Rating: 
Summary: Humane justice
Review: Smith creates a charming, considerate, overweight, wise, and, most of all an utterly convincing character lady detective Precious Ramotswe. Unlike usual detectives, Mma Ramotswe makes mistakes in life, and she does not hesitate to acknowledge them. She is proud of her homeland, Botswana, her heritage, her father, and even of her chubbiness, as being fat is the how good Botswanian women should be. She is undeterred by westernization -- she seeks to live her life by the traditional African way. Events take place in the vicinity of her city, and across the Kalahari Desert. The volume as a whole is of parallel structure, Mma Ramotswe solving one case after another. The cases she gets appointed to ranges from searches of missing people, finding out whether the appointer's husband is cheating, and tracking down a witch doctor responsible for killing a young boy for use in medicine. Upon resolution of each case, Mma Ramotswe seeks a middle ground -- it is not legal justice she is after; she seeks a humane conclusion, often times striving to protect the criminal in the aftermath, not to mention the victims.The creation of the character Mma Ramotswe is the centerpiece of this novel. She is someone almost everyone would like to have as one's neighbor. Thus if you are looking for a warm, and, as the cover of the book displays, a life-affirming novel, this book could be for you. However if you are seeking a mystery with an evolving plot, it is likely that you'll be disappointed. I personally am yet to decide whether to pick up the next volume of the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Books! Definition of Mma and Rra...
Review: I loved these books! Simple and well written, I hope the series goes on and on. I looked up the definition of Mma and Rra. If you go to http://www.gov.bw/tourism/culture_and_his/language.html
you can hear the correct pronunciation by clicking the little sound symbol to the right of the words. Basically, Mma means "Madame" and Rra means "Sir". They are pronounced exactly as they appear. The Rra has more of a rolled "r" sound, though. Mma is pronounced "Maah" and Rra is pronounced "Rrraah", both with a sharp "ah" sound at the end. I was not able to find out where these words came from originally, or if they are a shorter version of more formal words. Happy Reading! Z
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Charming
Review: Hardcore mystery fans who live for tightly plotted constructions sporting unexpected solutions may be disappointed in THE NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY--but what this episodic work lacks in such staple elements of the mystery genre it more than makes up for with character and setting and style. The novel presents us with the episodic adventures of Mma Ramotswe, a large lady of Botswana brimming with commonsense and self-confidence who--with a little reliance on both Agatha Christie and a mail-order "how to" book--converts her beloved father's legacy into a detective agency and quickly makes a name for herself as one of the most astute investigators in the region. Written in a simple style that evokes African fable, the book is episodic in construction, offering several different tales from Mma Ramotswe's casebook--tales that emphasize the culture in which she moves and the thoughtways of her fellow citizens with remarkable elegance. Whether it is tracing a missing husband, investigating a fraudulent insurance claim, or coping with a loathsome witchdoctor, Mma Ramotswe is clever, practical, and remarkably human, and the book has a gentle irony-laced humor that is almost certain to please. The character is easily one of the most memorable created for the mystery genre in a great many years and her presentation is nothing short of completely enjoyable; most readers will feel they'd like to fly to drop in for some of her bush tea and commonsense advice. This is certainly a one-sitting read, the sort of book that you pick up intending to read only a chapter or two and then glance up to find that you've missed your dinner date. Absolutely charming, strongly recommended, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Mme Ramotswe's adventures in the future! GFT, Amazon Reviewer
Rating:
Summary: Delightful read
Review: This is the first book that I have read by this author but it won't be my last. This is a throughly delightful yarn about a African woman who steps out on her own in a nation where a woman enterpreneur is a rarity. The author has done an admirable job of telling an engaging tale while giving the reader a true-to-life picture of southern African. This book made me long to visit the land I grew up in again.
Rating:
Summary: Good warm pleasures
Review: I have just read the three volumns. My reaction was to search for more. Not a mean spirit in any of it. Easy reading books populated kind dignified people from another culture you would love to meet over a mug of bush tea.
Rating: 
Summary: Delightful and Compelling
Review: Fast as you can read them, Smith's books in this series fly by. I love the characters and their peculiarities. I worried at first -- an older, white male writer telling the story of a young, Botswana woman. But I believe in the dignity and beauty of these characters, I love the exploits of the books, and having lived in small communities, the universality of the human story seemed true to me. I was happy to read the Amazon review by a woman who had lived in Botswana and felt the truth in these books as well. As for the claim of being anti-male, these books aren't "anti" anything. There are several wonderful, loving, fine male characters in these books -- as well as several women whom one wouldn't trust. I highly recommend these books.
Rating:
Summary: A Love of Life
Review: Set in Botswana, the heart of Africa, where culture and lifestyle are concrete values to the natives, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency portrays a melodious, yet suspenseful and engaging, life through the eyes of Precious Ramotswe. Mma Ramotswe was born into a world rich in relationships and pride, with the viscous backdrop of African culture. The story creates a theme of the ironic turns life takes, shown through Mma Ramotswe's wholesome wont to assist people as best she can with the problems they encounter by opening The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. The story fleshes out a heartwarming take on life, made all the more so by Ramotswe's persistence towards setting things right, her values, and her all-around embrace of life.
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency would be placed under the "slice of life" category; a taste of the situations Mma Ramotswe finds herself in as the only female detective in all of Africa. As the reader becomes more in tune to the accepted ways and ancient traditions of the locals, a theme is perceived of the degradation of women and the alleged superiority of men, and how Ramotswe contradicts the stereotypical housewife image. This is, with out a doubt, a story that shows how women can change the world just as effectively as men can.
Also, Ramotswe's character traits seem to gradually land the reader in her world; little things she does -- like always making bush tea, going shopping at the local market, and her approach to spying on people on the job -- they're minor characteristics, but they are what give the reader a sense of intimacy with her character, as if she's an old friend.
Mma Ramotswe's story deals with the mystery and suspense of her job, which is heavily infused with African culture and the mellow people who live by it. Women's empowerment is reflected, and Ramotswe's personality is so well elaborated upon, the reader almost begins to picture her reaction to certain completely separate events. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency keeps one interested with each diverse case that explores a different dimension of life, and once all of its pages have been turned, the reader is left asking for more.
Rating:
Summary: Light, fun, and touching
Review: Not your average crime stories with a lot of angst, this light, easy to read book is relaxing and just plain fun. There's a very read human element this work, and the characters have great depth without being overblown. Wonderful setting and wonderful people make this a sure bet. Also recommended: McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD
Rating:
Summary: A clever portrait of Botswana disguised as a dectective book
Review: Having spent considerable time in Botswana (most of it living with host families), I find this series to be very endearing and an accurate (if slightly sterotypical) potrayal of life in Botswana. I just want to defend it a bit against accusations of "sexism" on the part of the protagionist. You really really have to realize that much of Africa, especially the southern bits, is very "macho" and man-centered and rather misogynistic. The protagionist is not saying bad things about ALL men (especially not American men) but of Batswana men, many of whom really can be "that bad". Sure, it could offend Western sensibilities but you must read in the spirit of cultural relativism and realize that other cultures aren't quite as liberal on the gender-role thing as we are here. Anyway, these books are truely wonderful and capture the spirit and heart of this great country perfectly.
Rating:
Summary: Easy reading. Simple cases.
Review: Precious Ramotswe is a single, forty-something woman in Botswana who opens a detective agency with her inheritance. In the beginning of the book we learn about her father's life as a miner and we are introduced to the country. We also learn about Precious' upbringing, her head for figures and her failed marriage. Precious struggles with establishing a new business, but she gets cases. They are not all the typical detective story mysteries about malicious crimes. Most are more concerned with the human heart and relationships between people. There is a woman whose long lost father finds her, but she suspects that he is not really her father and is taking advantage of her kindness and generosity. There is a woman who is upset that her husband stole a car and she wants the car returned without her husband's knowledge or the involvement of the police. There is a father who believes his daughter has a boyfriend and he wants to know who the boy is. There are a number of other cases and I enjoyed them all. This was very easy-reading and not a complex detective story, but the setting was fun and the reading enjoyable.
Recommended.
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