Barb's Book Reviews: Review of "The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection: A No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Novel" by Alexander McCall Smith

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Review of "The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection: A No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Novel" by Alexander McCall Smith

In this 13th book in the 'No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' series, Mma Ramotswe gets to meet her role model Clovis Anderson, who wrote the 'bible' of private detection. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

To the joy of Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutski, Clovis Anderson - the revered author of their venerated guidebook "The Principles of Private Detection" - wanders into the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency when he's visiting Gabarone.

Meanwhile the detective agency is involved with a couple of crises: Mr. JLB Matekoni's apprentice Fanwell is arrested for inadvertently doing mechanical work on stolen cars; and Mma Potokwane - the director of the Orphan Farm - has her job threatened by a rich businessman Ditso Ditso. Ditso, a director of the orphanage, wants to build a large central kitchen/eating area for the children while Mma Potokwane favors "family" meals in the orphans' individual cabins.

To add to the problems Mma Makutsi and her husband Phuti Radiphuti are unhappy with the rude overweening contractor they've hired to build their dream home.

As always Mma Ramotswe is gentle, wise, and humorous as she goes about her business and Mma Makutski, who has talking shoes, is hilariously outspoken about her odd opinions.

Clovis Anderson's wise advice helps the detectives with their cases which turn out to involve the usual motives - dishonesty, greed, corruption, and cheating spouses. Even the usually lackadaisical Charlie, Fanwell's fellow apprentice, helps by cooking up a novel plan to assist his friend. This book is an excellent addition to the series with scenes that are laugh out loud funny. Highly recommended.

Rating: 5 stars

4 comments:

IcewineanneMarch 1, 2017 at 8:21 PM
Really enjoy these quirky mysteries too Barb 😃
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IcewineanneMarch 12, 2017 at 5:44 PM
Added this to my list. Many thanks Barb!
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Barb's Book Reviews

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Review of "The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection: A No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Novel" by Alexander McCall Smith

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