The Right Attitude to Rain

The Right Attitude to Rain by Alexander McCall Smith
Mystery

Isabel Dalhousie, philosopher, has her American cousins, Joe and Mimi as guests this summer.  They introduce her to Texas millionaire, Tom.  Tom is newly engaged to a gold-digger and Isabel , of course over-thinks the situation but also finds an 'out' for Tom.  Also Isabel is questioning her feelings for Jamie and ends up in an affair with him.  

This book is billed as a mystery, but it is not your garden variety of mystery.  It is more of the philosophical type.  Why do we do what we do? Why do we say what we say? 

I find these books make you think of your own answers to these questions. 

First Line: "To take an interest in the affairs of others is entirely natural; so natural, in fact, that even a cat, lying cat-napping on top of a wall, will watch with half an eye the people walking below."

Rating:
(3.5/5)

Friends, Lovers, Chocolate

Friends, Lovers, Chocolate by Alexander McCall Smith
Mystery

The star of this series is the irrepressibly curious Isabel Dalhousie — editor of the Journal of Applied Ethics — and her no-nonsense housekeeper, Grace.

Cat, Isabel's niece asks her to look after the delicatessen while she attends a wedding in Italy. A man comes in with an interesting problem. He has received a heart transplant and is now seeing visions of a man standing over his donor. Should Isabel get involved? She does and gets involved in all sorts of moral and ethical dilemmas.

Also Ian her very good companion who happens to suffer from unrequited love with Cat has found another woman and has also received a very good job offer from London. Isabel finds herself jealous of his new girlfriend and upset that he might move. What to do, what to do?

Cat upon her return brings back a Lothario that she thinks might be suitable for Isabel even though the Italian wants to be better acquainted with Cat. Is this man to be trusted?

I love this series as it asks those hard questions and does not give you the answers but rather makes you think what your answer would be.

First Line: "The man in the brown Harris tweed overcoat - double-breasted with three small leather-covered buttons on the cuffs - made his way slowly along the street that led down the spine of Edinburgh."

Rating:
(4.0/5)

The Miracle at Speedy Motors

The Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith
Genre of book

This is another enjoyable comfort read from Alexander McCall Smith.

Mma Ramotswe finds herself trying to find the family for a woman who does not know anything about them. Mma Rakutsi and her fiance buy a heart shaped bed . Meanwhile Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni listens to a doctor who promises a miracle cure for his adopted daughter. Mma Ramotswe does not believe the doctor but lets her husband find his own way and deals with the outcomes.

Although I felt the mystery part of this book weaker then others in the series the stories were better. Mma Ramotswe is so compassionate and knows exactly how to deal with her family members. As for the heart-shaped bed, it provided some wonderful comic relief.

Love this series!!

First Line: "The correct address of precious Ramotswe, Botswana's foremost solver of problems - in the sense that this was where she could be found between eight in the morning and five in the afternoon, except when she was not there - was The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, c/o Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, Gaborone, Botswana."

Rating:
(4.5/5)

The Good Husband of Zebra Drive

The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith
Cozy Mystery

This is a book of change in the Ladies' Number One Detective Agency. Mma Makutsi is undergoing the biggest change. Her impending wedding is approaching and she realizes she need no longer work. She wants to grow in her work and feels she does not need to take the rudeness of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni's apprentices so she quits.

Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni thinking detective work must be very easy and wanting to help his wife takes on the case of a woman who feels her successful husband is cheating on her.

Charlie, one of the apprentices, thinks he is no longer interested in mechanical work and wants to start a taxi business but he needs some help which Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni provides.

Mma Ramotswe takes on a baffling case where people die in the same hospital bed on Fridays. Is the bed cursed? What is going on?

This book provides quiet laughter and surprising gentle twists and turns. Like a good friend I keep on returning for more enjoyment and company

First Line: "It is useful, people generally agree, for a wife to wake up before her husband."

Rating:
(4.0/5)

Blue Shoes and Happiness

Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith
cozy mystery

This is the seventh book about the lives of Precious Ramotswe, proprietor of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency; her assistant, Grace Makutsi; and her husband, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, proprietor of Tlokweng Speedy Motors.

In this book the ladies discover a cobra in their office, a nurse comes to Mma Ramotswe because a doctor is giving patients false blood pressure readings,a nearby game preserve has some problems and the cook at a local college is feeding her husband and being blackmailed because of it and her assistant cook stands to lose her job.

In addition Grace Makutsi may of scared of her fiancee Phuti Radiphuti because of her frankness.

As always the solutions are as unique as the books. The pace is slow and although these books are a mystery they can almost be called comforting. The advice handed out is sage. I will be looking forward to the next in the series.

First Line: "When you are just the right age, as Mma Ramotswe was, and when you have seen a bit of life, as Mma Ramotswe certainly had, then there are some things that you just know."

Rating:

(4.0/5)

In the Company of Cheerful Ladies

In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith
Cozy mystery

This is the sixth book about the lives of Precious Ramotswe, proprietor of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency; her assistant, Grace Makutsi; and her husband, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, proprietor of Tlokweng Speedy Motors.

