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No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #17
Precious and Grace
This is the story of Precious and Grace, known to one another and their friends as Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi, co-directors of the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency.
For years the two women have been helping people with the problems in their lives, but their partnership is tested by a curious case: a client who wants to rediscover the life she lost when she left Botswana thirty years go. Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi soon find that the quest for truth takes them in very different directions. They are each convinced that they are on the right track - but what if they are both wrong?
Meanwhile Mma Ramotswe must extract Mr Polopetsi - part-time assistant detective - from a potential disaster with wide-reaching consequences, deal with a stray dog that Fanwell - the gentle mechanic - has brought into their lives and cope with the agency's arch-enemy, Violet Sephotho.
Steeped in the heat of summer in Botswana, and packed with intrigue, this heartfelt tale of friendship under pressure reveals how coming to terms with the past may be the only way to face the future.
For years the two women have been helping people with the problems in their lives, but their partnership is tested by a curious case: a client who wants to rediscover the life she lost when she left Botswana thirty years go. Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi soon find that the quest for truth takes them in very different directions. They are each convinced that they are on the right track - but what if they are both wrong?
Meanwhile Mma Ramotswe must extract Mr Polopetsi - part-time assistant detective - from a potential disaster with wide-reaching consequences, deal with a stray dog that Fanwell - the gentle mechanic - has brought into their lives and cope with the agency's arch-enemy, Violet Sephotho.
Steeped in the heat of summer in Botswana, and packed with intrigue, this heartfelt tale of friendship under pressure reveals how coming to terms with the past may be the only way to face the future.
243 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2016
933 people are currently reading
6006 people want to read
About the author
Alexander McCall Smith
668 books12.7k 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 1,581 reviews
November 23, 2016
A Review by Violet Sephotho, Nominee for Botswana's Woman of the Year
This is Rra Alexander's 17th book about me even though I look younger than I did all those years ago at the Botswana Secretarial College, where I made my first big splash in the business world. I make an appearance in the very first chapter of Precious and Grace because, let's face it, there's nothing very precious or graceful about those two! Boring, big time! It's Violet Sephotho people want to read about!
You see, I have become a big time business consultant on TV and radio, leaving certain people and their No. 1 Ladies Disaster Agency in the dust on the Tlokweng Road. I don't ramble on about the price of cattle or tell boring old stories about Bobonong. To succeed in Botswana today a woman has to be ruthless and flashy, with a modern build. I get right to the point, and if I don't like you--you're fired!
I have to warm you that as usual there are a lot of mysteries to be solved before you get to the exciting Violet stuff. But I learned a few good ideas here from Mr. Poloptese about how to attract investment. And just when you're about to nod off a puff adder strikes and gets your hopes up! I skipped the parts about that dog Zebra. Dogs always seem to growl at me.
Of course, I give the inside of this book five stars even though the title should really be Violet and More Violet. And please don't forget to vote for the most important election of our lifetime, Botswana's Woman of the Year. I have a feeling that this year of all years is my time to get 98 percent of the vote and to put a certain lady with large eyeglasses in her place!
This is Rra Alexander's 17th book about me even though I look younger than I did all those years ago at the Botswana Secretarial College, where I made my first big splash in the business world. I make an appearance in the very first chapter of Precious and Grace because, let's face it, there's nothing very precious or graceful about those two! Boring, big time! It's Violet Sephotho people want to read about!
You see, I have become a big time business consultant on TV and radio, leaving certain people and their No. 1 Ladies Disaster Agency in the dust on the Tlokweng Road. I don't ramble on about the price of cattle or tell boring old stories about Bobonong. To succeed in Botswana today a woman has to be ruthless and flashy, with a modern build. I get right to the point, and if I don't like you--you're fired!
I have to warm you that as usual there are a lot of mysteries to be solved before you get to the exciting Violet stuff. But I learned a few good ideas here from Mr. Poloptese about how to attract investment. And just when you're about to nod off a puff adder strikes and gets your hopes up! I skipped the parts about that dog Zebra. Dogs always seem to growl at me.
Of course, I give the inside of this book five stars even though the title should really be Violet and More Violet. And please don't forget to vote for the most important election of our lifetime, Botswana's Woman of the Year. I have a feeling that this year of all years is my time to get 98 percent of the vote and to put a certain lady with large eyeglasses in her place!
December 6, 2023
Love these ladies!
September 4, 2016
I love spending my reading time with Precious Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi, both of them delightful, intelligent women who are very faithful to their much loved home of Botswana.
In this, the 17th episode of the series, our two redoubtable main characters come as close as they ever have to a major falling out. They deal with several cases involving pyramid selling, drug smuggling, lost dogs and a lost past and of course everything works out in the end (although not always to their total satisfaction.)
Beautifully written, entertaining and full of Mma Ramotswe's philosophies on life, love and humanity.
Of course I loved it!
In this, the 17th episode of the series, our two redoubtable main characters come as close as they ever have to a major falling out. They deal with several cases involving pyramid selling, drug smuggling, lost dogs and a lost past and of course everything works out in the end (although not always to their total satisfaction.)
Beautifully written, entertaining and full of Mma Ramotswe's philosophies on life, love and humanity.
Of course I loved it!
December 5, 2023
In this 17th book in the 'No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' series, Mma Ramotswe has her hands full with three cases. The book can be read as a standalone but it's more fun to follow the characters' arcs through the series.
Mma Ramotswe (right) and Mma Makutski (from the television series)
*****
The newest client of the "The Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" is Susan Peters, a Canadian woman who was born and raised in Botswana.
Susan is nostalgic for her early life in the beautiful African country and - producing an old photo - asks Mma Ramotswe to find her childhood home and former nanny, called Rosie.
Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi put a piece in the newspaper asking Rosie to come forward and (of course) several candidates quickly show up. Mma Makutsi - acerbic and skeptical as always - thinks they're all phonies but Mma Ramotswe believes one woman might be the real deal. Inquiries, a house visit, and many cups of tea eventually help resolve the situation - which is a little different than it first appears.
Meanwhile Mr. Polopetsi, a chemistry teacher and part-time detective for the agency, has inadvertently involved himself in a Ponzi scheme. The naive, good-hearted man has convinced several acquaintances to invest in a shady plan to buy and sell cattle, with the promise of 25% profit.
When Mma Ramotswe and Mma Potokwane (director of the orphan farm) confront Mr. Polopetsi with the truth, he's crushed. But Mma Ramotswe tries to make things right - and keep Mr. Polopetsi out of prison.
Mma Ramotswe has one additional concern. Fanwell, who works as a mechanic for Mr. JLB Matekoni, has been adopted by a stray dog. The pooch, named 'Zebra' by Mma Ramotswe's foster children, needs a permanent home.....but where? Mma Ramotswe attempts to work it out.
