I haven’t kept up with Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, but picking up the latest, From a Far and Lovely Country, is like reuniting with an old friend: Perhaps not a close companion, but a buddy nonetheless.
Mma Ramotswe still helms her detective agency and is married to mechanic Mr. J.B. Matekoni. Mma Makutsti remains her faithful, albeit meddlesome assistant.
There are two cases in which Mma Ramotswe is involved, one directly and one more casually since she’s decided Charlie, who splits his time between working the agency and the garage, is ready to oversee a case.
The first comes about when Mma Ramotswe is approached by Julia, an American hoping to locate relatives she’s never met. It’s complicated; her grandfather left Botswana many years ago with no information on the family that stayed. However, the lady detective is not perplexed by the assignment. She is concerned, though, that all may not be what Julia expects.
The case Charlie works on grows to be more problematic than anyone anticipated, thanks to Mma Makutsi’s unsolicited involvement.
A third storyline is a belated birthday gift for Mma Ramotswe, which results in a comedy of errors on the part of the dress seller, gift giver and the recipient.
What’s engaging and humorous about the series is the formality with which all the characters direct to one another. Rarely are first names used. For example, Mr. J.B. Matekoni is always identified by his full name, even by his wife.
From a Far and Lovely Country
Three-and-a-half bookmarks
Pantheon Books, 2023
239 pages
The Blue Page Special 