The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #13)

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The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #13)

by Alexander McCall Smith (Goodreads Author)

4.07 of 5 stars 4.07 · rating details · 4,306 ratings · 990 reviews

THE NO. 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY - Book 13

Fans around the world adore the bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, the basis of the HBO TV show, and its proprietor Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier lady detective. In this charming series, Mma Ramotswe navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom, and good humor—not to mention help from her loyal as...more

Hardcover, 257 pages

Published April 3rd 2012 by Pantheon

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Apr 14, 2013 Jenn rated it 4 of 5 stars

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May 30, 2012 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

It's so easy for a long-running series to get stale, but somehow, Mr. Smith has avoided that pitfall with these stories of Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi, and Mr. J.L.B. Matakoni. This latest installment is just as fresh as the first with some new characters being introduced (Thomas, Mr. Ditso, and the famed Clovis Andersen!), old antagonists making appearances (Violet Sephotho, Phuti's aunt), and of course the well-loved familiar cast of characters (Mma Potokwane, Charlie, Fanwell, Phuti Radiphuti)....more

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May 24, 2012 Margaret Sankey rated it 4 of 5 stars

This series is really comfort food--the beloved sleuths of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency of Botswana take on several cases--apprentice mechanic Fanwell is in trouble for unwittingly assisting in car theft (and he has the world's worst lawyer), newlywed Grace and her husband wrangle with a crooked builder to get their house finished, a nouveau riche philanthropist wants to fire the long-time director of the orphan farm and there's an unexpected visit by Clovis Anderson, midwestern author of t...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Duckpondwithoutducks rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: novels-mccallsmith

I love these gentle mysteries set in Botswana. I love the slightly slower pace of life, the obtuseness of Grace Makutsi, the single-mindedness of Mma Potokwane, the fact that we still don't know what the J.L.B. stands for in the name of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, and the wisdom and kindness of Precious Ramotswe, the owner of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency!

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Jan 08, 2013 Carol rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: serious McCall fans only

Shelves: female-lead, multi-culti, mystery, literary

Although I finished this book in about a day, I've been stuck on this review for weeks. Could it be that I've moved on from the series? Could it be that McCall Smith is starting to repeat himself? Has he lost his magic?

Yes, yes, and yes, along with the added discomfort of lingering weirdness for reading a book written by an old Scottish white dude about a middle-aged African woman from Botswana. There's just something that smacks of being interpreted and romanticized by the Other that doesn't se...more Although I finished this book in about a day, I've been stuck on this review for weeks. Could it be that I've moved on from the series? Could it be that McCall Smith is starting to repeat himself? Has he lost his magic?

Yes, yes, and yes, along with the added discomfort of lingering weirdness for reading a book written by an old Scottish white dude about a middle-aged African woman from Botswana. There's just something that smacks of being interpreted and romanticized by the Other that doesn't set well with me. Add story fatigue and I find myself pulling away.

The Limpopo Academy begins with Precious having a dream. Attempting to share the experience with Grace Makutsi, she is interrupted by Grace's pedantic interpretation and unable to convey the portentous feeling she has. It segues to tea-time, interrupted by Mma Potokwane, the Orphan Matron. She is enlisting help in her struggle with Mr. Ditso Ditso, who has convinced the orphan board to build a formal dining hall for the orphans with the grant money they've recently received. Shortly after, Grace leaves to meet with her husband and the builder they are hiring. Meanwhile, Fanwell, one of the mechanic's helpers, gets in trouble for taking a side job and experiences an inept legal system.

Limpopo goes on to distinguish itself from its predecessors when Mma Ramotswe's mythic detective Clovis Andersen arrives on scene. It creates a wink-nudge reaction for the reader, who can see the detective is not famous, or even particularly clever, despite the admiring gaze of the women of the Ladies' Detective Agency.

In retrospect, the subtext in the detective's (in)competence plot is insulting. Yes, it tries to be gently funny, but in the end, all it serves to do is show how wisdom comes out of naive faith/ uneducated natives. Ugh. Now I'm really annoyed.

