In the Company of Cheerful Ladies

After reading the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency a couple of years ago, I accumulated a few of these, and went through 6 in less than a month. They're very quick reads - I read 2 and part-of-a-third in one day.

They're very entertaining, charming, and compulsively readable. Although marketed as mysteries; they're not, really. Rather they follow Mma Ramotswe and those around her through their daily lives - it's almost besides-the-point that the business she runs is a detective agency. The stories are suffused with McCall-Smith's obvious sincere love of Africa (where he grew up), and the reader feels that a genuine window has opened up into the lives and mindsets of ordinary Africans. I don't agree with many aspects of Precious Ramotswe's show more view on the world, and I probably wouldn't get along with her in real life - but these books made me feel like I might understand people like her more than before.

However... there's also a weird aspect to the books. They're so relentlessly cozy. It's not that McCall-Smith ignores the poverty, the devastation of AIDS, the lack of education, etc... these things are acknowledged, but then almost swept to the side. On the one hand, it's a celebration of the spirit of the people of Botswana and their love of their homeland... but on the other hand, it sometimes feels like a minimization of these things. It's not just larger social issues: there's domestic abuse, adultery, etc... all the normal foibles of humanity (although all reference to sex of any kind are totally non-existent)- but all the unpleasant things somehow get almost drowned out in the cozy, feel-good atmosphere of the books. Maybe it's just that I usually read darker, grittier material [especially in mysteries {McCall-Smith is no Stieg Larsson!}] but it felt a bit strange to me. I can't decide if it's a detriment or a positive asset to the books.

In 'The Company of Cheerful Ladies' Mma Ramotswe is happy to finally be married - but life's complications are not over. She accidentally hits a bicyclist with her van - and ends up giving him a job at the garage. Meanwhile, Mr. JLB Maketoni's tenant is running an illegal bar/nightclub out of his house, the apprentice Charlie is getting involved with a rich woman who may be taking advantage of him, and Mma Makutsi finds herself becoming involved with a rather dorky and painfully shy man that she meets at a dancing class. There's also the mystery of the house intruder-who-escapes-without-pants, and the mystery of the appearing pumpkin. show less

McCall Smith's characters are back in this sixth book of the series, but even better, so is the sense of delight that was lacking in the fifth book. While that fifth novel, Full Cupboard of Life, felt as if Smith were tired of the series, Cheerful Ladies comes back with all the strengths of the first four novels.

As always, there are a few minor mysteries to solve and as usual some are more personal than others for Mma Ramotswe and her small group of fellow characters--her husband Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, her assistant Mma Makutsi, and even one of Mr. Matekoni's apprentices. The only "real" mystery, one contracted for by an out-of-town banking group, is a missing Zambian embezzler. More interesting by far, however, are the smaller, more show more intimate mysteries: who was the intruder in Ramotswe's house, who is the strange rich woman cavorting with Matekoni's apprentice Charley, what is Mma Ramotswe's former husband doing back in town, what happened to her van? Even more importantly, where did that strange pumpkin come from and who took Mma Makutsi's new teapot?

One obviously doesn't read Smith for the depth of criminal analysis or the torturous suspense, but to revel once more in the droll humor, in the easy natural language, to be, as the title says, in the company of cheerful ladies (and men). While it's a pleasure to return to all this at the previous level of quality, even better (and perhaps part of the reason for the rejuvenated feel of this book) is the addition of two new characters - one who enters the story by being knocked from his bike by Mma Ramotse's van and another who enters via Mma Makutsi's new dance class. They add a nice breath of freshness, broadening Mma Ramotse's world so as to prevent it from getting stale. An even darker wind rushes through with the appearance of her old husband who, as anyone familiar with their story might guess, is up to little good. And ,as in the last few books, Smith adds depth by continuing to peer more closely into the lives of side characters such as Mma Makutsi (who really is no longer a side character) and apprentice Charlie.

This series should be listed under 'charming' in the dictionary. I can't think of a set of books that have left me with such a feeling of absolute joy while reading them. show less

I adore this series by McCall Smith, "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency". I love the name of the main character, Precious. I love that she considers herself a "traditionally built woman". I love that she has such pride in her homeland. Everything. I love it all.

In this installment, we get to know more about the main characters, as well as being introduced to what I hope will be recurring faces. This is among the best of the "cozy mystery", and I will read them as long as they are written.

Highly recommended.

Book number six in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Despite looking at the beginning like it's setting up an odd little mystery, this one basically abandons even the thinnest traces of a detective story plot. And that is absolutely fine, because, as always, the appeal of this series is in the setting and the characters, and there's some really good character stuff here.

Relief flooded over me as I read the first chapter of In the Company of Cheerful Ladies! I have loved The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency from the very beginning but I could not even finish the last one, The Full Cupboard of Life, it just didn't grab me at all. So then I was really worried that I had gone off the series or that McCall Smith's writing style had changed but everything was okay when I read this one, I think that it is probably my favourite out of the whole series.
Precious Ramotswe is now married to Mr J.L.B. Maketoni of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors and both of their businesses are doing very well. There are some small cases for the ladies to solve along the way but this book is more about the central characters and what is show more going on with their lives. Precious Ramotswe has a collision in her white van with a man on a bicycle and this brings a new friend into all their lives; Precious also has a very unwanted visitor from her past who has to be dealt with in her own special way. Meanwhile Mma Makutsi (she is my favourite character) has a spectacular row with Charlie, the apprentice over a tea-pot and he quits his job. However angry Mma Makutsi is she still helps out her friend when he gets himself into trouble with a very rich, Mercedes-Benz driving girl friend. My favourite part of the book was the story line following Mma Makutsi who decides to take up dancing lessons; she meets a very shy man at class who takes a particular shine to her and we follow them through the book.
I love the simplicity of Alexander McCall Smith's series; the characters are so warm and the messages in the book are so relevant to all of us. I am not sure what happened with the last one but I am so glad that I didn't give up on them, I shall be getting the next one as soon as possible. show less

Best installment so far in this series! Interestingly, while the detective agency does have a case to solve, for the most part this installment is more about the personal lives of the main characters. McCall Smith continues to bring reflections on the ever changing culture of Botswana as the country continues to modernize/industrialize and adopt more first world values, not all of which are worthy of adoption. The secret from Mma Ramotswe's past even caused me to give a small gasp, I found it to be so unexpected!

Overall, continuing to enjoy this cozy/comfort detective series filled with social and moral insights.

I still adore these books, in fact they keep getting better. Gentle, clear and sweetly moral...always a peek into the days of others pleases me, and especially the ladies of the No 1 Detective Agency.