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No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #14
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon
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.
This is the fourteenth installment in the series.
From the Hardcover edition.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
631 people are currently reading
6249 people want to read
About the author
Alexander McCall Smith
658 books12.8k followersAlexander 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,988 reviews
December 6, 2013
This might be the most sentimental book of the series and that's fine with me. I especially liked the scene when Grace and Precious are admiring the new arrival. I laughed out loud at Rra Matekoni's first night at the "modern husband" class. Some of the other reviewers complained about this series not being relevant to modern western life. Really? Do we not have warm feelings towards each other and our homes? Do we always have to dwell on the modern, usually nasty, world? I need these books like I need fresh air to breathe. They are good for my soul.
February 26, 2024
Heartwarming as always.
December 7, 2013
I cannot tell you how much I love this series. It's true there's not much of a mystery but so what. There's plenty of other good things including the birth of Mma Makutsi's child who has such a wonderful name, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni's attempt to be a better husband, and the appreciation of friendship. Throughout all of the story is the love of Botswana and when you close the book you'll feel better than you did when you started.
February 8, 2023
3.5 stars
In this 14th book in the 'No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' series, Mma Ramotswe has two cases to solve. The book can be read as a standalone but knowing the characters is a bonus.
*****
Mma Ramotswe's first case, brought by a lawyer named Mma Sheba, concerns the inheritance of a local farm. The deceased farmer's heir, a nephew, has shown up to claim the property. However Mma Sheba fears 'the nephew' may be an imposter, and asks Mma Ramotswe to investigate.
The second case involves Mma Soleti, owner of "The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon." When Mma Soleti moves her salon to a desirable new location she receives a package containing the feather of a ground hornbill - a symbol of bad luck. Soon afterward a rumor campaign starts, claiming that women who get facials at Mma Soleti's salon suffer irreparable damage. Mma Ramotswe agrees to look into the matter.
Normally, Mma Ramotswe's associate, Mma Grace Makutski, assists with investigations. But Mma Makutski is pregnant and about to take maternity leave. Thus, Mma Ramotswe has to tackle most of the inquiries alone.....though Grace offers valuable advice. As always, Mma Ramotswe uses her intuition and insight (along with a bit of luck) to solve the cases.
Like all books in this series, the story is more about the characters than the cases. Mma Makutski and her husband, Phuti Radiphuti, have moved into an elegant home. Unfortunately, venomous snakes like it too!
And Phuti's unpleasant elderly aunt is determined to enforce 'the old traditions' when Mma Makutski gives birth, which clashes with Grace's modern views.
Other ongoing characters make an appearance as well. Mma Ramotswe's husband, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, decides to be a 'more modern' husband and help with the cooking. (His heart is in the right place, but he tries to mash the potatoes before he cooks them. LOL 😃). Apprentice mechanic Charlie, known for chasing girls, takes an unexpected shine to Mma Makutski's new baby. (Can he be thinking of settling down?) Orphanage manager Mma Potokwane offers tea, fruitcake (and serendipitously.....a valuable witness). And so on.
In the course of the story Mma Ramotswe realizes how much she appreciates Mma Makutski's friendship, intelligence, and help. So, at the end of the book, Mma Ramotswe gives her employee a nice surprise.
I'd highly recommend the book to readers who like cozies, especially fans of Mma Ramotswe. I wouldn't suggest reading this book as a standalone though. It's best to start at the beginning and 'grow' with the characters.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
December 8, 2013
It is hard to imagine that I first met Precious Ramotswe 15 years ago, when reading The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Each time I visit this cast of characters, I smile with the familiarity of their interactions and read aloud the amusing passages to anyone who will listen. The honesty with which they approach life, the way in which they embrace simple pleasures is inspiring. In this latest edition in the series, themes of friendship and loyalty are explored. Characters grapple with tradition versus modernity, all with humor and poignancy. Mma Ramotswe and her associate Mma Makutsi work together to solve several "mysteries," and as always discover that human nature and its complexity is the most mysterious thing of all. Reading the book, several quotes resonated with me; one in particular in which the pair of detectives contemplate their good fortune, "...for a few minutes, they sat together in complete silence, each with the thoughts that such a moment will bring. There was no need for words, for there are times when words can only hint at what the heart would wish to say." It is these musings on life that most endear me to McCall's writing and The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon was no exception.
August 3, 2022
This series is No. 1 in promoting the Botswana life. A baby on the way? Snakes in the house? A whisper campaign killing business at the newly opened beauty salon? All will be well in Botswana time. Our favorite characters all return as well as villain or two. Could Violet Sipotto be up to new tricks? What about that lawyer who asks the ladies to help prove a beneficiary of a will is an imposter? Precious and Grace are becoming an unbeatable team. The bad boys (and girls) don't stand a chance. Mr. JLB Matakoni attempts cooking potatoes after attending a cringe-worthy class for modern husbands. His attempts to mash the potatoes before cooking. . . Well, it was good for a laugh. This 14th episode does not disappoint. Such a delightful series!
November 10, 2013
Know that, no matter how bleak things seem or how sad you may be, after reading a No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency book, life and the world will seem much better. With genuine warmth, sympathy, and wit, Alexander McCall Smith can be counted on to explore difficult questions about life, marriage, parenthood, grief, and the importance of the traditions that influence and guide our lives.
Modern ideas get tangled up with traditional ones in the fourteenth installment in the much-loved, best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. The conflict between new ways and old ways is a major theme in The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon. Mma Ramotswe manages, as she does so well, to blend the two for a fulfilling life for her husband and children and all the others in her world.
In The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon, Precious Ramotswe takes 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 not be who he says he is. Then the proprietor of the Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon comes to Mma Ramotswe for advice. The opening of her new salon has been has not been successful. Someone is spreading damaging rumors about her shop. 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 . What will happen to the agency without the associate detective?
Does anyone know how to pronounce Mma or Rra? For the answer, check http://www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk... . There Smith informs us that: “Mma and Rra are the formal terms of greeting and respect in Botswana. Mma is pronounced ‘Ma’, with a gentle m sound and a shortish a. Rra is exactly as it is spelt, with a rolling R.” (Unfortunately, I have never learned to roll my R’s!)
HBO had a series based on the first few books in this series. I tried to watch but never really got
into it, not because it wasn’t well-done, but because the actors and the setting didn’t fit the mental picture I had formed while reading the books. That’s always the problem with bringing a book to a screen.
Did you know that there are Alexander McCall Smith-approved tours of Gaborone in Botswana? Smith’s books do much to introduce the reader to the customs, history, and society of this country. In the same website, Smith answered the question “Why did you choose to write about Botswana?”
I suppose that the main reason is that I find Botswana a very interesting and admirable country. I respect the people who live there – they have built up their country very carefully and successfully. I admire their patience and their decency.
I thought, too, that it was a great pity that there are so many negative books and articles about Africa. I wanted to show readers in the rest of the world that there are many great and remarkable people living in southern Africa – people who lead good lives, with honour and integrity. Mma Ramotswe is one such person. There are many people like her – fine people, people with great gifts of intuition, intelligence, and humour. This is not to say that there are not many problems in that part of the world – there are. But the problems are only one side of the story – there is another, more positive side.
If you have not read any books in the series, I strongly suggest that you begin at the beginning. The books build on each other; you won’t get all the allusions unless you have read the other books. Never fear, though the effort is well worth it.
Modern ideas get tangled up with traditional ones in the fourteenth installment in the much-loved, best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. The conflict between new ways and old ways is a major theme in The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon. Mma Ramotswe manages, as she does so well, to blend the two for a fulfilling life for her husband and children and all the others in her world.
In The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon, Precious Ramotswe takes 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 not be who he says he is. Then the proprietor of the Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon comes to Mma Ramotswe for advice. The opening of her new salon has been has not been successful. Someone is spreading damaging rumors about her shop. 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 . What will happen to the agency without the associate detective?
Does anyone know how to pronounce Mma or Rra? For the answer, check http://www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk... . There Smith informs us that: “Mma and Rra are the formal terms of greeting and respect in Botswana. Mma is pronounced ‘Ma’, with a gentle m sound and a shortish a. Rra is exactly as it is spelt, with a rolling R.” (Unfortunately, I have never learned to roll my R’s!)
HBO had a series based on the first few books in this series. I tried to watch but never really got
into it, not because it wasn’t well-done, but because the actors and the setting didn’t fit the mental picture I had formed while reading the books. That’s always the problem with bringing a book to a screen.
Did you know that there are Alexander McCall Smith-approved tours of Gaborone in Botswana? Smith’s books do much to introduce the reader to the customs, history, and society of this country. In the same website, Smith answered the question “Why did you choose to write about Botswana?”
I suppose that the main reason is that I find Botswana a very interesting and admirable country. I respect the people who live there – they have built up their country very carefully and successfully. I admire their patience and their decency.
I thought, too, that it was a great pity that there are so many negative books and articles about Africa. I wanted to show readers in the rest of the world that there are many great and remarkable people living in southern Africa – people who lead good lives, with honour and integrity. Mma Ramotswe is one such person. There are many people like her – fine people, people with great gifts of intuition, intelligence, and humour. This is not to say that there are not many problems in that part of the world – there are. But the problems are only one side of the story – there is another, more positive side.
If you have not read any books in the series, I strongly suggest that you begin at the beginning. The books build on each other; you won’t get all the allusions unless you have read the other books. Never fear, though the effort is well worth it.
April 24, 2015
I've read all of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books. Not sure why. Not much happens. And absolutely nothing happens fast. They are full of tidbits of wisdom. Wait ... that's why I read them! No rush; nothing too bad is going to happen; and I get so spend a few hours with some wonderful people. Thanks Alexander McCall Smith for continuing Mma Ramotswe's quiet adventures.
December 4, 2013
I feel a little like a voice in the wilderness, but I was distinctly underwhelmed by the latest outing in this much loved series. Much like Precious Ramotswe herself over the course of the story, I felt like something was missing. It had the air of having been written to fulfil a contractual obligation for another instalment rather than having arisen from a central idea. I have rated it three stars, which to me is not a negative review, but a neutral one. It's not a terrible book at all, but nor does it sparkle with the wit and energy that other books in the series have had.
As the book opens, Mma Ramotswe is about to discover that her long term offsider Mma Makutsi is expecting a child. The baby arrives without much delay, which means that Mma Makutsi is absent for much of the novel. Mma Ramotswe has two cases to investigate: a series of threats against the proprietor of a new beauty salon, and a question over the identity of the heir to a large inheritance. The arrival of a baby also gives Mma Ramotswe and Mr J.L.B. Matekoni reason to think about their own family and the dynamics within it. There is also an appearance by Phuti Radiphuti's meddlesome aunt, which I enjoyed.
This is a sweet book, but as I mentioned above, it didn't really come to life for me. Usually I read the books in this series quite quickly, but I kept losing interest in this one. Both of the mysteries were quite predictable and for whatever reason the charm was largely absent.
As the book opens, Mma Ramotswe is about to discover that her long term offsider Mma Makutsi is expecting a child. The baby arrives without much delay, which means that Mma Makutsi is absent for much of the novel. Mma Ramotswe has two cases to investigate: a series of threats against the proprietor of a new beauty salon, and a question over the identity of the heir to a large inheritance. The arrival of a baby also gives Mma Ramotswe and Mr J.L.B. Matekoni reason to think about their own family and the dynamics within it. There is also an appearance by Phuti Radiphuti's meddlesome aunt, which I enjoyed.
This is a sweet book, but as I mentioned above, it didn't really come to life for me. Usually I read the books in this series quite quickly, but I kept losing interest in this one. Both of the mysteries were quite predictable and for whatever reason the charm was largely absent.
October 16, 2019
4th read:
This was my second time reading this book in 2019, and fourth all-time read. Enough said. 💕
3rd read:
Reasons to read this book, or any of the books in this series:
If you've had a bad day and need to be reminded there is good in the world
If you need a smile, a laugh, or a hug
If you have a cold or the flu. Or any type of illness
If you want to feel warm inside
If it is wintertime
If you are feeling in any way not good
If I were a book doctor, this series would be frequently prescribed. This volume is one of my favorites.
I don't reread series fiction as a rule, but rules were made to be broken.
Long live AMS! I hope I get to meet you one day. 💙🌞💙
***********************
2nd read: Once again, just love this series! I'm going to skip the next couple so that I can read the new one before I have to return it to the library.
This series is a book prescription for happiness.
***********************
1st read:
4.5 stars. How does a series in its 14th volume keep getting better? When it's written by Alexander McCall Smith.
I am a little in love with this series, and with AMS himself. The more I learn about these characters, the more I love them. When you are looking to escape the crazy news and rush hour traffic, this is a wonderful series to fall into. It's like a long bubble bath with a glass of wine and your favorite music playing. There is just nothing better. And if you can listen to the audiobook, even better. The entire series is narrated by Lisette Lecat, and she can't be outdone. When you're laughing out loud listening at 3am, that's a pretty good thing.
It is a joy to spend time in Botswana with Mma Ramotswe and her friends and family. Their lives grow and change, and it truly is a delight to see how they develop. I'll be starting on the 15th volume tonight. The author is pretty prolific, but I'm catching up to him. And when I do, I'll start back on the first book: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. It will be so much fun to revisit these stories now that I know the characters so well.
If you've not tried this series, you owe it to yourself. Thanks again to Jon, Jeane, Fiona and everyone else who pushed these books on me for years before I finally started reading them. I've been hooked ever since.
This was my second time reading this book in 2019, and fourth all-time read. Enough said. 💕
3rd read:
Reasons to read this book, or any of the books in this series:
If you've had a bad day and need to be reminded there is good in the world
If you need a smile, a laugh, or a hug
If you have a cold or the flu. Or any type of illness
If you want to feel warm inside
If it is wintertime
If you are feeling in any way not good
If I were a book doctor, this series would be frequently prescribed. This volume is one of my favorites.
I don't reread series fiction as a rule, but rules were made to be broken.
Long live AMS! I hope I get to meet you one day. 💙🌞💙
***********************
2nd read: Once again, just love this series! I'm going to skip the next couple so that I can read the new one before I have to return it to the library.
This series is a book prescription for happiness.
***********************
1st read:
4.5 stars. How does a series in its 14th volume keep getting better? When it's written by Alexander McCall Smith.
I am a little in love with this series, and with AMS himself. The more I learn about these characters, the more I love them. When you are looking to escape the crazy news and rush hour traffic, this is a wonderful series to fall into. It's like a long bubble bath with a glass of wine and your favorite music playing. There is just nothing better. And if you can listen to the audiobook, even better. The entire series is narrated by Lisette Lecat, and she can't be outdone. When you're laughing out loud listening at 3am, that's a pretty good thing.
It is a joy to spend time in Botswana with Mma Ramotswe and her friends and family. Their lives grow and change, and it truly is a delight to see how they develop. I'll be starting on the 15th volume tonight. The author is pretty prolific, but I'm catching up to him. And when I do, I'll start back on the first book: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. It will be so much fun to revisit these stories now that I know the characters so well.
The sun was copper-red, a great ball, and it floated down so gently, as if to nudge us into night, to let us take the garments of the dark about us slowly and deliberately, without haste and without fear.
If you've not tried this series, you owe it to yourself. Thanks again to Jon, Jeane, Fiona and everyone else who pushed these books on me for years before I finally started reading them. I've been hooked ever since.
October 11, 2017
Another solid, reliable and entertaining instalment in the 'No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency' series - but I can't help thinking that Alexander McCall Smith is now coasting with this book series, it does feel somewhat like he is treading water.
November 23, 2015
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon is the fourteenth book in the popular Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by British author, Alexander McCall Smith. Botswana’s first female private detective has a few interesting cases to solve: a solicitor asks her to verify the identity of a young man who is the beneficiary of a will; and the proprietor of the Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon is subject to threats and slander from an unknown quarter. All the more challenging for Mma Ramotswe, as Mma Makutsi is off having a baby.
Mma Makutsi faces childbirth with ease, although she has slightly less aplomb when dealing with a cobra in her new house. While it seems Phuti’s interfering aunt may be a problem with the baby, apprentice Charlie’s reaction to this Radiphuti baby is indeed a surprise. And has the terrible Violet Sephotho been up to more mischief? Mma Ramotswe muses on flats and hats, ants and aunts, names, wet nurses, superstitions and traditional ways, other people’s marriages, beer and beauty treatments, the effect of hot weather on business, taking the time to listen, optimistic accounting, the entire truth, protecting one’s sources and private milk.
She counts her blessings, misses Grace, finds the perfect gift for the baby, gets her tiny white van comprehensively stuck in the mud, has her feet lovingly washed and receives a charming letter from Clovis Anderson, that revered author of the Principles of Private Detection. There are no prizes for guessing which of the apprentices finally qualifies as a mechanic. Mr J L B Matekoni takes steps to become a modern husband, one of which includes baked beans and sausages. As usual, this instalment is charming, uplifting and heart-warming. This unabridged audio version of the book is again narrated by the mesmerising voice of Adjoa Andoh.
Mma Makutsi faces childbirth with ease, although she has slightly less aplomb when dealing with a cobra in her new house. While it seems Phuti’s interfering aunt may be a problem with the baby, apprentice Charlie’s reaction to this Radiphuti baby is indeed a surprise. And has the terrible Violet Sephotho been up to more mischief? Mma Ramotswe muses on flats and hats, ants and aunts, names, wet nurses, superstitions and traditional ways, other people’s marriages, beer and beauty treatments, the effect of hot weather on business, taking the time to listen, optimistic accounting, the entire truth, protecting one’s sources and private milk.
She counts her blessings, misses Grace, finds the perfect gift for the baby, gets her tiny white van comprehensively stuck in the mud, has her feet lovingly washed and receives a charming letter from Clovis Anderson, that revered author of the Principles of Private Detection. There are no prizes for guessing which of the apprentices finally qualifies as a mechanic. Mr J L B Matekoni takes steps to become a modern husband, one of which includes baked beans and sausages. As usual, this instalment is charming, uplifting and heart-warming. This unabridged audio version of the book is again narrated by the mesmerising voice of Adjoa Andoh.
January 10, 2014
What do I love about the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency book series? To start with, I love the reoccuring themes of cake, red bush tea, shoes (talking shoes at that)and many references to "becoming late". There is the orphan farm and a strong love of home and country -- in this case, Botswana.
But to top it all off, this book has polished babies, husbands in need of modernization and a mention of the head of the No. 1 Men's Philandering Agency.
I love the words and phrases that come out of McCall Smith's head...and I love the way Lisette Lecat narrates on the recorded version of these books. These books have heart and soul. There are truly times in my life when I ask myself, "how would Precious Ramostwe solve this problem?" That's how much these books and this character have become part of my consiousness.
But to top it all off, this book has polished babies, husbands in need of modernization and a mention of the head of the No. 1 Men's Philandering Agency.
I love the words and phrases that come out of McCall Smith's head...and I love the way Lisette Lecat narrates on the recorded version of these books. These books have heart and soul. There are truly times in my life when I ask myself, "how would Precious Ramostwe solve this problem?" That's how much these books and this character have become part of my consiousness.
June 30, 2016
I read Alexander McCall Smith's 'mysteries' to delight in the company of old friends. There is the joy of seeing an Africa that never makes the headlines (the series is set in Botswana). There is usually a mildly intriguing puzzle or two. But the real reason to read these books is for their delicate portrayal of friendships, for the gentle humor, and to be reminded of the small pleasures of a sunrise, a cup of red bush tea or the shade of an acacia tree.
And for all of us who have come to love Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutse this installment is particularly touching, full of sweet, reflective moments. When Mma Ramotswe visits Mma Makutse and her newborn baby:
Sure...I know it's not great literature and it's all very sentimental but sometimes that's just the right medicine!
And for all of us who have come to love Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutse this installment is particularly touching, full of sweet, reflective moments. When Mma Ramotswe visits Mma Makutse and her newborn baby:
Sure...I know it's not great literature and it's all very sentimental but sometimes that's just the right medicine!
December 1, 2015
My wife and I both enjoy this series very much. This book has Precious Ramotswe and her associate Detective, Grace Makutsi, solving mysteries in a gentle manner, with kindness and humanity. Grace reveals that she is pregnant, has her baby and comes back to work. The mysteries solved are who is spreading malicious rumors about The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon and a question of identity in an inheritance.
This is not a book/series for people who want to read about murders and gun play, but more about people and Botswana. A solid 4 out of 5 stars.
This is not a book/series for people who want to read about murders and gun play, but more about people and Botswana. A solid 4 out of 5 stars.
December 9, 2013
This is the 14th installment in the No.1 Lies Detective Agency series that has to be the coziest of cozy mystery stories. In fact, I'm not sure that these little vignettes of life in Botswana even qualify as mysteries. Instead they seem more to serve as ruminations on the life philosophy of Precious Ramotswe, the founder and chief detective of the agency. In this installment Mma Ramotswe has to discover whether or not a young man is, indeed who he says he is and if he truly is the rightful heir of a deceased farmer's land. She also has to ferret out the individual who is trying to destroy business at the new Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon. Is it the ladies' arch nemesis Violet Sephotho who seems to be capable of all sorts of nefarious deeds? Or is another person responsible?
But the most important story in this volume is not concerning a mystery at all. Grace Makutsi, Mma Ramotswe's secretary (and now associate detective) if pregnant and gives birth to a baby boy. How this changes the relationship of the two detectives (and also those who surround them) provides the most interesting narrative in the book.
In a time when we mostly hear horrible stories of man's inhumanity to man, it's a true pleasure to read these books that are full of well meaning, good natured people caring and looking out for each other. I hope this series never ends
But the most important story in this volume is not concerning a mystery at all. Grace Makutsi, Mma Ramotswe's secretary (and now associate detective) if pregnant and gives birth to a baby boy. How this changes the relationship of the two detectives (and also those who surround them) provides the most interesting narrative in the book.
In a time when we mostly hear horrible stories of man's inhumanity to man, it's a true pleasure to read these books that are full of well meaning, good natured people caring and looking out for each other. I hope this series never ends
May 19, 2020
This is the first book I have read in this series. It is so different to any detective novel I’ve read before.
The setting descriptions and culture of Botswana flow from the pages, lulling you into another world.
There were many heart warming moments, and the odd surprise.
I would definitely consider reading more books from this series in the future and would recommend this to anyone who loves a light hearted mystery book!
The setting descriptions and culture of Botswana flow from the pages, lulling you into another world.