Dr. Siri has spoiled me (The Coroner's Lunch) when it comes to genre-bending detective fiction. Cotterill, as Siri's creator, contextualizes the story in regional and national political events, and if Dr. Siri occasionally is bitter, it is because it comes out of disappointed love and early participation in the emancipation of his country. In McCall Smith's Botswana, however, very little is given context or reality base--if it wasn't for the rare one-line reference, it would be difficult to historically place the series. The Precious tales take on folk-tale proportions, and I feel like Africans deserve more than another veiled Anansi story. McCall Smith should be starting to challenge the readers with more information and context, not less.

Instead of the 'talking shoes' of Grace and Precious' endless repetitive admiration for her father, perhaps we should know more about how the explosion of cattle-farming is ruining the eco-system and the land (plus, long-term father-worship is a little creepy when it doesn't come with any other family or venerated-ancestor framing). Grace selecting building materials for a house hints at the economic explosion in one of the more stable African nations, but we don't get that context, and indeed, (view spoiler). Truly, the only hint we get is the laborer who is afraid of losing his job and therefore his visa, but as a sub-sub storyline, the focus isn't there. I want McCall Smith to root us in the real, so that as we identify and admire, we also learn instead of romanticizing or judging.

Ultimately, the writing in this edition fails to distinguish itself in lyricism or narrative. The portrayal of Grace is heavy-handed and lacks compassion for the woman who worked so hard in secretarial school for the "97th per cent" as she struggles with the builder's sexism. The opposition in each of the small tales is the kind of grasping greed or incompetence most readers will be familiar with: influence, bureaucracy, the legal system, graft. Not to say that human nature isn't the same everywhere, but the villainous behavior is simplified and familiar; almost declaring that by becoming 'first world,' Botswana is leaving its ideals behind.

I started reading "The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency" because of the unusual heroine, the unexpected charm of the language and the insight into human nature that comes from living in a small, close-knit society (hello, Miss Jane Marple!). McCall challenged the reader to a great degree in the early books, especially with Precious' abusive ex-husband, the prevalence of orphans and social dynamics. Unfortunately, not only is 'Limpopo' not a capable entry in the series, it is one that reminds the reader of the giant disconnect between storytelling and reality.
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Mar 19, 2013 Peggy Z rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, library, mystery-cozy-mystery, read-2013

Another enjoyable light mystery in the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series set in Botswana, Africa. The author writes mostly short (under 300 pages) stories in different series and this series has a very special place in my reading heart as

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #1)

was my first introduction to his writing.

This time Precious Ramotswe and her assistant, Grace Makutsi (who is now married to Phuti Radiphuti), are investigating a board member of the orphan's home who is trying to oust Mma Silvia Potokwane, the head of the...more

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Mar 06, 2013 K rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Alexander McCall Smith continues to come up with wonderful stories for the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. Based in Gabarone, Botswana Africa these tales are not faced paced action but comforting slow life problem solving. Just sit back, put your feet up, and follow the problems that come up when the only female detective in Botswana works to right the wrong in her own mannerly way.

In the 13th story of this series Precious Ramotswe and her associate Grace Makutsi meet the American author...more Alexander McCall Smith continues to come up with wonderful stories for the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. Based in Gabarone, Botswana Africa these tales are not faced paced action but comforting slow life problem solving. Just sit back, put your feet up, and follow the problems that come up when the only female detective in Botswana works to right the wrong in her own mannerly way.

In the 13th story of this series Precious Ramotswe and her associate Grace Makutsi meet the American author of the book they consider their bible to detection: Clovis Andersen. Throughout the series Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi have quoted and followed the Andersen’s advice in The Principles of Private Detection and now they find him standing in front of them! He has come to Botswana at the invitation of a woman working on an American project to build school libraries and he saw their sign while driving by. But he also has life issues he needs to work through that may be solved with help from Mma Ramotswe.

Together the ladies recruit Andersen’s help on their two most recent cases: Mma Potokwane, long-time and beloved matron of the orphan farm, has suddenly been fired by Ditso Disto, a wealthy businessman who is also a Trustee. Could there be a troubling connection between his business, DD Industries, and some work being done at the orphan farm? Also one of the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors apprentices, Fanwell, has been arrested and charged with handling stolen goods after he innocently tries to help a friend, Chobie, by fixing some cars. To make matters worse Fanwell ends up with a totally incompetent lawyer. Can Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi and Clovis Anderson help both Mma Potokwane and Fanwell?

