Ease Reading-Find Your Next Favorite Book

Hot Search

No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #4

The Kalahari Typing School for Men

alexander mccall smith

... Show More
An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

Life is never without its problems. Will Precious Ramotswe’s delightfully cunning and profoundly moral methods save the day? Find out in this, the fourth volume in the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series featuring Botswana's first and only lady detective.

Now that The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (the only detective agency for ladies and others in Botswana) is established, its founder, Precious Ramotswe, can look upon her life with pride: she’s reached her late thirties ("the finest age to be"), has a house, two children, a good fiancé -- Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni -- and many satisfied customers. But life is never without its problems. It turns out that her adopted son is responsible for the dead hoopoe bird in the garden; her assistant, Mma Makutsi, wants a husband and needs help with her idea to open the Kalahari Typing School for Men; yet Mma Ramotswe’s sexist rival has no trouble opening his Satisfaction Guaranteed Detective Agency across town. Will Precious Ramotswe’s delightfully cunning and profoundly moral methods save the day? Follow the continuing story of Botswana’s first lady detective in the irresistible The Kalahari Typing School for Men.

210 pages, Paperback

First published June 1,2002
Series
No. 1 Ladies/ Detective Agency
Places
botswana, gaborone, 

This edition

Format
210 pages, Paperback
Published
February 26, 2004 by Abacus
ISBN
ASIN
B009RI6CS0
Language
English
Characters More characters
  • Precious Ramotswe

    Precious Ramotswe

    a clever and generous woman who runs the only female-headed detective agency in Botswana -- possibly the only detective agency; she solves crimes based on her knowledge of human nature and hard work...

  • Puso

    Puso

    a Masarwa orphan and the younger brother of Motholeli; they are Precious Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matakonis foster childrenmore...

  • Silvia Potokwani

    Silvia Potokwani

    the matron of the orphan farm, always pestering Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni for free repairs...

  • Charlie the older apprentice

    Charlie The Older Apprentice

    a feckless girl-crazy apprentice mechanic who never seems to get final approval for his full licence...

  • Note Mokoti

    Note Mokoti

    a hard-drinking, abusive jazz trumpet player; he was Precious Ramotswes first husbandmore...

  • J.L.B. Matekoni

    J.l.b. Matekoni

    owner of Tlokweng Speedy Motors...

More editions

About the author

Profile Image for alexander mccall smith

alexander mccall smith

... Show More
Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the international phenomenon The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie Series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, and the 44 Scotland Street series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and he was a law professor at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland. Visit him online at www.alexandermccallsmith.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Readers also enjoyed

Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
36(36%)
4 stars
29(29%)
3 stars
35(35%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
100 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Neonfun
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
... Show More
This is the fourth book in the "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series. I enjoyed it very much. The characters are all back and facing yet more problems to be solved. Mma. Makutski opens a typing school for men which meets at a local church hall. There she meets a very nice man who wants to spend time with her. Has Grace found love at last? Can Mma. Ramotswe help a man who wants to atone for bad behavior of twenty years ago? And what about a new detective agency that opens up in Gaborone run by a very bombastic and rude man? Will it harm Precious and Grace in their ladies' detective agency? I had fun finding out.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
lethargilistic
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
... Show More
***Fifth read***

Enjoying this series even more, rereading this time with my husband. We both enjoy the series so much! God bless you, AMS! Long may you wave
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Riverscuomo
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
... Show More
The story of _Kalahari Typing School for Men_ was much like its immediate predecessor, _Morality for Beautiful Girls_. The novel focuses a great amount on the development of some characters, and leaves others "out to dry", and ultimately strays away from the things that made books 1 and 2 of the series so good: the cases, the interactions, and the values of the Botswana people. That is not to say that this book does not have any detective cases, but I find the novels have shifted from their original focus. However, one thing that I did like about this book is the increased role and development of Mma Makutsi. She is a great characters, and until book 3, Mma Makutsi existed in the shadows. I look forward to seeing her develop more in the next books.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Daniel_Gonc
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
... Show More
English version below

********************

Ein weiterer unterhaltsamer Roman aus der Cozy Crime-Reihe über Botswanas cleverste Privatdetektivin.

Diesmal musste ich besonders schmunzeln bei der Idee eine neu zu gründende Fahrschule “Lerne Autofahren mit Jesus” zu nennen.

Wer gerne unblutige Geschichten, bei denen sich bei den “Kriminalfällen” eher um die Verwicklungen der menschlichen Natur handelt, liest und noch dazu etwas über Botswana erfahren will, ist mit dieser Reihe wirklich gut bedient.

-----------------------------

Another entertaining novel from the cozy crime series about Botswana's cleverest female private detective.

This time I had to smile especially at the idea of calling a new driving school "Learn to drive with Jesus".

If you like to read bloodless stories, where the "criminal cases" are more about the intricacies of human nature, and also want to learn something about Botswana, this series is a really good choice.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Vibie
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
... Show More
I loved this one so much. I can't believe how invested I am with these characters. Each time I finish I feel like I've had such a nice visit with old friends. These books make me happy. Just what I need during this stressful year.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
scaps
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
... Show More
The book's English version is simple and easy to read and the story was very interesting.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
xxXKittyXxx
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
... Show More
The "No #1 Ladies Detective Agency" series is absolutely wonderful. Like sunshine in book form! The characters are gentle, the rhythm is comfortable, and the writing is fresh. The book offers wonderful little gems without being preachy. Would recommend this charming series.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
kei_chan
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
... Show More
I love this series, they are such good cosy reads. Mma Ramotswe is such a warm likable character, I like following her about when she is going about her day to day business.

The actual parts to do with the detective agency always seem like a side story rather than the main event, lots of other little bits going on to keep you interested. I did get worried about what was going to happen to Mma Makuts but thankfully nothing to bad!

Can't wait to carry on with the rest of the series.
0 0 Reply
Leave a Review
You must be logged in to rate and post a review. Register an account to get started.