How to Raise an Elephant

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Book 21

By: Alexander McCall Smith

Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh

Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

The next book in the perennially adored No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series sees Precious Ramotswe calling upon all her maternal instincts when she’s faced with a two-ton case.

Unusual requests are commonplace at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, but so are very ordinary ones, such as a plea for money: when a distant cousin calls on Mma Ramotswe to ask for help with another relative's hip operation, tricky questions arise in regard to family responsibility. Mma Makutsi and Mr J. L. B Matekoni are far from convinced of the merits of the request, but it is hard for Mma Ramotswe, with a heart her size, to turn people away. Meanwhile, Charlie has become involved in a mysterious transaction that involves an attractive but rather large animal. If it takes a village to raise a child, what does it take to raise a baby elephant?

©2020 Alexander McCall Smith (P)2020 Bolinda Publishing

Critic reviews

"Alexander McCall Smith novels never fail to delight." (The Guardian)

"It is hard to think of a contemporary writer more genuinely engaging ... [his] novels are also extremely funny: I find it impossible to think about them without smiling." (Mail on Sunday)

Another great book in the Ladies Detective Series

I really enjoyed this book. I love the narrator, I think she does a really good job, and I thought this book was really sweet. I look forward to the next one.

Needs better editor

The whole series need better editor. Mma Makutsi son was Itumelang Clovis in previous books but in this one he's suddenly Itumelang Anderson. Mma Makutsi was previously described as traditionally build even if less traditionally than Mma Ramotswe but in this one she apparently isn't. And the plot is... quite unremarkable, more and more details unrelated to either plot or character development. The only reason I listened to the end is because it's 21st book I've bought of the series. But even long-term loyalty has its limits.