McCall Smith, Alexander: The Miracle at Speedy Motors

Anchor Books © 2008, 240 pages

In this ninth installment in Alexander McCall Smith's Botswana series Mma Precious Ramotswe again confronts a series of small problems that come to her attention at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Most disturbing is her receipt of a threatening letter, which refers indelicately to her traditional build and to the over-large glasses of her associate, Mma Grace Makutsi. Mma Ramotswe is also tasked with locating any surviving family of a woman who believes herself to have been adopted, an assignment that turns out to be less straightforward than one would expect. As usual, Mma Ramotswe deals with matters with great wisdom and vast quantities of bush tea. And as usual, McCall Smith's writing is perfectly charming.

The Miracle at Speedy Motors is the third book I've read in McCall Smith's series. Clearly, I have not managed to read the books in order, but the jumps I've encountered in the plot are not disorienting. For anyone who hasn't read the books yet I would advise jumping in, ideally starting with the first in the series (The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency -- see my review), but if that's not possible then anywhere will do. The novels are a treat that should not be missed.