THE NO. 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY - Book 13
Fans around the world adore the bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, the basis of the HBO TV show, and its proprietor Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier lady detective. In this charming series, Mma Ramotswe navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom, and good humor—not to mention help from her loyal assistant, Grace Makutsi, and the occasional cup of tea.
Precious Ramotswe is haunted by a repeated dream: a vision of a tall, strange man who waits for her beneath an acacia tree. Odd as this is, she’s far too busy to worry about it. The best apprentice at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors is in trouble with the law and stuck with the worst lawyer in Gaborone. Grace Makutsi and Phuti Radiphuti are building the house of their dreams, but their builder is not completely on the up and up. And, most shockingly, Mma Potokwane, defender of Botswana’s weak and downtrodden, has been dismissed from her post as matron at the orphan farm. Can the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency help restore the beloved matron to her rightful position?
As wealthy and powerful influences at the orphan farm become allied against their friend, help arrives from an unexpected visitor: the tall stranger from Mma Ramotswe’s dreams, who turns out to be none other than the estimable Clovis Andersen, author of the No. 1 Ladies’ prized manual, The Principles of Private Detection. Together, Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi, and their teacher-turned-colleague help right this injustice and in the process discover something new about being a good detective.
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection
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Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Review
Praise for The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection
“Part of the brilliance of this series (now in its thirteenth entry) is that what may seem like tiny cases expand into considerations of virtue, love, ambition, greed, and evil . . . McCall Smith’s novels are both very meditative and laugh-out-loud funny. If you’ve never read a No. 1 Ladies’, now’s the time.”
—Booklist (starred review)
Praise for The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series
“Smart and sassy . . . with the power to amuse or shock or touch the heart, sometimes all at once.”
—Los Angeles Times
“Enthralling . . . Mma Ramotswe is someone readers can’t help but love.”
—USA Today
“A potent mix of charm and whimsy.”
—The Christian Science Monitor
“Endearing, amusing . . . sparkles with African sunshine and wit.”
—The Dallas Morning News
“McCall Smith makes the sublime look easy . . . [He] has few peers in capturing the quiet moments of people’s lives, and his empathetic lead has one of the biggest hearts in modern literature.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Charming and hilarious . . . Sweet and timeless.”
—The Seattle Times
“A cast of characters who seem like old and cherished friends.”
—St. Petersburg Times
“Part of the brilliance of this series (now in its thirteenth entry) is that what may seem like tiny cases expand into considerations of virtue, love, ambition, greed, and evil . . . McCall Smith’s novels are both very meditative and laugh-out-loud funny. If you’ve never read a No. 1 Ladies’, now’s the time.”
—Booklist (starred review)
Praise for The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series
“Smart and sassy . . . with the power to amuse or shock or touch the heart, sometimes all at once.”
—Los Angeles Times
“Enthralling . . . Mma Ramotswe is someone readers can’t help but love.”
—USA Today
“A potent mix of charm and whimsy.”
—The Christian Science Monitor
“Endearing, amusing . . . sparkles with African sunshine and wit.”
—The Dallas Morning News
“McCall Smith makes the sublime look easy . . . [He] has few peers in capturing the quiet moments of people’s lives, and his empathetic lead has one of the biggest hearts in modern literature.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Charming and hilarious . . . Sweet and timeless.”
—The Seattle Times
“A cast of characters who seem like old and cherished friends.”
—St. Petersburg Times
About the Author
Alexander McCall Smith is also the author of the Isabel Dalhousie series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, the 44 Scotland Street series, and the Corduroy Mansions series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh and has served with many national and international organizations concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and taught law at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
130 of 136 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Small tweaks on a proven formula make for a pleasing addition to the series
March 12, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition
Take a slow, deep breath, curl up in your favorite chair with a hot drink and prepare to enjoy another satisfying meal of literary comfort food. The latest instalment in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series may not win any new converts, but it will most definitely not disappoint its fans. All the familiar characters are back and their stories are woven in with little musings on subjects like always doing your best or the value of taking time out just to sit, gaze upon static things and be calm.
Ever since Mma Ramotswe embarked on her career as a private detective, her "bible" has been Clovis Anderson's book about the principles of private detection. She is thrilled to discover that he is visiting Botswana. They become friends, but it is apparent that Clovis is troubled by something. It's quite endearing to read her gushing praise of him, her assumption that he is internationally renowned, while he is clearly nothing of the sort. However they do work together on a case, which makes a refreshing change in formula.
