Miraklet på Speedy Motors

No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #9

by Alexander McCall Smith

Precious Ramotswe, traditionally built owner of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, feels that her tiny white van, which has carried her about her business with such steadfastness and reliability, should be replaced by a more modern vehicle. Precious's usually loyal husband, the wonderful Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, takes a different view. Alongside day-to-day matters - such as Mma Makutsi's dowry negotiations - there are more difficult problems for Mma Ramotswe to solve. A client, who was adopted, asks her to trace her biological family. But will Mma Ramotswe's searches bring happiness or something rather different, something rather frightening?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Africa, Botswana, Crime, Audiobook, Detective

260 pages

First published March 1, 2008

About the author

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the international phenomenon The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie Series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, and the 44 Scotland Street series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and he was a law professor at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland. Visit him online at www.alexandermccallsmith.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Reviews

[Will Byrnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another slow-moving tale of Precious Rawotse, her assistant, Mma Makutsi, her husband, and others in the continuing cast. As usual, not much goes on, but we get to spend a little more time with comfortable personalities and continue our slow look at Smith’s idea of Botswana. In this one, Precious tries to find the true history of a woman who had been an orphan. Mma Makutsi must contend with her desire for a large, fancy bed, and leaving it out in the rain when it doesn’t fit into her home. Precious suspects that threatening letters addressed to her may be coming from a part-time employee, and JLB Matekoni has taken their adopted, crippled daughter to look into a possible cure for her. Charming, but at this point, filler.

If you are new to the series. I would stop, go back and read The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. It makes a difference seeing the characters develop over the volumes.

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

To read a book in this series is to take a mini-vacation. The world seems calmer, the people more noble and kind, the pace of life relaxingly slow. The mysteries that form the plot of this novel -- and its companions in the series -- are beside the point. It's the time spent with Mma Ramotswe, her loyal and ambitious assistants, her humble and soft-spoken husband, and the strong-willed matron of the orphan farm which matter. After sitting for a while with Mma Ramotswe (with or without a cup of bush tea in hand),you vow to live a life based on the Botswana values of courtesy and friendship. That ambition may not last long when you've returned to reality, but it's certainly pleasant to enjoy the world of Botswana for a bit, and if you can recall a little of its peace and beauty in a moment of chaos and conflict, well, Mma Ramotswe would approve.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this one so much! There are three "cases" and each is very different. Meanwhile Mma Ramotswe drives her tiny van around. Mma Makutsi still has conversations with her shoes. Charlie the apprentice is still looking at women's bottoms (which comes in handy this time). After a rainstorm, the flying ants come out. The younger apprentice grabs one or two midflight, takes off their wings, and pops them in his mouth. I also read about flying ants as a delicacy in an autobiography I was enjoying this week. Love those book connections. If you haven't tried this series yet, I highly recommend it on audio. Lisette Lecat does a spectacular job as narrator.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Mrs. Moffat had taken her hand for comfort, and they had sat there in silence for awhile. Sometimes it seemed as if the world itself was broken, that there was something wrong with all of us, something broken in such a way that it might not be put together again; but the holding of hands, human hand in human hand, could help, could make the world seem less broken."

This was my most favorite book of the series, and I sincerely hope it won't be the last one.

I really enjoyed the development of the main characters, but most especially loved that there were more interactions with Mma Ramotswe and her foster children. I was moved to tears when Mma Ramotswe took a drive with Puso and later when she sold some cattle for Motholeli. I guess it's the mother in me that fell in love even more with Mma Ramotswe in this book, as she seems (at last) to embrace being a mother herself.

And thank heavens that Mma Makutsi's new glasses went the way of Mma Ramotswe's diet! I can't bear any changes of appearance in either of them.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sixth read:

I’m rereading this series with my husband. Some laughter and some tears in this one, as you would expect from AMS, a man who knows my soul, while being a man I’ve never met. I love these books. If you ever need wise, witty, encouraging words, AMS is a really good place to go. I love you, AMS! You are the cure for what ails the world. Thank you for your wonderful work.

Fifth read:

4.5 stars. Wow. I can't believe I've read this book 5 times now. It's really something when the government is run so poorly and so heinously that I've literally read this loooong series through every single year it was going on. But it got me through it! It got me through it.

