A Song of Comfortable Chairs

No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #23

by Alexander McCall Smith

In this latest installment in the beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, Grace Makutsi encounters a pair of quandaries that will require all of her and Mma Ramotswe's cleverness and generosity to resolve

Grace Makutsi's husband, Phuti, is in a bind. An international firm is attempting to undercut his prices in the office furniture market. Phuti has always been concerned with quality and comfort, but this new firm seems interested only in profits. To make matters worse, they have a slick new advertising campaign that seems hard to beat. Nonetheless with Mma Ramotswe's help, Phtui comes up with a campaign that may just do the trick.
Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi is approached by an old friend who has a troubled son. Grace and Phuti agree to lend a hand, but the boy proves difficult to reach, and the situation is more than they can handle on their own. It will require not only all of their patience and dedication, but also the help of Mma Ramotswe and the formidable Mma Potokwani in order to help the child.
Faced with more than her fair share of domestic problems, Mma Makutsi deals with it all with her usual grace. That, along with the kindness, generosity, and good sense that the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is known for, assure us that in the end, all these matters will be set right.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Africa, Audiobook, Cozy Mystery, Humor, Botswana

228 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

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

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This felt as comfortable to read as sitting in one of those sturdy, traditional chairs.

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This is the 23rd book in the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency set in Botswana. I am happy to have read them all and am already anticipating the next edition. They make a charming and relaxing break from the many books of murder and mayhem I often read. They are steeped in kindness, common sense, and a gentle philosophy about leading one's best life, and of course added wisdom on how to be a successful detective from a well-read manual.

Do not expect brutal and complicated criminal cases. The Ladies Detective Agency aspires to solve troubles and conflicts in their clients' personal lives or small business problems. They often work pro bono. Reading these books is like revisiting old friends, listening to their wisdom and small arguments while sharing cups of bush tea. Of course, I would ensure that the door is locked to prevent the troublesome Violet from entering.

Precious Ramotswe, the detective agency founder, feels uncomfortable in the opening pages. She shares the office with Grace Makutsi, whom she once hired as a secretary and considers a friend. During her employment, Grace has gradually promoted herself to detective and is now referring to herself as a managing director of the firm. She has placed a brass nameplate on her desk and is in the process of having the desk expanded to make it larger and more imposing than Precious's. There are other signs that she is representing herself to clients as being above her boss. Precious says little about Grace's behaviour and realizes this is due to her feeling insecure for some reason.

Charlie continues as a part-time detective in training and half-time as a mechanic in Precious's husband's car repair shop. He is still subject to taunts and insults from Grace, who contends this is sarcastic joking.

Two cases are presented in this book. Grace's husband, Phuti, has provided her and their child with a comfortable life. He ran a successful furniture store under his ownership. Now a competitive modern store with overseas stock is undercutting its sales and taking its customers. Their chairs are futuristic in design, with modern devices to adjust the height of the chairs and enable them to recline. Owning one is a new status symbol, but they lack comfort and cost less than the chairs from Phuti's shop. Phuti is dangerously close to declaring bankruptcy. Precious must come up with a clever plan to save Phuti's business and ease Grace's worries about going broke.

The other case involves an old friend of Grace's who has been hired at the orphanage. She has a tragic background and a sullen teenage son. Life is looking brighter for her. She has moved to the city with her son to the home of a kindly water inspector she recently met. Moving into his home promised her a life of love and stability for the first time. However, her son is disrupting her newfound happiness with constant angry outbursts and meanness directed towards her new partner. He is on the verge of kicking them out of his home as her son's behaviour is too much to bear.

Precious and Grace come up with a scheme that would temporarily move the woman and her unruly son into Grace and Phuti's home. Physical punishment is forbidden in any attempt to discipline him for his bad behaviour. Their plan includes an undercover actor visiting the home and interacting with the antagonistic, hostile teenager. However, the plan is not working as the son shows no sign of changes in his attitude or behaviour. Suddenly, he is much calmer and wants to return to the previous home, apologize, and get along with his mother's new boyfriend. It seems he received a secret visit from Charlie, which improved the boy's outlook considerably. Of course, Grace cannot accept or credit Charlie's unorthodox methods of solving the case, now concluded with a happy ending.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC of this heartwarming and delightful book.

[Sandysbookaday (on indefinite hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

EXCERPT: Mma Ramotswe sighed. There was so much wrong with the world. There were so many cases of people behaving badly in one way or another, of people doing things that they should not do, and the more we scrutinised what was going on around us, the more we discovered of just this sort of thing. Under every stone, she sometimes thought, there is bound to be a scorpion.

ABOUT 'A SONG OF COMFORTABLE CHAIRS': Grace Makutsi’s husband, Phuti, is in a bind. An international firm is attempting to undercut his prices in the office furniture market. Phuti has always been concerned with quality and comfort, but this new firm seems interested only in profits. To make matters worse, they have a slick new advertising campaign that seems hard to beat. Nonetheless with Mma Ramotswe’s help, Phtui comes up with a campaign that may just do the trick.
Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi is approached by an old friend who has a troubled son. Grace and Phuti agree to lend a hand, but the boy proves difficult to reach, and the situation is more than they can handle on their own. It will require not only all of their patience and dedication, but also the help of Mma Ramotswe and the formidable Mma Potokwani in order to help the child.
Faced with more than her fair share of domestic problems, Mma Makutsi deals with it all with her usual grace. That, along with the kindness, generosity, and good sense that the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is known for, assure us that in the end, all these matters will be set right.

MY THOUGHTS: This was not at all what I expected and, to be quite honest, I felt cheated. Does it not say #1 Ladies Detective Agency? There is not much detecting takes place.

Initially I found the characters quite charming, at least while I still surmised that there was going to be a mystery of sorts to be solved. But eventually I became bored by the lack of anything happening. Sorry, but the domestic drama angle just didn't cut the mustard.

I did have a laugh at the lunch debacle.

I love this author's Isabel Dalhousie series and I was looking forward to discovering another wonderful series by him. Instead, I was disappointed by the slow pace, and the repititiousness in the characters. It's odd, but the very things that I love about Isabel Dalhousie just don't work for me here.

⭐⭐.4

#ASongofComfortableChairs #NetGalley

I: @alexandermccallsmith @doubledaybooks

T: @McCallSmith @doubledaybooks

#contemporaryfiction #friendship #domesticdrama

THE AUTHOR: Alexander McCall Smith 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.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Knopf Doubleday via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Song of Comfortable Chairs by Alexander McCall Smith for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our twenty third visit to our friends from the Ladies Detective Agency in beautiful Botswana. That lovely cover creates the atmosphere of an evening in the African bush to perfection. I would just love to be back there again!

Failing that a virtual visit must suffice. In A Song of Comfortable Chairs we find a very worried Grace Makutsi. Her husband, Phuti, is losing trade to a new furniture shop, particularly due to their marketing of their modern chairs. Mma Ramotswe deals with this with a little detective work and some clever planning. Then there is the friend whose son is behaving badly and ruining her chances of a relationship. The Ladies Detective Agency team pull together to find a solution to this problem. It is all very satisfactory.

I enjoyed the larger role played by Charlie in this book. He is certainly beginning to mature. Just beginning mind you. I am happy that he has been introduced to tooth paste just in time to save his teeth! I found myself in total agreement with Mma Ramotswe about the importance in our lives of comfortable chairs and of sharing cups of tea and cake with our friends. It is all very cosy and reassuring.

I hope the author returns us to Botswana again soon.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I just was in Botswana visiting with my friend, Mma Ramose and all her family and friends. What a pleasant trip it was. Alexander McCall Smith tells such warm delightful tales and each story has a moral point. I can’t wait for the next issue to come out.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is nine hours and fifty-two minutes. Oh, how exciting to have Lisette Lecat back narrating. She has a way of bringing the story to life.

[Srivalli Rekha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.3 Stars

One Liner: Heartwarming; a comfort read (but go with the right expectations)

Grace Makutsi's husband has a furniture business, which is in trouble. An international is selling furniture for cheaper prices. While Phuti Radiphuti is particular about quality and comfort, the new competitor is intent on sales and profits.

Grace and Mma Ramotswe meet Grace’s childhood friend Patience, who appears to be dealing with her own issues. Mma Ramotswe comes up with ideas that might solve both issues and provide a happy solution for all of them.

