The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith | Book Review
I read The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith last week. To be accurate, I completed it on Friday night.
I liked it and picked the next book by Alexander from my shelf: In the Company of Cheerful Ladies. Then that was completed in few hours.
So, both books were good, and I peculiarly enjoyed them.
I only bought these two books for their cover art.
There is some weird art on both of the book covers. Absurd animals and weird patterns attracted me for some reason.
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
This is the first book, and we learn how Obed Ramotswe become the first ladies detective of Botswana.
Before moving ahead, I apologize for any misspelled words/names/place names or anything else. I am exhausted, and I am writing this review because I can’t sleep because I keep thinking, and writing might be the only way to distract my mind.
Well, Ramotswe runs the only female detective agency in the country. As a marketer, I understand how that can give her an edge in the field.
She also understands that there are many clients with problems that can only be solved by a woman.
I admit this is not the Sherlock Holmes type of crime-solving, nor are the cases extreme. However, the cases were local and believable.
If I am ever going to open an agency, I am sure I will get such cases.
The way Mma Ramotswe deals and solves these cases might be the biggest fuck-off of the book.
I should blame the popular crime fiction. As much as I have read it, it has made me believe that the crimes could only be solved using guns, brilliance analytical skills, deductions, etc…
Sherlock Holmes and Poirot might have ruined the genre.
Mma Ramotswe follows the simple detective technique. For example, following the target, learning about the people by asking questions, and keeping everything simple.
She does not have a devil-may-care attitude or crazy, eccentric personality that overdrive.
Our detective calms and works slowly. Mma Ramotswe willingly loses the lead, so she does not blow her cover. Which I don’t think I have read anywhere else.
Writing Structure
Alexander McCall Smith is a cunning man, and I can see it in the writing structure.
He follows the simplest writing structure, which works excellently with the story.
Let me show you how he keeps the reader hooked on this book.
In starting, we learn about how Ramotswe got the money to start her detective agency. His dying father gave it to her.
From there, we see how she hire the assistant and got her first few clients.
While all of it kept the reader interesting for the short term, the author planted the plot for the long term story.
He placed the mystery of missing child in the heart of the book.
Gradually she got more clients, and her money issue resolved — author reminds the Ramotswe about the missing child through the side character.
The tip takes her on a journey to find the child, ending at the climax.
The story’s heroine solved the small cases, ignoring the big case — that she solves in the climax — making herself stronger.
This is how video games and DJ works; this is how content marketing works (which I do, actually).
You feed the audience small doses and hook them up for the large dose. Then, when the time comes, the audience becomes excited about the final destination.
Few Limitations
Despite enjoying the book, there are few things that I was not able to miss.
First of all, is not being a popular detective can harden your work. The detective should be unknown and not a popular figure. But, unfortunately, Ramotswe kind of becomes a known personality around the town.
The second thing is, why is everyone so gullible?
Ramotswe says something, and they happily accept whatever she says.
Even the people who were supposed to be criminals were listening to Mma… which I find difficult to comprehend.
But it was hard to understand the culture of other people.
Moreover, the writer does not focus on this aspect. He only shows Botswana people love cattle, and most of them are poor.
England is Thief
Botswana has diamonds.
With every book I read, I hate England more. They are nothing but thieves.
They stole, stole, and stole. From everywhere, they stole. Finally, they became rich by stealing other people’s stuff.
My facts may be wrong, but that does not change my sentiment towards that country.
Do I recommend The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency?
Sure. I am going to buy more books for this series.
I would love to learn more about Botswana. I was even checking the tourism package, but the flight ticket too expensive.
Well someday.
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith is a funny book about female detective solving cases with wit. Set up in Botswana.
URL: https://www.bookaapi.com/book-review/the-no-1-ladies-detective-agency-by-alexander-mccall-smith-book-review
Author: Alexander McCall Smith
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