In the Company of Cheerful Ladies

alexander mccall smith

Mma Ramotswe's normally unshakable composure is rattled when a visitor forces her to confront a secret from her past.

In the newest addition to the universally beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, the charming and ever-resourceful Precious Ramotswe finds herself overly beset by problems. She is already busier than usual at the detective agency when added to her concerns are a strange intruder in her house on Zebra Drive and the baffling appearance of a pumpkin. And then there is Mma Makutsi, who decides to treat herself to dance lessons, only to be partnered with a man who seems to have two left feet. Nor are things running quite as smoothly as they usually do at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. Mma Ramotswe’s husband, the estimable Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, is overburdened with work even before one of his apprentices runs off with a wealthy woman. But what finally rattles Mma Ramotswe’s normally unshakable composure is a visitor who forces her to confront a secret from her past. . . .

All this unfolds against the sunlit background of Mma Ramotswe’s beloved homeland, Botswana–a land of empty spaces, echoing skies, and an endless supply of soothing bush tea.

Genres mysteryfictionafricabotswanacrimeaudiobookcozy mysterydetectivemystery thrillerhumor

233 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,2004

Series

No. 1 Ladies/ Detective Agency

Places

gaborone,

This edition

Format: 233 pages, Hardcover
Published: April 19, 2005 by Pantheon
ISBN: 9780375422713
ASIN: 0375422714
Language: English

Characters More characters

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

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

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

an erroneously imprisoned pharmacist who becomes an employee at the garage and an assistant to Precious Ramotswe before becoming a high-school chemistry teacher. In "Blue Shoes ..." he has issues with his rich uncle.more...
Note Mokoti

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

owner of Tlokweng Speedy Motors...

About the author

alexander mccall smith

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.