A side story has Mr. Phuti Radiphuti and Grace, now a married couple, hiring a builder for their first house. But is everything going well? Grace begins to suspect something just isn’t right when their builder, Mr. Clarkson Putumelo, behaves as if Grace doesn’t exist when in his presence, and Thomas, the builder’s helper, acts strangely when the couple unexpectedly show up to view the building site.

As usual the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency works to solve problems of life the Botswana way – with thoughtful approach and Botswana manners. But that doesn’t mean they will let those who are wrong get away. This is a series that hasn’t lost its comforting appeal as the only female private detective agency in the country solves problems with both consideration and even a little humor. The books are even better on audio as the reader, Lisette Lecat, has the dialect of Botswana down perfectly. Just listening to her read the stories puts you right there in Gabarone Botswana. So go on a journey to Gabarone right from your arm chair with the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.

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Feb 23, 2013 P.d.r. Lindsay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites

'The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection'
by Alexander McCall Smith,

What makes a novel stand out, become a reader favourite and perhaps even a classic work of fiction? It is the unique voice of the author telling hir tale. This is one of the hardest things to teach new writers. They think that an original plot and being creative with characters is enough to sell their novel. Voice they think is secondary. In order to convince them how important voice is to the quality of writing I give them a li...more 'The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection'
by Alexander McCall Smith,

What makes a novel stand out, become a reader favourite and perhaps even a classic work of fiction? It is the unique voice of the author telling hir tale. This is one of the hardest things to teach new writers. They think that an original plot and being creative with characters is enough to sell their novel. Voice they think is secondary. In order to convince them how important voice is to the quality of writing I give them a list of novels by Alexander McCall Smith, in particular those from the Mma Ramotswe, Number One Detective Agency series, and tell them to get reading and thinking. It’s a rare student who isn’t charmed by at least one of the novels. The charm does indeed lie with the voice of the author, a man whose prior career involved a full and busy life in medical law and bioethics, a man who has travelled the world and relished every moment of his life.
Alexander McCall Smith was born in the then Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and educated both there and in Scotland. After graduation he worked as a Professor in Law in Scotland and then went to the University of Botswana for several years to help establish and work in the Faculty of Law. He has written many children’s books, several learned volumes of non-fiction, and then, in 1998 his novel set in Botswana, ‘The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency’ enchanted the world. McCall Smith won two Booker Prize for Fiction Judges' Special Recommendations, saw his novel sit on the New York Times Best-seller list for a long time, and accepted the accolade of it being voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement. Deservedly so. It is a pleasure to read contemporary novels which do not involve people who drift in a mess, muddle their lives and are amoral, grubby minded bores. McCall Smith’s characters are funny, tolerant, gentle and live by a belief in the ultimate goodness of humanity, providing humanity is occasionally reminded of its goodness of course.
‘The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection’ is the latest novel in Mma Ramotswe’s series and it is a pleasure to catch up with the old characters, and meet some new ones. Mma Ramotswe, as traditionally sized and kindly as ever, dreams of meeting a strange man under an acacia tree. This, she knows is a true dream, a vision, but before she can sit and think about it she and her associate, Mma Makutsi, are whirled into a series of problems. Fanwell, the good mechanic at Speedy Motors, finds himself accused of theft. Mma Makutsi, enjoying the privileges of being a married lady has problems with the building of her new home. Finally the matron of the orphanage, Mma Potokwani, finds herself in trouble and disappears. As Mma Ramotswe tries to untangle the problems, into her office steps the stranger she dreamt of. And who is he? Why none other than the man whose book inspired her to become a private detective, and whose words still guide her, Mr Clovis Andersen.
The story unfolds gently, with much humour and insight. The tolerance and compassion of Mma Ramotswe and her friends makes pleasant reading. Their efforts to seek the truth and deliver true justice makes satisfying reading. Mma Ramotswe’s final conversation with Clovis Andersen makes a wonderful ending to the novel. I refuse to disclose any more. If you have never read even one novel in what one critic called ‘this wonderful, hilarious, totally addictive series’ then you missed a reading experience which will linger in your mind and give you much to think about.
Start with ‘The Number One, Ladies Detective Agency’ and catch up on a memorable writer’s works.
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Jan 31, 2013 Erica Verrillo rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed Alexander McCall Smith's series tremendously over the years. His love for Botswana is obvious, as is his admiration for the traditional values of "decency, quiet and courtesy." We all miss these qualities, and that is why reading about people who still have them is such a delight (and a relief).

