So many books . . .

In this second book in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Mma Ramotswe is newly engaged to her friend Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. Her fledgling detective business in Gaborone, Botswana, is doing well, and she takes on several new cases, including those of a cheating wife and a son who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. She also learns that her secretary, Mma Makutsi, has some detecting talents of her own.

What is quickly becoming one of my favorite aspects of the books is the subtle ways the author provides small morsels of cultural information to the reader. Although chances are small I’ll ever be fortunate enough to visit myself, I feel like I’m slowly getting to know Botswana.

Rating: 3/5 Further reading: McCall Smith's homepage Alexander McCall Smith (wiki)

 

What a charming book! It had been on my to-read list for some time, and I regret that it took me so long to get to. Precious Ramotswe is a clever, plucky woman in her 30s who decides to open a detective agency -- the only such agency run by women -- in her native country of Botswana. Although business is initially slow, the locals soon warm up to the idea and Mma Ramotswe takes on cases ranging from missing husbands and stolen cars to false fathers and fraudulent doctors.

Getting to know Mma Ramotswe is a hoot, as is meeting her friends and clients. Throughout it all, Botswana's beauty and charm subtly take center stage.

Rating: 5/5 Further reading: Smith's homepage Alexander McCall Smith (wiki)