But are things as easy as the plan? How will Grace Makutsi and Mma Ramotswe handle the latest complexities?

The story comes in the third person POV. It alters between limited third-person (of both the leading ladies) and omnipresent narration.

The last time I read a book from the series was about a decade ago. I picked it up at random from the library and wasn’t impressed by the lack of dead bodies in a cozy mystery (blame it on my bloodlust). Comparing it to Agatha Christie’s book didn’t help. Still, I was compelled enough to finish the book before turning to a murder mystery.

Now I see why the series is successful and much loved. The book doesn’t really fit any genre. The mysteries are not ‘mysteries’, but aspects of one’s life- things we see in society, issues someone has to deal with, and decisions people need to make.

The narration is relaxed and takes time to gather momentum. Even then, it is languid and lingers here and there before coming to the main point. The writing has a semi-stream-of-consciousness style (an incident happens/ new info is revealed, and one of the leading ladies thinks about something relevant from the past). Once I got used to this, I could sync my reading style with the narration.

The book has a good dose of social commentary but doesn’t overdo it at any point. Mma Ramotswe’s calm acceptance of whatever life throws at her helps ground the narration.

Coming to the main issues in the story, things don’t take off until the second half. The first half gathers information in bits and pieces, while the ‘solving process’ begins in the latter part. Of course, we know what and why already. It’s how that matters. One solution is simple, and the other is well… elaborate and dramatic. The teeny twist at the end adds a cheeky charm to the book.

To summarize, A Song of Comfortable Chairs is the kind of book you want to sit with on cold noon and warm your heart. It isn’t a typical cozy mystery or drama. It’s a comfort read that’ll make you think and smile at the same time.

Thank you, NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and Knopf Canada, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley

*****

P.S: The book works as a standalone but reading at least one book in the series might be better.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In this 23rd book in the 'No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' series - set in Gaborone, Botswana - Mma Precious Ramotswe's concerns include a problem in the office; a furniture store's cutthroat business practices; and a rebellious teen. The book can be read as a standalone, but familiarity with the characters is a bonus.



*****

As the story opens Mma Ramotswe is musing about Mma Grace Makutsi - her employee at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.



Over the years Mma Makutsi has promoted herself from secretary, to assistant detective, to co-detective, to co-director....and Mma Makutsi seems on the verge of upgrading herself once again. This is demonstrated by Mma Makutsi making her name more conspicuous on the firm's letterhead; buying a brass nameplate for herself; hiring a carpenter to enlarge her desk; and referring to herself as managing director.

Mma Ramotswe discusses this with her husband, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, during the special half-hour when the sun is setting and the spouses are relaxing on their verandah.



Mr. Matekoni suggests Mma Makutsi is trying to make herself more important because she's insecure. Mr. Matekoni heard that Mma Makutsi's husband, Mr. Phuti Radiphuti, who owns the Double Comfort Furniture Store - is being driven out of business. The furniture store's best selling items are chairs.....



.....and a firm called Twenty-First Century Chairs is selling new-age, adjustable seats at reduced prices. Unfortunately, Phuti can't compete.



Mma Ramotswe goes to the Twenty-First Century Chairs store pretending to be a customer, and learns surprising things about the firm's business practices. This helps Mma Ramotswe and Phuti plan a counterattack that could save the Double Comfort Furniture Store.



Meanwhile, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi happen to meet Mma Makutsi's old friend Patience, who came to Gaborone from Bobonong.



Patience is visibly troubled, and the detectives learn that Patience recently escaped from a horrible abusive man in her home town. Patience and her 14-year-old-son Modise are now living with a nice man in Gaborone, but Modise's rebellious sullen behavior may get them ejected. So Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi hatch a devious plan to try to rectify the situation.

These scenarios make up the 'detective' parts of the book. The remainder of the novel is mostly about Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi going about their business; Mma Ramotswe's inner musings; and the characters drinking tea and having rambling conversations.

For example, Mma Ramotswe takes her employee, part-time detective Charlie, to the dentist; Mma Makutsi goes to the supermarket with her husband Phuti; Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi visit their friend Mma Potokwane at the orphan farm; and more.



The diverse discussions among the characters remind me of an oak that sprouts numerous branches - the conversations can go anywhere. For instance, when Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are discussing nurses with a carpenter, the man expresses shock at the idea of male nurses. Mma Makutsi asserts there's no difference in the jobs male and female nurses do, and Mma Ramotswe interjects: "Sometimes they have special jobs to do, Mma Makutsi. If you have a very traditionally built patient, for instance, and the nurses have to lift the patient out of the bed, then they may ask a male nurse to do that, because they are stronger and can lift heavier weights." This then morphs into a discussion of small and big men; of a man with very short muscular legs like tree trunks; of termites felling trees; etc. There are many discursive talks like this in the novel, and it feels too much like filler.

Still, I always enjoy Alexander McCall Smith's quiet cozy novels, which would be terrific to read on a Botswana verandah with a cup of tea and plate of cookies.



You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Ellery Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't think of another series that I enjoy reading as much as this one. The experience is like sitting on a rocking chair on a front porch on a warm day, overlooking a lake filled with small sailboats. There's sound and movement all around, but the overall feeling is that of calm. There is a gentility and tenderness to Mr. McCall Smith's writing that lures me back again and again. His books are always the perfect read in between grittier, more emotional novels.

[Linden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mma Ramotswe has several problems to solve. Grace’s friend Patience has a teenage son who is disrespectful to her boyfriend, and a new furniture dealer is trying to undercut Phuti and put him out of business. Thanks to Mma Ramotswe’s insights and clever solutions, everything works out. Reading a book with wonderful characters who are able to resolve problems provides an enjoyable escape from reality, where everyone may not be so wonderful and things don’t always work out. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“’Mma, I see you.’ It was the oldest and simplest of African greetings. I see you. It implied so much more than it said, though, because it meant that Mma Ramotswe saw not only the person standing before her, but all that lay behind her – who she was, where she came from, how she felt.”

A Song Of Comfortable Chairs is the twenty-third book in the No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series by popular Scottish author, Alexander McCall Smith. The audio version is narrated by Adjoa Andoh. It opens with Precious Ramotswe considering aspects of her colleague Grace Makutsi’s behaviour that seem to signal ambition. Precious wonders if she’s about to face a coup, but Mr JLB Matekoni wisely diagnoses the sort of insecurity characteristic of someone with poverty in their past.

Grace’s husband Phuti Radiphuti’s Double Comfort Furniture Store has a serious competitor, Twenty-First Century Chairs, whose aggressive advertising campaign is fronted by her seemingly indefatigable nemesis, Violet Sepotho. Mma Ramotswe checks out their stock and returns with important intelligence. Eventually she has a clever idea that will hopefully save the business and dispel Phuti’s despondency.

That idea means that Orphan Farm matron, Mma Potokwani gets to star in an ad campaign and the photo shoot attracts not only staff of the Detective Agency and the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, but also a large support crew from the Orphan Farm.

After a hard life with plenty of bad luck, Mma Potokwani’s newest employee, Patience finally has a chance at happiness in Gabarone with a Water Affairs man from Malawi, but her teenaged son’s jealousy and poor behaviour poses a threat to that. Mma Ramotswe comes up with a radical plan that might teach the boy to appreciate what he has.

After his first- ever visit to the dentist, Charlie is dismayed to learn what will be needed to keep his teeth from falling out. As usual, he has numerous unsatisfactory interactions with Mma Makutsi, but somehow ends up becoming a mentor to a troubled young boy.

Throughout it all, the ladies (and their men) muse on many topics: unheeded parental wisdom, the benefits of occasional consumption of unhealthy food, the proliferation of extra features on any saleable item, the demise of dining tables and plates, and the curse of phased redundancy and planned obsolescence. Tea and fruit cake often accompany these musings.

As always, McCall Smith gives the reader some minor mysteries that don’t tax the brain too much, laced with plenty of gentle philosophy, astute observations and wise words such as “If we do not forgive, then we end up carrying a big burden on our shoulders” and “We should love one another, she thought, not only because it was the right thing to do, but also because it was far easier than hating one another. People who hated often had to work quite hard at keeping their hatred warm.” Anything by this author is a guaranteed feel-good read.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I love this series, love Mma Ramotswe, and liked this book - but didn't love it. It started out so slow for me. Grace has never been my favorite character and her behavior at the beginning of the book was ridiculous. Luckily, the story picked up in the middle and I enjoyed the ending. Unfortunately, the last couple books in this series have all been 3.5 star reads for me, while the earlier ones were often 4.5 and 5 star reads. I haven't given up on this series yet, but I'm hoping it gets on track to the way these books used to be.