Mma Ramotswe's case is very dear to her heart. Her friend Mma Potokwani, wants her to check the motivations of a member of the orphan farm board. As the conflict between Mma Potokwani and her foe escalates, Clovis and Mma Ramotswe will need to combine their talents to get to the bottom of the affair.
Meanwhile, Fanwell (one of the Speedy Motors apprentices) is getting himself into hot water. A favor for an old acquaintance has lead into illegal territory. And Mma Makutsi's new husband has decided to build them a new home. However the builder whom he has chosen is not particularly interested in Phuti's input and is even less interested in anything that Mma Makutsi has to say. It also appears that one of his builders is wary of Phuti - but why?
If you love this series - as I do - you are bound to enjoy this addition to it.
Ever since Mma Ramotswe embarked on her career as a private detective, her "bible" has been Clovis Anderson's book about the principles of private detection. She is thrilled to discover that he is visiting Botswana. They become friends, but it is apparent that Clovis is troubled by something. It's quite endearing to read her gushing praise of him, her assumption that he is internationally renowned, while he is clearly nothing of the sort. However they do work together on a case, which makes a refreshing change in formula.
Mma Ramotswe's case is very dear to her heart. Her friend Mma Potokwani, wants her to check the motivations of a member of the orphan farm board. As the conflict between Mma Potokwani and her foe escalates, Clovis and Mma Ramotswe will need to combine their talents to get to the bottom of the affair.
Meanwhile, Fanwell (one of the Speedy Motors apprentices) is getting himself into hot water. A favor for an old acquaintance has lead into illegal territory. And Mma Makutsi's new husband has decided to build them a new home. However the builder whom he has chosen is not particularly interested in Phuti's input and is even less interested in anything that Mma Makutsi has to say. It also appears that one of his builders is wary of Phuti - but why?
If you love this series - as I do - you are bound to enjoy this addition to it.
35 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I've always enjoyed Alexander McCall Smith in just about everyone of the books he's written, including the other series; but the crowning achievement is the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books. McCall Smith has kept this series going through thirteen titles, and I'm surprised that no-one has written a review saying that this volume is not up to standard, as they did in previous Ladies' Detective" books.
In my less-than-humble opinion this book shows the same plotting skills as the previous dozen, plus I was constantly impressed by the quality of McCall Smith's writing. Some little turn of phrase begins to be something delightful, and this happens throughout the book. All the usual crew is here, doing the usual things, except for one of Mr. J.L.B Matekoni's apprentices - and it's not Charlie, for once, but the now ex-apprentice Fanwell who falls foul of the law.
One smart move by McCall Smith is to have a cast of characters who are so enjoyable we don't want anything bad to happen to them. We want those in trouble to come out on top, and we want Mme Ramotswe to uncover the truth and help out her clients, and in this book it's Mma Potokwane, the matron of the orphans farm, who is facing dismissal from her job. Add to this Phuti Radiphuti and his new bride, Grace Maskutsi are having a house built by a contractor who isn't quite following the rules. I raced through the book, hoping that all would come out well in the end.
One development that I thought McCall Smith would have trouble with was the arrival of Clovis Andersen, whose book The Principle of Private Detection has been the guide for the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency since day one. Yet somehow McCall Smith handles this brilliantly, with Andersen playing a largely supportive role and not taking over the entire book. And there's hours of hilarity awaiting you with a description of "Gaborone's Worst Lawyer" fouling up royally in court.
There is in fact plenty of humor in this book, more than usual but it doesn't intrude. My favorite moment was on page one, where Precious Ramotswe considers the effect of a spray that cured an uncomfortable conscience, and how it wouldn't work on the person who invented it, because he would have to consider the consequences of his action.
Even if you've never read a book in this series, this one will be understandable just like all the other ones, as McCall Smith ruminates on human nature. Nothing bad happens to the innocent, yet the personalities of the characters could lead to that. This isn't a Susie Sunshine story, even though it indulges feelings of comfort food.
So if you've ever had the slightest inclination to read one of the books in this series, just get any one of them and settle down for a comfortable few hours of reading. I can't believe that you'd come away with anything but a positive feel and the willingness to read every one of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.