And I do recommend this series wholeheartedly to every single human being on this planet. It is the cure all for whatever ails you. The entire series except the newest book is all narrated by Lisette Lecat and I can't overestimate how wonderfully she narrates every single one of these books. I fervently hope that they bring her back for the next book in the series. She is a shining star. She turns a great book into a fantastic book, every single time.

Fourth read:

Alexander McCall Smith is a sensitive soul with a wise and warm heart, and he wrote every book in this series with the fibers of it. He is in love with Botswana and he is in love with Mma Ramotswe and these characters. And it shows.

Lisette Lecat smashes it out of the park every single time with her unbeatable narration of these books. They make me happy every time I listen to them. They are not fluffy reads. They will make you think; they make me laugh and cry but every single one of these books is stitched into my soul.

When I need to reorient myself to peace and happiness, this is where I turn.


Third read:
No one does civility and gentleness like Alexander McCall Smith. There should be a genre for "light, but not too light, wise and funny reads" and if there were, this series would lead the charge. When you're looking for an escape read without too much drama, no sex or violence, and plenty of smiles, you can't beat this series.

And if you enjoy audiobooks, you can't do better than Lisette Lecat's narration of every book in this series.

I sometimes reread books, but I've read this series through twice and now rereading them all a year later. I didn't plan to but after rereading the second one, it just naturally led in to the third one and so on. There is enough going on in the world right now to lead a gentle heart to ruin, and if you need refreshment from that, this series fills the bill.

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Second read:
These books get better as the series go on, and the rereads are better than the first reads. I can't think of any other series I feel this way about. Nobody does kindness like Mma. Ramotswe. I wish Alexander McCall Smith could teach classes on it. But he doesn't need to. This series does that for him.

Lisette Lecat, the audiobook narrator for this entire series, can't be outdone with her performances of these books.

This series is wonderful, the audios are possibly even better, you'll learn a lot about Botswana, you'll smile, you'll cry at times too, these books are everything I look for in a book. Everything! I need to buy the whole series so I can underline and highlight to my little heart's content!

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First read:
Another solid book from the No. 1 Ladies series. These are perfect to have on your MP3 player for when you can't sleep. There's no non-stop action, they're just warm and wise. Usually no murders, just hometown stuff. I enjoy them.

[Petra X · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another feel-good book about the no. 1 lady detective, Precious Ramotswe and her slightly off-kilter assistant Mma Makutse set in Botswana. The plots are irrelevant, the many characters are beautifully-drawn and the author's love of Botswana shines through. Indeed, one of the pleasures of this series of books, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, is revisiting the interesting characters that populate the stories, much like meeting old friends and have a slice of fruit cake, a cup of tea and a chat together.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books surprised me, because most detectives investigate murders and stuff, and I hate murder mysteries. A lot. (Sorry, Jen. I love you!)
No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, though, are just consistently feel-good, introspective character studies and pools of knowledge about human nature. On top of that, they are really fast to read, and finishing a book always makes me feel good about myself.
I don't read them in order, so don't let this review fool you--I haven't read them all. Eventually I will. As usual, after having finished this one, I carried Precious Ramotswe around in my head for several days, pretending (and wishing) we were friends. To the extent that when the Botswana team marched into National Stadium, I did an extra little cheer for them, because that's where my friend is from. Yep. It's a sickness.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 9th book in the series, but the 1st I've listened to as an audiobook, and I've decided it's the only way to do it! I love the language and the dialect of these books, but hearing how names and places are actually pronounced took it to a while new level! The reader sounds like Helen Mirren, and she is a hoot doing the voices for Mma Makutsi and Charlie in particular.

The story itself was charming, of course: funny and at times a little sad, with plenty of reflection on how things are changing, and how much they love Botswana.

[Una Tiers · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely visit with friends! Smith conveys a warmth in the series that is ignited with every book.

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series by Alexander McCall Smith. Each entry is charming, witty, and compassionate in its understanding of human frailties and human relationships. Each one is such a pleasure to read that the reader dreads coming to the end.

The mysteries that Precious Ramotswe solves are not grand and important mysteries involving murder, theft, and drugs. They are the every day mysteries that people struggle with. Who were my real parents? Who is writing threatening letters and why? Is this man really who he says he is?

