Rating: 
Summary: The No. 1 BOOK
Review: A far cry from the fast paced, violent nature of the Walter Mosely mysteries, Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency opens on the doorstep of a calm, warm afternoon in Botswana, Africa, with Precious Ramotswe sipping tea on the porch of the detective agency that she opened with the money from the inheritance bequeathed to her by her beloved father. She lives a difficult life, facing the loss of her mother at an early age, betrayal by her husband, the death of her child, and the death of her father. Initially the townspeople are skeptical of her agency because of her gender, but she repeatedly proves that her wisdom and her instincts are invaluable to the successful resolution of cases dealing with various types of charlatans, disappearances, and crimes. Through the pure, limpid quality of straightforward storytelling, we see that she becomes a community confidante, a "fixer of lives" conducting herself with dignity and grace, yet doing what she must do to put those lives back together when they fall to pieces. On a continent faced with impending changes due to exposure to the modernity of the western world, Mma Ramotswe represents a passionate tribute to the beauty of the old Africa, recording the "unrecorded voices" of those who still follow the old traditions and reminding us that, when thought gets you nowhere, you still have to eat your pumpkin.
Rating:
Summary: A Fixer of Lives
Review: First published in Edinburgh, Scotland, this initial work in Alexander McCall Smith's detective series is guaranteed to capture the attention and attachment of an international audience. With the animated and ardent Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's very own original ladies' detective at the helm, Smith takes his reader on an unforgettable expedition through the African outback and into the hearts and lives of its citizens. A "fixer of lives," Mma Ramotswe is a specialist in the ways of men, a rabid hunter of all things fishy and uncertain, and a personal confidant for the people in Gaborone, the largest city in Botswana and site of the only detective agency for ladies in the country. In his entrancing detective novel, Smith reveals the interesting and unexpected ways that traditional methods of detection must be altered and adapted to fit the singular and distinctive culture that is Africa. To solve the crimes and situations she confronts, Mma Ramotswe must rely heavily on her remarkably keen sense of humanity, intuition, and sharp intellect. In doing so, the reader also learns a good deal about the physical, political, and social landscape of this small African country and the larger continent.
In contrast to the hard-boiled detective of most mysteries who hardly take time for coffee, Mma Ramostwe knows and acknowledges the importance of even the simplest life-sustaining rituals. "She stopped. It was time to take the pumpkin out of the pot and eat it. In the final analysis, that was what solved these big problems of life. You could think and think and get nowhere, but you still had to eat your pumpkin. That brought you down to earth. That gave you a reason for going on. Pumpkin." (81) Like Mma Ramostwe, the people of Botswana are concerned with the business of life, and in her practical, perceptive way, Mma aids her fellow countrymen and women in this essential pursuit of happiness. In sharing Mma Ramostwe's stories, Smith delights the reader with a rare glimpse of humanity in all its radiance and unembellished truth.
Rating:
Summary: A Fixer of Lives
Review: Rare among works of detective fiction are stories suffused with joy rather than fear and suspense, but Alexander McCall Smith's _The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency_ celebrates the role of detective rather than elaborating on its dangers. This is not to say that the novel does not deal with serious matters: Precious Ramotswe, the No. 1 Lady Detective of Botswana, faces insurance fraud, medical malpractice, abduction, and even the potential killing of children for magical potions, but she performs her feats of detection primarily out of love for the people of Botswana. She is a "fixer of lives," an exceptional figure in a genre of characters concerned with bringing criminals to justice out of a desire for vengeance. Precious Ramotswe's position as a pioneering female detective contributes to the novel's unique tone. Many of her cases revolve around the domestic - missing husbands, impersonators of family members, lost children - but Precious Ramotswe works within the traditionally female realm to subvert and surpass it. She beats the often pompous and self-satisfied men in the novel at their own game, accomplishing her goals with wit and sensitivity and emerging from early life struggles with good-natured wisdom. This touch of the personal infuses Smith's novel with a uniquely human sympathy, appropriate for the story of Precious Ramotswe's maturation, and for Botswana, historically exempted from the severest political turmoil of its fellow African nations. Smith's light, spare style adds to the charm of _The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency_; the narration glides from anecdote to anecdote with the grace of beads sliding down a string. If the novel suffers from anything, it would be that the individual detection stories seem too loosely strung together and that the secondary characters sometimes lack development. But Smith is less concerned with the process of uncovering a single mystery than with the growth of the central detective: each story uncovers another of Precious Ramotswe's talents. A novel of hope and healing, _The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency_ reinvents detective fiction for a distinctively African, distinctively female world, weaving a tale of cleverness and warmth as it rejoices in the vibrancy of African life.
