Good. The incident of the ground hornbill really moved me. But once again it was hard to tell if McCall Smith was laughing with his characters or at them.

Enjoyable! Back in form after a couple of lackluster entries.

Why I'm reading this: I'm on a roll rereading this series. Comforting given the environment we are and have been in.

This is number 7 in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. Grace Makutsi makes the mistake of telling her fiancé that she is a feminist, causing him to become afraid. Mma Ramotswe takes on the problem of a young lady chef who has seen her boss feeding her husband on company food, and is afraid she will be fired if she tells. The employees at a game reserve are being subjected to the fear of witchcraft. An advice columnist piques Ramotswe’s interest, and ire. She turns out to be a central character. The book is pleasant. The stories in this series are quiet endeavors. Perhaps there is more there than I can see, but for now they are pleasant, fast-reading diversions.

If you are new to the series. I would stop, go back and read The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. It makes a difference seeing the characters develop over the volumes.

"... we surely had to hope, and a life without hope of any sort was no life: it was a sky without stars, a landscape of sorrow and emptiness."

It is always a joy to spend time with the characters in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

Rigenerante rileggere la serie... molti particolari non li ricordavo, è come passare un sabato pomeriggio con una cara e vecchia amica a raccontare aneddoti piacevoli... tutto chiaramente in compagnia di una buona tazza di bush tea.

It still amazes me that a series of detective stories with no suspense, and no great mysteries can actually work, but McCall Smith manages to make it work. Reading these books is like visiting old friends that you know so well that they don't surprise you any more, but you enjoy their company. I think that is the best way I can explain my relationship with this series. I still like the characters, and reading about them entertains me.

It's been rather a stressful week for me; thus, I plucked "Blue Shoes and Happiness" from my shelves because I was feeling sorely in need of the balm of Mma Ramotswe's company. I'm pleased to report that this instalment is full of all the things I love about the series more generally, and that keep me coming back for more. Everything about this novel is charming, atmospheric, and full of warmth. Mma Ramotswe is like that rare friend who understands what's really important in life, dispenses advice with kindness and compassion, and ensures that there's always plenty of tea and cake on offer. If I could spend a day with any literary character, I think I'd choose her. I'm so grateful to McCall-Smith for writing this wonderful series; my life would be much poorer without it.

4 Stars. Here's something we don't experience in Canada. I've entertained wild bears with ABBA songs along the roadside in northern British Columbia, and seen a moose try to run through a baseball backscreen in central Ontario, but a cobra in one's office? Botswana is delightfully different. Assistant detective Grace Makutsi found the snake near her desk one day. When the excitement quotient hit the roof, so did she! It's endearing; it's sort of a mystery, but a title like, "More Little Cases Confronting Mma Ramotswe and her Detective Agency," would better describe the book. One of the most interesting ones is the cafeteria worker who comes to her asking what to do about her boss slipping government-purchased steaks to her husband. She confronted the woman but worries that, if this isn't handled right, she'll lose her job! Characters abound. There's Aunty Emang, the newspaper advice columnist who turns out to be light years removed from her public image; there's Mma Makutsi's fiancé, Phuti Radiphuti, who may be having second thoughts, and there's Mma Ramotswe herself - a traditionally figured African woman considering a diet! I loved it. (No2020/Fe2024)

Spreading happiness through his books...!

This entry in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series is the perfect balance of character development and mystery. The books always have a little philosophical musing in the storyline and in this one it’s about a beautiful pair of too-tight blue shoes and the happiness they bring to their wearer. I like that the cases are more involved than in the earlier books and take some real sleuthing to solve, which keeps Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi very busy. Even the new garage/agency assistant Mr. Polopetsi gets to help out.

I enjoy this series. The characters are interesting and lively. The situation are believable too.

Like delicious comfort food, this is wonderful comfort reading.