This book, much like his previous books, follows several different stories - snags in the well-ordered lives of the main characters, as well as other mysteries to be solved. The naive Fanwe...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Bobbettylou rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have probably read 10 or 12 McCall Smith books. Can't say that this one stands out from the crowd but the "No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series definitely does (a whole order of magnitude above "the Isabel Dalhousie" series or "the Portuguese Irregular Verbs" or "the 44 Scotland Street" series.

One thing I noticed as I read this book, which I expect applies to McCall Smith's other Botswana books as well, and may apply accross the board to African speach: almost everything that is said, is said...more

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Dec 14, 2012 CJ rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the latest addition to a wonderful series. I usually prefer gritty, noir mysteries along the lines of Jeffrey Deaver, Andrew Vachss, Richard Montanari, and Robert Walker, but this series absolutely seduced me with its gentle, relaxed pace, its fully drawn characters, and its simple yet compelling plot lines.

These books are a perfect way to breathe and relax, taking time out of a hectic pace that is less than optimal, while enjoying a master of story telling. There is a charm here that n...more

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Nov 30, 2012 K. rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just happened to take a detour, a beautiful detour, into Botswana. I stayed there a couple of weeks (long enough to drink up 13 delicious books) soak up the sun and scenery, and get well reacquainted with some old friends to hear their latest joys & woes.

They've really buoyed me up, made me laugh, filled me with their beauty, kindness goodness, humanity. 13 books and there's still fresh stories to tell and the same feeling of love shared....broadcasted, in fact.

...
McCall Smith...regarding...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Lynetta rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-fiction

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels solve problems but only after several cups of tea. In fact, we learn that Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi (of the 97% success rate at the secretarial school) estimate they drink one hundred cups a week!

There are the problems of life, along with the usual surprises. A reader of this series knows Clovis Andersen wrote the main manual they can quote extensively. In the magic of books he appears in Botswana! His wife is late (their word for dead) and he is pin...more The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels solve problems but only after several cups of tea. In fact, we learn that Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi (of the 97% success rate at the secretarial school) estimate they drink one hundred cups a week!

There are the problems of life, along with the usual surprises. A reader of this series knows Clovis Andersen wrote the main manual they can quote extensively. In the magic of books he appears in Botswana! His wife is late (their word for dead) and he is pining for her. He is from Muncie, IN, and tries to tell them his work barely sold, is not well known, and that he does not deal with major cases. Of course the women assume modesty.

Meanwhile, Grace Makutsi and her new husband, Phuti Radiphuti, owner of the Double Comfort Furniture Store, pick out furnishings for the house being built for them by Clarkson Putumelo, graduate of the Botswana School of Construction and Allied Trades, owner of This Way Up Building Company. Phuti has told Grace they can have two ovens but Clarkson finds this ridiculous and Phuti doesn't know how to tell Grace. Wouldn'tyaknow, problems ensue with their house.

Readers will know of Mma Potokwane, the manager of the orphan's home, who manages to get free services as often as possible, especially from J.L.B. Matekoni, Mma Ramotswe's husband, and operator of the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. She is well loved but in this volume she has been fired from her job. A board member wants to have all the orphans moved to one big building instead of the home-like small cottages with a house mother.

J.L.B. Matekoni's best apprentice, Fanwell, who stays until five minutes after closing, as opposed to Charlie, who leaves five minutes early, has a legal problem, which causes much anxiety. Of course it is resolved in a completely unexpected way.

These are comforting tales of a polite society in great contrast to contemporary movies in which murder rates may reach triple digits, partners no longer sleep in separate beds, and inhumanity is the norm.

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Aug 31, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: humor, mystery

Mma Ramotswe, Botswana's only private detective, is back, and this time her problems are closer to home. Fanwell, the good apprentice, has gotten himself in trouble with the law, and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni has hired him the worst lawyer in Botswana. Worse, Mma Potokwani, redoutable matron of the Orphan Farm, has been dismissed ("You might as well dismiss the sun from the sky!") for protesting a wealthy man's plan to build a dining hall at the farm. As for Mma Makutsi (whom I found more annoying tha...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Joyce rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

In the novel The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection, Alexander McCall Smith, has written another story involving the Ladies' No. 1 Detective Agency in the country of Botswana in Africa. In this story, detectives Precious Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi are once again involved in solving cases. This time one of their clients is Mma Potokwane, matron of an orphan farm who ends up being dismissed from her position when she opposes a new building plan set by a wealthy man on the board for the orphanage...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Aleta rated it 3 of 5 stars

Having read all of the other No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency novels, I thought this one fell short. Maybe it's because the mysteries weren't solved as the book went along, but kind of all together in a hurry at the end. Maybe it's because Violet Sephotho didn't really make an appearance. Mma Makutsi's house wasn't finished at the end even though the teaser on the inside front flap made the house building out to be a big dramatic part of the book and it wasn't. I got a bit lost in the long musings...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am never disappointed by a visit with Mma Ramotswe and her friends in Botswana. This newest volume gives readers a chance to get to know a number of the secondary characters better.

For example, everyone knows that Charlie, who is one of two apprentices as the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, has a penchant for getting into trouble, but usually his friend and co-apprentice Fanwell not only seems to get in trouble, but he is arrested and put on trial. Everyone knows that he couldn't possibly do it,...more I am never disappointed by a visit with Mma Ramotswe and her friends in Botswana. This newest volume gives readers a chance to get to know a number of the secondary characters better.

For example, everyone knows that Charlie, who is one of two apprentices as the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, has a penchant for getting into trouble, but usually his friend and co-apprentice Fanwell not only seems to get in trouble, but he is arrested and put on trial. Everyone knows that he couldn't possibly do it, but his lousy lawyer is likely to get him found guildy if Mma Ramotswe doesn't step in to help.

Mma Makutsi and her new husband, the successful furniture store owner Phuti Radiphuti, are building their first home together. It is really going to be a home they can be proud of ... if the man they have hired to do the construction lives up to his responsibilities.

Mma Ramotswe's good friend Mma Potkwane, who used to run the home for displaced children, has also been fired from her position. She has been accused of doing a poor job, and Mma Romotswe simply cannot believe that that could be true. She will have to find out what really happened before her good friend's name is dishonored.

The most exciting part of the book is the opportunity for the characters and the readers to finally meet Clovis Anderson. Those familiar with this series will know that Anderson wrote a book entitled The Principles of Private Detection that Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi use as their guides to all things relating to investigations. In fact, they have all but memorized the book and it suggestions for being a successful detective. Now, we will all get a chance to see if the real Clovis Anderson lives up to our collective expectations.

There is so much about this series that I really love. The characters are just wonderful. They are warm and friendly ... AND NICE! I love getting a chance to visit their little village and seeing how they are doing from time to time. These really are cozy mysteries ... though, they don't technically meet the requirements of the sub-genre of a cozy. With that said, they are perfect for curling up with along with a cup of tea and a blanket on the sofe.(less)

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Jul 30, 2012 Brissie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Precious Ramotswe and her associate, Grace Makutsi (now married), return in the popular No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. Their thirteenth adventure begins with dreams and portents.

Mma Ramotswe dreams she will meet a man whom she knows, but has never seen, under an acacia tree. Mma Makutsi favours a literal interpretation of the dream. When Mma Ramotswe seeks to conclude the conversation with a morning cuppa, her associate replies: “On a hot day, we dream of tea.”

It is well that they are f...more Precious Ramotswe and her associate, Grace Makutsi (now married), return in the popular No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. Their thirteenth adventure begins with dreams and portents.

Mma Ramotswe dreams she will meet a man whom she knows, but has never seen, under an acacia tree. Mma Makutsi favours a literal interpretation of the dream. When Mma Ramotswe seeks to conclude the conversation with a morning cuppa, her associate replies: “On a hot day, we dream of tea.”

