Summary and Reviews of The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

Media Reviews

Barbara Peters, The Poisoned Pen Practical, non-judgemental, filled with laughter but determination, Precious never quails....I loved every word.

John Lewell, Femaledetective.com Why is this novel so good?…It is almost impossible to pin down such an inspired invention.

The Wall Street Journal One of the most entrancing literary treats of many a year…. A tapestry of extraordinary nuance and richness.

Los Angeles Times Smart and sassy...Precious' progress is charted in passages that have the power to amuse or shock or touch the heart, sometimes all at once.

Scotland on Sunday Highly amusing, intelligent and heart-warming

The New York Times Book Review The Miss Marple of Botswana.

The Sunday Telegraph - Anthony Daniels The author's prose has the merits of simplicity, euphony and precision. His descriptions leave one as if standing in the Botswana landscape. This is art that conceals art. I haven't read anything with such alloyed pleasure for a long time.

Publisher's Weekly Images of this large woman driving her tiny white van or sharing a cup of bush tea with a friend or client while working a case linger pleasantly. General audiences will welcome this little gem of a book just as much if not more than mystery readers.

 Amy Tan ...pure joy. It's about the mysteries of human nature. The writing is accessible and the prose is so beautiful; you can read this in one sitting.

 Gerald Kaufman, Chairman of the 1999 BOOKER Prize Jury Indeed, the effort involved would have been justified by just one of them, The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency