THE NO. 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY - Book 12

Fans around the world adore the best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series and its proprietor, Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier lady detective. In this charming series, Mma  Ramotswe—with help from her loyal associate, Grace Makutsi—navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom, good humor, and the occasional cup of tea.

At a remote cattle post south of Gaborone two cows have been killed, and Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s No. 1 Lady Detective, is asked to investigate by a rather frightened and furtive gentleman. It is an intriguing problem with plenty of suspects—including, surprisingly, her own client.

To complicate matters, Mma Ramotswe is haunted by a vision of her dear old white van, and Grace Makutsi witnesses it as well. Is it the ghost of her old friend, or has it risen from the junkyard?  In the meantime, one of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni’s apprentices may have gotten a girl pregnant and, under pressure to marry her, has run away. Naturally, it is up to Precious to help sort things out. Add to the mix Violet Sephotho’s newly launched run for the Botswana Parliament and a pair of perfect wedding shoes—will wedding bells finally ring for Phuti Radiphuti and Grace Makutsi?—and we have a charming and delightful tale in the inimitable style of Alexander McCall Smith.

From the Hardcover edition.

**

Review

"McCall Smith has great fondness for Botswana and paints a loving portrait of this peaceful, prosperous, and progressive country. . . . Wise and graceful."
— Booklist

"Charming and hilarious. . . . In its own way, McCall Smith’s world is as stylized and hermetic as those created by P.G. Wodehouse or Damon Runyon—a sweet and timeless bubble with its own morality, language and customs. Entering it can be a source of great comfort in these uncertain times."
— The Seattle Times

"You’ll never get through the wedding with dry eyes."
— Kirkus Reviews

"[McCall Smith] again makes the sublime look easy…. [He] has few peers in capturing the quiet moments of people’s lives, and his empathetic lead has one of the biggest hearts in modern literature. Even newcomers will quickly be drawn into Mma Ramotswe’s unconventional approach to investigations and rapidly feel that they are with old friends."
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"This is Mr. McCall Smith at his benevolent best, preaching the most gentle of philosophies and obviously recalling with affection his own memories of Botswana and his years there."
— The Washington Times

“Utterly charming and compulsively readable.”
—Newsweek

“Kindness is paramount . . . Consistently satisfying . . . Genial [and] comforting.”
—The Christian Science Monitor

“Endearing, amusing . . . Sparkles with African sunshine and wit.”
—The Dallas Morning News

“Irresistible.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“Charming, warmly affecting . . . As comfy cozy as can be.”
—The Philadelphia Inquirer

“The pleasure of these sweet books lies in the clarity and gravity with which the characters re...

About the Author

Following a distinguished career as a Professor of Medical Law, Alexander McCall Smith has turned to writing full-time. He is the author of over sixty books on a wide array of subjects, and his books have been translated into forty-five languages. He lives in Edinburgh with his wife.