Rating: 
Summary: Demystifying Detection on the Edge of the Kalahari
Review: I can think of no better book for someone to read as their introduction to detective fiction. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency combines heart-warming values, love, a spunky female protagonist, African wildlife and every day problems into a delightful social commentary on the dangers and foibles of vanity and wealth. Along the way, there are little problems to be solved, little in terms of Sherlock Holmes perhaps, but not so little in terms of the lives of the people in Botswana. The structure of the book is a little unusual for detective fiction. The main focus is on the life of Mma Precious Ramotswe, a round women in her late thirties with a failed marriage behind her, who starts a storefront detective agency with the money her father left her when he died. Botswana doesn't have any other private detectives, and women usually have circumscribed roles in the society. But Precious knows that women notice more than men, and should make good detectives. Her father had hoped, instead, that she would buy an existing business. Like most new business people, she worries about going broke. She knows that first impressions count, so she buys and spruces up a building . . . and hires a secretary she cannot afford. In the first month, the secretary's salary comes to more than Precious' income. But as time passes, clients come to Precious with their problems. Many are related to concerns about the fidelity of a husband. Two involve missing persons. Another looks at a teenage rebellion. One seems like a psychiatric problem -- a doctor who alternates between being brilliant and incompetent. These cases become like short stories built inside the novel. Each story has a particularly rich African heritage . . . as does the flashback into her father's life as a miner. Precious is a common sense detective. She doesn't use advanced technology. She hasn't had any formal training. But she's dogged and willing to learn, and has an imaginative way of getting to the truth. By her sex, her locale and her heritage, Precious is an underdog. But she's an underdog who was raised with lots of love, and knows a good person when she sees one. By the African standards of her neighbors, she's relatively well-to-do . . . but life is a struggle because of attitudes towards women. Anyone who feels that women can do anything they set their minds to will be cheering Precious on. While this book may not sound cerebral, several of the mysteries (especially the man who disappeared while going to church, the strange doctor and the missing boy) have very sophisticated plot twists and confrontations with key witnesses that remind me of the best of the Perry Mason mysteries . . . except they are set in Botswana. In the background, there's an emerging love interest between precious and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni (who keeps her van running smoothly and helps in some of the mysteries) that spices up the book. Anyone who reads this book with an open heart and mind will want to continue with the series. As I finished this book, I found myself thinking about what views we all share today in the United States about what people can and cannot do that are false in reality. Every time I see "disabled" athletes performing tasks that I would never dare to do, I realize that our limitations are in our minds. Dare to do what you were born to do! And lead with a loving heart.
Rating:
Summary: A superb, highly enjoyable and delightful book
Review: This is a story of a strong pioneering African woman who becomes a detective. Not unlike method actors Mr. McCall Smith has tried, successfully, to write a book through an African eye. What might be mistaken as simplicity in his writing is, to my opinion, an understanding of how people think and behave, of their priorities and beliefs. Colorful and decent characters, clever cases to be solved by the delightful Mrs. Ramotswe and a bit of romance make this book one of the best I've read this year.
Rating: 
Summary: nothing to it
Review: Very light reading. I did not draw me in. So many better books out there.
Rating: 
Summary: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Review: I just read Alexander McCall Smith's novel and enjoyed it, but think it was best suited for high schoolers. It was rather simplistic, and took many shots at Americans unjustly. While Precious Ramotswe and Mr. Matekoni may be the kindest Africans around, the crimes and behavior displayed by fellow Africans was not unlike those found anywhere else in the world. I liked both of their characters enough to read Tears of the Giraffe, again their kindness comes through. No marriage yet. I think the author plans to string us Americans along to sell books. He shouldn't bite the hands that feed him by slamming us. Even in the second book on at least four or five different occasions he takes shots at us when it isn't justified. I guess I've had it with Mr. Smith. He should show some "kindness" to his audience too.
Rating:
Summary: Simply delightful!
Review: Everyone loves these books, and no one can really narrow down why they are so utterly lovable. It would say it is in part due to the sheer simplicity of the writing, the divine descriptions of nature and the beauty of the image McCall Smith portrays of Botswana. The foriegn-ness of the themes and the exotic-ness of the main story relating to the witch doctor, as well as the colours and life of the covers. Additionally, the lovability of characters, particularly the main character, with her completely un-Western notion of the body beautiful, her enduring sensitivity regarding the death of her baby and her enchanting love of her father. The devotion of her fiance is also gorgeous. Perhaps the appeal of these works is the fact they suggest a fundamental life we essentially aspire for. Simplicity, kindness, nature, beauty. Such a different life than we of the Western world.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun! Pick it up
Review: Really fun, light read. Will definitely pick up the sequels. Nice twist on your average mystery with endearing characters. Enjoyed reading about the country and its people, as well.
