"This charming, light-hearted, wise tale hit the literary world in 2001 and became a word-of-mouth bestseller. "
A 2013 World Book Night selection.
If you are new to the series you really should start here to get the full background. After that you can appreciate the others in any order you like but they do follow through as Precious Ramotswe’s love/office/family and friendships develop. They are uplifting, warm and strangely compelling, a must-read for all.
Comparison: Colin Cotterill (The Coroner’s Lunch), Celestine Hitiura Vaite (Frangipani), Saumya Balsare (Cambridge Curry Club).
Books in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series:
1. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
3. Morality of Beautiful Girls
4. The Kalahari Typing School for Men
6. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
8. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive
9. The Miracle at Speedy Motors
10. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built
11. The Double Comfort Safari Club
12. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party
13. The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection
14. The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon
15. The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café
16. The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine
18. The House of Unexpected Sisters
19. The Colours of All the Cattle
20. To the Land of Long Lost Friends
22. The Joy and Light Bus Company
| Primary Genre | Crime and Mystery |
| Recommendations: |
The collected radio adaptations of Alexander McCall Smith's hugely popular novels, dramatised by the author himself
When Precious Ramotswe receives an inheritance from her father, she decides to set up Botswana's very first private detective agency - 'for the problems of ladies, and others'. Aided by the loyal, resourceful Grace Makutsi, and multiple cups of red bush tea, she sets out to investigate cases including missing husbands, wayward wives, unscrupulous con artists and unexpected deaths.
She may not be an old-school investigator like her idol, Clovis Andersen, but her warm heart, empathetic nature and common-sense approach enable her to solve the most curious of mysteries - and win the heart of gentle motor mechanic Mr JLB Matekoni...
Included here are all 35 stories from the acclaimed BBC radio series, written and adapted by Alexander McCall Smith from his own internationally bestselling books. These charming dramatisations are brought to life with vibrant, evocative African music and a first-rate cast, including Claire Benedict and Janice Acquah as Mma Ramotswe, Nadine Marshall as Mma Makutsi and Joseph Marcell and Ben Onwukwe as Mr JLB Matekoni.
Written and dramatised by Alexander McCall Smith
Produced and directed by Gaynor MacFarlane, Kirsty Williams and Eilidh McCreadie
Cast
Mma Ramotswe - Claire Benedict/Janice Acquah
Mma Makutsi - Nadine Marshall
Mr JLB Matekoni - Joseph Marcell/Ben Onwukwe
Mr Polopetsi - Paterson Joseph/Steve Toussaint
Mma Potokwani - Janice Acquah/Adjoa Andoh/Sarah Niles
Phuti Radiphuti - Nyasha Hatendi/Jude Akuwidike
Violet Sephotho - Anna Bengo/Sarah Niles
Charlie - Jude Akuwudike/Tyronne Lewis/Maynard Eziashi
Fanwell - Beru Tessema/Kedar Williams-Stirling
With Gbemisola Ikumelo, Bhasker Patel, Ben Thomas, Peter Gevisser, Heather Imani, Tehmina Sacranie, Nancy Crane, Noma Dumezweni, Chuk Iwuji, Alibe Parsons, Emmanuel Ighodaro, Willie Jonah, William Gaminara, Aicha Kossoko, Don Warrington, Danny Sapani, Ndidi Ama, Ayesha Antoine, Sam Dale, Naomi Taylor, Mo Sesay, Babou Ceesay, Obi Abili, Eleanor Crooks, Kulvinder Ghir, Sudha Bhuchar, Amaka Okafor, Kai Francis-Lewis, Jason Barnett, Clare Perkins, Barbara Barnes, Saffron Coomber, Lorna Gayle, Debbie Korlay
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 10 September 2004-23 September 2019
Episode list:
The Daddy
The Bone
The Maid
Tears of the Giraffe
The Chief Justice of Beauty
The Confession
The Kalahari Typing School for Men
The Admirer
How to Handle Men through the Application of Psychology
House of Hope
The Return of Note
The Ceremony
There Is No Such Thing as Free Food
The Best Profession for a Blackmailer
A Very Rude Woman
Talking Shoes
The Miracle at Speedy Motors
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built
The Seller of Beds
An Exceptionally Wicked Lady
Canoeing for Ladies
A Late Van Just Glimpsed
The Saturday Big Tent Wedding
A Man from a Far Place
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection
The Modern Husband Course
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon
The Handsome Man's Deluxe Cafe
The Dish of Yesterday
This Is Not A Rubbish Boy
The Woman Who Walked In Sunshine
The Fat Cattle Club
Precious and Grace
House of Unexpected Sisters
The Colours of All the Cattle
The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency features in the following genres: Crime and Mystery, eBooks of the Month, Fiction, Recommendations, Audiobooks of the Month
The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency is available in Audiobook, CD-Audio, Paperback
The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency was written by Alexander McCall Smith and published by BBC Digital Audio
