About the Author

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the highly successful No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, which has sold over twenty-five million copies. Since then he has devoted his time to the writing of fiction and has seen his various series of books translated into over forty-six languages and become bestsellers throughout the world. These include the 44 Scotland Street novels, first published as a serial novel in the Scotsman, the Isabel Dalhousie novels, the Von Igelfeld series and the Corduroy Mansions novels.

Reviews

'The author's prose has the merits of simplicity, euphony and precision. This is art that conceals art' - Anthony Daniels, The Sunday Telegraph 'I was enchanted by the character of Precious Ramotswe, the sly humour of Alexander McCall Smith's writing and his deft evocation of a culture' - Anthony Minghella (director of the Oscar-winning The English Patient) 'The author has an easy command of story-telling and a gift for describing dusty, sun-baked Botswana. His books, ostensibly mysteries, are also gentle but incisive commentaries on Africa, men and women and life in general. They are not to be missed' - Seattle Times

'The author's prose has the merits of simplicity, euphony and precision. This is art that conceals art' - Anthony Daniels, The Sunday Telegraph 'I was enchanted by the character of Precious Ramotswe, the sly humour of Alexander McCall Smith's writing and his deft evocation of a culture' - Anthony Minghella (director of the Oscar-winning The English Patient) 'The author has an easy command of story-telling and a gift for describing dusty, sun-baked Botswana. His books, ostensibly mysteries, are also gentle but incisive commentaries on Africa, men and women and life in general. They are not to be missed' - Seattle Times

The sixth entry in Smith's always delightful "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series sees the return of newly married Precious Ramotswe, with husband Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, his apprentices, and assistant detective Grace Makutsi in tow. The group embarks on another set of clever and amusing Botswana adventures that kick off with an intruder in Mma Ramotswe's home and proceeds to a succession of other dilemmas: Mr. Matekoni's apprentice Charliekeeps company with a mysterious older woman and quits his position, Mma Ramotswe and her assistant encounters a good-hearted man with a dark past, and Mma Makutsi reluctantly begins dance lessons with a stuttering stranger. Smith remains true to form in this clever and wonderfully written installment; the characters are deliciously human, and the multiple plots mesh together seamlessly. An essential read for series fans and mystery buffs alike, this is highly recommended for all public libraries. Smith lives in Scotland. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 12/04.]-Nicole A. Cooke, Montclair State Univ. Lib., Upper Montclair, NJ Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Adult/High School-This sixth entry in the series does not disappoint. But this time, Mma Ramotswe, proprietor of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Gaborone, Botswana, and now married to Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni, owner of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, is filled with worry over personal problems. At the same time, her assistant, Mma Makutsi, is preoccupied with finding a husband, and it appears that Charlie, the apprentice at the auto shop, has run off with an older woman. Large cups of bush tea remain the main source of relief for thirst and for solving mysteries. Among the new characters is Mr. Polopetsi, hired to work at Tlokweng Road after Mma Ramotswe knocks him off his bicycle with her tiny white van. Although the agency takes on some criminal cases, most of the plot revolves around the everyday dilemmas of life. For Mma Ramotswe, the right course of action is always the moral one, usually reached with much reflection and humor. Good reading, sound reasoning, cheerful and faithful friends, and descriptions of the much-loved landscape of Botswana make this an appealing novel.-Sheila Janega, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.