Mma Ramotswe tackles these mysteries with all her energy, passion, and determination and she changes people's lives in the process. And not only the lives of her clients, but those of her family and her associates as well. She changes the reader's life, too, I think. I am a better, more patient, and more understanding person for having read these quirky novels.

Spending time in a McCall Smith Botswana novel is like a gentle vacation in an idyllic land where everyone is basically decent and caring and wants to do the right thing. Maybe it is a fantasy land, but once you are there and once you are hooked, you never want to leave.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review for this book and pretty well any book in this series is that the calming presence of Mma Ramotswe is a mini-vacation from the stresses of life. The plot is almost secondary as long as I can eavesdrop on her wise and kind conversations with all.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would probably rate this as 3.5. I really like this series, but some of the books are not as good as others. For some reason this one did not appeal to me as much. Perhaps because it seemed repetitive in some ways. Events moved along slowly, but it's more Mma Ramotswe's character. At times her patience, and for want of a better word, 'kindness' is grating. She seems to always understand the failings of others, but also to acknowledge her own (except about the tiny white van). I guess I'd like to see her get rip-roaring mad one time. Maybe that's why I like Mma Makutsi better. She has less 'goodness', but is more realistic, especially about Mma Potokwane. Precious Ramotswe seems to need to be 'right' in all her dealings with everybody.

In this book she takes on her usual cases, but because of her trust in Mma Potokwane's memory, she almost makes a huge mistake. As usual though, things work out. She almost makes another mistake about Mr. Palopetsi, but is saved from that by Charlie, the eternal apprentice. This is not a series for those who demand real mysteries, but it is an enjoyable one, which explores a world foreign to most of us. (I loved the scene when they were discussing their shock that Americans drink iced tea.)

[Judie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading and the cadence of the words started up in my mind. I skim a lot, but this is one series that I read every word. To skip anything would spoil it. I love these books!

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like catching up with old friends, mustn't leave it so long next time.

[Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something so comforting about reading these stories. We could all learn a lot by adopting Mma Ramotswe's philosophy on life.

[Girish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Precious Ramotswe's Botswana is filled with people who have their heart in the right place. And so the series, despite a tinge of bad, is a land of rainbows and sunshine.

Nothing much happens in the book from a point of view of a book that has a story to tell. There is a new client who wants to find her original family, there are a couple of threatening letters and there is a new hope for their daughter's condition. And yet none of them really matter, as much as discovering the niceness in people, especially in Mma Ramotswe.

A feel good series this, though I am not sure I am cut out to read more in this series.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Gaborone, Botswana. 214 pp. Just so-so for me. It had a nice tidy ending, but it seemed slow going to get there.

The Miracle at Speedy Motors (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, #9) by Alexander McCall Smith

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books give your heart warm cozies.

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ninth entry in Alexander McCall Smith's perennially popular Ladies' Detective Agency stories is much like the previous instalment, THE GOOD HUSBAND OF ZEBRA DRIVE. It's ably written, of course, and much like settling into a comfy, much-favoured armchair; by now you know exactly what's going to happen: not much plot, not much detective work, lots of characterisation, plenty of gentle humour and situations that explore the human mind.

Unfortunately, I had a bone of contention with this one which took me out of the story a bit: Mma Ramotswe's suspicion of an innocent character, who plays the part of an obvious red herring. Ramotswe, who has by now sleuthed her way through no less than eight detective stories, should really know better and comes across as, well, a bit slow-witted. Not what I'd expected from her.

The ending, too, is over obvious, and it feels like Smith has spent a lot more time working on mood and gentle reflection rather than plot. There are still plenty of poignant moments, of course, and the book has a feel-good factor that's rarely replicated in other works of fiction; I just wish more time was spent on developing genuinely intriguing scenarios rather than going for the obvious and simplistic each time.

