I enjoyed this , the writing style is unique and light . It was a quick, funny and lighthearted read that I found very enjoyable.
I will certainly read more in this series.

Recensione originale: https://sonnenbarke.wordpress.com/202...

I libri della serie di Precious Ramotswe sono spesso considerati dei gialli cozy (ovvero «un giallo ridotto all’osso, ambientato all’interno di una casa o di un piccolo paese. L’uso della violenza è minimo», come spiegato qui), anche se in realtà di giallo hanno ben poco.

Come nei primi due libri della serie, anche in questo ci sono varie trame che potremmo considerare “gialle”, ma nel senso lato del termine, mentre l’enfasi viene posta sull’ambientazione e soprattutto sui personaggi.

Per chi non conoscesse la serie, Precious Ramotswe è la proprietaria e fondatrice della Ladies’ Detective Agency N. 1, ovvero la prima agenzia investigativa del Botswana gestita da donne. Insieme a lei c’è la fida segretaria, la signorina Makutsi, mentre un altri personaggio importante è il signor JLB Matekoni, promesso sposo della signora Ramotswe. Tutti questi personaggi, e anche quelli minori, sono abbastanza macchiettistici ma simpatici, sembrano un po’ dei sempliciotti e tuttavia mentre si legge si vorrebbe quasi averli per amici nella vita reale.

Il Botswana, paese in cui sono ambientati i libri, svolge un ruolo importante ed è descritto come il miglior paese dell’Africa, quello nel quale le cose vanno meglio. La descrizione che ne fa l’autore è certamente edulcorata, eppure non manca di sottolineare alcune problematiche come ad esempio lo sfruttamento dei domestici, figlio dello schiavismo praticato in precedenza nel paese. Tuttavia, il lettore non può che innamorarsi del Botswana.

In questo libro le trame sono quattro: la prima e principale è quella di un importante membro del governo che vorrebbe smascherare un’avvelenatrice presente nella sua famiglia; poi c’è la depressione di JLB Matekoni; quindi un bambino che viene ritrovato e che non si sa chi sia e da dove venga; infine un conocorso di bellezza e moralità per ragazze. Sono tutte storie semplicistiche, che si risolvono in maniera sbrigativa e inverosimile per l’eccessiva fretta con cui giungono a soluzione. Eppure il libro è gradevole e credo sia perfetto per chi sia in cerca di una lettura leggera leggera. Tra l’altro questo terzo capitolo della serie mi è piaciuto più degli altri due. (Per chi fosse curioso/a, qui c’è la mia recensione al primo romanzo della serie).

Ottima la traduzione di Stefania Bertola, seppure con due o tre scivoloni, di cui uno mi ha fatto accapponare la pelle (si presuppone che una professionista che lavora con la lingua italiana sappia che il verbo “c’entrare” non esiste). Tuttavia, promossa.

Mma Ramotswe fundadora de la primera agencia de detectives mujeres, lidia en esta historia con varios cambios en su vida al aceptar casarse con el dueño de un taller mecánico, J.J.B Maketoni.

Hay 3 casos que se desarrollan en la historia, el primero tiene que ver con un importante funcionario del gobierno que desconfía de su cuñada; el segundo intenta descubrir quien de las chicas que participó en un concurso de belleza es guapa, y además integra; el tercero involucra a un niño de 6 años que fue encontrado solo, desnudo y con olor a león.

Casos que sólo podrían darse en Botsuana.

Un libro sin pretensiones, que te hace pasar un buen rato, además está muy bien escrito, a cada línea nos hace notar que estamos en un país africano, donde apenas hay ciudades, la comida es un lujo, y que existe un particular y complicado entramado de comunicación y convivencia entre las personas que viven en cada población.

Realmente los casos no son complejos ni tan trascendentales en la trama, forman parte de la vida de Ramatswe, y de su secretaria, la señorita Makutsi quien toma notoriedad en este libro al hacerse cargo de la administración del taller mecánico de manera provisional.

Algunas frases son muy buenas, por ejemplo:

“Si a la gente le dabas la oportunidad de crear su propia moral, crearían una versión que les fuera como anillo al dedo y que les permitiera hacer su santa voluntad en todo momento, cuanto más tiempo mejor. ”

“Todos necesitamos a alguien en esta vida , alguien que sea para nosotros un pequeño dios terrenal, según la tradición kgatla. Puede ser un cónyuge, un hijo, un padre o cualquier otra persona, pero tiene que haber alguien que le dé sentido a nuestra vida».”

Un libro que cumple con su función de ser entretenido, divertido, dulce y un poco informativo de las costumbres africanas.

These are fast reads! I really enjoyed this one for a few reason. First, Mma Ramotswe ended up with a case that didn't get solved in two pages, and although it was hardly suspenseful (not that I expect suspense from these books) it at least had a curve in it, instead of a straight shot to the solution. Second, Mma Makutsi also gets a case to tackle all by herself, which is fun. And finally, but most importantly, is that Mma Makutski also must manage Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, and she's a much better manager than Mr. JLB Matekoni, whipping his lazy apprentices into shape in a few humorous scenes. Plus, they end up aiding her with her case, which was a nice touch.