There were many heart warming moments, and the odd surprise.
I would definitely consider reading more books from this series in the future and would recommend this to anyone who loves a light hearted mystery book!
December 23, 2018
I find this author to be very entertaining and have read most, if not all of the Ladies' Detective Agency series. Always a little surprising twist or turn to the story, and then it sorts itself out.
July 19, 2015
"She is innocent."
"Why, Rra?"
"Because, in general, people are, Mma, unless there is good reason to suspect otherwise. Only in books and films are they not, Mma. In real life it is different, I think."
In this 14th outing of Mma Precious Ramotswe and the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, there are a number of important themes, including (as per above) the judgment of guilt and innocence. As always in this series, the overall attitude is one of kindness. I think, however, there were just a few too many themes: perhaps they just seem to be like the ingredients of a recipe that didn't get quite mixed in all the way, rather than being perfectly blended, as they ususally are. On the good side, that gave me the opportunity to notice those themes, which may not have been the case had they not stood out.
I'd say the predominant theme in this book is friendship. Mma Makutsi, associate detective and she of the oversized glasses, talkative shoes, and the highest ever graduation score (ninety-seven percent!) from the local secretarial college, is confronting maternity leave. Mma Ramotswe doesn't know what she is going to do without her. Personal idiosyncrasies notwithstanding, Mma Makutsi's positives outweigh her negatives. Two heads are better than one. Mma Makutsi is revealed as essential to the detection process and to the happiness of proprietress Mma Ramotswe.
The second theme that stood out for me was the symbolism of the rain when it comes to Botswana, assuaging thirst, cleaning away accumulated dirt, and providing a fresh start.
The tiny white van had been washed by the downpour, and now stood sparkling and resplendent, as if some passing evangelist had chosen to baptize it, had sought to make it without sin. She smiled at the unexpected thought. It was the sort of thing that Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, with his tendency to speak of cars in human terms, might appreciate. He had once said cars had souls; well, perhaps he was right. Perhaps everything had a soul of sorts, which is what some people still believed--that the world all about us was endowed with life and with the very same spirit we saw within ourselves. It was only now, she thought, when we were finishing with the earth, using it up, that we were beginning to understand how right they were.
You can see a few subthemes there, without looking too hard!
In this book, there's also discussion about the morality of deception, the power of forgiveness, and gender issues, to mention the most obvious.
Well, no matter. I still call it "bibliotherapy:" a small amount to pay for hours of therapy!
Or, on this particular occasion, free bibliotherapy. I received an early copy of this book back in the fall of 2013, along with the first of a children's series featuring Mma Ramotswe as a little girl. The latter I reviewed promptly, but unfortunately for my chance of receiving other free books, I've read and reviewed The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon only this summer. I was two books behind in the series, and once I'd read and reviewed Numbers 12 and 13 (giving each a five-star review), I was satiated for the time being. My bad for putting in my name at that point, but on the other hand it was my first time doing that, and I didn't know I'd get it!
In the meantime, Number 15 is out and 16's coming down the pike.
For those interested, a testimonial: Last week I heard from a preadolescent female viewer that the HBO TV series, which lasted just one season, was something very special.
July 23, 2016
Despite some dramatic and groundbreaking events, such as the pregnancy of Grace Makutsi and Phuti Radhiputi and the fundamental change in the obviously not lost cause Charlie, this is basically more of the same. Good reading, some real feel-good moments and some nice philosophical ones. Still, the cases in here is not really engaging (despite the convoluted character of one of them). An OK summer read and surely not disappointing if you are following the series.
October 10, 2019
This book deals heavily with friendship between Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi. Though Mma Makutsi just gave birth to a son she was eager to get back to work and the conversations with Mma Ramotswe whose friendship she greatly values and very much vice versa. While I tend to find Mma Makutsi a bit too abrasive and difficult it makes me admire the character of Mma Ramotswe even more as she is so much more tolerant and accepting than I am and I could stand to be more like her in so many ways besides already being traditionally built and middle aged.
The book covered some very serious issues as well which is a bit unusual and also covered many social issues as well. A GR friend recently wrote about the series becoming too ridiculous in its handling of some issues and often being not believable its treatment of characters and situations. I have found that I cannot really disagree with that assessment, but I find there is something about these stories that still pulls me in and soothes my soul. I guess I am looking for more of this fantasy world when the real world gets too ugly for my tastes. Criticisms on this series are quite valid but I find I just don’t mind.
The book covered some very serious issues as well which is a bit unusual and also covered many social issues as well. A GR friend recently wrote about the series becoming too ridiculous in its handling of some issues and often being not believable its treatment of characters and situations. I have found that I cannot really disagree with that assessment, but I find there is something about these stories that still pulls me in and soothes my soul. I guess I am looking for more of this fantasy world when the real world gets too ugly for my tastes. Criticisms on this series are quite valid but I find I just don’t mind.
December 30, 2021
I don't keep up with this series as avidly as I do others, but I keep an eye out for new releases, because these books are satisfying and comfortable. McCall Smith has a real gift for characterization, and although it's been a while since I read The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection, it felt like no time at all since I'd spent an hour with Mma Ramotswe and her friends and family and even enemies. In fact, I think that's why I love the series; I rarely remember the details of which plot goes with which book, but if Violet Sephotho shows up, I look forward to seeing her humbled. And Charlie, the hopeless apprentice, develops in an extremely unexpected way I loved. Such a satisfying series.
May 24, 2021
I romanzi con Precious Ramotswe sono tutti uguali, come le storie di Topolino, e altrettanto deliziosi e consolanti.
