Although they are mysteries, these Ladies' Detective Agency novels feel peaceful to me. I love the insights and really the love of Africa, particularly Botswana, that is conveyed, and I like all of the social insights that we get inside of the main character's head. For example, this book had an interesting sequence about servants that made me think. The mystery part is really secondary.

Great read.

Wonderful! :-)

Really enjoyed the third book in the series, there were some ups and downs in this book for Mma Ramotswe to deal with which made things interesting but not too depressing

Fourth read - I’m rereading this series again, with my husband this time. It was his idea lol I think he heard snippets of these books for so long that he became curious

Continuing with this Alexander McCall Smith series. I'm enjoying them all very much. In this book, Mr. JLB Matekoni has a mysterious problem. Mma. Ramotswe goes out of town to investigate a possible poisoning attempt. Also, while Precious is out of town, Mma. Makutski takes on a well-paying case on her own and proves her worth to the detective agency. Mma. Potokwane of the orphan farm lends a helping hand with Mr. JLB Matekoni when even Mma. Ramotswe doesn't know how to handle the situation.

3.5

I really enjoy imagining the setting and the people as I read through the series.

I am not an authority on detective stories. I've read a little Sherlock Holmes, but I've only seen Agatha Christie through the eyes of the BBC. But when I pick up books from this series and always see the New York Times Book Review quote on the front, "The Miss Marple of Botswana," I start to think that Mma Ramotswe belongs in the discussion – not because she fits the mold, but because she seems to offer a different perspective within the genre.

In a sense, I think these are classic detective stories. Precious Ramotswe runs an agency, and she generally solves everything that comes her way. And like most classic detectives, she is somewhat no-nonsense. Mma Ramotswe's favorite reference on private detection says, "There is very little drama in our calling; rather a process of patient observation, deduction, and analysis."

But these stories are not so mystery-driven. They are more character-driven. We don't get the classic Poirot confined-space interrogations, clues, and revelations. There aren't the great twists and turns of plot. And Mma Ramotswe doesn't seem to solve any puzzles using extraordinary skills of observation or show of brilliance. What she does instead is embody a reasoned approach to solving cases, and embody a traditional African morality. Character is not a red herring in these stories. Character is the driving force and generally determines guilt. A typical insight of Mma Ramotswe is to say, "There was the old Botswana morality, which was simply right. If a person stuck to this, then he would be doing the right thing and need not worry about it. ... Most morality was about doing the right thing because it had been identified as such by a long process of acceptance and observance."

I think this is something that makes these stories particularly compelling. She's the anti-Holmes in that she is fallible and ordinary. But she is also thoughtful, reasonable, and unabashedly traditional. (In fact, she is "traditionally built.") And her intuition is generally right, leading her to ask the right questions of the right people.

I was intrigued by the title, encouraged by the promise of an entertaining mystery novel combined with a glimpse of Botswana and its culture, and then reassured by the positive reviews of this "National Bestseller". I was excited to start. However, it wasn't long before I started to wonder if all the initially intriguing details would ever lead anywhere. I enjoyed my first ever "visit" to Botswana, but the plot was slow and left many loose ends. I found that the "mysteries" were solved in very unsatisfying convenient ways (basically, that the detective "just knew" what the answer was in the end). I did enjoy the style of the writing, and occasionally there was a thoughtful and well-stated insight into people and/or life. But overall, it was a very slow story, and I am totally confused by all the 4 & 5 star ratings out there.

The two ladies continue to operate the detective agency, but now Precious' fiance is not well. She decides that her secretary will take charge of the garage while he recovers from a terrible bout of depression. Meanwhile there are many important detecting assignments to take care of, but the ladies are "up for it".

This is the third book in the series and a thoroughly enjoyable read. when I open one of these books it feels so comfortable, just like coming home.

This is the third, and so far my favorite, of the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series. As always, Alexander McCall Smith’s simple, rhythmic prose seems to echo the plodding of cattle under a warm Botswana sun, lulling you into a world that has time for repetition and tradition and courtesy. While I found the first two in the series delightful, this was more moving and satisfying. And funny!

For some reason, I find the simplistic style charming, not banal. Perhaps that’s because it reflects the rather simple quality of Mma Ramatswe’s cases and observations into human nature. There are no tricky stabbed-in-a-locked-room mysteries here, just insights into the sort of messes normal people get themselves into because of normal failings.

Yet another McCall Smith, yet another lovely trip to Botswana and Mma Ramotswe's world. I was curious about Mr. J.L.B Matekoni's 'illness' and Mma Makutsi's taking over as Acting Manager of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors which were referred to in the latter books so this book throws light on these two incidents. It is also Mma Makutsi's first case by herself. So many things happening in this book. Sadly the HBO TV series did not interpret the poisoning case as in the book. I prefer the book now to the series. Read because you have to read about Precious Ramotswe come what may.