Review of "A Song of Comfortable Chairs: A No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Novel" by Alexander McCall Smith

In this 23rd book in the 'No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' series - set in Gaborone, Botswana - Mma Precious Ramotswe's concerns include a problem in the office; a furniture store's cutthroat business practices; and a rebellious teen. The book can be read as a standalone, but familiarity with the characters is a bonus.

*****

As the story opens Mma Ramotswe is musing about Mma Grace Makutsi - her employee at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.



Over the years Mma Makutsi has promoted herself from secretary, to assistant detective, to co-detective, to co-director....and Mma Makutsi seems on the verge of upgrading herself once again. This is demonstrated by Mma Makutsi making her name more conspicuous on the firm's letterhead; buying a brass nameplate for herself; hiring a carpenter to enlarge her desk; and referring to herself as managing director.

Mma Ramotswe discusses this with her husband, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, during the special half-hour when the sun is setting and the spouses are relaxing on their verandah.



Mr. Matekoni suggests Mma Makutsi is trying to make herself more important because she's insecure. Mr. Matekoni heard that Mma Makutsi's husband, Mr. Phuti Radiphuti, who owns the Double Comfort Furniture Store - is being driven out of business. The furniture store's best selling items are chairs.....



.....and a firm called Twenty-First Century Chairs is selling new-age, adjustable seats at reduced prices. Unfortunately, Phuti can't compete.



Mma Ramotswe goes to the Twenty-First Century Chairs store pretending to be a customer, and learns surprising things about the firm's business practices. This helps Mma Ramotswe and Phuti plan a counterattack that could save the Double Comfort Furniture Store.



Meanwhile, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi happen to meet Mma Makutsi's old friend Patience, who came to Gaborone from Bobonong.



Patience is visibly troubled, and the detectives learn that Patience recently escaped from a horrible abusive man in her home town. Patience and her 14-year-old-son Modise are now living with a nice man in Gaborone, but Modise's rebellious sullen behavior may get them ejected. So Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi hatch a devious plan to try to rectify the situation.

These scenarios make up the 'detective' parts of the book. The remainder of the novel is mostly about Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi going about their business; Mma Ramotswe's inner musings; and the characters drinking tea and having rambling conversations.

For example, Mma Ramotswe takes her employee, part-time detective Charlie, to the dentist; Mma Makutsi goes to the supermarket with her husband Phuti; Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi visit their friend Mma Potokwane at the orphan farm; and more.



The diverse discussions among the characters remind me of an oak that sprouts numerous branches - the conversations can go anywhere. For instance, when Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are discussing nurses with a carpenter, the man expresses shock at the idea of male nurses. Mma Makutsi asserts there's no difference in the jobs male and female nurses do, and Mma Ramotswe interjects: "Sometimes they have special jobs to do, Mma Makutsi. If you have a very traditionally built patient, for instance, and the nurses have to lift the patient out of the bed, then they may ask a male nurse to do that, because they are stronger and can lift heavier weights." This then morphs into a discussion of small and big men; of a man with very short muscular legs like tree trunks; of termites felling trees; etc. There are many discursive talks like this in the novel, and it feels too much like filler.

Still, I always enjoy Alexander McCall Smith's quiet cozy novels, which would be terrific to read on a Botswana verandah with a cup of tea and plate of cookies.

Rating: 3.5 stars