The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series)

I have spent a portion of my week with my fictional friends in Botswana in the newest installment of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith, and, as usual, it was a sweet escape. Mma Ramotswe is the first woman detective in Botswana and she owns the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. She shares a building with the Tlokweng Road auto mechanic shop owned by her very nice husband, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni (titles or honorifics are important in Botswana, a very civil nation). They have taken in two orphaned children who are now sort of in their tween ages.We encounter Mma Ramotswe without her associate detective Mma Makutsi who is very pregnant and very happily married to Phuti Radiphuti. Precious (Mma Ramotswe) is having doubts about how she will run her agency without Mma Makutsi (Grace). Precious is missing her sometimes pesky associate and business is slow which gives her too much time to think.Just before Grace gives birth to a wonderful baby boy (Itumelang Clovis Radiphuti), before Mma Ramotswe has a chance to look for a temporary replacement, a new client, an unusually tall woman lawyer, Mma Sheba Kutso, ends the case drought and hires the ladies to look into an inheritance matter. She thinks a young man who is supposed to inherit a farm is not who he says he is. She wants Precious to see what she can detect?Then, on her way to look for a baby gift, Mma Ramotswe is offered a free beauty treatment by Mma Soleti, the proprietor of a new shop in the mall, a woman who she has seen before. The shop is called The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon. After the free facial, Mma Soleti reveals that she has been the victim of some old Botswana magic, a bird feather that signifies bad luck or death has been delivered to her. Someone wants to run her out of business. Will Mma Ramotswe try to find out who her enemy is? Mma Soleti took someone’s husband away – a husband who seemed oh so happy to leave his wife, and she thinks this woman may be at the bottom of this.These are the kinds of cases the ladies often solve and, although some of their cases have been dangerous, these two cases, each revealing dark places in the human psyche, do not threaten the ladies’ happiness. They are happy because Mma Makutsi does not want to stay home all day with the baby. She can bring him to the office with her for part of the day, and have a sitter for part of the day.So many relationships reach happy new plateaus in this particular little episode in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series that it is an even sweeter and finer story than usual (and I am worried that it might be the last). These ladies are obviously not detectives in the usual noir mold we find used for famous detectives, but Mma Ramotswe has a true understanding of human nature and she does have a knack for solving human problems, especially when she can bounce her thoughts around with Mma Makutsi. This story ends where the Botswana stories always end, pledging allegiance to Africa. And it ends too quickly.

I have read several of these stories of the #1 Ladies Detective Agency and have enjoyed them all - and book 14 was no exception. Botswana owes a debt to Mr Smith for his portrayal of the country.

I like the philosophical way the characters think and describe their thinking. These books are also fun to read.Delightful is the one word that describes the stories the best.

Mma Makutsi has become a mother with the arrival of her son and her husband Phuti Radiphuti is over the moon about it. Unfortunately, his very old-fashioned and traditional aunt moves in with them in order to make sure the baby receives proper care. I imagine most of us have a relative who sees all, knows everything and has a personality that makes vinegar seem sweet. With the aid of some helpful cobras, she finally decides to leave the new parents in peace.Mr. J. L. B. Matakoni, husband of Mma Ramotswe decides to enroll in a course at the local university to learn how to become a modern husband, only to find himself held up as a model before the other students. Since he considers himself to be a thoroughly traditional man, this is excruciatingly embarrassing, so embarrassing that he decides not to return. Meanwhile, his apprentice Charlie falls in love with Mma Makutsi's baby boy and decides he is ready to marry and become a father! Charlie? The one who really, really needs a course to learn how to be a modern husband... !Mma Ratmotswe deeply misses the presence and assistance of her friend Mma Makutsi. The office is just not the same without her. She resorts to visiting Mma Makutsi at home to confer with her about the two cases that are the theme of this entry in the series. One involves the inheritance of a farm... is the legatee really the nephew who inherits? And who has started an evil campaign of lies to force The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon to close its doors? What they discover on one case is shocking indeed and the other case causes them to remember to never jump to conclusions.This book had me laughing out loud in places and as usual is filled with those snippets of wisdom and common sense that we all highlight as we read. Highly recommended.