As usual with this series, Mma Ramotswe uses her intelligence, insight, and compassion to solve problems and Mma Makutsi acts as kind of a Greek chorus - voicing her own quirky views. Some occurrences in the story lead Mma Ramotswe to ponder forgiveness.....a worthy act. However, when Mma Ramotswe avers she'd let criminals off with a warning, I'm taken aback. Perhaps Mma Ramotswe doesn't believe Botswana harbors murderers, rapists, or the like.
This story isn't as humorous as some other entries in the series but one 'problem' did make me laugh. Over time, Mma Makutsi has promoted herself from secretary, to assistant detective, to associate detective, to partner, and finally to 'Co-Director" of the agency 😊. This leaves Mma Ramotswe with a dilemma. Can she still ask Mma Makutsi to take dictation, make phone calls, type letters, and so on? Mma Ramotswe frets about this continually, but the issue remains unresolved. I'm curious to see how it plays out.
The stories in Alexander McCall Smith's series' are always enjoyable. This book is recommended to people who like cozies, especially fans of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
November 1, 2022
4 stars for book 17 in this series. This book can be read as a stand alone, but my wife and I have been reading the series in order. This series is perfect for cozy mystery fans with very little violence. This book has Precious and Grace working to help a Canadian woman recreate her Botswana past life as a child in Botswana.
There are also two subplots, all of which are resolved in the book. This was a library ebook.
One quote, on moving from Botswana to Canada: "My visits to Canada before had all been in the summer and I had never seen show before. I couldn't believe that such cold could exist -that unrelenting, merciless cold of the Canadian winter."
There are also two subplots, all of which are resolved in the book. This was a library ebook.
One quote, on moving from Botswana to Canada: "My visits to Canada before had all been in the summer and I had never seen show before. I couldn't believe that such cold could exist -that unrelenting, merciless cold of the Canadian winter."
October 24, 2016
I was so disappointed when I finished this book. It wasn't disappointment in the book but the fact that it was over. I miss the characters already. I think I would rather spend time with Precious than anyone else. She is truly happy in her life and feels blessed every day. I would just love it if she dropped over for some read bush tea. It would make my day.
This one is about a young woman from Canada who comes back to Botswana where she grew up. There's a stray dog and a powerful theme of forgiveness but the story really doesn't matter. It's the feeling you have when it's over like sitting in front of a roaring fire, drinking hot chocolate and feeling so happy to be alive.
I love this book and series.
This one is about a young woman from Canada who comes back to Botswana where she grew up. There's a stray dog and a powerful theme of forgiveness but the story really doesn't matter. It's the feeling you have when it's over like sitting in front of a roaring fire, drinking hot chocolate and feeling so happy to be alive.
I love this book and series.
November 13, 2022
The work dynamics and friendship of these two are still growing and changing. There is a stray dog who they name Zebra, a nefarious Ponzi scheme in their midst, and a Canadian who is trying to resurrect history.
October 28, 2016
While the pace of this novel is languorous, its theme of forgiveness is one of the most deeply moving in the series.
(And any book with a stray dog is a sure winner. Precious and Grace is no exception to the meme.)
As always, Smith handles characterizations with beguiling economy--a lifted eyebrow here, an almost-suppressed thought there, yet the reader turns the page and much has happened.
In particular, note how Precious understands, accommodates, and reacts to the Grace's occasional roughness.
As always, the country, its airlines and hotels, should give Smith lifetime free passes--he writes so endearingly about its culture readers will want to catch the next plane to Botswana.
(And any book with a stray dog is a sure winner. Precious and Grace is no exception to the meme.)
As always, Smith handles characterizations with beguiling economy--a lifted eyebrow here, an almost-suppressed thought there, yet the reader turns the page and much has happened.
In particular, note how Precious understands, accommodates, and reacts to the Grace's occasional roughness.
As always, the country, its airlines and hotels, should give Smith lifetime free passes--he writes so endearingly about its culture readers will want to catch the next plane to Botswana.
May 6, 2022
***Fourth Read***
So I’ve now read this book four times and I already know I’ll be reading / listening to it again, someday. These books are food for the soul and the spirit. They are part of my literary medicine cabinet. There should be a medicine cabinet section in every book store and library. I would love to hear your suggestions. What books would be in YOUR literary medicine cabinet?
***Third Read***
When I will I stop reading the Mma Ramotswe series by Alexander McCall Smith? Perhaps after the 2020 election? After the White House has been sterilized and fumigated? Maybe. Until then, these books lift my spirits when it all just seems too surreal.
These books are kindness, laughter, decency, integrity, and too many other good words for me to list. And Lisette Lecat truly deserves the equivalent of an Oscar for her audiobook performances straight across the series. She makes AMS's wonderful work just plain stellar. Please listen to this series. It will make you smile, no matter what. Guaranteed.
***Second Read***
I never tire of this series. Alexander McCall Smith wrote them for me. And for you! It is the characters, more than anything else, that make this so special. Getting to know them, and the wonderful culture and beauty that is Botswana, through the sensitive writing of the author, is a real treat, and a cure for what ails you, what ails all of us, what ails the world, even.
Thank you, AMS. May your stories never end!
***First Read***
4.5 stars. These books are medicine, particularly for the sensitive, introspective soul. If what you really want is for everyone to be kind and love one another, and you want to spend time in the company of characters who do just that, without being cardboard cutouts or predictable, read this series.
In this world, we need 1000x more people like author Alexander McCall Smith, Mma Ramotswe, and all of these characters. Very sad to have read all of the books currently published in this series, although I know more are on the way.
I plan to go all the way back to the first book and reread this series for more soul medicine this summer. The audiobooks, which are all narrated by Lisette Lecat, are all six stars. You can't go wrong reading or listening to these books. Can't recommend them highly enough.
I'll close with a quote:
Yes, that's it, exactly. Thank you, AMS, for your good work.
So I’ve now read this book four times and I already know I’ll be reading / listening to it again, someday. These books are food for the soul and the spirit. They are part of my literary medicine cabinet. There should be a medicine cabinet section in every book store and library. I would love to hear your suggestions. What books would be in YOUR literary medicine cabinet?
***Third Read***
When I will I stop reading the Mma Ramotswe series by Alexander McCall Smith? Perhaps after the 2020 election? After the White House has been sterilized and fumigated? Maybe. Until then, these books lift my spirits when it all just seems too surreal.
These books are kindness, laughter, decency, integrity, and too many other good words for me to list. And Lisette Lecat truly deserves the equivalent of an Oscar for her audiobook performances straight across the series. She makes AMS's wonderful work just plain stellar. Please listen to this series. It will make you smile, no matter what. Guaranteed.
***Second Read***
I never tire of this series. Alexander McCall Smith wrote them for me. And for you! It is the characters, more than anything else, that make this so special. Getting to know them, and the wonderful culture and beauty that is Botswana, through the sensitive writing of the author, is a real treat, and a cure for what ails you, what ails all of us, what ails the world, even.
