The Bottom Line
- The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is full of pleasant characters.
- Alexander McCall Smith describes life in Africa in loving detail.
- The mysteries are interesting.
- Not as fast-paced as some might want from a mystery book.
- The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is light reading, not especially deep. (Not a con for everyone).
Description
- This is the first in a series of pleasant mysteries about the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.
- This is a quick, relatively easy read that adults and teens would enjoy.
- The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is a book full of goodness.
Guide Review - No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith - Book Review
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency has more in common with Encyclopedia Brown than fast-paced mysteries like Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. There is one over-arching mystery involving a witch doctor in The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, but that story does not really move the novel forward the way a mystery does in a plot-driven page turner.
Don’t get me wrong, the mysteries in this book are interesting. They just are not the only, or even the most compelling, part of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. I would say the best thing about this book is the characters, and especially Precious Ramotswe. The setting is also a strong point. It is a delight to see Africa through Precious Ramotswe’s eyes.
I recommend The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency to anyone looking for a quick, uplifting read. This a fun book, and if you end up liking it, there are a series of follow up books to keep you reading for a while.