The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon marks the fourteenth book in the series. So far, the series has not grown stale and with every book, the character development has grown richer. As the series continues, there has been a subtle shift away from the mystery solving element and a bigger emphasis on the characters personal lives.In this book, Mma Makutsi has given birth to her first child and is on maternity leave from the detective agency. Mma Ramotswe quickly learns the value of Mma Makutsi, not only as an employee, but also as a dear friend. This book is a sweet ode to their friendship.There is also a great side story involving Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni's efforts to become a more modern husband. It made me laugh-out-loud, which is a rarity in Smith's books, which are always funny, but not enough to elicit such a big reaction from me. They most often leave me with a smile.If you've never had the pleasure of reading a book from this series, then go get one now! I highly recommend starting with the first, however each book stands on its own and you would easily be able to understand the characters and their relationships. What you would miss if you read them out of sequence is the evolution of the characters, which is an aspect of the series that I've really loved.These books will make you feel good. I liken them to an episode of Little House on the Prairie, sweet stories with a moral lesson and endearing characters. They are my happy spot!Like my review? Check out my blog.

I love this series. The characters are just delightful. The stories are so good. Every read is like a return to a comfortable place that you delight in visiting!

If you have not read Mr McCall Smith, why not? He writes gentle humorous stories filled with a cast of star studied characters who seemingly make the the most innocuous comments on life but at the same time can be so thought provoking. Homilies of a bygone time when respect for our, families, friends, fellow man and neighbours was once upper most in our minds ..... and he reminds of us those times in a modern day setting with Mma Ramotswe in Botswana.The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency is in a state of flux as 'associate' Detective Mma Makutsi takes maternity leave to have her and her husband Phuti Radiphuti's first child, mind you, as usual when Mma Makutsi doesn't want to discuss something, she won't and so the fact that she is pregnant and the subject of maternity leave are not open for discussion until it is to late, not to late in that something goes wrong except for the fact that another encounter with a cobra brings the pregnancy to an end and the delivery of a healthy boy is announced. So snakes do come in useful, sometimes, and this again proves to be the case in dealing with a Radiphuti aunt later on, so funny .....Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, husband to Mma Ramotswe and owner of Speedy Motors on Tlokwen Road, has a desire to become a more modern husband and enrols in a new course at the university and then Mma Ramotswe finds him, for the first time ever, helping to prepare dinner, but she is gentle with him in explaining,"So you are mashing them now?' He nodded. `And it's rather hard work, Mma.' `You're mashing them even before you have cooked them, Rra?' He frowned. `You cook them first?' Mma Ramotswe reached around him and took the pan from his hands. It was half-filled with water in which fragments of raw potato floated morosely, like a soup. Very gently she poured the mixture down the drain. `I will show you how to start with new ones,' she said. `You cook the potatoes first and then you take them out and mash them up with butter and salt. That is how mashed potatoes are made, Rra.' He turned away sheepishly. `I was only trying to help, Mma.' She felt a warm rush of affection for the man beside her. `But of course you were, Rra. But I am quite happy to cook mashed potatoes."In the background of course there are two cases to be solved as business still has to continue even without the assistance of the Associate Detective and Mr JLB Matekoni's lack of cooking skills, but he is still an excellent mechanic...These books are for anyone who wants a gentle meander through the countryside surrounding the city of Gaberone in the wonderful country of Botswana or so it appears to be from the descriptions in these books, waiting on the rains to revive the country and it's people's, dealing with the serious and the not so serious.For the first time in reading though I have only two small criticisms; 1. We don't get to read the outcome of the case with Mma Sheba the Lawyer, although we know what Mma Ramotswe wants to do, it is left somewhat unresolved, and 2. how did the cooking of the sausages go with Mr J.L.B. Matekoni?

