Tears of the Giraffe - Alexander McCall Smith

Advantages: A well-written, uplifting story.
Disadvantages: It isn't detective fiction!

Precious Ramotswe is the proprietor of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, set up with money left to her by her Daddy, Obed Ramotswe. She’s Botswana’s finest (and only) female detective. Her fiancé, Mr J.L.B. Matekoni is the owner of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors and they are planning their life together. Meanwhile Mma Ramotswe investigates the disappearance of an American student a decade ago and Mr J.L.B. Matekoni accidentally adopts not one, but ...
...in this series “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency”. I read and enjoyed it; it passed a few idle hours one sleepless night. With no intention of reading it again I sold the book on Amazon within a matter of days. I’d no thought either of reading any more in the series until I found “Tears of the Giraffe” at the library and another sleepless night was filled. I’m a voracious reader of detective fiction, but despite being a book about a detective ... Read review

Advantages: Entertaining read, great characters, authentic setting, gentle humour
Disadvantages: Complex names

...brought into their lives in Tears of the Giraffe and I felt that added an extra dimension to the story, which was definitely beneficial. I will look forward to reading more about them in future books. Tears of the Giraffe interweaves their lives along with the cases that come into the detective agency. Mma Ramotswe's work is different to traditional policing and the novels never get violent, frightening or gory. Although they deal with some serious ...
...gentle humour. I read Tears of the Giraffe in a few days. It is reasonably short - 217 pages - and split into chapters, which I find always helps me read a book faster. ("Just one more chapter!") I also want to find out what happens next, of course! There is one minor disadvantage to these books for me and that is the African names. I have studied several languages, but none from Africa and I do find some of the names a bit off-putting initially, ... Read review

Advantages: Warm and wise
Disadvantages: You won't want it to end

Tears of the Giraffe is the second in the seiries by Mcall Smith of the No. 1 Ladies Detecive Agency and follows straight on from the first novel. However you wouldn't have to have read the first book as relationships are explained and in fact, many characters are further developed. The main character is still Botswana's only - and finest - female private detective Precious Ramotswe, but the detection side is thin on the ground and there are even ...
...agency never seems busy - the secretary, Mma Makutsi, despite her 97% in the secretarial exam spends a considerable amount of time polishing her typewriter and making bush tea but ensures she looks busy by typing energetically at any sign of a client. Despite the small number of cases she harbours plans of herself being a private detective. Once again the cases are easily solved with Mma Ramotswe's excellent intuition and a bit of old fashioned ... Read review

Advantages: Writing style
Disadvantages: Not everyone's cup of tea

This is the second in the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series and Mma Precious Ramotswe of Botswana continues with her adventures and her friend Mr J.L.B Matekoni of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, manages to have a surprise (or two) up his sleeve. In this book Mma Ramotswe helps find a missing son and helps a man who thinks his wife is having an affair. Whilst the investigations do not use cutting edge crime busting techniques, Mma Ramotswe solves ... Read review

Advantages: wonderfully simple style, funny, charming
Disadvantages: none, honest

...Faced with a long train journey to London a week or so back, I asked my work colleague to recommend a good book I could take with me: something light, both to carry and in subject! She brought 'The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency' by Alexander McCall Smith to work the following day, along with the second book in the series “Tears of the Giraffe”, knowing I’d probably get through them both on the journey. I’m not a big fan of detective stories as such. I’ve read a few Agatha Christies, and I like Ian Rankin, but that’s about as far as it goes. I shouldn’t have worried. Despite the title, this is less detective story and more beautifully crafted novel. What is instantly striking about it is how very simply it is written: there are no great passages of detail – in fact there is barely any detail! And yet it is rich and fluid and meaningful... Read review

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