The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

The No. 1 Detective Agency, a series of books by Alexander McCall Smith, has been on bookstore shelves for several years. Anyone who has browsed the book tables at Costco has undoubtedly seen one, as it seems to be a regular staple for their buyers. I have not been interested in reading it, though. I'm not really sure why. Maybe it's the hokey name. But this Christmas Santa thought it was something I should take a look at - and who is a better judge of good fare than the man in red!

I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised! The inagural book in the No. 1 series is a charming account of Precious Ramotswe, a clever, single lady who opens the first detective agency run by a woman in the country of Botswana. Throughout her many escapades - tracking down a lost husband, uncovering a con man, following a troublesome daughter - we are given the back story that brought Precious to her position as owner & operator of this successful little business.

Having personally traveled in both east and west Africa, it was apparent that this writer knew his subject matter well. Smith was born in Botswana (now known as Zimbabwe) and taught law school there. His intimate knowledge of the people, culture & customs makes this a rich read, especially for those who love those very aspects of that continent. The only detail I kept wishing he would expand on was what people were wearing. Having not been to that particular country, I could not decide how to dress the characters in my imagination.

No. 1 is a very easy read, but colorful and detailed enough to not bore the reader. I want to follow up with another in the series to see if my attention continues to be held. Smith also has a series, The Sunday Philosophy Club, set in Edinburgh, Scotland, which looks interesting.

Rating: ****