Modern ideas get tangled up with traditional ones in the latest intriguing installment in the beloved, best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Precious Ramotswe has taken on two puzzling cases. First she is approached by the lawyer Mma Sheba, who is the executor of a deceased farmer's estate. Mma Sheba has a feeling that the young man who has stepped forward may be falsely impersonating the farmer's nephew in order to claim his inheritance. Mma Ramotswe agrees to visit the farm and find out what she can about the self-professed nephew. Then the proprietor of the Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon comes to Mma Ramotswe for advice. The opening of her new salon has been shadowed by misfortune. Not only has she received a bad omen in the mail, but rumors are swirling that the salon is using dangerous products that burn people's skin. Could someone be trying to put the salon out of business? Meanwhile, at the office, Mma Ramotswe has noticed something different about Grace Makutsi lately. Though Mma Makutsi has mentioned nothing, it has become clear that she is pregnant . . . But in Botswana - a land where family has always been held above all else-this may be cause for controversy as well as celebration. With genuine warmth, sympathy, and wit, Alexander McCall Smith explores some tough questions about married life, parenthood, grief, and the importance of the traditions that shape and guide our lives.
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“The titlesof many of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels often have a wonderfullycheery tone. Think of The Full Cupboard of Life, for example, or TeaTime for the Traditionally Built. The latest title is brilliant in itshopefulness, implying, as it does, that a person may only be a mere tweak awayfrom beauty. This hopeful attitude is exemplified by Mma Ramotswe, the ownerand operator of Botswana’s only detective agency, who resolutely tackles theproblems people bring to her in her small, out-of-the-way office under anacacia tree. The clients’ problems showcase the usual suspects of greed, envy,sloth—all the vices that cause trouble for others…As usual, these novels areonly a bit about actual mysteries. They’re leisurely, wonderfully crafteddescriptions of life in the agency and at home, the beauties of Botswana, andthe joys, big and small, of life. This latest is, especially, a tribute toenduring friendship.”
— Booklist (starred review)
“A possible impostor and a cosmetologist’s nightmare are at the center of this No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novel…A fine addition to one of mystery’s most endearing series.”
— Barnes&Noble.com, editorial review“Forgiveness and generosity, she ultimately concludes, are the answer to most of life’s ills, which may explain the longevity of the series. Precious Ramotswe’s adventures, as inconsequential as they may seem, do not so much offer an escape from life’s woes as a suggestion for how to make the whole deal more palatable—fragility, fruit cake, and all.”
— Boston Globe“A particularly endearing entry in the long-running series, which has lost none of its gentleness or its love for Botswana, of which McCall Smith clearly has fond memories.”
— Christian Science Monitor“Two story lines work as serviceably as Mma Ramotswe’s doughty white van to propel the story forward, but the book’s appeal lies less in deduction than irrepressible characters, intriguing local lore, and bone-deep love of Africa.”
— Publishers Weekly“A reader favorite, the irresistible Precious juggles two cases with her usual aplomb. She has more trouble grappling with changes within her own agency in her fourteenth adventure.”
— Library Journal“When you are in the company of Mma Ramotswe, you know that, despite the clamor and chaos that passes for modern life, somewhere out there, all is right with the world.”
— BookReporter“Two and a half new cases for Precious Ramotswe, who presides over the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency… A little slower-moving and more diffuse than many of the thirteen preceding volumes in this celebrated series, but it’s no more than you’d expect from a heroine whose fleetness has never been as big a draw as her wisdom.”
— Kirkus Reviews“Lisette Lecat reprises her well-loved role as Botswana’s number one narrator as listeners are welcomed back to Gabarone and the investigations of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Setting the tempo with a distinctive accent, Lecat invites listeners to sit, perhaps with some tea, and enjoy Mma Ramotswe as she observes human nature…Whether it’s Mma Ramotswe’s regular moments of self-reflection or the dialogue of so many memorable characters, Lecat excels at capturing inflection and emotion. Another charming, and addictive, performance. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFileAlexander McCall Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including the No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie series, 44 Scotland Street novels, Corduroy Mansions series, the Perfect Passion Company novels, and more. He has also written stand-alone novels, books for children, and nonfiction works. In 2004 he was named the British Book Awards Author of the Year and Booksellers Association Author of the Year. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served with many national and international organizations concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and taught law at the University of Botswana.
Christina Moore is an actress and Earphones Award–winning audiobook narrator. As an actress, she is best known for her roles in the television series That ’70s Show, Hawthorne, and 90210. She is a founding member of Bitches Funny, an all-female sketch group that has performed in New York City and Los Angeles.