[Diane Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

No real mystery for our ladies to solve here, but a few things that need to be resolved among friends helping friends. As Clovis Anderson says, you should never use deception unless it's necessary. Charlie comes into his own as he matures, Mma Makutsi acknowledges that Mma Ramotswe is the boss, and Mma Potokwane is a star as an advertising model. As usual, a perfect ending.

[Patti B · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s always a pleasure to spend time with Mma Precious Ramotswe and the Number One Ladies’ Detective Agency in Gabarone, Botswana! In this episode she and her colleague Grace Makutsi are concerned because Grace’s husband Phuti is experiencing a sudden downturn in his furniture business. As usual, common sense driven Mma Ramotswe gets to the bottom of it, while also assisting a friend of Grace’s to solve a problem in her personal life.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a comforting read with wonderful outcomes for all concerned. Yes, I confess, it did seem a bit fluffy, especially compared to some of my other grittier reads, however if I pay attention in my daily walk of life I notice that I am surrounded by people who reach out to others through small gestures of care and consideration that make their day just a bit brighter and their hearts a little lighter. My favorite quotes are about tea and comforting others:

"Then she sat down, reaching out for her friend's hand as she asked her to explain."

"Tea had remarkable calming properties when administered mid-crisis."

"When you look at things with a cup of tea in front of you, they often seem very different."

"We can have a cup of tea together, my sister [...] My sister: it was a statement of solidarity: a proclaimed, public statement, intended for the ears of others, but a private pledge of support and understanding."

"She reached out to touch Patience's hand gently. It was a small gesture, but it brought a smile to the younger woman's face."

[Laurel Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such kindness! These books are like Winnie the Pooh for grownups.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is like being wrapped up in a warm hug. It's always nice to spend time with these ladies, (and men). Mma Ramotswe has a couple of tricky problems to deal with; Mma Makutsi is concerned about a rival chair company who are undercutting her husband's business, and using arch rival Violet Sepotho in their advertising campaign; meanwhile, one of her old friends is having trouble with her son and the new man in her life. Mma Ramotswe tackles these hurdles with her usual generosity of spirit and kindness. She has a wise head on those shoulders.

This is the 23rd instalment, and I haven't kept up with all of them, but it didn't matter at all. I was easily able to slip back into their world without feeling I'd missed anything.

*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.*

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must have been in the right mood for this one because I didn’t find it too irritating! In which: Ma M and R get greedy, Ma Makutse shows insecurities and Charlie goes to the dentist. Entertaining and soothing read.

[Helen - Great Reads & Tea Leaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘… to calm Mma Makutsi down with a few reassuring words and a cup of tea. Tea had remarkable calming properties when administered mid-crisis, and that, perhaps, was what was needed now.’

I cannot tell you the complete and utter joy I get in opening up a fresh new tale from the ‘No.1 Ladies Detective Agency’ series. It is hard to believe this is the 23rd installment! Yes! You read correctly, twenty three .... and still going strong. Precious Ramotswe and her life in Botswana is a place I am always eager to curl up on the couch for. It is a pleasure to step out of the rat race and spend some time with old friends, intriguing mysteries and a journey to a satisfying conclusion.

‘It was important, she felt, to keep your working life separate from your home life; she knew far too many people who allowed the cares of the job to intrude upon their home life, and these were the people who tended to become depressed or suffer from something that she had recently read about in a magazine - something referred to as burn-out.’

Followers of this series are in it for the long haul as it’s like catching up with old friends. More often than not, it’s not the gentle story/investigation unfurling that draws you in, but rather the keen observations that make you smile, the pearls of wisdom that cause you to pause and ponder.

‘Most people longed for the day when they might tune into a news broadcast and hear the announcer say, 'I'm sorry, everybody, but nothing has happened. There is no news today none at all.' That day had never come to pass, as far as she knew, but you could still hope. That was what you could always do - no matter how bad things seemed to be - you could hope.’

