The Miracle at Speedy Motors (No 1. Ladies' Detective Agency Book 9)

This installment in the "Ladies No. 1 Detective Series" continues to develop the familiar characters of the Agency and the Mechanic Garage where Mma Ramotse's husband, Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni works. There is a primary new case that the agency works, a case of a missing family. In addition, there is an attempt to restore the legs of Mma R and J. L. B. Matekoni's foster children who is confined to a wheelchair.Interwoven in the story seems to be the issue of trust. It is a story about those who can be trusted and those who cannot be. A story about information that can be trusted, and information that is somewhat less worthy of immediate acceptance. It is a story about how people can change and how people don't change. These elements play the principle roles in this segment of the long saga of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.Smith notes that people can be on both sides of the trust line and sometimes, what seems to be untrustworthy behavior is anything but that. The good helper, Mr. Polopetsi, who contributes to the garage and the detective agency in his efforts is called into question. The trustworthiness of clients and informants is contemplated and sorted out. And the trust in doctors and the inexactness of science and medicine are illustrated.Yet at its culmination, even with this equivocating nature of trust, there are miracles that are performed or come to pass. While not all miracles are huge miracles, they are miracles nonetheless. People need to understand that we should come to appreciate what we have, and always look to improve ourselves and our situation, without injury or malice to others. These are the basic tenets of McCall Smith's most recent book. These are the things of which life is made. These are the things that we encounter each and every day, yet only a discerning eye and an empathetic understanding will help guide us through the maze of signs and occurrences that life brings to us.The book is one more fine addition to a long and interesting story which deals very specifically with the ethics of life and the morality of human interaction. It is as all of the books in the series highly recommended to all readers who have an interest in understanding the actions of people in society and how people interact with others to make a world that is at best, unpredictable, but also can be greatly satisfying when people respect other people. It is very much worth the time to read this quickly moving story as an addition to the wonderful adventures of the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency.

The latest installment in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series brings us back together with the unforgettable characters of Precious Ramotswe (owner of said detective agency), her capable assistant Mma Makutsi, her calm and understated husband Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, and of course those irrepressible garage apprentices.Most everyone tends to think of a miracle as something grand and extraordinary. The people who work at or near Speedy Motors are surely due for something grand to happen in their lives and we are not disappointed.The first miracle we encounter is the start of the rainy season bringing with it a downpour of biblical proportions. Within a day the parched and thirsty countryside is turned from brown to a lush green and gives the promise that the crops will produce abundantly.Mma Makutsi and her fiance find a wonderful piece of furniture in their newly bought marriage bed which becomes destroyed when Mma Makutsi has the deliverymen leave it outside her home because it won't fit through her doors. Of course it was the life-giving rain that destroyed the beautiful red brocade heart-shaped headboard. How will she ever tell her fiance what she has done?Mma Ramotswe has undertaken to find the family of a woman who became orphaned while trying to ascertain the author or nasty letters that arrive at the agency. Could it be that Precious Ramotswe has somehow offended a former client and how can she make things right? This situation is resolved by Charlie the garage apprentice who spots the culprit and a chaplinesque chase through the grocery store ensues.Thanks to the rain, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni has been summoned to help start the car of a doctor who believes that there is hope for the wheelchair-bound adopted daughter of the garage owner. Mr. Matekoni finds himself applying for a mortgage on the garage to take the child to Johannesburg and to a clinic there where it is hoped they can help her walk again. Indeed, I found myself hoping wholeheartedly that this would be the miracle promised by the title.Alas, Mr. Matekoni and his daughter return home with her still bound to her wheelchair.Mma Makutsi learns that her fiance is a forgiving man when she tells him of the destroyed bed. And Mma Ramotswe's client, who at first learns that she has a brother, is quite happy with the turn of events at learning that our intrepid lady detective was the recipient of incorrect information.It seems that along with everyone in Gaborone, and especially at Speedy Motors, we are reminded to look for the miracles in our everyday lives: seeing the sun upon awakening, hearing the call of a bird in the tree, having a roof over our heads and someone with which to share a cup of bush tea.I highly recommend all of the books in this series and look forward to the next one.

These books have long since escaped from the crime genre (assuming that they were ever confined there) and have become much more general philosophising on life centred on Precious Ramotswe and her collection of family, friends and colleagues. In this instalment I think that the author really emphasises kindness and tolerance - the book is an appeal, among other things, for people to take time to understand and forgive others.Mr JLB Maketoni is seeking a miracle for his disabled foster daughter, a client is seeking any family at all after she discovers that she is adopted, anonymous letters of a particularly nasty kind are received at the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency and Mma Makutsi makes an expensive mistake which she has to explain to her fiancé. In one respect there isn't a lot happening in this book but looked at from another point of view there is a much to engage the reader in the foibles and misadventures of the characters.This is a gentle book where events, such as they are, are interrupted for another pot of tea but where the characters really struggle with understanding and forgiveness in a way that I think that any reader would be able to identify with. Set among the landscape and characters of Botswana this is a life affirming and heartwarming read

This is number 9 in the Ladies' Detective Agency series, and you do need to read them in order. Mma Ramotswe receives a threatening letter (Mma Makutsi asks with her usual efficiency, "Where can I file it if there is no signature?"), and Mr J L B Matekoni has a secret plan.Alexander McCall Smith manages once again to weave a compelling Africa-flavoured tale, full of well-developed characterisation, and seasoned with philosophical insights into human nature, morality and the ways of Botswana. It always amazes me how he can communicate the slow pace of life with his unhurried development of the story, without for one moment being boring - whereas to my mind he fails in this with some of his Scottish books.

I have this on in the car. Every time I drive I get a boost of uplifting good hearted Botswana philosophy. I can listen to them over and over.. the accents are fantastic, the audio brings the characters alive with my imagination allowed to work [versus a TV show]. A real feelgood story

Another winner where we get the blend of investigation with philosophy.The title suggests at a miracle but not the one you might expect.

Excellent transaction - The hardback book was in excellent condition (although second hand it was as good as new). After ordering the book it arrived within a couple of days.I can recommend these hardback books - they have a really nice feel to them, good quality paper, clear and easy print. Its a pleasure to read a book like this. Even though I haven't read this one yet, you can't go wrong with Alexander McCall Smith.