This is the fourth book in Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. I read the first three a while ago (pre-GoodReads) over a span of a couple of years, and haven’t been back to the well lately. I remember grabbing the first book because I was looking for something a little out of my wheel-house, and a tale of a lady detective in Botswana seemed to fit the bill. I loved that first book, No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, and quickly became a fan of Smith’s writing.

These books have all been quick reads. I grabbed this one for a trip because I had forgotten the book I’m in the middle of at home, and wound up finishing this between the airports and on the short plane rides there and back.

The series also doesn’t lend itself to being pigeon-holed. There are mysteries and cases to be solved, to some extent, but the stories so far are much more concerned with the lives of the principal characters and life in Botswana in general. There’s some intrigue, and some action, but not tons, so I’d hardly classify them as thrillers. They’re a little bit "chick-litty", but not to the extent that I’d put them in that bucket, either. They’re just great stories.

The action mostly revolves around Mma Precious Ramotswe, founder of the Agency, her mechanic-turned-fiancée Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, and their assistant Mma Grace Makutsi. This time around, our #1 lady detective is hired to help a man atone for old sins, investigates a possible philanderer, and tries to deal with the anti-social behavior of her foster son, all while worrying about a slick but well-credentialed new competitor. J.L.B. doesn’t have a lot to do this time (I remember the last book being very J.L.B.-centric), but Mma Makutsi decides to improve her fortunes by opening the titular typing school as a side business, and also finally meets a seemingly-suitable man in the process.

This book pre-dates the excellent 2009 BBC/HBO TV series. The main storyline was not adapted for the series (or, “has not yet been adapted,” if you hope, like I do, that there might be more episodes someday), and the slick competitor I mentioned, who was such a minor part of this story, had a much bigger role in the last few episodes of the TV series. I’ll be interested to see if the TV people decided to make more of this character on their own, or if author Smith perhaps has him making a return in any of the later books.

I found The Kalahari Typing School for Men to be immensely entertaining. Just as in the earlier books, Mma Ramotswe has a clear-eyed, old school, homespun viewpoint that made this a joy to read.