In my less-than-humble opinion this book shows the same plotting skills as the previous dozen, plus I was constantly impressed by the quality of McCall Smith's writing. Some little turn of phrase begins to be something delightful, and this happens throughout the book. All the usual crew is here, doing the usual things, except for one of Mr. J.L.B Matekoni's apprentices - and it's not Charlie, for once, but the now ex-apprentice Fanwell who falls foul of the law.
One smart move by McCall Smith is to have a cast of characters who are so enjoyable we don't want anything bad to happen to them. We want those in trouble to come out on top, and we want Mme Ramotswe to uncover the truth and help out her clients, and in this book it's Mma Potokwane, the matron of the orphans farm, who is facing dismissal from her job. Add to this Phuti Radiphuti and his new bride, Grace Maskutsi are having a house built by a contractor who isn't quite following the rules. I raced through the book, hoping that all would come out well in the end.
One development that I thought McCall Smith would have trouble with was the arrival of Clovis Andersen, whose book The Principle of Private Detection has been the guide for the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency since day one. Yet somehow McCall Smith handles this brilliantly, with Andersen playing a largely supportive role and not taking over the entire book. And there's hours of hilarity awaiting you with a description of "Gaborone's Worst Lawyer" fouling up royally in court.
There is in fact plenty of humor in this book, more than usual but it doesn't intrude. My favorite moment was on page one, where Precious Ramotswe considers the effect of a spray that cured an uncomfortable conscience, and how it wouldn't work on the person who invented it, because he would have to consider the consequences of his action.
Even if you've never read a book in this series, this one will be understandable just like all the other ones, as McCall Smith ruminates on human nature. Nothing bad happens to the innocent, yet the personalities of the characters could lead to that. This isn't a Susie Sunshine story, even though it indulges feelings of comfort food.
So if you've ever had the slightest inclination to read one of the books in this series, just get any one of them and settle down for a comfortable few hours of reading. I can't believe that you'd come away with anything but a positive feel and the willingness to read every one of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By Julia Dream
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book will not disappoint. McCall Smith reminds us through the lives of our beloved Motswana cast of the strength of human character. It is a comfort to have confirmed the goodness and decency in our fellows, to know that we can be flawed but wise, that we are not defined by our mistakes but are loved despite them. There are no surprises in the latest of volume of this wonderful series, unless it is that a series of books can be so consistently good.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Does not disappoint loyal fans
A continuation of a beloved series....no disappointments and more dectective delightful action and fun by our favourite detective and friends..
Published 19 hours ago by Karen Benson
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fine read!
This is the latest in this series and brings us up to date on the happenings at the # 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY! It is simply wonderful!
Published 1 day ago by Jocelyn Rohde
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another great story
Alexander McCall Smith again entertains and amuses with the Limpopo Academy. It is a gentle, thoughtful, amusing story that readers of the No. Read more
Published 2 days ago by Lora Lee Hart
5.0 out of 5 stars
another good one
I've read all of the Ladies Detective Agency novels, and each is well written, funny, and touching, can't wait for the next one.
Published 2 days ago by Leo Morris
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Reaf
The continuation of the series leaves no disappointment. The slow pace and gentle integrity lead directly into lapsing into great homespun philosophy
Published 5 days ago by George Meldrumgmeld
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lessons for all of us
I have spent time in Africa and this series of Alexander McCall Smith takes me back to the that lifestyle. I can visualize Mma Ramotswe and all the characters at work in Botswana. Read more
Published 5 days ago by sue calnon
5.0 out of 5 stars
Precious Ramotswe is just that!
All of the books in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series are gentle stories. They make me long to visit Precious Ramotswe's Africa, hang out with her for a while, and share a... Read more
Published 10 days ago by Ruth
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful series
This book was up to McCall's standard in all respects. Precious Ramotswe and her companions are just a total delight.
Published 10 days ago by Gabrielle McGhee
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good as usual
I love this series and that includes this book. Follow the adventures once more of this delightful team in Botswana africa
Published 17 days ago by Peter
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Ladies Detective Series is a favorite
Once again the author gives us an enjoyable work covering the ladies of the Number One Detective Agency. Read more
Published 19 days ago by Donna D. Drickey