March 9, 2017
Mma Makutsi has a baby, Mr JLB Matekoni signs up for a course on how to be a modern husband and Charlie decides he wants a baby. Another fun instalment in the series. I loved how Phuti uses the snake to get rid of the bitchy aunt. So much in these stories make me smile. I hope Alexander McCall Smith keeps writing them for years to come
November 29, 2013
Reading a No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novel is like being in the presence of an old and well-known, well-loved friend. It's a warm hug from a someone who knows just when you really need that hug.
These books are classified as mysteries, but they might as easily be called philosophy, because they are filled with Precious Ramotswe's ruminations on life, on what makes people behave as they do, on her beloved Botswana, on Africa.
All of the "mysteries" that she is called on to solve are, at their core, puzzles of human nature and why one person seeks to cause mischief for another. There are no car chases, no gunfights, no bloodshed. There is simply Mma Ramotswe meditating on the personalities of those involved in her current cases and using common sense and her well-honed instinct to sort through all the motives and possibilities to a logical conclusion. The great Sherlock could not do more.
As this book opens, we learn that Mma Ramotswe's associate, the recently married Mma Makutsi, is pregnant and soon to deliver her child. But, out of some superstition that things may go wrong, she does not want to talk about it. She almost refuses to even acknowledge that she is pregnant and she will not discuss her plans after the birth of the child. Will she be coming back to work at the detective agency? Will she need maternity leave and, if so, how much?
One day, a lawyer comes to the agency and wishes to hire Mma Ramotswe to investigate circumstances regarding a will that she is charged with probating. A rich farmer, with no direct descendants, has died and has left most of his estate to a nephew, son of his brother, who often visited the farm as he was growing up. The lawyer suspects that the young man who seeks to claim the inheritance is not really the nephew and that some sort of fraud is being perpetrated by the farmer's sister and this young man. Mma Ramotswe agrees to investigate, but, as often happens in these stories, she finds that things are much more complicated than they appear on the surface.
Meanwhile, Grace Makutsi has her baby, a boy, whom she names for her and Mma Ramotswe's great hero and guide to the art of detecting, Clovis Anderson!
Mma Ramotswe chances to encounter the proprietor of the Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon. She has just moved her business from the shack that it did occupy into shiny new modern quarters and is ready for her grand opening, but all of a sudden, she finds herself the victim of a campaign of intimidation. Someone sends her the feather of a ground hornbill which is supposed to portend some evil coming to the recipient's life. Then there is a whispering campaign of scurrilous gossip about the salon and its products. It seems as though that triumphant opening of the new salon will never happen. Mma Ramotswe must find out who wishes ill for her client and get to the bottom of the vicious gossip which threatens to ruin her.
And so, Mma Ramotswe travels about the neighborhood in her ancient and beloved little white van to uncover facts, gather impressions, listen to people, and, finally, to weave it all together in a solution to her clients' problems. And as she rambles about we get to share her thoughts and her philosophy, a philosophy that is grounded in the very soil of Botswana. It is a gentle and always life-affirming trek that leaves one refreshed and wanting more.
Indeed, that might be my only complaint about this Alexander McCall Smith series - the books are just too short.
These books are classified as mysteries, but they might as easily be called philosophy, because they are filled with Precious Ramotswe's ruminations on life, on what makes people behave as they do, on her beloved Botswana, on Africa.
All of the "mysteries" that she is called on to solve are, at their core, puzzles of human nature and why one person seeks to cause mischief for another. There are no car chases, no gunfights, no bloodshed. There is simply Mma Ramotswe meditating on the personalities of those involved in her current cases and using common sense and her well-honed instinct to sort through all the motives and possibilities to a logical conclusion. The great Sherlock could not do more.
As this book opens, we learn that Mma Ramotswe's associate, the recently married Mma Makutsi, is pregnant and soon to deliver her child. But, out of some superstition that things may go wrong, she does not want to talk about it. She almost refuses to even acknowledge that she is pregnant and she will not discuss her plans after the birth of the child. Will she be coming back to work at the detective agency? Will she need maternity leave and, if so, how much?
One day, a lawyer comes to the agency and wishes to hire Mma Ramotswe to investigate circumstances regarding a will that she is charged with probating. A rich farmer, with no direct descendants, has died and has left most of his estate to a nephew, son of his brother, who often visited the farm as he was growing up. The lawyer suspects that the young man who seeks to claim the inheritance is not really the nephew and that some sort of fraud is being perpetrated by the farmer's sister and this young man. Mma Ramotswe agrees to investigate, but, as often happens in these stories, she finds that things are much more complicated than they appear on the surface.
Meanwhile, Grace Makutsi has her baby, a boy, whom she names for her and Mma Ramotswe's great hero and guide to the art of detecting, Clovis Anderson!
Mma Ramotswe chances to encounter the proprietor of the Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon. She has just moved her business from the shack that it did occupy into shiny new modern quarters and is ready for her grand opening, but all of a sudden, she finds herself the victim of a campaign of intimidation. Someone sends her the feather of a ground hornbill which is supposed to portend some evil coming to the recipient's life. Then there is a whispering campaign of scurrilous gossip about the salon and its products. It seems as though that triumphant opening of the new salon will never happen. Mma Ramotswe must find out who wishes ill for her client and get to the bottom of the vicious gossip which threatens to ruin her.
And so, Mma Ramotswe travels about the neighborhood in her ancient and beloved little white van to uncover facts, gather impressions, listen to people, and, finally, to weave it all together in a solution to her clients' problems. And as she rambles about we get to share her thoughts and her philosophy, a philosophy that is grounded in the very soil of Botswana. It is a gentle and always life-affirming trek that leaves one refreshed and wanting more.
Indeed, that might be my only complaint about this Alexander McCall Smith series - the books are just too short.
December 13, 2019
Of all of Alexander McCall Smith's book series I think this series are the best by far.
