In between watching tennis and packing for our holidays I’ve been escaping from reality in Alexander McCall Smith’s latest offering from the No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. These gentle novels about the proprietor Mma Ramotswe and her assistant, Mma Makutsi are a sure way to relax and smile into a better mood. Even the names of the characters seem to lead the reader into a world of traditionally built ladies, red bush tea, dusty roads and a place where values accord others respect and dignity. Another feature is that there is plenty of time. Time to listen, time to think around the story-lines, time to consider the characters- in short, time to enjoy.
If you’ve never read them, do have a go and let me know what you think.
I’ve read all the previous ones, and I love them! Your description is right on. Delightful books, lovely characters, fun to read. I wasn’t aware of this new one, so thanks for the heads-up! I will look for it right away!
BTW, did you happen to catch the TV series based on the books? It was quite well done. If you’re interested, it is available on DVD through Amazon. I enjoyed it as well as I did the books. Did it follow the books well? Frankly, it had been a while since I read the books, but it was close enough for me, and so enjoyable that I didn’t care!
I read one of these one Christmas holiday. A nice treat. Maybe I will get to read more of them in the future. Dianne
I love the books, too! I always enjoy how Mma Ramotswe uses “late” to describe her father. Not her “late father” as we might say, but her father, who is late. Or how she wouldn’t want her friend or relative or whomever it was to have an accident and become late. I haven’t read the latest but will get around to it before too long.
I’ve read a couple and now that you’ve reminded me, I’ll read more.