Reviewed June 17, 2003.
Anchor Books (Random House), New York, 2002. Originally published
in Scotland in 2000. 227 pages.
A Sonderbooks’ Stand-out of 2003:
#1, Mystery and Adventure
Available at Sembach Library (F MCC).
My wonderful husband bought me this sequel to
The
No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency while he was in America.
It was slightly less wonderful than the first book, mainly because, in
this book, Precious Ramotswe’s cases are solved more by intuition and
luck than by clever outmaneuvering of the criminals. However,
this is still a thoroughly delightful book.
I love Alexander McCall Smith’s simple style, using mostly simple
declarative sentences. I also love the glimpses into
the way life is lived by the people of Botswana, so different from
how we view life in America. As one example, Precious Ramotswe
is seen as a fine woman partly because she is so fat.
This book deals less with the detective agency’s cases and more with
Precious Ramotswe’s impending marriage. Both she and her
fiancé know that their lives will change, but her fiancé,
in something of a stupor at his good luck, takes on some rather drastic
changes.
This is a delightful series, light reading, but not fluff.
Other books by Alexander McCall Smith:
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Book 1)
Morality for Beautiful Girls (Book
3)
The Kalahari Typing School for
Men (Book 4)
The Full Cupboard of Life (Book
5)
In the Presence of Cheerful
Ladies (Book 6)
Blue Shoes and Happiness (Book 7)
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (Book 8)
The Miracle at Speedy Motors (Book 9)
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (Book 10)
The Double Comfort Safari Club (Book 11)
The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party (Book 12)
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (Book 13)
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon (Book 14)
The Handsome Man's Deluxe Café (Book 15)
The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine (Book 16)
Precious and Grace (Book 17)
The House of Unexpected Sisters (Book 18)
The Colors of All the Cattle (Book 19)
Reviews of other books by Alexander McCall Smith:
The Great Cake Mystery
The Mystery of Meerkat Hill
The Sunday Philosophy Club
Friends, Lovers, Chocolate
The Right Attitude to Rain
The Careful Use of Compliments
The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday
La's Orchestra Saves the World
The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs
Emma
My Italian Bulldozer
Copyright © 2005 Sondra Eklund. All
rights reserved.
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Book Reviews by Sondra Eklund