It is so much fun to get back into the world of love of life, Precious Ramotswe and her friends. Mma Ramotswe loves her country, her friends, her cup of red bush tea, food. She is of traditional build, likes the old ways of life, of being a friend to all, of showing manners, as for the young, nobody is teaching them the ways of their parents and grandparents. She thinks all the time of her late father, Obed Ramotswe, what would he think of how things are now in this time and place.
In this book, two ases come into her office. One, a lady employs Mma Ramotswe to find who is destroying her new beauty business. She has just opened a beauty parlor, hopes to do well, but someone is putting notices around town that her beauty products are harmful, Stay away from that shop. Does she have enemies, and who are they? Another case is presented by a lady lawyer. A young man is posing as the heir to a farm. This lawyer wants to find out who this man is and who is the real heir.
Readers meet again with Rra J.L. B. Matekoni, the best automobile mechanic in Botswana. He loves automobiles, the old ones. He feels they have souls. The new ones, with computers not so much. His two helpers, Charlie, the wild one, and Fanwell. Mma Potokwane, who is the supervisor of the orphan home who makes terrific fruit cake and is always giving Rra Matekoni jobs at the orphanage. He never refuses. Rra Matekoni and Mma Ramotswe adopted two children from the orphanage.
Mma Makutsi has done well in life. From the small village she come from, from small rented places, she is now living in a large, beautiful home. She married a wealthy man and is the mother of a son. She has to take off to be a mom. Precious Ramotswe misses her, the two had been together for such a long time, they can read each other. The two talked much about cases. Mma Makutsi with the 97 highest grade in secretary school, she with the big round glasses. She misses working with the only detective in Botswana. The two discuss cases, go over their mentor, Clovis Anderson's book, which they depend on much for advice.
These books are so much fun, good hearted Precious Ramotswe who loves people and does her best to help them with problems.
This is a good read, there is so much dark literature. I enjoy reading about these characters, these books are delightful. Never a dull moment Their philosophies, their outlook on life. This is a happy book.
It is so much fun to get back into the world of love of life, Precious Ramotswe and her friends. Mma Ramotswe loves her country, her friends, her cup of red bush tea, food. She is of traditional build, likes the old ways of life, of being a friend to all, of showing manners, as for the young, nobody is teaching them the ways of their parents and grandparents. She thinks all the time of her late father, Obed Ramotswe, what would he think of how things are now in this time and place.
In this book, two ases come into her office. One, a lady employs Mma Ramotswe to find who is destroying her new beauty business. She has just opened a beauty parlor, hopes to do well, but someone is putting notices around town that her beauty products are harmful, Stay away from that shop. Does she have enemies, and who are they? Another case is presented by a lady lawyer. A young man is posing as the heir to a farm. This lawyer wants to find out who this man is and who is the real heir.
Readers meet again with Rra J.L. B. Matekoni, the best automobile mechanic in Botswana. He loves automobiles, the old ones. He feels they have souls. The new ones, with computers not so much. His two helpers, Charlie, the wild one, and Fanwell. Mma Potokwane, who is the supervisor of the orphan home who makes terrific fruit cake and is always giving Rra Matekoni jobs at the orphanage. He never refuses. Rra Matekoni and Mma Ramotswe adopted two children from the orphanage.
Mma Makutsi has done well in life. From the small village she come from, from small rented places, she is now living in a large, beautiful home. She married a wealthy man and is the mother of a son. She has to take off to be a mom. Precious Ramotswe misses her, the two had been together for such a long time, they can read each other. The two talked much about cases. Mma Makutsi with the 97 highest grade in secretary school, she with the big round glasses. She misses working with the only detective in Botswana. The two discuss cases, go over their mentor, Clovis Anderson's book, which they depend on much for advice.
These books are so much fun, good hearted Precious Ramotswe who loves people and does her best to help them with problems.
This is a good read, there is so much dark literature. I enjoy reading about these characters, these books are delightful. Never a dull moment Their philosophies, their outlook on life. This is a happy book.
October 12, 2014
This series gets better with each book, and the ending here was so heartfelt and satisfying. I hope that doesn't mean it's the last one!
Memorable quotes:
"There was no reason why one should always be on the move. That was half the trouble with the world, she thought: not enough people took the time to sit down for a few minutes and look up at the sky or whatever was before you... You did not have to sit for long; even a few minutes was enough to remind you that if you spent your life rushing about, then the years would slip through your fingers without your really noticing it until suddenly they were gone and you were old and before long it would be that moment that comes to everybody..."
"The voices of the children were pure; their hearts were pure. Some of them had already discovered how hard life could be; others had yet to do so and probably did not fully understand what the world could be. We wanted to protect them, she thought, of course we did, but we knew that we could not and they would have to deal with the disappointments and shocks of life as best they could. All we could do was to give them that one thing that they could use to protect themselves from all of that. At least we could do that. The thing was love, of course."
"...she felt that most exquisite, and regrettably rare, of pleasures--that of welcoming back one who has left your life. We cannot do that with late people...much as we would love to be able to do so, but we can do it with the living."
"At the end of the day...aren't we all the same? Aren't we simply people? Aren't we all distant cousins from long, long ago?"
"...our heart is not always able to say what it wants to say and frequently has to content itself with less."
"They sat together on the veranda, watching the sun sink beneath the canopy of acacia that made the horizon. The sun was copper-red, a great ball, and it floated down so gently, as if to nudge us into night, to let us take the garments of the dark about us slowly and deliberately, without haste and without fear... As night embraced Botswana, the red glow in the sky faded, yet still seemed to be there, somehow, well after it had gone."