Rating:
Summary: A light, pleasant read
Review: A nice, easy, and often funny read about a country I know little about. So many of the reviews here repeat all of the obvious good points of this book. Let's do something different; let's talk about some of the book's weaknesses. Did you know that over a third of the population of Botswana is infected with HIV? Not from reading this book. Botswana is rich in cattle and diamonds, but there is little mention in the book about the terrible working conditions, inequalities, and corruption. It's great that Precious is happy as a fat African, in contrast to American arrogance, but sometimes the author gets heavy-handed with the pity Precious feels for Americans. It's great that Precious feels love and pride for her country and her people, but then we see how common it is for men to beat, desert, or cheat their women. It's great that Precious wants to be like Agatha Christie, but, c'mon, the story about the crocodile? And for all of the hype against America, the book has a good, old-fashioned American happy ending, where the good guys defeat the bad guys and only the bad guys get hurt. As I said, it's a light, fun book. But the weaknesses will keep me from reading the rest of the series. I only want to know if Precious will really marry Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific!
Review: Just a great book about everything and nothing! The characters are rich with tradition, the plot is fast moving and interesting, the backdrop of Africa is unforgettable.
I will be looking for the sequels to read and enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshingly original
Review: Bravo, Mr. Smith, for creating such a delightful character in Precious Ramotswe. A plump divorcee in her early thirties, Mma Ramotswe decides to open the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency in her small village near modern Botswana, using the inheritance left by her loving father upon his death. The unconventional act itself of creating a detective agency, when she has no experience or qualifications other than her calm self-assurance and determination, right away conveys the message to the reader that we're dealing with a special woman worthy of respect and affection. Using instinct and good old-fashioned common sense, Mma Ramotswe solves one case after another. In the process, introducing us to colorful characters in interesting circumstances, sometimes comical, sometimes horrible.
The setting only increases the book's lure. Smith describes Africa with great love and reverence. Seen through the eyes of Mma Ramotswe, the beauty and mystery of Africa vividly appears in the mind. I found myself feeling almost ashamed of the self-imposed hectic life I lead in the sterile corporate world, constantly striving to attain bigger and better yuppie toys like leaf blowers and snow mobiles. I cheered Mma Ramotswe's scolding of people like me who fail to notice the beauty of our surroundings or to appreciate a good bowl of stew and a long chat with a friend while sitting on the porch watching the sun set.
A refreshingly original story, simple and sweet. I can't wait to visit Mma Ramotswe again.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful African treasure
Review: The inspiration for the No.1 Lady Detective, Ma Ramotswe, came to McCall Smith while he observed a "traditionally built and cheerful" woman chasing a chicken in a yard in Botswana. Precious Ramotswe became the heroine of this delightful and engaging series. The box set contains the first three volumes and, as an extra treat, an African folk tale from a forthcoming collection. If you, as I did, just bought the first volume on its own, keep it to lend or give to friends and get the set right away. Mm Ramotswe's charm, humanity and her special sense of fairness will keep you entertained and your heart warmed. You will feel like the author who could not leave Ma Ramotswe at the end of the first book - "it would have been like leaving in the middle of a conversation". The diverse cases handled by the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, while providing a thread through the books, are not really the main theme. The stories provide the reader with an insight into social aspects of one African society rarely offered in such a caring and empathic way. With great sensitivity McCall Smith explores rising conflicts between the traditional values of Botswana society and the modern influences brought from the cities across the border in South Africa. Of course, there are also the usual domestic conflicts that are the bread and butter of private detectives. Mma Ramotswe solves these with aplomb and wit, using common sense and her own version of justice. It is sometimes more important to teach the culprit a lesson and change his ways than to hand him (or her) over to the police authorities... Through all the descriptions of her cases and daily goings on in her life, McCall Smith reveals his love for Botswana, her people and the environment. With each volume, we get more intimately involved with the main characters. In addition to Precious, her fiancé, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, her assistant Mma Makutsi and her father, the late Obed Ramotswe who continues to play an important role in her life are major players. One would love to sit down with Precious on the veranda of her house on Zebra Drive to watch the sun set behind the trees and, drinking her favourite bush tea, reflect on life and its quirky sides. Fortunately there are more stories on the way in this highly entertaining and winning series. {Friederike Knabe]
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