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The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency [Paperback]

Alexander McCall Smith (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (175 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
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Book Description

Publication Date: 5 Jun 2004

Wayward daughters. Missing Husbands. Philandering partners. Curious conmen. If you've got a problem, and no one else can help you, then pay a visit to Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's only - and finest - female private detective.

Her methods may not be conventional, and her manner not exactly Miss Marple, but she's got warmth, wit and canny intuition on her side, not to mention Mr J. L. B. Matekoni, the charming proprietor of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. And Precious is going to need them all as she sets out on the trail of a missing child, a case that tumbles our heroine into a hotbed of strange situations and more than a little danger . . .

Delightfully different, THE NO.1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY offers a captivating glimpse of an unusual world.

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Product details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Abacus; New Ed edition (5 Jun 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 034911675X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0349116754
  • Product Dimensions: 12.6 x 1.7 x 20.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (175 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 74,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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More About the Authors

Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Anne Collins
Kevin Smith
Alexander McCall Smith
Duncan Fegredo

Product Description

Review

* 'Everything about [McCall Smith] is appealing. He's just full of delight - it just bubbles out of him' SUNDAY HERALD * 'Indeed, the effort involved would have been justified by just one of them, THE NO.1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY' Gerald Kaufman, Chairman of the 1999 BOOKER Prize Jury * 'A rare pleasure' DAILY TELEGRAPH * 'A publishing phenomenon' GUARDIAN

Book Description

* A highly original 'detective' novel with unique setting and characters, this is the first of four 'Botswana' titles are both beautiful and charming.
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Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
Mma Ramotswe had a detective agency in Africa, at the foot of Kgale Hill. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 47 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Reasoning with Ramotswe 3 Aug 2005
By Stephen A. Haines HALL OF FAME
Format:Paperback
Precious Ramotswe inherits her father's cattle herd and sells it to start a new life. The options are limited for a woman in Botswana. She sets out on an uncharted course, opening the first private detective agency run by a woman. At least in Botswana. Mma Ramotswe is a commanding figure. She's stout, observant and reasons with precise logic. She would have made a great politician. Instead, she buys a house, an office, hires a secretary, installs a telephone - and sits down to wait for clients. It seems she's likely to shut it all down within a week.

Instead, clients come calling. The result is a series of vignettes of her clients' problems and their resolutions. There are wandering husbands, rebellious teen-age children [are there any other kind?] and a missing, probably murdered child. Justice, although never mentioned by either McCall Smith or Mma Ramotswe, is an important element throughout these episodes. Justice and the value of being an African. McCall is knowledgeable about Southern Africa and its people. He imparts that understanding with marvelous skill. His Scottish background never intrudes or distracts. Except perhaps in one of Mma's more bizarre cases. The Scots treasure their reputation for producing fine doctors. One of Mma Ramotswe's mysteries is the occasionally inept doctor. It is clearly the highlight of this superb book.

Mma Ramotswe, in establishing her unique agency, might be thought to have shed her personal life. After all, she had a brief, unhappy marriage. Men are to be watched, controlled, and manipulated in ways to prevent their wandering. Yet, as might be expected, there is a man in her town whose value transcends the image dominated by wandering husbands or lovers. He knows her worth and she his, but his stumbling proposal is rebuffed. There's no strain on the friendship, however, and it becomes clear the two will be useful to each other in the future.

McCall Smith has accomplished something very special with this book. It cries out for a sequel [of which there are now four] for many reasons. It certainly shatters the long-standing image of the "detective" novel with its stacks of corpses, inept policemen and implausible characters. Mma Ramotswe is nothing more than a capable woman without special powers. She simply focusses on the problem at hand, keeps distractions at bay and refuses to deal in absolutes. McCall Smith's powers of characterisation, locale and story place him far above the traditional examples of the "mystery" genre. He is compelling reading for anyone. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

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102 of 104 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars This is going to be my number one christmas present 2 Dec 2001
By Katharine (100772.444@compuserve.com)
Format:Paperback
A cracking start to the trilogy (so far - more I hope on the way) sees the establishment of Botswana's number one detective agency for ladies. And if you want to read something happy and uplifting for a change, this will send your spirits soaring. Precious Ramotswe is the complete antithesis of the emaciated, fashion-conscious, glamourous heroine we are often stuck with nowadays. A huge, beautiful, wise and proud woman who does not suffer fools at all - sets out against all odds to use her inheritance to make a real difference to other people's lives. If you think it's going to be a worthy, dull, stick of a read with Africa and Africans portrayed as victims, think again. I haven't laughed so much in a long time and it's rare to read a book with so much humanity.
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52 of 54 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars The Gentle Touch 2 Aug 2003
By K. Marrs
Format:Paperback
Our heroine does not carry a gun, run after suspects in ridiculous pursuits. Rather Precious Ramotswe (or Mma Ramotswe as she's better known)uses her sharp wit and fenale charm to solve whatever case her clients send her way.
Mma Ramotswe is from Botswana, and proud of it. A size 22 and not ashamed of it (and her unfashionable size doesn't stop her from having her fair share of male attention). Neither is she superwoman. Too many European heroines take on home and work, Mma Ramotswe leaves much of the domestic side to her cleaner and enjoys life.
It's a gentle novel, humourous rather than comic. It doesn't shy away from comtemporary African problems (Aids, witchcraft), but they are not central to the story, and the author does not offer solutions, quick fix or otherwise. They are there to reflect the society and culture of Botswana. Rather, the story builds up the character of Mma Ramotswe and shows an African woman cutting a sway in a male orientated society.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly wonderful
I loved reading about Precious Ramotswe and her detective agency. Alexander McCall Smith spins a wonderfully gentle tale spiced with an enormous amount of humour. Read more
Published 3 days ago by JF
5.0 out of 5 stars Fab
A fab easy read. Mostly funny, a little bit sad and completely engaging. Can not wait to read the rest.
Published 6 days ago by kate budden
5.0 out of 5 stars How to cheer yourself up if you are feeling down
Yes - buy this book - live with her through her struggles and smile inside and be happy all day
Published 1 month ago by julia lewis
5.0 out of 5 stars highly rated author
Husband really rates these books. Enjoys these and looks forward to the next one as soon as he has finished each one!
Published 1 month ago by suec
5.0 out of 5 stars Even better than the radio and TV versions
I tried the books after listening to the radio versions. The books are even more enjoyable as they are very well written. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Cheapjack
1.0 out of 5 stars Not recommended
This product I would not recommend to buy, it was faulty and jumpy which meant that some of the stories were skipped.
Published 2 months ago by mollyb
5.0 out of 5 stars Special edition signed by the author and the illustrator
Beautiful hardback book in a lovely slip cover. Signed by both the author and the illustrator. A must for any ardent fan of the number one ladies' detective agency.
Published 3 months ago by Izzy
3.0 out of 5 stars Not really my cup of tea!
Recommended by a friend, I was looking forward to reading this, but didn't realise it was lots of different stories, and that it was based in Africa, found it rather twee! Read more
Published 3 months ago by Barbara Willis
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Easy Read
An enjoyable and easy read with interesting characters and a different setting.
Am now interested to read more of the series
Published 4 months ago by S S J
5.0 out of 5 stars No 1 Ladies Detective Agency
A brilliant book which inspired me to read the whole series. I am totally adicted to the Ladies Detective Agency.
Published 4 months ago by Mrs. J. A. BYRNE
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