The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

By: Alexander McCall Smith

Narrated by: Lisette Lecat

Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

This remarkably fresh and charming best seller took the world by storm upon its publication. It has since earned two Booker Judges' Special Recommendations and was voted one of the "International Books of the Year and the Millennium" by the Times Literary Supplement.

Mma "Precious" Ramotswe sets up a detective agency in Botswana on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, making her the only female detective in the country. At first, cases are hard to come by. But eventually, troubled people come to Precious with a variety of concerns. Potentially philandering husbands, seemingly schizophrenic doctors, and a missing boy who may have been killed by witch doctors all compel Precious to roam about in her tiny van, searching for clues.

Chosen as a Top Ten Mystery by the Organization of Independent Booksellers, U.S.A., The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is that rare novel that imparts a sage wisdom while inspiring hearty laughter and lasting smiles.

Listen to the other titles in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.

©1998 Alexander McCall Smith (P)2003 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

• Book Sense Book of the Year Award Finalist, Paperback, 2003
• Edgar Allan Poe Award Winner, Best First Novel by an American Author, 1998

"One of the most entrancing literary treats of many a year...A tapestry of extraordinary nuance and richness." (Wall Street Journal)
"An artful, pleasing novel...General audiences will welcome this little gem of a book just as much if not more than mystery readers." (Publishers Weekly)
"Smart and sassy...Precious' progress is charted in passages that have the power to amuse or shock or touch the heart, sometimes all at once." (Los Angeles Times)

A sweet gentle soul takes on the world

I liked this book because there is no pretense that the protagonist has any special powers or abilities when it comes to solving cases. She is simply a good person who sees a need for detective work and does her best to find things out. The cases run the gamut from the silly to the serious. Ultimately, it is the characters who matter.

My new series obsession!

I watched the series on cable, and wanted to read the books. I'm so glad that I picked this up. I enjoyed it very much, and was able to really follow the character development separate from what was presented on TV.

I'm very squeamish about rape and abuse. I thought the author dealt with both tastefully. I did skip through some of the daddy's story in the mine, because I understood the gist of it. And, before I could skip through some of Precious' bad marriage to a bad man, it was over.

The narrator started out a little hard to listen to at first, but recognizing there are 10+ books, I thought I better pace myself with her! :)

Good read! I'm ready for the next.

A Great, Sweet Book

Less a novel, more a series of vignettes. Nevertheless, well-written. Precious' father's story is heartbreaking. The author has a way of bringing this little corner of Africa to life. The narrator was excellent. I'll definitely try the next book in the series.

Bring on the next book in this series

I enjoyed this book. I liked the main character and want to get the next book to continue her story and see what interesting cases she will solve next. It was an easy listen and perfect for the drive to/from work.

Not what you asked for, but what you needed.

I was unaware of what this book was about. I thought I was getting a cozy mystery of some sort. Let me tell you, it's so much better than that. It's basically a whole season of mysteries and character development in one book. Masterfully crafted with different mysteries intertwined with backgrounds stories of the characters involved. You will be invested. Very entertaining.

Very refreshing!

Going back to the beginning of this series felt so good. I recalled the origins of the characters and felt renewed.

Delightful!!

The characters are interesting and believable. The mysteries are fascinating and surprising. The setting of Botswana is full of sounds, sights and smells so that you feel you have spent many months there. A beautiful book sprinkled with quirky humor and wisdom.

A lovely book

I enjoyed listening to this book, very much. It is well written and takes you along a wonderful journey. The character Mma Ramotswe takes you through her village and introduces you to other characters. Wonderful details. She is smart and doesn't back down to anybody. The narrator was also fabulous. I loved listening to her accent. I'm a fan and want to continue listening to the series.

Try it ! It’s a surprise !

Lovely soft gentle unfolding of life and its lessons as a woman finds her meaningful life in a difficult country

Not to be missed!

I had a little trouble getting started with this book - I started it, found it too slow and put it away for quite a while. I was convinced to try again and was entranced. I became so engrossed with the style and easy pace of the novel and Precious, I was disappointed when the book ended. This is not an action packed adventure novel but rather a poetic and magical tale. I just discovered to my joy that this is only the first in a series! I had never given Botswana much thought before listening to this book and now wish I could visit... Highly recommended.