Customer Reviews: Read 118 more reviews...
 Lovely July 2, 2008
Eighth book in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.
The big case in this installment concerns three unexplained deaths at a local hospital--three people have died unexpectedly in the same bed, at the same time of day. Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni decides he is tired of being a mechanic and takes over a case of a cheating husband. All does not go quite as planned. Mma Makutsi resigns in preparation for being a married rich lady, but her newfound freedom doesn't live up to her expectations either. And Charlie, well he is just as irresponsible as ever.
In seeking to improve their lives and try new things, these characters realize that they've had it pretty good all along...
Another wise and wonderful book from Alexander McCall Smith. Highly recommended!
 And the story continues... May 18, 2008
While this addition to the "No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency" saga begins a little more slowly than its predecessors (in my humble opinion), Smith continues to deliver the wit and wisdom of Mma Ramotswe in an entertaining and enlightening fashion. Another delight for the heart and mind.
 Disappointing May 11, 2008
I usually quite enjoy the Number One Ladies' stories, but all the time while reading this one, I kept wondering if the author was actually going to use the old Urban Myth ([...]) about the mysterious deaths at the South African hospital. I told myself he surely wasn't going to recreate that old racist canard in fictive form, but was mistaken; if the author had heard the tale, as clearly he had, he must have been aware that its strength as a meme was due, in the US at least, to a certain segment of society's sense of racial superiority. Why he injected that kind of baggage into an otherwise lovely tale perplexes me.
Shaken up and put back together May 6, 2008
If you have already read previous volumes in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, you are familiar with the main characters: Precious Ramotswe, Grace Makutsi, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, Charlie and the never-named "younger apprentice." This time around, though, everyone gets shaken up. Two of them leave their long-time occupations, only to return soon, but a bit wiser for their experience.
As usual, the setting of the story is the country of Botswana, which Alexander McCall Smith so charmingly portrays. There are no high-tech weapons, no major world crises, no countdowns to the annihilation of the human race, no martial-arts-trained-multilingual-hi-tech women who always look like they are ready to go down a catwalk in Paris even after singlehandedly taking out a base full of terrorists. No, just the routine of life in a country where at least some people, like Mma Ramotswe, still value the courtesy and calm pace of the "old Botswana ways," even in the bustle of the capital city of Gabarone. You will enjoy this change of pace from Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy.
Another lovely read. May 6, 2008
This installment in the No. 1 series is as delightful as the others. That being said, if you don't like the others, you most likely won't like this one. The pacing is similar, as is the tone. These are not your typical "mystery novels," and I've know people who just didn't get into them. As for myself, I can't wait for the next one.
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