It is well that they are fortified with tea, for disaster follows. At Tlokweng Speedy Motors, the conscientious apprentice, Fanwell, is taken into police custody for working on stolen cars, and Mma Silvia Potokwani, matron of the orphan farm and defender of the weak, is dismissed from her post and disappears. If that’s not shocking enough, how will the married couple, Grace and Phuti Radiphuti, deal with a dubious contract for the construction of their new home?

Into these conundrums arrives Mr Clovis Andersen, US author of The Principles of Private Detection, with a surprising secret.

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection unfolds with the leisured, courteous pace that we expect of Alexander McCall Smith’s books. The dry heat and vibrant colours of Africa are the backdrop to the weekly dilemmas at the No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. The characters are well-drawn and familiar to readers of the series, and quickly become family to all readers. Filtered through Mma Ramotswe’s eyes, courtesy and humanity are ever-present, never more so than when the solutions are delivered.

The introduction of Clovis Andersen, whose book is Mma Ramotswe’s rule book for private detection, is a master-stroke. The title hints that his presence in Botswana may continue.

Alexander McCall Smith has a knack for writing the life as a warm and lively miniature – much as Jane Austen does. McCall Smith has such a fondness for Mma Ramotswe that a growing series about her detective abilities as a young adult are available - a great way to create a legion of new fans who will grow into the adult books.

Bring on adventure 14! Will Charlie ever complete his apprenticeship at Speedy Motors? Will Clovis Andersen make his new home in Botswana? What new havoc will Violet Sephotho create for Grace and Phuti?
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Jul 28, 2012 Nancy Brisson rated it 5 of 5 stars

In the midst of mass shootings and too many 90-degree days and droughts and fires and all the other worries that plague our lives (when we let them) it is so nice to escape once again to Gaberone, Botswana with Mma Romotswe, Mma Makutsi, and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni and their friends and families where, although there are problems, they usually have a much more human scale than those facing us in more metropolitan environments. The newest book in this big-hearted series is called The Limpopo Academy...more In the midst of mass shootings and too many 90-degree days and droughts and fires and all the other worries that plague our lives (when we let them) it is so nice to escape once again to Gaberone, Botswana with Mma Romotswe, Mma Makutsi, and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni and their friends and families where, although there are problems, they usually have a much more human scale than those facing us in more metropolitan environments. The newest book in this big-hearted series is called The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection and is, as usual, by Alexander McCall Smith.

When Mma Romotswe first set up the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, she used the principles described by her chosen mentor, Mr. Clovis Anderson in his book The Principles of Private Detection. In this current adventure, Clovis Anderson, runs across Mma Romotswe’s detective business totally by accident (are there any true accidents) while he is visiting friends in Gaberone after his wife, as Mma would say, ‘became late’. He helps Mma Romotswe and her associate detective, Mma Makutsi, solve at least two of the everyday sorts of cases that they solve so well. These two women are very good at keeping evil people from complicating the lives of good people.

We can see that Clovis Anderson is having some difficulty accepting the praise being heaped upon him by his two-person fan club and this situation must also be unraveled. And it will be, all in good time, and accompanied by the drinking of many, many cups of tea (bush tea for Mma R. and black tea for Mma M.) In fact, while traveling to the edge of the Kalahari to help their friend, Mma Potokwane, they actually estimate the number of cups of tea they drink in year and then try to estimate the number of cups of tea quaffed in larger establishments all over Botswana – a mind-boggling number.

If you get a chance, visit Gaberone soon. It will slow you down and warm your heart and bring you some solace. It will help you see that the world may not be “going to hell in a hand-basket” quite yet.
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Jul 25, 2012 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another wonderfully gentle and entertaining episode in the lives of Mma Precious Ramotswe, Mma Grace Makutsi, Mma Silvia Potokwane, Phuti Radiphuti, and the rest of the colorful, gracious and sometimes nefarious characters we've come to know and love in this series about life in Botswana.

Those of you familiar with the series may think there's nothing new that can possibly to added to the adventures of the employees of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency and their families, but the appearance of th...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Beth Wood rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

This series is consistently well written, always enjoyable, a "gentle read" in the very best sense of the phrase. The delight in these books comes not from the mysteries as much as from the sense of being transported to another place.