Thank you, AMS. May your stories never end!
***First Read***
4.5 stars. These books are medicine, particularly for the sensitive, introspective soul. If what you really want is for everyone to be kind and love one another, and you want to spend time in the company of characters who do just that, without being cardboard cutouts or predictable, read this series.
In this world, we need 1000x more people like author Alexander McCall Smith, Mma Ramotswe, and all of these characters. Very sad to have read all of the books currently published in this series, although I know more are on the way.
I plan to go all the way back to the first book and reread this series for more soul medicine this summer. The audiobooks, which are all narrated by Lisette Lecat, are all six stars. You can't go wrong reading or listening to these books. Can't recommend them highly enough.
I'll close with a quote:
"Yes, she thought, no amount of wishful thinking could obliterate the hard facts of existence. There were those who prospered, and those who did not. There were those for whom life was easy, not a struggle at all, and those to whom daily existence was painful and humiliating. That was the pain of the world, and it was all around us, washing at the shores of whatever refuges we created for ourselves. She thought of Fanwell, a young man who had very little in this life, and of his dog, who had even less. She could turn away and say that they had nothing to do with her, or she could accept that they had somehow touched her skirt. For that was how she viewed it: we all had a skirt, and those who touched our skirt became our concern."
Yes, that's it, exactly. Thank you, AMS, for your good work.
February 3, 2018
This is the 17th installment in the long running series about Precious Ramotswe and her No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Botswana. Whenever I start one of these books, the sensation is reminiscent of easing myself into a warm and relaxing bath. Life slows down and my mind turns to idly contemplating subjects as random as whether dogs have souls or the curative power of a cup of tea.
The main storyline in Precious and Grace concerns a Canadian woman who spent some of her childhood in Botswana and who comes to the agency hoping to make contact with people that she knew in her childhood. Mma Ramotse and Mma Matkutsi have a difference of opinion as to whether the person that they find is the woman's former nursemaid or an imposter. There are also secondary storylines about Mr Polopetsi becoming involved in a pyramid selling scheme and Fanwell from the garage finding a stray dog. In the last couple of books in this series I felt that the sub-plots had been tossed in almost as an afterthought, but this time they were all worked through well and tied back to the central theme. I was genuinely unsure how the main storyline would resolve itself and interested in what was going to happen.
It strikes me that this series is a kind of updated Aesop's fables, with gentle moral lessons integrated into the story (in this case the focus is on forgiveness and on righting wrongs), but not in such a way that it becomes preachy - rather, it's a gentle approach that just makes you think. Kind of like yoga for the soul.
The main storyline in Precious and Grace concerns a Canadian woman who spent some of her childhood in Botswana and who comes to the agency hoping to make contact with people that she knew in her childhood. Mma Ramotse and Mma Matkutsi have a difference of opinion as to whether the person that they find is the woman's former nursemaid or an imposter. There are also secondary storylines about Mr Polopetsi becoming involved in a pyramid selling scheme and Fanwell from the garage finding a stray dog. In the last couple of books in this series I felt that the sub-plots had been tossed in almost as an afterthought, but this time they were all worked through well and tied back to the central theme. I was genuinely unsure how the main storyline would resolve itself and interested in what was going to happen.
It strikes me that this series is a kind of updated Aesop's fables, with gentle moral lessons integrated into the story (in this case the focus is on forgiveness and on righting wrongs), but not in such a way that it becomes preachy - rather, it's a gentle approach that just makes you think. Kind of like yoga for the soul.
October 27, 2016
The 17th installment is much like the first sixteen, but this series still seems fresh to me. Not much to the mystery, as always, but I read them for the ongoing stories of Mma Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi, their families and co-workers, and the people of Botswana.
October 19, 2016
Precious and Grace is the seventeenth full length novel in the popular No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Scottish author, Alexander McCall Smith. With Grace Makutsi’s status in the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency elevated and Precious Ramotswe no longer being her boss, as such, Mma Ramotswe finds her considerable skills of diplomacy and tact are more often required in their case discussions and client meetings.
This is indeed so when a client who has travelled from Canada presents with a somewhat unusual request: Precious and Grace agree to approach the case from quite different angles. Both get results, and both are surprised.
But this is not Mma Ramotswe’s only concern: garage mechanic, Fanwell has taken on the care of a dog without the space or means to do so; Mr Polopetsi is involved in a business scheme that has alarm bells ringing in Mma Ramotswe’s head; and it seems that Mma Makutsi’s nemesis, Violet Sepotho is up to more tricks.
As always, Mma Ramotswe muses on the problems and challenges of life, making wise observations and comments to those near and dear. She philosophises about people we know: family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances and even enemies; about the past; about trusting one’s feelings; about whether animals have souls; about lists. “Lists, she thought, are the stories of our lives; they give a picture of who we are and what we do every day”
“…she reflected on the possibility that young men were a completely alien breed, and that however much you tried to get them to see things the way you saw them, you were destined to fail. And that perhaps part of the secret of leading a life in which you would not always be worrying about things, or complaining about them, was to accept that there were people who just saw things differently from you and always would”
On souls, Mr J L B Matekoni has an opinion: “Old cars have souls. Modern cars … well, I think the Japanese don’t put souls into them. They save money, perhaps, by not putting in a soul”
This instalment sees some character development in Fanwell, Charlie and even the dreadful Violet. Apart from the rather determined dog, this instalment also features Mr J L B Matekoni’s favourite stew, a puff adder, fat cakes (and some creative rationalising surrounding them), a newspaper story featuring Grace Makutsi, and the obligatory fruit cake. Mma Makutsi’s garrulous shoes are noticeably absent. Another delightful dose of Bostwana.
Precious thoughts on the past: “There were too many people who took the view that the past was bad, that we should rid ourselves of all traces of it as soon as possible. But the past was not bad; some of it may have been less than perfect – there had been cruelties then that we had done well to get rid of – but there had also been plenty of good things. there had been the old Botswana ways, the courtesy and the kindness; there had been the attitude that you should find time for other people and not always be in a desperate rush; there had been the belief that you should listen to other people, should talk to them, rather than spend all your time fiddling with your electronic gadgets; there had been the view that it was a good thing to sit under a tree sometimes and look up at the sky and think about cattle or pumpkins or non-electric things like that”
This is indeed so when a client who has travelled from Canada presents with a somewhat unusual request: Precious and Grace agree to approach the case from quite different angles. Both get results, and both are surprised.
But this is not Mma Ramotswe’s only concern: garage mechanic, Fanwell has taken on the care of a dog without the space or means to do so; Mr Polopetsi is involved in a business scheme that has alarm bells ringing in Mma Ramotswe’s head; and it seems that Mma Makutsi’s nemesis, Violet Sepotho is up to more tricks.
As always, Mma Ramotswe muses on the problems and challenges of life, making wise observations and comments to those near and dear. She philosophises about people we know: family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances and even enemies; about the past; about trusting one’s feelings; about whether animals have souls; about lists. “Lists, she thought, are the stories of our lives; they give a picture of who we are and what we do every day”
“…she reflected on the possibility that young men were a completely alien breed, and that however much you tried to get them to see things the way you saw them, you were destined to fail. And that perhaps part of the secret of leading a life in which you would not always be worrying about things, or complaining about them, was to accept that there were people who just saw things differently from you and always would”
On souls, Mr J L B Matekoni has an opinion: “Old cars have souls. Modern cars … well, I think the Japanese don’t put souls into them. They save money, perhaps, by not putting in a soul”
This instalment sees some character development in Fanwell, Charlie and even the dreadful Violet. Apart from the rather determined dog, this instalment also features Mr J L B Matekoni’s favourite stew, a puff adder, fat cakes (and some creative rationalising surrounding them), a newspaper story featuring Grace Makutsi, and the obligatory fruit cake. Mma Makutsi’s garrulous shoes are noticeably absent. Another delightful dose of Bostwana.
Precious thoughts on the past: “There were too many people who took the view that the past was bad, that we should rid ourselves of all traces of it as soon as possible. But the past was not bad; some of it may have been less than perfect – there had been cruelties then that we had done well to get rid of – but there had also been plenty of good things. there had been the old Botswana ways, the courtesy and the kindness; there had been the attitude that you should find time for other people and not always be in a desperate rush; there had been the belief that you should listen to other people, should talk to them, rather than spend all your time fiddling with your electronic gadgets; there had been the view that it was a good thing to sit under a tree sometimes and look up at the sky and think about cattle or pumpkins or non-electric things like that”
October 26, 2016
This feel good series is just too repetitious for me. The character development is such that I can understand the appeal to a majority female audience. I've read about half of them and I'm sure that's my quota completed now. I take no sugar or artificial sweetener in coffee, tea or in detective series. In this one the dog story was more resolved and for me more interesting. Most of the investigation is more about prime character interaction and conversation than it is about centering any plot. But that's what the audience seems to like most. To me most endings aren't. And some are outlandish to just not believable or approaching real world cause and effect. This was one of those.
August 11, 2017
A lost dog, Mr. Polopetsi caught in a pyramid scheme, and a Canadian woman trying to recover a lost childhood but these are just the problems. The real theme is forgiveness, kindness, and contentment.
December 1, 2016
It's nice to sit under a tree and drink tea with this pair of ladies.
October 22, 2016
This is book seventeen in the “Number One Ladies Detective Agency” Series. This book meanders around a number of various unrelated problems for Precious Ramotswe.
We have the return of some prior characters such a Ra Polopetsi who use to help out occasionally at the agency. Mma Ramotswe thinks he has gotten himself involved in a pyramid investment scheme. A new character is introduced, he is Fanwell, an assistant mechanic at the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. Fanwell ran over a dog and now it keeps coming back to the Speedy Motors. Grace is upset because her long time enemy Violet Sephotko was elected Woman of the Year. There is a case to work on from a Canadian woman who lived in Botswana as a child and wants them to find the house she lived in as a child and the nurse that took care of her.
The book is well written and sprinkled with cliques and homespun wisdoms. Precious does her philosophical musings over bush tea and they are delightful; such as do dogs have souls? Smith does provide some suspense and action such as the encounter with a snake. The story has two key messages one is friendship and the other is forgiveness. I always enjoy reading this series. It is like taking having a cup of tea with Precious, slowing down and remembering what is important in life.
Lisette Lecat does an excellent job narrating the series. I believe she makes the story come to life with the rhythm of her speech and the pronunciation of the African words. Lecat was born in South Africa. She is a stage actress and a voice over artist in three languages and is an award winning audiobook narrator.
We have the return of some prior characters such a Ra Polopetsi who use to help out occasionally at the agency. Mma Ramotswe thinks he has gotten himself involved in a pyramid investment scheme. A new character is introduced, he is Fanwell, an assistant mechanic at the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. Fanwell ran over a dog and now it keeps coming back to the Speedy Motors. Grace is upset because her long time enemy Violet Sephotko was elected Woman of the Year. There is a case to work on from a Canadian woman who lived in Botswana as a child and wants them to find the house she lived in as a child and the nurse that took care of her.
The book is well written and sprinkled with cliques and homespun wisdoms. Precious does her philosophical musings over bush tea and they are delightful; such as do dogs have souls? Smith does provide some suspense and action such as the encounter with a snake. The story has two key messages one is friendship and the other is forgiveness. I always enjoy reading this series. It is like taking having a cup of tea with Precious, slowing down and remembering what is important in life.
Lisette Lecat does an excellent job narrating the series. I believe she makes the story come to life with the rhythm of her speech and the pronunciation of the African words. Lecat was born in South Africa. She is a stage actress and a voice over artist in three languages and is an award winning audiobook narrator.
April 14, 2021
I do enjoy this series but only every once in a while- they are quite charming, but there is a lot of repetition from previous books and nothing much ever happens. It is the attitude of Mma Ramotswe and the characters around her that make these books enjoyable as a palate cleanser between other books.
June 25, 2018
17th book in the series of No.1 Ladies Detective Agency.
This is my comfort read series.
Mma Precious Ramotswy and Mma. Grace Makutsi and their underlings act as quick pick me up whenever I find life tough or depressing.
Have read the initial few books in the series in order .. after thst j7mped on to this one as I manages to buy it first hand from a flipkart sale for nearly one third the price.
And I love reading paperbacks.
The cover art is beautiful, and intermittently j would stop reading to gaze at it.
In this instalment, a Canadian lady approaches the agency to find the whereabouts of her childhood Nanny. she just remembers the approximate address of her house and her ayah as Rosie.
In 30 years, everything has changed and Botswana has become modern .
Precious and Grace set about the task.
Rather than the main story I love the various parallel incidents in their lives which are anything from hilarious to moving .
I also like the small doses of wit, wisdom and moral education imparted in a simple language by Mma Ramotse .
if I am truthful and Grace only the fist of the story I would have to give it 3 stars.
But all the embellishments make me give 2 more ..
And of course my partiality has a role to play.
♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
This is my comfort read series.
Mma Precious Ramotswy and Mma. Grace Makutsi and their underlings act as quick pick me up whenever I find life tough or depressing.
Have read the initial few books in the series in order .. after thst j7mped on to this one as I manages to buy it first hand from a flipkart sale for nearly one third the price.
And I love reading paperbacks.
The cover art is beautiful, and intermittently j would stop reading to gaze at it.
In this instalment, a Canadian lady approaches the agency to find the whereabouts of her childhood Nanny. she just remembers the approximate address of her house and her ayah as Rosie.
In 30 years, everything has changed and Botswana has become modern .
Precious and Grace set about the task.
Rather than the main story I love the various parallel incidents in their lives which are anything from hilarious to moving .
