The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine

Book number 16 in Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. This one sees Precious Ramotswe taking a holiday from work. Somewhat amusingly, given that fact, I think it ends up spending more time than usual focusing on a detective case. Not that that's saying much, as the plots are never really the point of these. For me, the point is more about getting the chance to hang out for a while in the calm, pleasant, reassuring presence of Mma Ramotswe. Sixteen books in, and somehow that presence, and these books, have never stopped being comforting. I've been having a rather stressful time lately, and reading this has been like having a nice cup of tea, a hug, and a chat with a wise friend who can put all of one's show more troubles in perspective. Definitely the right choice of book for this particular moment! show less

Sinners are more interesting than saints, or so most writers (and readers) of fiction believe. Alexander McCall Smith disputes this notion in his No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, in which an unusually good woman, Precious Ramotswe, holds our interest in novel after novel. She is the title character in “The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine,” the 16th installment. Sunshine seems to follow her wherever she goes, even when she takes a well-deserved, if undesired, holiday.

The holiday is Grace Makutsi’s idea. The ambitious younger woman, who has tapped Mma Ramotswe’s generosity to advance all the way from secretary to co-director of the agency, persuades her to take a few days off. Mma Ramotswe suspects Mma Makutsi is more show more interested in running the business by herself for awhile, but when everyone else in the detective agency/auto garage encourages her to take time off, she agrees.

Soon it turns into a busman’s holiday, however, for she becomes involved in the life of a street boy who, to survive, has started his own little protection racket. Then she learns of a new case Mma Makutsi is working on that apparently has her overwhelmed. It involves a supposedly great man whose reputation is threatened with scandal after his death. Mma Ramotswe looks for answers without letting her associate know she is helping out.

McCall Smith gives his readers some surprises this time around, and in so doing proves that doing right isn’t the same thing as being right, or perhaps that even when walking in sunshine one can trip over a stone in the road. show less

Thanks to the connivance of her husband, secretary, and even Charlie, the onetime apprentice mechanic turned para-secretary, Botswana’s only lady detective — probably only detective of either sex — Precious Ramotswe has been bamboozled into a two-week vacation. But Mma Ramotswe isn’t idle but a few days before she surreptitiously returns to work — and for good reason.

In The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine, the 16th book in series that began with The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Grace Makutsi, self-styled assistant director of the agency, enjoys being the boss in Precious’ absence; however, when she brushes off an important case, Precious surreptitiously steps in to save the day.

My sister-in-law and I always eagerly await the show more release of each book in this series! And it’s easy to see why. A new Alexander McCall Smith novel also provides a chance to reconnect with old friends: This time, after a long hiatus, we get to see again the long-suffering Mr. Polopetsi, happy at last. We also get to call on Silvia Potokwani, the redoubtable matron of the orphan farm; meet the ladies of leisure who lunch at the President Hotel, and see Precious rescue a cruelly treated orphan. We also reencounter Grace Makutsi’s wily but beautiful arch-nemesis, Violet Sepotho, up to yet another unscrupulous scheme.

Long-time fans of Precious Ramtswe and her extended family and friends know that the mystery in these books, while always interesting, is secondary to the panoply of wonderfully realized characters. While newcomers to the series will enjoy The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine, they would be better served to start at the beginning, all the better to enjoy the stroll in the Gaborone sun. show less

Precious Ramotswe's friends and family decide she needs a holiday. One clue she really does need a break may be how ready she is to suspect Mma Makutsi of a wicked desire to take the agency away from her. Sanity prevails, Rra Polopetsi, now working part-time as a science teacher, volunteers to help out while she is gone, and Mma Ramotswe commits to a two-week holiday.

But she's staying home, and the idea is to "do nothing," which Mma Ramotswe is of course incapable of.

Reorganizing her food cabinets takes some time. Tea at the President Hotel chatting with some other ladies is a good way to kill an hour or so. But on her return to her little white van, she finds it has been scratched--presumably by the boy who promised to "watch" it and show more "keep it safe: for the low, low price of just four pula--two on deposit. She quickly finds and catches the boy, called Samuel, and is quickly drawn into his story. The exploitative woman who has been "caring for him" and teaching him to steal and extort does not know what she has met with when Mma Ramotswe arrives at her front door.

But meanwhile, there's still the agency, and Mma Ramotswe can't help wanting to know what's going on, with Mma Makutsi in charge, and just Charlie and Rra Polopetsi to assist her.

She quickly learns that a new client has come in, the sister of a local political figure who has recently died. There's a proposal to name a street for him, but it has been stalled by the anonymous information that there is some kind of scandal in the man's past. The sister wants Mma Makutsi to find out what is really going on, so that her brother can be cleared, and honored.

Or that's what she says.

But why did Mma Makutsi take the case, start investigating, and then pass it Rra Polopetsi? Why does she refuse to budge from this when Rra Polopetsi--who, after all, is a chemist, not a detective--is clearly frustrated and distressed, distressed enough to go to Mma Ramotswe about it even though she is on holiday? And who is behind the sudden appearance of the No. 1 Ladies' College of secretarial work?

Mma Ramotswe can no more take a holiday than she can stop drinking red bush tea.

This is a wonderful visit with old friends, and as always, the mystery is really the B plot. The real meat here is the relationships among the regular characters, the growth of those characters, and the impact they have on those around them.

Recommended.

I bought this audiobook. show less

Credit to Alexander McCall Smith. He manages to make each book in the series distinct. Every time, I expect something similar but no, he injects something different each time and yet retains the familiarity readers have with the series. Here, Mma Ramotswe surprises me with her doubts and jealousy. Though she is supposed to be on holiday, she can't help thinking about the detective agency and whether Matsuki is capable of managing it in her absence. That led to her secretly helping Polopetsi on a case. Finally, upon learning Matsuki's reasons for handling the case, she learnt to let go and enjoy this holiday, when she is supposed to do nothing.

Mma Ramotswe takes a staycation, but will her staff leave her to relax?

The usual gentle visit to Botswana with undercurrents of social problems for those paying attention. The title is less directly relevant than in the previous books.

I love these books. This is #16 in the Ladies Detective series that takes place in Botswana. I have read them all and they are delightful reads. While reading there is almost always a wee smile on your face or a full on chuckle that emerges. McCall Smith is considered an "utopian" writer in that he sees the good in people and places and while the author takes on conflicts and personalities he does so in the most kind, supportive and amusing way. He sees the foibles in people and expresses these so well. There is a lilt or music to his writing and the way he describes things (pet peeves) i.e. unruly children, slovenly husbands, shoes that talk, it is always with great kindness and fun. I often want to read out passages to my "other" half show more as McCall Smith expresses things so well. Have I mentioned that I love these books! They are a human, soft, fun and a tender gallop.

I once had the great fortune to hear A. McCall Smith speak. His sisters live in our community and he was visiting and agreed to come to our library for a talk. He talks the way he writes, which is delightful and I can see why he is so proflific. He has wonderful stories to tell. This series is only one of many of his and he has written over 70 books. His background is of medical law ( University of Edinburgh ) respected in the area of medical law and bioethics. He plays the bassoon in an orchestra called " The Really Terrible Orchestra". show less