This book continues to develop these wonderful characters. Grace and Charlie, one of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni's apprentices have an argument causing Charlie to leave the shop. He falls in with some bad company. Note, Mma Ramorswe's first husband turns up trying his hand at blackmail. Precious takes care of him and seems to put her past behind her. Grace turns to dance classes in order to find a husband. She finds a sweet dear stutterer with two left feet. I can't wait to see what further develops between them.

I love these books. They are simple tales but told in such a sweet dear fashion one can not help but get caught up in the tale.

First Line: "Mma Ramotswe was sitting alone in her favourite cafe, on the edge of the shopping centre at the Garborone end of the Tlokweng Road."

Rating:

(4.0/5)

The Full Cupboard of Life

The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith
Mystery

This is the fifth book in the No. 1 Ladies' detective Agency series. I love this series and especially Mma Precious Ramotswe whose common sense approach to life appeals to me. In this book Mma Ramotswe is a little concerned that she will always be engaged and never married to Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. She doesn't want to pressure him but...

Mr. Matekoni has other pressing concerns as he has somehow consented to do a skydive for Mma Potokwane, matron of the orphan farm. The skydive will be a fund-raiser. Somehow Mr. Matekoni is always pulled into the schemes of Mma Potokwane.

Mma Ramotswe has been approached by a very wealthy lady to investigate her suitors and find out if they are truly interested in her or just her money.

All the problems are resolved with the common sense and sensibility that is MmMa Ramotswe's stock in trade. This is an easy cozy mystery read. The reader is always left with a smile on their face. Love love the series

First Line: "Precious Ramotswe was sitting at her desk at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Gaborone."

Rating:

(4.0/5)

The Kalahari Typing School for Men

The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith
Mystery

Another great book in a wonderful series.

Precious Ramotswe, founder of the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency has competition in the form of an arrogant, sexist man who has opened his Satisfaction Guaranteed Agency. He believes that his agency is the only one who can help people as he is a man with experience.

Her adopted son has shown some disturbing behaviour in killing a bird and she doesn't quite know how to handle the situation.

Her assistant, Mma Makutsi, wants a husband and decides to open The Kalahari Typing School for Men. One of Mma Makutsi's clients shows interest in her. Finally, Precious Ramotswe's fiancee, Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni is showing no signs of setting a date for their marriage.

Mma Ramotswe shows wisdom and morality in all the problems she solves. Each of the books in this series is like a wave of fresh air.

First Line: "I must remember, thought Mma Ramotswe, how fortunate I am in this life; at every moment, but especially now, sitting on the veranda of my house in Zebra Drive, and looking up at the high sky of Botswana, so empty that the blue is almost white."

Rating:

(4.0/5)

44 Scotland Street

44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith
Fiction/Literature

Pat is accepted as a new tenant at 44 Scotland Street. Her flatmate is Bruce, a narcissistic athlete. Bruce thinks it is his due to have women fawning all over him. Pat seems to fall straight into his clutches. Bruce is continually looking in mirrors. Bruce just made me want to vomit.

Also at 44 Scotland Street is the very pushy Irene and her precocious 5 year son Bertie. Bertie plays the saxophone and is learning Italian and of course can do no wrong. However he gets suspended from Nursery school for writing graffiti in Italian. It is the fault of the teacher according to Irene. Irene then takes him to a therapist where she seems to do most of the talking. Bertie just wants to be a normal little boy.

Also at 44 Scotland Street is Domenica MacDonald a mysterious intellectual who observes the comings and goings of the inhabitants of the house.

Pat takes a job at an art gallery owned by Matthew. Matthew is a failure. His father keeps buying him places to work in but Matthew gets bored very easily and can not make any decisions. Matthew is very kind and nice.

I found this book to be like other of McCall Smith's books . He explores differing personality traits and packages them up in nice entertaining vignettes. The characters are rogues, oddballs and naive people. I especially liked the inclusion of Ian Rankin.

First Line: "Pat stood before the door at the bottom of the stair, reading the names underneath the buttons."

Rating:

(4.0/5)

Morality for Beautiful Girls

Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith
Cozy Mystery

Mma Ramotswe is encountering her share of problems as founder and owner of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. She is having financial difficulties which she resolves by spending more. Her fiancee the reliable Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni is not taking an interest in anything. Of course Mma Ramorswe solves this problem also.

This time Mma Ramotswe is asked to find out who is poisoning an important Government Man's family. Her agency is also asked to investigate the characters of the four finalists of the Miss Beauty and Integrity Contest.

Every problem has a solution and all is dispensed with a healthy dose of morality. Alexander McCall Smith might be likened to Aesop in his tales. Each has a story and a moral to that story

First Line: "Mma Ramotswe, the daughter of the late Obed Ramotswe of Mochudi, near Gaborone, Botswana, Africa, was the announced fiancee of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, son of the late Pumphamilitse Matekoni, of Tlokweng, peasant farmer and latterly chief caretaker of the Railway head Office"

Rating:

(4.0/5)