The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon

No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Book 14

By: Alexander McCall Smith

Narrated by: Lisette Lecat

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Precious Ramotswe has taken on two puzzling cases. First, she is approached by the lawyer Mma Sheba, who is the executor of a deceased farmer’s estate. Mma Sheba has a feeling that the young man who has stepped forward may be falsely impersonating the farmer’s nephew in order to claim his inheritance. Mma Ramotswe agrees to visit the farm and find out what she can about the self-professed nephew.

Then the proprietor of the Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon comes to Mma Ramotswe for advice. The opening of her new salon has been shadowed by misfortune. Not only has she received a bad omen in the mail, but rumors are swirling that the salon is using dangerous products that burn people’s skin. Could someone be trying to put the salon out of business?

Meanwhile, at the office, Mma Ramotswe has noticed something different about Grace Makutsi lately. Though Mma Makutsi has mentioned nothing, it has become clear that she is pregnant . . . But in Botswana - a land where family has always been held above all else - this may be cause for controversy as well as celebration.

With genuine warmth, sympathy, and wit, Alexander McCall Smith explores some tough questions about married life, parenthood, grief, and the importance of the traditions that shape and guide our lives.

©2013 Alexander McCall Smith (P)2013 Recorded Books

always entertaining

This,author's gift at sharing stories interwoven with humor, wisdom and traditions which come together in a beautiful tale.

Innocence and Humor

Loved it. The story was typical of The Number One Ladies Detective Agency series. I love the way there is always a touch of innocence sms sweetness in these stories without being sappy. There are laugh out loud moments and even a scene that is described so well, and acted so well that you can feel the miracle. Anyway, these books always put a smile on my face and leave me feeling good about the world.

Such an enjoyment

In our very busy American ways- it is truly an enjoyment to sit back and listen to these amazingly wonderful stories!

I love this series

Another installment in this wonderful series. The narrator's voice is vet pleasant although I picture Jill Scott and the rest of the characters from the short lived tv show in my head. I recommend it.

Great touching story.

Smith is great at touching moving stories oh human situations. Also stories still have unexpected results and twists.

Losing the spark

I fear McCall Smith is beginning to phone these in. This book doesn't reflect the usual wit that Smith brings to these characters. I appreciate that the principle characters are experiencing some changes, but the pace has become glacial. And I was disappointed by the nature of the "cases" the agency is handling in this book. I'd like Smith to not forget that this is a detective agency... the last two books are only marginally "detective stories."

I suspect Smith has stretched himself thin. We'll see.

Having said that, Lisette Lecat continues to do a brilliant job narrating these lovely characters.

Precious and Grace, Novel 17 in this series,...

....will be released on October 11, 2016. All 16 prior books in the wonderful #1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith are in my Audible library but I've written reviews of only three. The series is set in the democratic African country of Botswana. This novel is Book 14. The genre is either contemporary fiction or modern detective. The suspense is mild, but the books are treasures. The character development is so good that the characters jump from the page. The marvelous South African narrator Lisette Lecat narrates all of the novels in the series. Very highly recommended, but start with the first novel in the series.

About the Characters Not the Mystery

After the first couple of books in the series one only reads them for the characters because there are little or now mysteries. However the characters, Africa, and the life of simple pleasure and morals make it a life affirming read. The reader is the same for all books and is always out-of-this-world perfect.

My only warning if you are considering the series start at the beginning. My wish for the author would be to put a bit more mystery back into the books although he probably knows people like me are addicted to his characters. I'm typically a guy that likes thrillers, with lots of violence and action. There is none of that in these books but Precious, the main character, is my guilty pleasure.

New depth

Every episode is warm, wise, and beautiful and this one offers us new depth about the ladies' relationship and continues to illuminate friendship, tolerance, and forgiveness -- plus some engaging mysteries. As for Ms. Lecat, she's probably the best reader of all time.

Love

I really have enjoyed this series. I have only one more to listen to to finish the set.