This installment is basically Mma Makutsi's through-and-through. Mma Ramotswe has the one big case, but she is too worried about Mr. JLB Matekoni's depression. Whatever the hell is wrong with him is cartoonishly handled and not resolved, which kept this from being a five-star book, but it is still a very good book. There are many good quotes, which are inspirational or funny or both. I greatly enjoying Mma Ramotswe's thoughts on existentialism. "It was a good life being an existentialist, although not too good for all the other, nonexistentialist people around one." There is lots of talk of morality, not just for "beautiful girls" as suggested in the title, but for everyone, including womanizing men. Can they change? Why are womanizing men not shamed like meninizing women are? This isn't an original topic of discussion, but it's interesting in the context of this book, even if I don't quite agree with how the characters think sometimes. The book also ponders what it means to be "beautiful." I enjoyed the little detour when Mma Makutsi reads a book about how some men just /look/ evil, because it adds a subtle complication to theme.

Lessons learned during detective work can also apply to life, like "Never make any prior assumptions. Never decide in advance what's what or who's who. This may set you off on the wrong track altogether."

I want to have a big steaming mug of bush tea and enjoy the African heat and this book.

La humanidad y sentido común de Mma Ramotswe, la han convertido en un personaje entrañable y ameno. Y sus tramas simples que hablan de gente corriente y sencilla muestran al lector la otra África, la que no suele reseñarse en los medios de comunicación.

It's just such an easy series to read! It requires little effort and I enjoy it. Sure, it's not the best thing I've ever read but each book is a pallet cleaner and can be enjoyed over a couple of days. This one was no exception but I was a bit sad that Mr fiance was sick with depression - then again it's not his story so it was nice to hand over the reigns of the mechanic shop.. And yes, I've bough the next one :)

Otrā grāmata sērijā bibliotēkā bija paņemta, bet nojaukta lika domāt, ka droši var lasīt sajauktā secībā. Nav jau ko daudz teikt - Prešesa ir tikpat burvīga, stāsti tikpat intriģējoši, un viss, ko teicu par pirmo daļu attiecas arī uz šo.

Everyone knows all about Mma Ramotswe and her No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. It's delightful, set in Botswana, and filled with the local flavours. In this book, Mma Ramotswe gets an important client from the government, JLB Matekoni is suffering from depression, Mma Makutsi gets her first solo triumph by solving a case for a huge fee. The bankrupt company is flush again!

My two facourite quotes:

This sad truth was hilariously put - "Women, as usual, were expected to behave better than men, and inevitably attracted criticism for doing things that men were licensed to do with impunity. It was not fair; it had never been fair, and it would probably never be fair in the future. Men would wriggle out of it somehow, even if you tied them up in a constitution. Men judges would find that the constitution really said something rather different from what was written on the page and interpret it in a favour of men. All people, both men and women, are entitled to equal treatment in the workplace became Women can get some jobs, but they cannot do certain jobs (for their own protection) as men will do these jobs better anyway."

Another brilliant piece of observation - "She was a traditionally built lady, after all, and she did not have to worry about dress size, unlike those poor, neurotic people who were always looking in mirrors and thinking that they were too big. What was too big, anyway? Who was to tell another person what size they should be? It was a form of dictatorship, by the thin, and she was not having any of it. If these thin people became any more insistent, then the more generously sized people would just have to sit on them. Yes, that would teach them! Hah!"

These books have to be read to be experienced. Reviews are not sufficient to do justice to their delightfulness.

This is the third installment of the delightful No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency of mysteries set in Botswana and solved by intrepid private investigator Mme Precious Ramotswe. The author was born in Zimbabwe but spent years living in Botswana and obviously has a deep love for the country and its people and a sharp eye for detail.

Sadly, I found this story less engaging than the previous two. Mme Ramotswe investigates the poisoning of a politician's brother and the morality of beauty contest competitors. She also has to negotiate her own financial difficulties and J.L.B. Matekoni’s depression and lack of interest in his workshop.

I love the characters and I will definitely press on and read another installment someday but this wasn’t my favourite.

I got to know more ,two beautiful girls in this book, Mma Makutsi and Mma Ramotswe.Motswana moral code is honorable thing to have and they justified it.I hope Mr. JLB Matekoni gets better.This book is more about dexterity and clairvoyance of Mma Makutsi.

This one was a little slower than the first, in a good way, like a lazy float down a gentle river. I absolutely love this series!!!

I gave this book a 4**** because I have joined the legions of fans of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. This 3rd book in the series is quite a bit different than the first two, one of the big differences being the lack of dialogue in the book when compared to the first two. In this book we learn more about Philosophies of life, Botswana traditions and backgrounds and issues with the main characters. The cases are a lot less challenging, in my opinion, and we are really given an in depth look at Mma. Makutsi who began as a minor character and now has become quite the major character in the series as she has gone from a secretary to an Assistant Detective to now a new position as Assistant Garage Manager. She handles a big case with a big fee all by herself and it is fun to see her character develop. Mma. Ramotswe is involved in her own case out of the area, as well as being preoccupied with the two orphans who came into their lives in Book 2, and an illness that has befallen her fiance Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni,and this propels Mma. Makusti into the forefront. She gains the respect of the garage apprentices and proves herself a valuable asset to both businesses.
it is another fun book, but not quite as rollicking as the first two. I would definitely not start the series with this book, since it is a definite build on the first two and character development propels the saga forward. It is fun to read, it is delightful to follow and since I am reading them consecutively it really is great to be able to quickly follow all the action of the series. This book is only 227 pages in length and is a fast read, and I just began book 4 and that one is only 192 pages, so these are great books to either get from the library or by use of the free e-reader delivery system from the library. As I remain in Romania, I am so very happy to be transported to Botswana on a daily basis with the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency!