The Colors of All the Cattle (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #19)

by Alexander McCall Smith

There were many people who said they would get in touch but who did not—the world, it seemed, was full of people who made idle promises. And one of the things about getting on a bit in life was that you came to realise that half of what people agreed to do would never be done. Charlie was still too young to know that, but he would find out before too long. Of course, Mma Ramotswe did not approve of cynicism—she still took people on trust, she still gave them the benefit of the doubt, but at least she had learned not to be disappointed when people failed to do what they said they would do.