Memorable quotes:
"There was no reason why one should always be on the move. That was half the trouble with the world, she thought: not enough people took the time to sit down for a few minutes and look up at the sky or whatever was before you... You did not have to sit for long; even a few minutes was enough to remind you that if you spent your life rushing about, then the years would slip through your fingers without your really noticing it until suddenly they were gone and you were old and before long it would be that moment that comes to everybody..."
"The voices of the children were pure; their hearts were pure. Some of them had already discovered how hard life could be; others had yet to do so and probably did not fully understand what the world could be. We wanted to protect them, she thought, of course we did, but we knew that we could not and they would have to deal with the disappointments and shocks of life as best they could. All we could do was to give them that one thing that they could use to protect themselves from all of that. At least we could do that. The thing was love, of course."
"...she felt that most exquisite, and regrettably rare, of pleasures--that of welcoming back one who has left your life. We cannot do that with late people...much as we would love to be able to do so, but we can do it with the living."
"At the end of the day...aren't we all the same? Aren't we simply people? Aren't we all distant cousins from long, long ago?"
"...our heart is not always able to say what it wants to say and frequently has to content itself with less."
"They sat together on the veranda, watching the sun sink beneath the canopy of acacia that made the horizon. The sun was copper-red, a great ball, and it floated down so gently, as if to nudge us into night, to let us take the garments of the dark about us slowly and deliberately, without haste and without fear... As night embraced Botswana, the red glow in the sky faded, yet still seemed to be there, somehow, well after it had gone."
November 13, 2013
This is the first No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency I have read, in fact it is the first of Alexander McCall Smith that I have read, and so I will leave it to others to review The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon in the context of its series.
Considering the novel without the weight of 15 years' developments, I find it to be a warm, sincere story that falls short on authenticity or relevance.
I haven't been to Botswana, so like most readers I have to take the descriptions of the country and it's people on faith and McCall Smith is a fine guide. However, I find it unlikely that true Batswana feel the need to mention their country in every conversation. I doubt his Edinburgh series mention Scotland with the same frequency. The quaint, exotic simplicity of the characters is lovely, but their artificiality too apparent.
The titular mystery seems grafted onto the body of the book, it could be removed, rather effortlessly, without affecting the larger work. The bulk of the novel is devoted to a discussion on traditional vs. modern beliefs. The novel's worry is nostalgic, but has little contemporary context or relevance for Western audiences.
That said, this isn't a novel one reads for its arguments. It is a work of love. The love McCall Smith has for Botswana and his characters is evident throughout. The depictions of the countryside and its people transported me, made me hope to see the acacia trees and markets of Gaborone for myself. It seems as though Mma Ramotswe embodies the kindness, goodness, and hopefulness of the land.
The sincerity of the characters, of the story, is refreshing as redbush tea in a culture dry with cynicism and sarcasm. Straightforward ideas, simply and honestly expressed, is a wonderful gift.
All told, The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon is a short, pleasant read. I look forward to beginning the series properly and getting to know the Ladies better.
Considering the novel without the weight of 15 years' developments, I find it to be a warm, sincere story that falls short on authenticity or relevance.
I haven't been to Botswana, so like most readers I have to take the descriptions of the country and it's people on faith and McCall Smith is a fine guide. However, I find it unlikely that true Batswana feel the need to mention their country in every conversation. I doubt his Edinburgh series mention Scotland with the same frequency. The quaint, exotic simplicity of the characters is lovely, but their artificiality too apparent.
The titular mystery seems grafted onto the body of the book, it could be removed, rather effortlessly, without affecting the larger work. The bulk of the novel is devoted to a discussion on traditional vs. modern beliefs. The novel's worry is nostalgic, but has little contemporary context or relevance for Western audiences.
That said, this isn't a novel one reads for its arguments. It is a work of love. The love McCall Smith has for Botswana and his characters is evident throughout. The depictions of the countryside and its people transported me, made me hope to see the acacia trees and markets of Gaborone for myself. It seems as though Mma Ramotswe embodies the kindness, goodness, and hopefulness of the land.
The sincerity of the characters, of the story, is refreshing as redbush tea in a culture dry with cynicism and sarcasm. Straightforward ideas, simply and honestly expressed, is a wonderful gift.
All told, The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon is a short, pleasant read. I look forward to beginning the series properly and getting to know the Ladies better.
October 22, 2014
One of the best Mma Ramotswe novels so far. They just keep getting better and better! I love these novels because I am simply in love with the characters and the fact that the author shows his own respect and admiration for the people/history/animals/land of Botswana where he taught medical ethics at the University of Botswana (and is actually one of the co-founders of the University itself)where he lived for many years. Mccall-Smith has first hand experience from growing up partly in Africa and loving Botswana most of all. He basis many of his characters on real persons with whom he has spent time in his beloved Botswana and the sincerity of his relationship to Botswana and its' people certainly does come through on the pages of his novels. The people, the traditions, the friendships, the love, the history, the kindness, the mystery, the beauty, the wilderness, the humanity, the cooking, the humor, the animals,the landscape, the depth and the hope of these books in the Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series are just some of the reasons I will never stop reading. Never.
November 26, 2013
Reading one of this books is like spending time with old friends. I never grow tired of Mma Ramotswe and her husband Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni and of course Mma Makutsi. In this installment, Mma Makutsi is having a baby. She has come a long way from the her days as Mma Ramotswe's helper. There are the familar 'mysteries' to solve; ususally resolved with common sense and discretion. The beauty of these books is their simplicity and warmth. The author hints at the political side of life in Africa, but the love he shows for Botwsana and her people shines from every page. The glow of friendship between Precious and Grace is the glow we feel when we sit in quiet with our old friends. I read these books to enjoy that quiet. I appreciate these characters and treaure their wisdom. They now come out in the fall instead of the spring. I use to give myself one every year for Mother's Day, now they will be an early Christmas present.
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