I also like the small doses of wit, wisdom and moral education imparted in a simple language by Mma Ramotse .
if I am truthful and Grace only the fist of the story I would have to give it 3 stars.
But all the embellishments make me give 2 more ..
And of course my partiality has a role to play.
♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
November 9, 2016
In this, the 17th book in a series that began with The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Botswana’s sole detective, Precious Ramotswe, is faced with two difficult assignments: to hunt down the African nursemaid of a white woman who was born in Botswana but returned to Canada with her Canadian aid worker parents as a young child, and to get to the bottom of an apparent Ponzi scheme which has ensnared the hard-working but naïve Mr. Polopetsi, high-school chemistry teacher and part-time employee at the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.
My sister-in-law and I impatiently await each new volume in this series, and Precious and Grace lived up to the anticipation. All the old favorites make an appearance: Precious’ kind and loyal husband, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, Silvia Potokwani, the redoubtable matron of the orphan farm; Charlie and Fanwell, the garage’s one-time apprentices; and, of course, Grace Makutsi, the determined and proud recipient of the Botswana Secretarial College’s 97 percent distinction, now a wife, mother, and agency co-director. Rounding out the novel are Grace’s memories of her late father, the long-suffering and wise Obed Ramotswe, and an encounter with Grace’s nemesis Violet Sepotho, who is up to yet more mischief.
As always, the best way to savor Mma Ramotswe’s adventures is by listening to the audiobook narrated by Lissette Lecat —always a treat!
My sister-in-law and I impatiently await each new volume in this series, and Precious and Grace lived up to the anticipation. All the old favorites make an appearance: Precious’ kind and loyal husband, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, Silvia Potokwani, the redoubtable matron of the orphan farm; Charlie and Fanwell, the garage’s one-time apprentices; and, of course, Grace Makutsi, the determined and proud recipient of the Botswana Secretarial College’s 97 percent distinction, now a wife, mother, and agency co-director. Rounding out the novel are Grace’s memories of her late father, the long-suffering and wise Obed Ramotswe, and an encounter with Grace’s nemesis Violet Sepotho, who is up to yet more mischief.
As always, the best way to savor Mma Ramotswe’s adventures is by listening to the audiobook narrated by Lissette Lecat —always a treat!
August 29, 2021
Digital audiobook performed by Lisette Lecat
3***
Book # 17 in the hugely popular “No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency” series, has Mma Precious Ramotswe and her “co-director” Mma Grace Makutsi at loggerheads once again over updating office practices vs relying on tried and true methods. This time their cases include a Canadian woman, originally raised in Botswana, who wants to reconnect with her nanny, and a closer-to-home case involving a Ponzi scheme. Then there’s the stray dog than Fanwell has brought to the agency.
I love this series. I enjoy spending time with these people, though I rather missed Mr J L B Matekoni who barely appears in this episode. Mma Ramotswe can always be relied upon to consider carefully the underlying motives and various options for dealing with any problem. While Mma Makutsi is frequently the one to rush forward, perhaps jumping to the wrong conclusion, or arriving at the right answer but for the wrong reason!
Lisette Lecat does a marvelous job of performing the audio books. She brings these characters to life. 5* for her performance!
3***
Book # 17 in the hugely popular “No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency” series, has Mma Precious Ramotswe and her “co-director” Mma Grace Makutsi at loggerheads once again over updating office practices vs relying on tried and true methods. This time their cases include a Canadian woman, originally raised in Botswana, who wants to reconnect with her nanny, and a closer-to-home case involving a Ponzi scheme. Then there’s the stray dog than Fanwell has brought to the agency.
I love this series. I enjoy spending time with these people, though I rather missed Mr J L B Matekoni who barely appears in this episode. Mma Ramotswe can always be relied upon to consider carefully the underlying motives and various options for dealing with any problem. While Mma Makutsi is frequently the one to rush forward, perhaps jumping to the wrong conclusion, or arriving at the right answer but for the wrong reason!
Lisette Lecat does a marvelous job of performing the audio books. She brings these characters to life. 5* for her performance!
November 5, 2016
Precious and Grace is the seventeenth full length novel in the popular No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Scottish author, Alexander McCall Smith. This audio version is narrated by the wonderfully listenable Adjoa Andoh. With Grace Makutsi’s status in the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency elevated and Precious Ramotswe no longer being her boss, as such, Mma Ramotswe finds her considerable skills of diplomacy and tact are more often required in their case discussions and client meetings.
This is indeed so when a client who has travelled from Canada presents with a somewhat unusual request: Precious and Grace agree to approach the case from quite different angles. Both get results, and both are surprised.
But this is not Mma Ramotswe’s only concern: garage mechanic, Fanwell has taken on the care of a dog without the space or means to do so; Mr Polopetsi is involved in a business scheme that has alarm bells ringing in Mma Ramotswe’s head; and it seems that Mma Makutsi’s nemesis, Violet Sepotho is up to more tricks.
As always, Mma Ramotswe muses on the problems and challenges of life, making wise observations and comments to those near and dear. She philosophises about people we know: family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances and even enemies; about the past; about trusting one’s feelings; about whether animals have souls; about lists. “Lists, she thought, are the stories of our lives; they give a picture of who we are and what we do every day”
“…she reflected on the possibility that young men were a completely alien breed, and that however much you tried to get them to see things the way you saw them, you were destined to fail. And that perhaps part of the secret of leading a life in which you would not always be worrying about things, or complaining about them, was to accept that there were people who just saw things differently from you and always would”
On souls, Mr J L B Matekoni has an opinion: “Old cars have souls. Modern cars … well, I think the Japanese don’t put souls into them. They save money, perhaps, by not putting in a soul”
This instalment sees some character development in Fanwell, Charlie and even the dreadful Violet. Apart from the rather determined dog, this instalment also features Mr J L B Matekoni’s favourite stew, a puff adder, fat cakes (and some creative rationalising surrounding them), a newspaper story featuring Grace Makutsi, and the obligatory fruit cake. Mma Makutsi’s garrulous shoes are noticeably absent. Another delightful dose of Bostwana.
Precious thoughts on the past: “There were too many people who took the view that the past was bad, that we should rid ourselves of all traces of it as soon as possible. But the past was not bad; some of it may have been less than perfect – there had been cruelties then that we had done well to get rid of – but there had also been plenty of good things. there had been the old Botswana ways, the courtesy and the kindness; there had been the attitude that you should find time for other people and not always be in a desperate rush; there had been the belief that you should listen to other people, should talk to them, rather than spend all your time fiddling with your electronic gadgets; there had been the view that it was a good thing to sit under a tree sometimes and look up at the sky and think about cattle or pumpkins or non-electric things like that”
This is indeed so when a client who has travelled from Canada presents with a somewhat unusual request: Precious and Grace agree to approach the case from quite different angles. Both get results, and both are surprised.
