Heather R. (dolleygurl) - , reviewed on 9/21/2009 + 32 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (Audio book) by Alexander McCall Smith

Genre: Mystery, Series

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency is the first in a series of 10 books focusing on the life of Precious Ramotswe and her fledgling detective agency in Botswana, Africa. When Mma Ramotswe's father passes away and leaves her with a large sum of money she decides that she will open the first detective agency run by a woman in Botswana. As her clients begin to trickle in, and she has success at solving their problems, more and more people come to her for help. As well as solving mysteries Mma Ramotswe also interacts with the people who are in her life and they help her to grow as a person and to solve her cases.

One of the most interesting things about this book is that you learn so much about African culture and the beauty of the nature. Africa doesn't usually end up in best selling fiction very often. I found myself engrossed in learning about the country of Botswana (I can name three cities, the capital, the border countries, major industry, and some basic history of the country). I also think this book is very much about the empowerment of women. Mma Ramotswe opens her own company in a male dominated world with a lot of pressure on her. She is able to solve mysteries others can't, run her business, and still have a personal life at the same time.

I found myself very interested in all of the characters in the book. It took me awhile to remember all of their names â and how to pronounce them â but they were very well written, well rounded characters. As I was listening, I decided that it was a very good decision to choose this on audio book â I would have found myself too hung up on the pronunciation otherwise. The narrator is a native South African woman whose speech pattern lent itself perfectly to making the experience very real and almost palpable.

While the early part of the story was a little slow going â I very much enjoyed the book. I found myself looking for the other audio books in the series at the library when I returned it (I think it will be the next audio book I get, if it is there).

I would recommend this to anyone interested in some light mysteries (nothing like the James Patterson type mysteries, more local grown mysteries) as well as learning about the beautiful, rich, African culture.

4 out of 5 stars.

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