Alexander McCall Smith does not disappoint in this latest installment. Botswana and her people come to life as always: hot, dusty, remote. The people are both like "us" and not like us. In this regard, McCall Smith uses the same technique that Agatha Christie used i...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Ivonne Rovira rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The introduction of the much-revered Clovis Anderson, author of The Principles of Private Detection, adds an extra zing to this 13th novel in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. (Both Mma Precious Ramotswe and her stalwart assistant, Grace Makutsi, have used Anderson's book as a bible in their detective work, even having actually memorized most of the guide.) Anderson joins forces with the intrepid Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi in foiling a smug, rich but unscrupulous businessman. The latt...more

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May 28, 2012 Ritu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

When you return home after a long time, it does not take much time to again jump into the familiar life, habits, routines. So it is with Alexander McCall Smith's books. This latest book that I have read - The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection again draws you into the world of Ma Ramotswe, Ma Makutsvi, Mr. J.L.B. Matakuni and others. You will get into their world and live with these characters as if you had never left Botswana! The opening chapter in the book is amazing - with great deftness,...more

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May 14, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book keeps the series going. All his books are entertaining; not very suspenseful, but holds your interest.

In this latest episode in the beloved, best-selling series, the kindest and best detective in Botswana faces a tricky situation when her personal and professional lives become entangled.

Precious Ramotswe is haunted by a repeated dream: a vision of a tall, strange man who waits for her beneath an acacia tree. Odd as this is, she’s far too busy to worry about it. The best apprentice at T...more

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May 02, 2012 Jill Furedy rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Limpopo Academy had better make a repeat appearance, because with the appearance of Clovis Anderson, I was looking forward to seeing what the academy had to offer and who would take the classes. But it ended up as an idea that was never developed. I would love to see Charlie take the classes, as he's clearly not a great mechanic, and would drive any instructor crazy, which would be amusing (but who knows, he might be good at this!). And Grace's ambition does seem to lead to her not being hap...more

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May 01, 2012 Joan rated it 5 of 5 stars

For those of you that are fans of Mma Ramotswe and the Number 1 Ladies Detective agency, this is the series latest offering. So much happens in this book; and as in all the books, things happen slowly. Yet the fact that nothing is rushed is what makes these books so special. One treat is an unexpected visit to Mma Ramotswe by the revered Clovis Anderson, author of the "Principles of Private Detection", the handbook that inspired Ramotswe to start a detective agency. Not only does he visit, but h...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Kathleen Hagen added it · review of another edition

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection, by Alexander McCall Smith, Narrated by Lisette Legat, Produced by Recorded Books, downloaded from audible.com.

In this 13th installment of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, MMa Ramotswe and MMa Makutsi have lots of problems to solve. One of the apprentices of the car repair takes on extra work from a friend for money, and it turns out he is working on stolen cars. Both he and his friend are arrested, and the apprentice turns out to have a very bad lawyer...more

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Apr 20, 2012 Mal Warwick rated it 4 of 5 stars

An Exceptional Tale of Botswana's #1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Many years ago, when I was pretending to be a science fiction writer, I got to know a famous figure in the genre. Though he himself never admitted as much, I was told that he had worked himself through a prestigious college in the 1950s by turning out shelves-full of sci-fi novels at a penny a word. He rented an office near campus and would show up every weekday morning at 9, remove the cover of his typewriter, and begin typing — nonst...more An Exceptional Tale of Botswana's #1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Many years ago, when I was pretending to be a science fiction writer, I got to know a famous figure in the genre. Though he himself never admitted as much, I was told that he had worked himself through a prestigious college in the 1950s by turning out shelves-full of sci-fi novels at a penny a word. He rented an office near campus and would show up every weekday morning at 9, remove the cover of his typewriter, and begin typing — nonstop, and without hesitation — until precisely noon. At that point, he would recover the typewriter and leave for lunch and his afternoon classes. Now, some four decades later, I’m inclined to believe that story, because he is credited with having published a total of more than 300 books, a fair number of them award-winners.