But this is not Mma Ramotswe’s only concern: garage mechanic, Fanwell has taken on the care of a dog without the space or means to do so; Mr Polopetsi is involved in a business scheme that has alarm bells ringing in Mma Ramotswe’s head; and it seems that Mma Makutsi’s nemesis, Violet Sepotho is up to more tricks.
As always, Mma Ramotswe muses on the problems and challenges of life, making wise observations and comments to those near and dear. She philosophises about people we know: family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances and even enemies; about the past; about trusting one’s feelings; about whether animals have souls; about lists. “Lists, she thought, are the stories of our lives; they give a picture of who we are and what we do every day”
“…she reflected on the possibility that young men were a completely alien breed, and that however much you tried to get them to see things the way you saw them, you were destined to fail. And that perhaps part of the secret of leading a life in which you would not always be worrying about things, or complaining about them, was to accept that there were people who just saw things differently from you and always would”
On souls, Mr J L B Matekoni has an opinion: “Old cars have souls. Modern cars … well, I think the Japanese don’t put souls into them. They save money, perhaps, by not putting in a soul”
This instalment sees some character development in Fanwell, Charlie and even the dreadful Violet. Apart from the rather determined dog, this instalment also features Mr J L B Matekoni’s favourite stew, a puff adder, fat cakes (and some creative rationalising surrounding them), a newspaper story featuring Grace Makutsi, and the obligatory fruit cake. Mma Makutsi’s garrulous shoes are noticeably absent. Another delightful dose of Bostwana.
Precious thoughts on the past: “There were too many people who took the view that the past was bad, that we should rid ourselves of all traces of it as soon as possible. But the past was not bad; some of it may have been less than perfect – there had been cruelties then that we had done well to get rid of – but there had also been plenty of good things. there had been the old Botswana ways, the courtesy and the kindness; there had been the attitude that you should find time for other people and not always be in a desperate rush; there had been the belief that you should listen to other people, should talk to them, rather than spend all your time fiddling with your electronic gadgets; there had been the view that it was a good thing to sit under a tree sometimes and look up at the sky and think about cattle or pumpkins or non-electric things like that”
October 21, 2016
If it is October than that means a trip to Botswana to visit with my favorite literary character Precious Ramotswe and all of her friends and family. At the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Mma Ramotswe is presented with a client from Canada who who would like assistance in reconnecting with her childhood Botswana roots. Also keeping Mma Ramotswe busy is a stray dog longing for the right home and Ra Polopetsi who has become entangled with the Bernie Madoff of Botswana. With the aid of lots of Bush tea and her co manager/friend Mma Grace Makutsi, Mma Ramotswe once again helps those in need of her compassion and detective skills,
I have read all 17 of the novels in this feel good series. Each one gently imparts life lessons to the reader. The theme of this book is forgiveness. A character is hurt very deeply in the past and Mma Ramotswe shows them how freeing forgiveness can be. Another gem of wisdom from this book was shown by way of the stray dog Zebra. Mma Ramotswe observed while watching her children lavish attention on the stray that children who show care to pets are learning to love. Mma Raotswe also sagely points out that arguing takes away from tea drinking time and the less that is said the easier it is mended. Like Mma Ramotswe, I am also married to a mechanic and thus especially appreciate the character of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni and his constant vexation with his customer's cars. Over the years I have grown extremely fond of these characters and always look forward to another visit with them in Africa.
I have read all 17 of the novels in this feel good series. Each one gently imparts life lessons to the reader. The theme of this book is forgiveness. A character is hurt very deeply in the past and Mma Ramotswe shows them how freeing forgiveness can be. Another gem of wisdom from this book was shown by way of the stray dog Zebra. Mma Ramotswe observed while watching her children lavish attention on the stray that children who show care to pets are learning to love. Mma Raotswe also sagely points out that arguing takes away from tea drinking time and the less that is said the easier it is mended. Like Mma Ramotswe, I am also married to a mechanic and thus especially appreciate the character of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni and his constant vexation with his customer's cars. Over the years I have grown extremely fond of these characters and always look forward to another visit with them in Africa.
October 18, 2016
There are some books (like Nero Wolfe books or Jeeves & Wooster books) wherein the plot is completely incidental and is merely an excuse to check in with old friends. All of AMS's books are like this and he has populated my world with delightful people for many years. Happy to spend some time with the completely lovely Precious Ramotswe. May we all be so generous of spirit as she.
October 24, 2019
I’m starting to feel a little anxious for Mma Ramotswe whenever she had to deal with Mma Makutsi. Mma Makutsi is getting, what my father would call, too big for her britches. She’s being rude and coming to judgements way too quickly, and this is not an asset to the agency which makes me a wee bit anxious as I read along, because I am overly invested in these fictional individuals. I am waiting for Mma Ramotswe to tell her she needs to behave better but somehow Mma always rises above things and finds excuse for Mma Makutsi. Or is just too nice a person to speak up.
Fanway remains a great character, but here we run into an issue of his living arrangements that isn’t in keeping with past stories. Suddenly there is an uncle who is listed as living there and it being the uncles house and not his grandmother as in books past. The grandmother brings in a tiny bit of income from a craft, but it is Fanway who supports the family with all his wages and is thus the man of the house so to speak. This is where an author needs a good editor or a note book of organizing side character info.
Mr. Polopetsi though he seems to have found himself involved in a scheme which he should not.
McCall Smith’s description of him shrinking and filling in and out of his suit is reminiscent of Mma Makutsi’s talking shoes which I find wonderful despite the intrusion on the rest of the realism of the book.
McCall Smith writes a lot about men and women and how women feel and react to this. He seems to have an interesting insight into many women and what they have to deal with with their men and in Africa. The rights of women seem to be an important topic to him and his use of JLB Matakoni and Phuti Radiphuti as shining examples of good loving husbands for men to follow is interesting. They give their wives not only autonomy but also honor respect and adore them. In return our heroines treat their husbands well too, so there is an obvious reciprocity between them.
While a good story, it’s not the best, and it is hard to keep ideas fresh when you have a long running story but you we still go back to visit beloved characters, even those who are acting up.
Fanway remains a great character, but here we run into an issue of his living arrangements that isn’t in keeping with past stories. Suddenly there is an uncle who is listed as living there and it being the uncles house and not his grandmother as in books past. The grandmother brings in a tiny bit of income from a craft, but it is Fanway who supports the family with all his wages and is thus the man of the house so to speak. This is where an author needs a good editor or a note book of organizing side character info.
Mr. Polopetsi though he seems to have found himself involved in a scheme which he should not.
McCall Smith’s description of him shrinking and filling in and out of his suit is reminiscent of Mma Makutsi’s talking shoes which I find wonderful despite the intrusion on the rest of the realism of the book.
