest offering of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series is a fun read and a chance to engage further with the wonderful characters of Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi. The mystery, as in most of these books, is actually a secondary plot point, and we get a much better sense of attachment to the regular characters than in some other books in the series. What is also striking is the development of relationships between the characters: for the first time, we see a real friendship between Precious and Grace. Likewise, the book ventures into the more emotional terrain of love between Precious and Mr. JLB Matekoni. Generally, the characters are more dimensional than in prior installments and this move away from caricature is definitely a good direction for the series.

50BC08 #11: The Miracle at Speedy Motors (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency #9)

The Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith rating: 4 of 5 stars The real mystery in this series is how the author manages to continue the charming adventures of Precious Ramotswe, Grace Makutsi and Mr. JLB Matekoni well past the original seven volumes he had originally intended. Now on Book #9, McCall still manages to breathe new life into his characters, even if they still maintain habitual bush tea drinking or conversations with their shoes! One of the gifts or major frustrations of this series (depending on your preference) is the slow rate of character development (at least in terms of their interpersonal relationships). While Mma Potokwane can still be relied upon to supply fruitcake and charm Mr. JLB Matekoni into doing odd jobs, other characters begin to grow and mature, even if only by inches. The changes are subtle, but this is what keeps readers coming back for yet another volume. I have to admit to skipping over some of the repetitions (Smith writes so that you can pick up any volume in the series, but I do recommend reading them in order) but I found the plot coherency better in this book than in the Good Husband of Zebra Drive, for example. There is still a sense that perhaps he sets up too many loose ends and feels a pressure near the end to tie them up, but it doesn't detract from the general enjoyment of the novel.

The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (McCall Smith) - No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency #8

 

The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a surprise eighth installment to a series that was supposed to end with seven. While I am a big fan of the series, I found this particular book to be disappointing for a number of reasons, most of them related to the plot.
As is his usual set-up, McCall Smith starts a series of mini-mysteries to be solved by the ever-resourceful Mma Ramotswe and/or her colorful assistant, Mma Makutsi. In this book, several characters get their own mystery to solve, some with more success than others. Some of the plot lines break down, only to be gathered up hastily with weak explanations. There is also a lack of continuity between some of the story lines.
While the subplots have some definite leaks, the author's painting of the characters continues to be what makes these books so good. The reader learns a bit more about Mr. JLB Matekoni, although the mystery behind his depression remains as such. Mma Makutsi continues to have enjoyable dialogues with her shoes as she prepares for the next phase in her life. The children, Motholeli and Puso, make only brief appearances, as does Phuti Radiphuti.
There are still a few open loops in the tale of Mma Ramotswe and cohorts, so the author might not be finished with the series. Should there be a next installment, however, I hope that McCall Smith finds a fresh supply of creative plot lines.

View all my reviews

50BC06 #5: In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No.1 Ladies Detective Agency #6)

50 Book Challenge #5 BOOK REVIEW: In the Company of Cheerful Ladies Author: Alexander McCall Smith In Book 6 of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, the author allows his characters to really come into their own. The addition of a new member to the crew at Tlokweng Speedy Motors/No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is of great benefit to the narrative. The book starts off with a mystery and has a bit more of a “Murder She Wrote” type feel to it than the other books in the series. The return of a figure from Mma Ramotswe’s past brings about a deeper sense of introspection from her character. Fans of Mma Makutsi will be happy to know that her storyline finally develops. This is definitely the best of the six novels and Smith seems to grow more and more as a writer with each novel in the series. Posted here 9/8/08, originally posted 2/23/06.

50BC06#3: The Full Cupboard of Life (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency #5)

BOOK REVIEW: Alexander McCall Smith The Full Cupboard of Life (No. 5 in The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series) 50 Book Challenge #3 One of the best parts of Alexander McCall Smith’s series is that each book improves in terms of character definition and advancing the plot. Book 5 integrates Precious Ramotswe with the other characters in a more realistic and intriguing way. The author hints at the distinctions we must draw between manipulation and persuasion (in the character of Mma Potokwane), fear and caution (with Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni’s never-ending engagement to Mma Ramotswe), and speaking one’s mind and biting one’s tongue (aptly expressed in the character of Mma Makutsi.) Fans of the series who may by this time be frustrated with a lack of resolution to certain issues, will be slightly pacified in this book. McCall Smith highlights some of the more minor, yet regular, characters, filing out the world of Mma Ramotswe’s Botswana. This book manages to be endearing without the sense of condescension that some complain about with the first book. By Book 3, the author seems to have pulled up his proverbial chair and can now dialogue comfortably with his characters. The Full Cupboard of Life continues this trend and promises to bring the story to an enriching and delightful end in the final two books of the series. Posted here on 9/8/08, original post from 1/29/06