[Anne Hawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another wonderful book by Alexander McCall Smith. I feel like I know the characters and every new book is a visit home to find out how things are with my "family" in Botswana. Again, the books are not about solving a mystery. I think the mystery is a philosophical vehicle for the author's ideas and people with the children of his heart. Although some find these to be lightweight, I have a different take on them. Throughout literature, characters have been created that transcend their books and become real. Take, for instance, Dickins' wonderful characters such as Scrooge, the Artful Dodger, Oliver, Barkas, Mr. Micawber and a host of others. Then there are the fiends such as Frankenstein, Dracula, and Mephistopheles. And who doesn't have a picture in their mind of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn? I feel the same way about Precious Ramotswe, Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni and Mma Makutsi. They have become more than characters in a book and I look forward to spending time with them.

[Shelah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another installment in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. This time Mma Ramotswe and her cast of characters destroy a heart-shaped bed, and reunite a long-separated brother and sister.

I always pick up these books at the library, and then put off reading them, because I think I'm not going to like them. And while it's true that seem almost too innocent, too hopeful, I usually decide, like I did with The Miracle at Speedy Motors, that occasionally, reading about Mma Ramotswe's Botswana is just what I need. I always laugh that these books are classified as mysteries, because the greatest mystery in this book is whether or not a woman's long-deceased mother is really her mother. Instead, the book is mostly about family, friendship, rootedness to place, and living with purpose.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mma Ramotswe is back, and so is the quiet, gentle, easy reading, courtesy of Alexander McCall Smith.

As usual, there really is no big mystery for the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, but that hardly matters. Precious Ramotswe tries to track down a woman's relatives, Mma Makutsi gets a new (and unusual) bed, and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni hopes for a miracle when he takes his daughter to a doctor in Johannesburg.

There's nothing complex about this novel, which makes it a nice "in between" reading choice. I can now move along to something completely different.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another meandering tale without as many subplots as usual.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful lesson on handling cruel treatment by another from p 202-203 in the hardback edition I read---
Mma Ramotswe dictates a letter asking the offender to forgive for any wrongdoing in the past (even though she doesn't believe there is any) in the course of the letter she mentions she may know her relative an aunt and that the aunt always spoke highly of her and makes an appeal to her family name/pride.

When Mma Ramotswe explains why to Mma Makutsi she says " This woman is a woman like you and me, Mma who can feel bad about herself, the same as everyone. And who wants to be loved the same as everyone. So saying what I have just said is better, far better, than making her feel even less loved." from p 204 " And that is why we must answer her hatred with love. I can't say whether it will change in her heart it probably won't. But if it makes her feel even just a little bit better about herself, she will be less envious"

And that is why I read these books to learn from Mma Ramotswe!!

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I like about the No. 1 Ladies Detective series are the snapshots of ordinariness that it gives (ordinariness in Botswana, that is). I liked the first one the best--seemed a little more in-depth on Botswana. Precious Ramotswe is less of a detective in the usual murder-mayhem sense and more a person who helps people with their problems. If you're looking for a mystery, probably Nancy Drew has more suspense. But they are pleasant reads for those times when you just want to smile. And there's also a woman at work who looks exactly as I would imagine Mma Makutsi to be. It makes me giggle when I run into her on the elevator.

[Teri-K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another lovely addition to the series. These are not books that grab me from the first sentence and won't let me put them down. Instead I read a chapter or two a day, enjoying spending some time with Mma Ramotswe, Mr. Matekoni and the others in a place where life moves more slowly and there's always time for a cup of hot tea. This particular book deals a bit with the difficulties of relationships and the importance of honesty between people. I very much enjoyed it.

[Stig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novel - I love these books. I know this is not much of a review, but the characters are great, things happen at a leisurely pace and the mysteries are not solved through violence, but through common sense and knowledge of human nature. A real feel-good read. My current Sunday evening treat is watching this series on BBC1.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

While Lisette Lecat did a fine job narrating this entry in the #1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, I was disappointed by the book itself. It was OK but certain phrases were repeated too often (e.g. Mma Ramotswe's car being always referred to as her 'tiny white van'). If you like these characters, it is enjoyable enough but nowhere near as good as the first book in the series.

[Chitra Ahanthem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wheneer I am in a readin slump...reading a No. 1 Ladies's Detective Agency book does wonders for me...those who are familiar wit this series will know the carm of the world that Mme Ramotse lives in and how she goes about life ad solving the many interesting cases that comes her way.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining....fun series