The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Book 1)
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Fans around the world adore the bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series and its proprietor, Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier lady detective. In this charming series, Mma Ramotswe—with help from her loyal associate, Grace Makutsi—navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom, good humor, and the occasional cup of tea.
This first novel in Alexander McCall Smith’s widely acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe, who is drawn to her profession to “help people with problems in their lives.” Immediately upon setting up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, she is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that tugs at her heart, and lands her in danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been snatched by witchdoctors.
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency received two Booker Judges’ Special Recommendations and was voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement.
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Readers say *The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency* is a gentle “comfort” read: easy, entertaining, and well-suited for bedtime or audiobooks. Reviewers ...
This is another one that I’ve had on my to-read list for a while, since Jul2022, so not too long. Like several book series that I have enjoyed, I didn’t start this series until after I watched the tv show, that was cancelled after one season. Such a shame too because it was a good show.
The book summary pretty much lays out the primary storyline of Precious starting her agency as the one and only female owned and operated detective agency in Botswana. There is also the storyline of Precious receiving a couple of marriage proposals, one from the local mechanic, JLB, another from friend, Hector. Precious respectfully declines the marriage proposals if that’s what you want to call them. Personally, both of them sounded like orders to me, like it was just assumed that Precious was going to marry them, and that was that!
Most of the story revolved around Precious solving the many cases that came her way, and not all of the clients willing to pay her for her service. There was one inquiry from a man who wanted her to find his missing son. Precious didn’t take the case and told the father that there wasn’t anything she could do to find her son; this bothered Precious.
At 272pgs, this was a pretty quick read, but the pace was definitely really slow. The story provided a lot of history about not only Precious and her family but about Botswana as well. Most of the story was a solid 3star read, however, that ending was captivating, especially the last chapter. Now I have to know what happens next.
The book summary pretty much lays out the primary storyline of Precious starting her agency as the one and only female owned and operated detective agency in Botswana. There is also the storyline of Precious receiving a couple of marriage proposals, one from the local mechanic, JLB, another from friend, Hector. Precious respectfully declines the marriage proposals if that’s what you want to call them. Personally, both of them sounded like orders to me, like it was just assumed that Precious was going to marry them, and that was that!
Most of the story revolved around Precious solving the many cases that came her way, and not all of the clients willing to pay her for her service. There was one inquiry from a man who wanted her to find his missing son. Precious didn’t take the case and told the father that there wasn’t anything she could do to find her son; this bothered Precious.
At 272pgs, this was a pretty quick read, but the pace was definitely really slow. The story provided a lot of history about not only Precious and her family but about Botswana as well. Most of the story was a solid 3star read, however, that ending was captivating, especially the last chapter. Now I have to know what happens next.
I had heard about this series. Decided to give it a try as an audio book to listen to while at the gym.
I would not call it a mystery per say but more of a collection of short stories. I feel there is no singular plot but simply one case after another. One case is solved and then she gets another case.
I will read another to see what it is like.
I would not call it a mystery per say but more of a collection of short stories. I feel there is no singular plot but simply one case after another. One case is solved and then she gets another case.
I will read another to see what it is like.
I love this book and am retroactively rating is a huge five stars (up from my original four). The book is wonderful; but, more importantly, it introduced me to my favorite author, to some of my best fictional friends and to Botswana.
I look forward to revisiting these loyal, kind, amusing, and in Mma Precious Ramotswe's case, wise friends as soon as a new book in this amazing series is released. I've read almost every piece of fiction Alexander McCall Smith has published as well and I'm never disappointed.
I generally listen to the audio recordings as I commute or walk my dog every day and can say that Lisette Lecat is wonderful at capturing personalities and adding a true local dialect (she was born in South Africa). In some of the early books, I remember her adding beautiful clicks and other non-English nuances to some of the dialog.
I look forward to revisiting these loyal, kind, amusing, and in Mma Precious Ramotswe's case, wise friends as soon as a new book in this amazing series is released. I've read almost every piece of fiction Alexander McCall Smith has published as well and I'm never disappointed.
I generally listen to the audio recordings as I commute or walk my dog every day and can say that Lisette Lecat is wonderful at capturing personalities and adding a true local dialect (she was born in South Africa). In some of the early books, I remember her adding beautiful clicks and other non-English nuances to some of the dialog.
There's a lot to criticize [0, Betty's comments in 1, 2]. However, it was still a really enjoyable, easy read.
[0] https://nytimes.com/2005/04/24/books/review/in-the-company-of-cheerful-ladies-the-weaker-sex.html
[1] https://goodreads.com/review/show/4483751
[2] https://reddit.com/r/books/comments/10nw34o/does_alexander_mccall_smith_depict_botswana_and
[0] https://nytimes.com/2005/04/24/books/review/in-the-company-of-cheerful-ladies-the-weaker-sex.html
[1] https://goodreads.com/review/show/4483751
[2] https://reddit.com/r/books/comments/10nw34o/does_alexander_mccall_smith_depict_botswana_and
This was one of my choices to take on vacation since I was hoping to pack in a lot of reading while aboard a cruise ship. I didn't read what this was about, just relied on a friend's recommendation that it was "charming" (and cost me $1 at Half Price Books).
I ended up reading this in one day and leaving it on the cruise ship for someone else to enjoy so I don't have it with me to refer back to for the review.
Precious Ramotswe lives in Botswana with her father, raising cattle and taking care of her dad and the land. She tried marriage before and ended up abused, beaten and having a miscarriage for her efforts. Once her father dies, she sells the cattle and opens her own business. This business is a detective agency and she can claim it to be Number 1 because, well, no other detective agency exists, let alone one ran by a woman.
Ramotswe takes on various cases and cleverly solves them all. The blurb on the back claimed a missing boy was her biggest concern, yet that case wasn't technically a case and it took up very little of the book. Either way, this is a cute and charming book but I'm doubtful I will read the rest in the series.
I ended up reading this in one day and leaving it on the cruise ship for someone else to enjoy so I don't have it with me to refer back to for the review.
Precious Ramotswe lives in Botswana with her father, raising cattle and taking care of her dad and the land. She tried marriage before and ended up abused, beaten and having a miscarriage for her efforts. Once her father dies, she sells the cattle and opens her own business. This business is a detective agency and she can claim it to be Number 1 because, well, no other detective agency exists, let alone one ran by a woman.
Ramotswe takes on various cases and cleverly solves them all. The blurb on the back claimed a missing boy was her biggest concern, yet that case wasn't technically a case and it took up very little of the book. Either way, this is a cute and charming book but I'm doubtful I will read the rest in the series.