In the Company of Cheerful Ladies

By: Alexander McCall Smith

Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh

Winner of the British Book Awards, Author of the Year, 2004.
Winner of the CWA Dagger in the Library Award, 2004.

Precious Ramotswe, that cheerful Botswanan private investigator of 'traditional build', is now married to Mr J.L.B. Matekoni of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. The Agency is busy, but Mma Ramotswe cannot ignore the plea made by a woman who comes to her with a tale of particular misfortune.

Unfortunately, her attempts to help are interrupted by a close encounter between her tiny white van and a bicycle, and by a spectacular disagreement between her assistant, Mma Makutsi, and one of the apprentices at the garage. This apprentice has found a fancy girlfriend who drives a Mercedes-Benz. How can he be rescued from his folly?

As for Mma Makutsi, she has found a dancing class, and a man who may not be able to dance very well, but who admires her greatly. And all of this happens against a background of quiet sessions of bush tea, and of a land that stretches out forever under mile upon mile of empty sky.

©2004 Alexander McCall Smith; (P)2004 Time Warner AudioBooks

Critic reviews

"A rare pleasure." (Daily Telegraph)

Full of Suspense

Alexander McCall-Smith writes beautifully about what it means to be a Motswana, an African, and a human being....perhaps not in this order. An evocative story.