Alexander McCall Smith has managed once again to write another wonderful tale where our leading lady, Precious, encourages us to slow down and express gratitude. To many it might seem simplistic, yet truly speaking, it is the superb craftsmanship of Alexander that provides devoted readers with a gentle reminder to be more open minded and extend warmth to those around us.

‘That was the problem, she reflected; that was the source of so much unhappiness - there were people who made it their business to stop other people from being themselves; who tried to make people be something they did not want to be. That led to swathes of unhappiness as wide as the Kalahari itself.’

Exuding gentleness and a philosophy many of us could learn from, Precious Ramotswe and friends remind us of the more important things in life. A Song of Comfortable Chairs is just that: time out in a comfy chair where the rhythms of Africa sweep over you. We could all do with a little more Botswana wisdom in our lives. I can’t wait for the next instalment - these books being an absolute treasure that I shall continue to read as long as Alexander writes them (please … keep writing them!)

‘The real art in going through life with dignity and with a modicum of happiness was to accept what you were, and, at the same time, to accept others and to love them all equally. That was hard, and for some people it was impossible, but you had to try.’






This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

[Carol (Reading Ladies) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Thanks ##NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing (Pantheon) for a complimentary e ARC of #ASongOfComfortableChairs upon my request. All opinions are my own.

A Song of Comfortable Chairs is installment 23 in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series and can be read as a stand alone.

Year after year, fans of the easy reading and “uplit” series eagerly anticipate catching up with the characters and enjoy spending a few lovely hours in Botswana.

The tone of these stories is gracious, warm-hearted, meandering, and philosophical. There is always time for tea with good friends and an abundance of kindness.

This entire series is character-driven with an emphasis on problem solving rather than intense detective work. Some of the books have more substantial plots than others, and there is always a sprinkling of humor. Overall, these are gently written stories and I consider them my annual comfort read.

For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com

[Shereadbookblog · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the twenty third in the simple but charming No. 1 Ladies Detective series. All the familiar characters are here. Instead of being hired by a client to investigate a case, Mma Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi set out to solve two problems close to home. Grace’s old friend’s son is sabotaging her relationship with a good man. Grace’s husband is worried about losing his furniture business because there is a new player in town undercutting his prices.

The two ladies put their heads together and come up with clever and successful solutions to both issues. All the familiar characters are here lending audience and support to the good hearted ladies. And, yes, the talking shoes do make a cameo appearance!

A fast read, this is another feel good addition to the series. Nothing too sinister or evil.
Just a nice afternoon or evening read while curled up with a pot of tea. Fans of McCall Smith’s gentle prose and perceptive musings will welcome this latest endeavor.

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me.
This starts off soooo dryly, that I just couldn't finish it.
I ended up falling asleep more than 3 times while trying to read this.
Never a good sign.
I even tried witching from ebook to audio (the Lisette Lecat's voice was sooo soothing, I kinda want her to read me bedtime stories).
I decided to DNF it instead of forcing it.
Nothing inherently wrong with it, just not for me.
Did you read any of this series? Is there a more exciting one I should try?
Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada & RB Media for my DRC.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another feel-good cozy mystery from one of my favorite authors! All of the regular Botswana crew is back in this story focused on the growing office tension between Precious and Grace. Grace keeps overreaching her position in the agency and Precious is increasingly tired of trying to defend her right as the No. 1 owner of the Detective agency. I really related to the career burnout and general feeling of depression Precious experiences in this book! Full of all the trademark philosophical quandaries we've come to expect plus a side story that sees the Double comfort furniture store being threatened by a competitor. Good on audio, if you love this series/these characters you are sure to not be disappointed. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The World is full of suffering, particularly now, at this very moment. It would be easy in such circumstances to despair. Mma Ramotswe, though, would say, “No, do not think that bad things – like cruelty and lack of mercy – will triumph over things that are good – like kindness and decency. They will not. Acts of unkindness by others do not make us unkind – they simply make us all the more determined to be kind ourselves. Acts of hatred simply inspire us to love. That is the way it is. That is well known.”

I believe Mma Ramotswe is correct. Isn't she always?!