Alexander McCall Smith must be a little like that sci-fi writer. Not a lot — just a little, just in the ease with which he manages to write. After all, he has published a total of just 72 books: 36 novels, 21 children’s books, 3 short story collections, and 12 academic texts. But, to give the guy a break, during most of his 64 years he was employed full-time as a teacher of medical law at the University of Edinburgh and other universities. In fact, Smith is renowned worldwide as an expert in the field of medical ethics. By comparison, the sci-fi author I alluded to above has worked full-time as a writer ever since graduating from college.

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection is the 13th and latest in Smith’s best-known series of novels about the #1 Ladies’ Detective Agency in Gaborone, the capital of the small, land-locked nation of Botswana, bordering South Africa. To my mind, it’s one of the best. As always, the story revolves around the lives of Mma (“Ms.”) Precious Ramotswe, founder and proprietor of the agency, and her consistently exasperating assistant, Mma Grace Makutsi. Grace graduated from the local secretarial school with an unprecedented grade of 97 percent on her final exam — and she never lets anyone, and I mean anyone, walk into the office without learning about it.

Here, for example, is a typical comment by Mma Makutsi on a statement by Mma Potokwane, Mma Ramotswe’s friend, who was despairing of her life at the time:

“Nobody is useless,” she said heatedly, “and you are less useless than nobody else, Mma. Definitely.” This remark was greeted with silence while Mma Ramotswe and Mma Potokwane had tried to work out what it meant. The spirit in which it was made, though, was clear enough, and Mma Potokwane simply thanked her.”

In The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are confronted with a series of surprises: the completely unexpected visit of their idol, Clovis Andersen of Muncie, Indiana, author of The Principles of Private Detection; the shocking dismissal of Mma Ramotswe’s good friend, Mma Potokwane, as matron of the orphan farm; and the arrest of Fanwell, a young man who apprenticed with Mma Ramotswe’s husband (“the finest mechanic in Botswana”), Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni, and now works for him as a certified mechanic. Each of these story lines moves along at the measured pace of life in the near-desert of Botswana. As always, of course, Mma Ramotswe solves every mystery and rights every wrong, but this time she receives timely help from her hero, Clovis Andersen.

If there’s a single word that sums up the novels in the #1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, it’s “charming.” These are books full of gentle humor, folk wisdom, and a view of life and the world that is both generous and optimistic. However, The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection dwells more on the story’s setting, exploring the land, its history, and its people more in-depth than in previous books in the series. In the background — always in the background, but unmistakably present — are poverty, the AIDS epidemic, and the tragic events that unfold with alarming frequency in Botswana’s neighbors.

If you haven’t read any of the previous 12 books, you might find The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection to be a good place to start.

(From www.malwarwickonbooks.com)(less)

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Apr 16, 2012 Jim Leffert rated it 4 of 5 stars

Alexander McCall Smith’s fans find all of these books delightful, but I was dissatisfied with #11, because the narrative was continually interrupted by sententious soliloquies about life in Botswana, and with #12, because it is flawed as a mystery novel. I am happy, however, to report thumbs up for The Limpopo Academy, which is #13! Although this novel is hardly a classic mystery puzzle, it does conform to that genre’s basic conventions and moreover, is charming in its depiction of character thr...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Take a slow, deep breath, curl up in your favorite chair with a hot drink and prepare to enjoy another satisfying meal of literary comfort food. The latest instalment in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series may not win any new converts, but it will most definitely not disappoint its fans. All the familiar characters are back and their stories are woven in with little musings on subjects like always doing your best or the value of taking time out just to sit, gaze upon static things and be c...more

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About Alexander McCall Smith

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the international phenomenon The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie Series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, and the 44 Scotland Street series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what...more

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Books by Alexander McCall Smith

Tears of the Giraffe (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #2)

Morality for Beautiful Girls (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #3)

The Kalahari Typing School for Men (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #4)

The Full Cupboard of Life (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #5)

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“Men are very sensitive, Mma Makutsi. You would not always think it to look at them, but they are. They do not like you to point out that they are wrong, even when they are. That is the way things are, Mma--it just is.” — 4 people liked it

“They should get another lawyer,” he said. “Surely there are better people around. That man with the big nose—you know the one—they say that he’s very good. The judges can’t take their eyes off his nose, and so they always decide in his favour.” — 2 people liked it

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The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #13)

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