Zugegeben, ich habe zunehmend Schwierigkeiten damit, die Bücher um die "N° 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" als Krimis zu bezeichnen. Ich fühle mich vielmehr wie im Kreis einer wohlvertrauten Familie, mit denen ich Sorgen und Nöte, aber auch Lachen teile.Auch dieser Band ist wieder mit viel Herzblut geschrieben. Mma Makutsi, um Band 12 herum erst glücklich verheiratet, wird in diesem Buch schwanger und bekommt ein Baby. Doch sogleich mischt sich die altbekannte, verhasste Tante ihres Ehemannes in den Haushalt ein... und auch hier trägt Mma Ramotswe, die Detektivin, wieder zur "Lösung" bei.Doch das ist nur einer ihrer "Fälle" in diesem Buch. Ein gerade neu eröffneter Schönheitssalon wird verleumdet; und auch bei einer zu machenden Erbschaft eines stadtbekannten Farmers scheint nicht alles mit rechten Dingen zuzugehen. Ist der Neffe Liso wirklich der Neffe des verstorbenen Rra Edgar? Wer hat sonst ein Interesse daran, die Farm zu erben? Oder gibt es gar ein düsteres Familiengeheimnis...?Wie immer bei Mma Ramotswe, besteht sicherlich die Hälfte des Buches einfach aus der Fortführung der Geschichten und Anekdoten rund um die teilnehmenden Figuren, und zur anderen Hälfte aus den eigentlichen "Ermittlungen". Die Mischung ist dabei genau so getroffen, dass man sich fühlt wie an einem heißen Tag mit guten Freunden beim Tee! Unerfahrene Leser könnten das beschaulich oder langweilig finden. Ich finde es zauberhaft!In jedem Kapitel gibt es Sätze, die ich mir unterstrichen habe. Das Buch transportiert nämlich, wie alle seine Vorgänger auch, wieder einmal bergeweise Lebensweisheiten rund um das Leben, insbesondere das Leben in Afrika. Um Männer und Frauen. Und um den Umgang mit schwierigen Mitmenschen. Man kann es also auch als "reinen Roman" mit Gewinn lesen.Wunderbar auch die Gabe des Autors, immer wieder Szenen mit schreiender Situationskomik zu erfinden! Zum Beispiel Mma Ramotswe nach einem Regenguss im Matsch. Oder die ungeliebte Tante auf der Flucht vor einer Schlange. Oder... oder...! Wirklich köstlich!Eine einzige Einschränkung: diese Bücher liest man wahrscheinlich am besten der Reihe nach. Sonst gehen einem zu viele Anspielungen aus vorherigen Bänden verloren. Insgesamt aber ist auch dieses Buch wieder wunderbar leicht, aber nicht flach, zu lesen gewesen. Alexander McCall Smith schreibt eines der schönsten "Englische", die ich überhaupt kenne. Und er liebt seine Figuren. Ein warmherziger Hochgenuss!

You know what you are going to get with this series of books, a feel good factor.A very successful format, with new problems often moral ones, dealt with in a way that doesn’t preach to you, but makes you think for a bit!

Ich lese immer gerne die Geschichten von Mma Ramotswe und ihre Kollegin Mma Makutsi. Sie verströmen Menschenliebe und Weisheit und auch Humor. Und auch Hoffnung für Africa.............. man möchte direkt Botswana besuchen!

I love this series. It doesn't feel like reading a book, rather more like seeing old friends and catching up. They are all quick and easy reads and the perfect way to escape for a few hours. The message is simple, always show kindness and respect to people, animals and the world at large. In this installment there is an exciting development as Mma Makutsi delivers her first child. For the first time Mma Ramotswe finds herself alone in the office and is lonely and unsure about what to do with herself and has no one to talk to. With two cases facing her she realizes just how important a role her secretary/associate really plays in the business. While Mma Ramotswe is trying to investigate cases and continue to work without her friend, Mma Makutsi has to deal with being a new mother and her husband's aunt who brings trouble wherever she goes. Meanwhile the men in their lives also have their own stories to tell, Phuti trying to stand up to his aunt and dealing with snakes in the house, Mr. J.L.B Matekoni who wonders if he can become a better husband and embarks on not only a course at university but also determines he will try to learn to cook with some amusing results. And finally the story would not be complete without the apprentices Charlie and Fanwell. Well Fanwell is now a mechanic and no one is sure if Charlie will ever complete his apprenticeship. The end of the book brings some surprising discoveries about Charlie and reveals that he is not as shallow as he appears to be. Overall this is a wonderful enjoyable read, as I said like visiting with friends, a way to escape to a simpler time and place and forget life's troubles for a few hours.