McCall Smith writes a lot about men and women and how women feel and react to this. He seems to have an interesting insight into many women and what they have to deal with with their men and in Africa. The rights of women seem to be an important topic to him and his use of JLB Matakoni and Phuti Radiphuti as shining examples of good loving husbands for men to follow is interesting. They give their wives not only autonomy but also honor respect and adore them. In return our heroines treat their husbands well too, so there is an obvious reciprocity between them.
While a good story, it’s not the best, and it is hard to keep ideas fresh when you have a long running story but you we still go back to visit beloved characters, even those who are acting up.
September 25, 2020
I love this series, and this installment didn’t disappoint me. Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi set out to reunite a Canadian woman with her childhood caretaker. After some twists and turns, the reunion doesn’t turn out to be what anyone expected!
Of course, there are a few subplots and some thought-provoking introspection. Mma Potokwane and Mr. Polopetsi show up. And Botswana remains a character in her own right.
These books are a major happy place for me.
Of course, there are a few subplots and some thought-provoking introspection. Mma Potokwane and Mr. Polopetsi show up. And Botswana remains a character in her own right.
These books are a major happy place for me.
November 2, 2017
My first experience with the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, was when it became a book club pick. I have to admit, this is not something I would have chosen on my own, it is nothing at all like the books I normally choose. However, there is something about this series that made me want to read more. I cannot name the something; but, these books give me great satisfaction.
Precious and Grace are asked to find a woman who acted as a caretaker for a young girl while her parents worked in Botswana at a hospital. The claim is made that she just wants to recapture her memories of Botswana and thank this woman named Rosie.
Of course, there are other issues which shove their way into the women’s days so that they cannot simply follow up for their client. On top of that; Grace feels that the Rosie who answered the ad is suspicious, while Precious feels that Mma Susan who hired them is not telling them everything.
This book shows the women learning something about themselves and about their own lives; and can easily be placed within the realm of the readers life as well.
November 3, 2016
Whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed by the rudeness, unthinking and unthinkable cruelties, and selfishness of the world that we live in, I like to take a break from it all by visiting Botswana. There, I can sit in the shade of a tree and drink red bush tea with Precious Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi and listen to Precious expound on her philosophy of life and her view of what is important. For example, there is her rumination about the past:
Old Botswana ways actually sound a lot like the ways I was brought up with, and perhaps it is important, as Precious says, not to abandon all the good that existed in those ways in our rush to embrace the "new and improved" modern ways.
That is the philosophy with which Precious faces life and which she tries to impart to those around her, not always successfully to the newly installed co-director of her No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Grace Makutsi.
Grace is always eager to welcome modern innovations and introduce them into her life, including her workplace, sometimes at the expense of more traditional Botswana sensibilities. The "traditionally built" Precious Ramotswe is also traditional in her cautious approach to life and to her work, always weighing the effect that her words and actions may have on others. This difference in ways of thinking inevitably brings some conflicts into their relationship, conflicts which call on Precious' remarkable talents for tact and diplomacy in order to resolve them.
This happens again with their latest case. A Canadian woman who was born and lived the first few years of her life in Botswana returns there and contacts the detectives to try to locate some people from her past. She wants to find the nursemaid who helped care for her and some of her childhood friends. And she wants to see the house where she and her parents lived.
Unfortunately, she doesn't have much to go on. She was a child when they left Botswana and her memories are vague. Her parents are deceased and she doesn't have addresses or the full names of the people she is seeking. Precious and Grace take different views of her request and employ different tactics in fulfilling it. But in the end, somewhat surprisingly, they both get results.
In addition to working on this case, life goes on and brings its daily share of mysteries and problems which Precious tries to solve. Fanwell, the tender-hearted apprentice of her mechanic husband takes on the care of a stray dog - a dog that he has no place to keep and little to feed. Of course, Precious ends up finding a home for this "orphan" dog. Meanwhile, her friend and sometime assistant, the meek and mild Mr. Polopetsi, has managed to get himself entangled in a pyramid scheme and requires the help of Precious to extricate him with his honor intact.
Of course, there are regular visits with Precious' good friend, Silvia Potokwani, the director of the orphan farm, in which large quantities of Mma Potokwani's famous fruit cake are consumed and, as usual, Grace's nemesis, Violet Sepotho, is still causing her heartburn, but this time even Violet seems to be developing into a more gracious and courteous woman. Perhaps Precious is rubbing off on her.
Would that she could rub off on all of us.
There were too many people who took the view that the past was bad, that we should rid ourselves of all traces of it as soon as possible. But the past was not bad; some of it may have been less than perfect - there had been cruelties then that we had done well to get rid of - but there had also been plenty of good things. There had been the old Botswana ways, the courtesy and the kindness; there had been the attitude that you should find time for other people and not always be in a desperate rush; there had been the belief that you should listen to other people, should talk to them rather than spending all of your time fiddling with your electronic gadgets; there had been the view that it was a good thing to sit under a tree sometimes and look up at the sky and think about cattle or pumpkins or non-electric things like that.
Old Botswana ways actually sound a lot like the ways I was brought up with, and perhaps it is important, as Precious says, not to abandon all the good that existed in those ways in our rush to embrace the "new and improved" modern ways.
That is the philosophy with which Precious faces life and which she tries to impart to those around her, not always successfully to the newly installed co-director of her No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Grace Makutsi.
Grace is always eager to welcome modern innovations and introduce them into her life, including her workplace, sometimes at the expense of more traditional Botswana sensibilities. The "traditionally built" Precious Ramotswe is also traditional in her cautious approach to life and to her work, always weighing the effect that her words and actions may have on others. This difference in ways of thinking inevitably brings some conflicts into their relationship, conflicts which call on Precious' remarkable talents for tact and diplomacy in order to resolve them.
This happens again with their latest case. A Canadian woman who was born and lived the first few years of her life in Botswana returns there and contacts the detectives to try to locate some people from her past. She wants to find the nursemaid who helped care for her and some of her childhood friends. And she wants to see the house where she and her parents lived.
Unfortunately, she doesn't have much to go on. She was a child when they left Botswana and her memories are vague. Her parents are deceased and she doesn't have addresses or the full names of the people she is seeking. Precious and Grace take different views of her request and employ different tactics in fulfilling it. But in the end, somewhat surprisingly, they both get results.
In addition to working on this case, life goes on and brings its daily share of mysteries and problems which Precious tries to solve. Fanwell, the tender-hearted apprentice of her mechanic husband takes on the care of a stray dog - a dog that he has no place to keep and little to feed. Of course, Precious ends up finding a home for this "orphan" dog. Meanwhile, her friend and sometime assistant, the meek and mild Mr. Polopetsi, has managed to get himself entangled in a pyramid scheme and requires the help of Precious to extricate him with his honor intact.
Of course, there are regular visits with Precious' good friend, Silvia Potokwani, the director of the orphan farm, in which large quantities of Mma Potokwani's famous fruit cake are consumed and, as usual, Grace's nemesis, Violet Sepotho, is still causing her heartburn, but this time even Violet seems to be developing into a more gracious and courteous woman. Perhaps Precious is rubbing off on her.
Would that she could rub off on all of us.
April 6, 2017
Precious Ramotswe is a “traditionally built” woman who founded and runs the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. She is known throughout Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, for her wisdom and her street smarts. She is also reflective, unfailingly kind, truthful, and patient to an almost superhuman degree. She would have to be to put up with her rude and self-centered assistant, Grace Makutsi.
A charming series of novels
The relationship between the two women is the principal theme of Precious and Grace, the latest addition to Alexander McCall Smith‘s charming series of novels about the agency. Mma (Ms.) Makutsi has always pushed her boss to the limits of her patience. But never before has Mma Ramotswe come so perilously close to lying as in this 17th novel in the series. Shockingly, she is even forced to withhold information that will anger Mma Makutsi! “We are the people we want ourselves to be, and then there are the people we actually are: sometimes it is easier to be the people we want ourselves to be if we keep at least some things to ourselves. That, thought Mma Ramotswe, is only human.”
As in the preceding novels in the series, several subplots unfold in Precious and Grace. Fanwell, the newly promoted junior mechanic in the garage that shares space with the agency, has picked up a stray dog that refuses to return to its home. The agency’s part-time volunteer assistant, Mr. Polopetsi, has been naively promoting a pyramid scheme. And a Canadian woman has come to Gaborone seeking the agency’s help in finding the nanny who raised her when she was child in Botswana. Complications erupt each of these problems as Mma Ramotswe looks for solutions. She solves all the problems, of course. But never in a straight line from beginning to end. The twists and turns are part of the charm of this entertaining little book.
Celebrating Africa through the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
Through the character of Mma Ramotswe, McCall Smith celebrates an idealized image of Africa. However, he could hardly have picked a likelier setting than Botswana. Botswana is one of the most remarkable countries in Africa if not in the world as a whole. The country has been democratically ruled since it gained independence from Britain in 1964. One of Mma Ramotswe’s heroes, Sir Seretse Khama, set the pattern of peace and stability as Botswana’s first president. Since the 1960s, the country has lifted itself from dire poverty into mid-range income. This, despite the fact of mineral wealth that in other countries has simply enriched a small elite. For many years the nation has been one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. However, Botswana also has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS prevalence on the planet, with more than 15% of the country’s two million people infected.
About the author
McCall Smith—yes, that is his last name—is clearly in love with Botswana, where he lived for years and taught law at the national university he co-founded in Gaborone. An expert in medical law and ethics, he lives in Edinburgh, where he taught at the university for many years. McCall Smith is an extraordinarily prolific author. In addition to the 17 novels in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, he has written scores of novels in other series as well as 13 books on medical law and related topics.
A charming series of novels
The relationship between the two women is the principal theme of Precious and Grace, the latest addition to Alexander McCall Smith‘s charming series of novels about the agency. Mma (Ms.) Makutsi has always pushed her boss to the limits of her patience. But never before has Mma Ramotswe come so perilously close to lying as in this 17th novel in the series. Shockingly, she is even forced to withhold information that will anger Mma Makutsi! “We are the people we want ourselves to be, and then there are the people we actually are: sometimes it is easier to be the people we want ourselves to be if we keep at least some things to ourselves. That, thought Mma Ramotswe, is only human.”
As in the preceding novels in the series, several subplots unfold in Precious and Grace. Fanwell, the newly promoted junior mechanic in the garage that shares space with the agency, has picked up a stray dog that refuses to return to its home. The agency’s part-time volunteer assistant, Mr. Polopetsi, has been naively promoting a pyramid scheme. And a Canadian woman has come to Gaborone seeking the agency’s help in finding the nanny who raised her when she was child in Botswana. Complications erupt each of these problems as Mma Ramotswe looks for solutions. She solves all the problems, of course. But never in a straight line from beginning to end. The twists and turns are part of the charm of this entertaining little book.
Celebrating Africa through the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
Through the character of Mma Ramotswe, McCall Smith celebrates an idealized image of Africa. However, he could hardly have picked a likelier setting than Botswana. Botswana is one of the most remarkable countries in Africa if not in the world as a whole. The country has been democratically ruled since it gained independence from Britain in 1964. One of Mma Ramotswe’s heroes, Sir Seretse Khama, set the pattern of peace and stability as Botswana’s first president. Since the 1960s, the country has lifted itself from dire poverty into mid-range income. This, despite the fact of mineral wealth that in other countries has simply enriched a small elite. For many years the nation has been one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. However, Botswana also has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS prevalence on the planet, with more than 15% of the country’s two million people infected.
About the author
McCall Smith—yes, that is his last name—is clearly in love with Botswana, where he lived for years and taught law at the national university he co-founded in Gaborone. An expert in medical law and ethics, he lives in Edinburgh, where he taught at the university for many years. McCall Smith is an extraordinarily prolific author. In addition to the 17 novels in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, he has written scores of novels in other series as well as 13 books on medical law and related topics.
April 6, 2018
Props to Lisette Lecat, narrator extraordinaire! Another charming book in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.
What makes these books so delightful? As I copied quotes down, I noticed how reflective they are. Precious 'thought'; she'reflected,' she 'imagined,'; she 'considered' and she 'remembered.'
The book opens with a delicious example. On her commute to work, Precious thinks about the people in her life and begins a classification exercise. Living and late. Known and unknown. Friends and enemies.
Grace Makutsi is not so reflective. She is loud and opinionated and has an elevated sense of justice with a desire to mete it out to those around her. Grace is, well, graceless. Her awkwardness is a foil for Mma Ramotswe's wisdom and empathy.
Some quotes I copied:
What makes these books so delightful? As I copied quotes down, I noticed how reflective they are. Precious 'thought'; she'reflected,' she 'imagined,'; she 'considered' and she 'remembered.'
The book opens with a delicious example. On her commute to work, Precious thinks about the people in her life and begins a classification exercise. Living and late. Known and unknown. Friends and enemies.
Grace Makutsi is not so reflective. She is loud and opinionated and has an elevated sense of justice with a desire to mete it out to those around her. Grace is, well, graceless. Her awkwardness is a foil for Mma Ramotswe's wisdom and empathy.
Some quotes I copied:
Good mothers taught their daughters to keep a kitchen clean; and really good ones tried to teach their sons that.
She thought how strange it was that we so very rarely said complimentary things to our friends, and how easy it was to do so, and how it made the world a less harsh place.
Lists, she thought, are the stories of our lives; they give a picture of who we are and what we do every day.
December 14, 2016
There have been moments in recent books when I feel that McCall Smith is beginning to run out of gas with this series, but this one works really well. I'm not sure about the title though, because it really makes it seem as if there is something in particular going on with Mmas Ramotswe and Makutsi, and there isn't anything new or unusual here. Just another solid No.1 Ladies volume.
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