Rating:
Summary: Precious Mystery
Review: Alexander McCall Smith deserves praise for not only writing a great mystery, but for writing several. And I don't just mean multiple books. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a top-notch series of mysteries with clever, sometimes hilarious resolutions. Whether it's read all at once or in pieces, it plays perfectly. Almost every chapter stands on its own as a great mystery with an intriguing set-up and a satisfying wrap-up. The main character, Precious Ramotswe, runs the titular organization with only the help of a secretary. It's no mean feat for her agency to be number one, since it is the only ladies' detective agency in Africa. Competition is slim but when she opens up shop, she discovers that demand is high. People all over the city are in need of feminine detective work. No one expects a female private investigator, though a little girl who she is trailing for her father spots her while being followed. Precious is a remarkably appealing character. We are given her background history in rich detail and it explains quite well why she feels and thinks the way she does. She's had it rough and wants nothing more than everyone else to have it much easier. She is trying to change the world for the better. And best of all, she has a tremendous wit. Her methods for solving problems and dealing with difficulties utilize both ingenuity and comical deception. She pretends to be a witness to an accident, a nurse, a seductress, and a policewoman on her separate investigations. She gets to shoot an alligator between the eyes as well as demand a blood transfusion to prove the identity of a parent. Within the context of the story, these unexpected twists are jarring and highly memorable. The persistence of one of her friends, Mr. Matekoni, to get her to marry him is hilarious and makes for a funny, unexpected ending. It shows her iron will throughout the book and lets the reader into her head about her true feelings and why she feels compelled to lock some of her emotions away. Precious is deeply textured and her actions are never predictable. One funny, involving mystery after another plus characters with genuine heart make this a real winner. Smith's Agency is number one, all right.
Rating:
Summary: Enchanting
Review: The dry, endless land of Botswana is the unlikely backdrop of Alexander McCall Smith's detective novel (the first in a series) and the beloved home of his creative, unorthodox P.I. Precious Ramotswe. The resilient Mma Ramotswe, having survived a brief, abusive marriage, the loss of her child, and the death of her father, sells the cattle she inherits to start the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency (wryly noted as the only one of its kind in the country) and proceeds to deftly handle a string of seemingly disparate domestic cases before getting caught up in the sinister circumstances surrounding an abducted boy. Smith crafts more than a detective in the character of Precious, however, as Precious defies cultural expectations by being a one- woman community service, a confidante for those who need somehow to reclaim their own lives. The novel subtly presents a landscape of changing cultural and gender roles as well as the tensions that arise between those citizens who honor the traditional African family bonds and those parasites that would give the old traditions a bad name. But Smith's hand isn't heavy, and his humor is like a warm desert breeze. Finally, his work is a vibrant celebration of Africa and those Africans who strive for a good, peaceful life. The heart of the book is contained in the epigrammatic shape:
africa
africa africa
africa africa africa
africa africa
africa
The shape of the continent--Precious--Mother Africa--- a good, fat woman!
Rating:
Summary: No. 1 Enjoyable Read
Review: Mma. Ramotswe is one of the most charming detectives in fiction I have ever met. The characters are well defined and the situations are believable, the Botswana backgrounds take you there. I certainly look forward to reading more from the author.
Rating: 
Summary: feminism in Africa
Review: A glimpse into modern Botswanian life seen through the eyes of a woman. Humorous in places yet philosophical without being dogmatic. Told by a woman who has a good sense of self and wisdom. No major murder story as most mysteries are nowadays but everyday adventures of a self styled local detective. A quick read. Good for the beach or vacation chair.
Rating:
Summary: Not so much of a detective as a loving description of Africa
Review: After the death of her father Precious Ramotswe uses the inheritance to buy herself a house and an office from which she starts the first detective agency in Botswana. Business starts slowly, but she gets a number of clients with problems ranging from missing husbands to fraudulent employees and she starts to build up a reputation leading to new clients. The book describes some of the cases that Mma Ramotswe solves, but the real star of the book is Africa: there are long, loving descriptions of the nature, the people, the culture and the life in Africa and anybody who has been to Africa (and subsequently loves the continent despite all its problems) can use this book to refresh their memories and long back to those real African nights. Don't read this as a detective but as a book about Africa.
Rating:
Summary: A great main character who's strong, intelligent, and real.
Review: This book was a light read but an enjoyable one. The story is of Precious Ramotswe, a "traditional" African woman in size but "untraditional" in her ambitions. She opens Botswana's first ladies detective agency. Her character is strong, has high morals and when it comes to the truth she is refreshingly blunt. Her frankness and matter of factness had me laughing out loud sometimes. The book is set up in a way where the first part describes her father's life, her life, and a bit of history on Africa. The rest of the book is set up in a format where it's short chapters on her cases. These aren't suspenseful cases with twists and turns like you would find in a mystery novel, but they are more simple and quickly resolved. This isn't a book were the plot thickens and evolves. It remains pretty constant in its plot, speed, and energy level. I suggest sitting down in the bookstore and reading the first 20 pages. If you enjoy it then you'll enjoy the rest of the book. If you don't enjoy it then don't read it as it doesn't change much throughout the rest of the book. This was a different read than I normally choose but I still enjoyed it. Its perfect summer reading! I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
Rating:
Summary: A fresh breeze of innocence, joy and good writing
Review: A friend gave me this book for Christmas and like her I have now almost read the whole series. The story is simple and an easy read but beyond that there is a depth of innocence and simplicity which almost has a smile behind it more often than not. Alexander McCall Smith's writing reminds me a little of Rudyard Kipling's writing in "Just So Stories". I find myself sometimes just wanting to read it out loud for the effects of the writing. The story is joyful, positive and interesting, not only from the point of view of the many crimes that Precious Ramotswe has to solve but in how it follows her life, her intuition and her traditional Botswana ways. The innocence and honesty of the characters takes me back to some of Laurens Van Der Post's writing and that echo for me is also a very positive one.
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