Reviews
Praise for The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books: "Reader, be warned: This is not your ordinary detective novel. . . . The Kalahari Typing School for Men maintains the breezy-to-read, gentle tone of Smith's previous work, and leaves us wanting more adventures A.S.A.P." -- The Globe and Mail "[The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency] is a book one can read in one sitting. . . . The writing [is] very accessible, yet the prose so beautiful. . . . I choose books that give me pure joy, whose world I want to stay in for a long time." -- Amy Tan, for the TODAY show book club "In the course of her work, Mma Ramotswe offers ample evidence of her country's complexities and contradictions. . . . Practical yet softhearted, inventive yet steeped in convention, Mma Ramotswe is an appealing personality. . . . Mma Ramotswe's methods -- and her results -- are as unusual as the novels they inhabit." -- The New York Times Book Review "General audiences will welcome this little gem of a book [The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency] just as much if not more than mystery readers." -- Publishers Weekly "Smart and sassy. . . Precious's progress is charted in passages that have the power to amuse or shock or touch the heart, sometimes all at once. . . . Thoroughly engaging and entertaining." -- The Los Angeles Times "[The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is] one of the best, most charming, honest, hilarious and life-affirming books to appear in years." -- The Plain Dealer (Cleveland), Praise for The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books: "Reader, be warned: This is not your ordinary detective novel. . . . The Kalahari Typing School for Men maintains the breezy-to-read, gentle tone of Smith's previous work, and leaves us wanting more adventures A.S.A.P." -- The Globe and Mail "[ The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency ] is a book one can read in one sitting. . . . The writing [is] very accessible, yet the prose so beautiful. . . . I choose books that give me pure joy, whose world I want to stay in for a long time." -- Amy Tan, for the TODAY show book club "In the course of her work, Mma Ramotswe offers ample evidence of her country's complexities and contradictions. . . . Practical yet softhearted, inventive yet steeped in convention, Mma Ramotswe is an appealing personality. . . . Mma Ramotswe's methods -- and her results -- are as unusual as the novels they inhabit." -- The New York Times Book Review "General audiences will welcome this little gem of a book [ The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency ] just as much if not more than mystery readers." -- Publishers Weekly "Smart and sassy. . . Precious's progress is charted in passages that have the power to amuse or shock or touch the heart, sometimes all at once. . . . Thoroughly engaging and entertaining." -- The Los Angeles Times "[ The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is] one of the best, most charming, honest, hilarious and life-affirming books to appear in years." -- The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) "What is remarkable is McCall Smith's unique voice, with its African rhythms, formal turns of phrase and subtle humour…. The perfect journey to a faraway place." - The Globe and Mail "Delightful…. Sleuthing takes second place to folksy storytelling in McCall Smith's wry novels." - Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Fans will put their feet up and welcome the arrival of the new book, which is full of authentic African touches. New readers can start here, since all background information is repeated, and enjoy a plot even more inventive than the earlier ones." -People "The runaway success of Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, set in Botswana and starring the irrepressible Mma Precious Ramotswe, … [is] hardly surprising since Mma Ramotswe's investigations expose the mysteries of the human heart far more than they do the wrongdoing of criminals." - Booklist "Sweetly original, filled with warmth and humour but without a touch of saccharine." - Toronto Sun "With summer at hand, many of us already have started compiling a summer reading list … you can bet plenty of folks will include Smith's popular series…. [Precious Ramotswe is] someone readers can't help but love and learn from: She's full of common sense and ingenuity." - USA Today From the Trade Paperback edition., Praise for The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books: "Reader, be warned: This is not your ordinary detective novel. . . . The Kalahari Typing School for Men maintains the breezy-to-read, gentle tone of Smith's previous work, and leaves us wanting more adventures A.S.A.P." -- The Globe and Mail "[ The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency ] is a book one can read in one sitting. . . . The writing [is] very accessible, yet the prose so beautiful. . . . I choose books that give me pure joy, whose world I want to stay in for a long time." -- Amy Tan, for the TODAY show book club "In the course of her work, Mma Ramotswe offers ample evidence of her country's complexities and contradictions. . . . Practical yet softhearted, inventive yet steeped in convention, Mma Ramotswe is an appealing personality. . . . Mma Ramotswe's methods -- and her results -- are as unusual as the novels they inhabit." -- The New York Times Book Review "General audiences will welcome this little gem of a book [ The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency ] just as much if not more than mystery readers." -- Publishers Weekly "Smart and sassy. . . Precious's progress is charted in passages that have the power to amuse or shock or touch the heart, sometimes all at once. . . . Thoroughly engaging and entertaining." -- The Los Angeles Times "[ The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is] one of the best, most charming, honest, hilarious and life-affirming books to appear in years." -- The Plain Dealer (Cleveland), Praise for The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books: " Reader, be warned: This is not your ordinary detective novel. . . . The Kalahari Typing School for Men maintains the breezy-to-read, gentle tone of Smith' s previous work, and leaves us wanting more adventures A.S.A.P." -- "The Globe and Mail" " [The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency] is a book one can read in one sitting. . . . The writing [is] very accessible, yet the prose so beautiful. . . . I choose books that give me pure joy, whose world I want to stay in for a long time." -- Amy Tan, for the TODAY show book club " In the course of her work, Mma Ramotswe offers ample evidence of her country' s complexities and contradictions. . . . Practical yet softhearted, inventive yet steeped in convention, Mma Ramotswe is an appealing personality. . . . Mma Ramotswe' s methods -- and her results -- are as unusual as the novels they inhabit." -- "The New York Times Book Review" " General audiences will welcome this little gem of a book [The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency] just as much if not more than mystery readers." -- "Publishers Weekly" " Smart and sassy. . . Precious' s progress is charted in passages that have the power to amuse or shock or touch the heart, sometimes all at once. . . . Thoroughly engaging and entertaining." -- "The Los Angeles Times" " [The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is] one of the best, most charming, honest, hilarious and life-affirming books to appear in years." -- "The Plain Dealer" (Cleveland), Praise for The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books: "Reader, be warned: This is not your ordinary detective novel. . . . The Kalahari Typing School for Men maintains the breezy-to-read, gentle tone of Smith's previous work, and leaves us wanting more adventures A.S.A.P." -- "The Globe and Mail "[The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency] is a book one can read in one sitting. . . . The writing [is] very accessible, yet the prose so beautiful. . . . I choose books that give me pure joy, whose world I want to stay in for a long time." -- Amy Tan, for the TODAY show book club "In the course of her work, Mma Ramotswe offers ample evidence of her country's complexities and contradictions. . . . Practical yet softhearted, inventive yet steeped in convention, Mma Ramotswe is an appealing personality. . . . Mma Ramotswe's methods -- and her results -- are as unusual as the novels they inhabit." -- "The New York Times Book Review "General audiences will welcome this little gem of a book [The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency] just as much if not more than mystery readers." -- "Publishers Weekly "Smart and sassy. . . Precious's progress is charted in passages that have the power to amuse or shock or touch the heart, sometimes all at once. . . . Thoroughly engaging and entertaining." -- "The Los Angeles Times "[The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is] one of the best, most charming, honest, hilarious and life-affirming books to appear in years." -- "The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)
