This is the first of Alexander McCall Smith's books in this series, set in Botswana, in which he introduces his principal character, Mma Precious Ramotswe. The book combines a fictional biography of Mma Ramotswe with a series of short-story style vignettes of cases she tackles, rather than adopting a more typical whodunnit format. Smith knows Africa at first hand, and the charm of the book lies in the warmth and sympathy with which he writes about his characters and the country. There is gentle humour too, along with hints of darker and more disturbing happenings which may point towards developments in later books.
A TV series is promised, apparently.
The second book in the series continues Mma Ramotswe's story, and is as delightful as the first. Maintaining the format, there is one investigation which is pursued through the book, interspersed with shorter "cases" and development of the principal characters.
The high standard continues in the third book. If anything the "detection" takes second place to the stories of the characters: one leading player is effectively sidelined for the whole of the book while others take a more prominent role. But no matter, you still want to know what happens next.
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