In this newest installment of Alexander McCall Smith's beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, Mma Ramotswe takes on a number of perplexing situations, and while she tries to maintain her usual impartiality, it's difficult when one of the cases involves someone so close to her heart.
Mma Ramotswe can sense the rain long before it comes. It's been a long, dry summer, but the first downpour of the season tends to bring with it new growth. In this case, it also brings a new client, who suspects his wife of having an affair. Mma Ramotswe is on the case, and she decides to bring Charlie along. But as they look further into the matter, they begin to suspect their client may not have been entirely truthful in explaining his predicament.
Meanwhile, Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni has struck up a new friendship with a man named Mr. Mogorosi, a prominent figure in the motor trade business. Mma Ramotswe is concerned that Mr. Mogorosi may have ulterior motives for his attentions. When the two go on a fishing trip in waters teeming with dangerous crocodiles, she begins to worry for Mr. J. L .B. Matekoni's safety.
And though Mma Ramotswe has never quite perfected Mma Potokwane's delicious fruit cake recipe, she can always rely on her old friend for a steaming cup of red bush tea, some wise counsel, and a generous slice of cake. As the welcome storms roll in to the little city of Gaborone, the pumpkins in Mma Potokwane's garden flourish, as do her keen insights. These will prove invaluable to Mma Ramotswe as she navigates this new passel of mysteries with her usual good humor and compassion.
About the Author :
Alexander McCall Smith is a New York Times bestselling author of several fiction series, including the internationally acclaimed No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. He is professor emeritus at the University of Edinburgh.
Bianca Amato, winner of numerous Earphones Awards and the Audie Award for best narration, is an actress born and raised in South Africa. Trained at the University of Cape Town's Drama school, she went on to work in theater and television in South Africa before moving to New York in 2002.
Review :
"As usual in this celebrated franchise, the pace is leisurely, the felonies are minimal, the tone is reflective and the results are enchanting."
-- "Kirkus Reviews"
"Bianca Amato's performance perfectly re-creates the wonderfully realized characters in Alexander McCall Smith's latest No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency episode...Amato is so comfortable with the African names and phrases that listeners are transported to Gaborone...Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award."
-- "AudioFile magazine"
"Returning readers will revel, once again, in the compassion and keen insights of...Precious Ramotswe...Wonderful characters and atmosphere with a plot that keeps surprising."
-- "Booklist (starred review)"