I appreciated this chance to hang out with good friends Precious Ramotswe, Grace Makutsi, and Mr J.L.B Matekoni and catch up on what has been happening in Botswana. I read about a furniture company that puts profit before quality and attempts to undercut Grace’s husband (Phuti) and drive him towards bankruptcy. I also read about Grace’s friend who has a troubled son. Both cases were solved with kindness, generosity and cleverness - the founding corners of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.

In a world where there aren’t always answers and at a time when we are all looking for answers, this is a fabulous read. I know any book in this series will end well and that Precious and Grace will solve the cases. For a few hours, all is right with the world and my worries are set aside. We could all do with a little Botswana wisdom in our life.

Human nature is so predictable….even in a little corner of Botswana. I shook my head when I read about the seemingly petty jealousy Precious had to deal with. As is always the case, the world over, there’s a reason for a behaviour…and Precious graciously waits and finds it out. I could learn from her. I’m a reactor rather than a responder. I need to change that. Now.

I was gifted this advance copy by Penguin Random House Canada, Knopf Canada, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Deanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I believe this is the third time I’ve declared myself finished with this series. Probably it will stick this time. When I long to revisit the place and characters I will turn back to the earlier books.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love AMS. Anytime you need a laugh or a lift, I can highly recommend this series, paired with Lisette Lecat's impeccable audio narration.

Not sure why she did not narrate books #21 and #22, but thank goodness she returned for this volume, which I bought from Audible to show my appreciation for her work. AMS's books are great, but the voices and inflections she uses for each character make them who they are. Having narrated the first 20 books, she knows their personalities so well, and does an amazing job. I really hope they bring her back for the 24th book, due out later this year!

Long live your amazing kind & sensitive mind and imagination, AMS. I love this series so, so much.

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading a book in the # 1 Ladies Detective Agency series restores my faith in humanity. I am always so grateful to be able to sink comfortably back into the world of Precious Ramotswe. A Song of Comfortable Chairs is the 23rd book in a series that I hope never ends.

I love the gentle tone of this series. The characters are not perfect; they are constantly striving to be better. A Song of Comfortable Chairs was perfectly paced with two pro-bono, personal cases. I loved seeing more of Charlie in this one and seeing his vulnerability and growth.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Donna Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is like a comfortable chair, my happy place. I love these characters. They remind me that all is truly well.

[Chrystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi eat a pie. Mma Potokwane sits in a chair. Charlie goes to the dentist. Mr Tutume shouts at a surly teenager.

Mr McCall Smith writes the best comfort books. This is well known.

[Carol lowkey.bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a charming series. I enjoy this series so much because of the unique setting and because it is such a fresh take on the classic female detective stories.

⁣I like the main character PI Mma Precious Ramotswe’s formal and polite speech and kind treatment of others. Her pragmatic way of approaching a problem makes her an excellent detective. She has worked with Grace Makutsi for several years. Grace can grate on the nerves with her attempts to appear to be in charge, but Precious has more patience than I ever would with the whole Grace situation!

This is a different kind of cozy mystery where there isn’t necessarily a dead body, but there is plenty of detecting. I recommend it to all cozy mystery lovers looking for a book with great characters, an entertaining mystery, and an underlying sense of kindness.

Narration: I thought the narrator, Lisette Lecat, did an excellent job. She has a wonderful accent and a pleasant voice. There are many characters in this story and she was able to give each one of them a unique voice.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher; all opinions are my own.

[Carol Bakker · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A lovely melody of friendship and support. And — hallelujah! — Lisette Lecat is back as the best and brightest narrator of Mma Ramotswe stories.

I read No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels for philosophical asides such as this:

It was a curious thing, she thought, that a person's eyes should tell you so much about what was going on inside them. There were so many ways in which people might reveal their thoughts and emotions — gestures of the hands, smiles, shrugs. The repertoire of human body language was an extensive one.

And one that we all learned to read without ever being specifically taught to do so. How many parents sat their children down and told them what these things meant? Very few, or none, she thought.

We learned how to read a face right from the very start when we were looking up at our mother and saw her looking down at us. And we knew, when we were still only a few months old, that a smile meant one thing and the absence of a smile meant another. And for the rest of our lives that understanding grew, until, with any luck, we could pick up all the signs if we needed.