Once again, I've allowed too much time to get between my reading and the writing of a review. This was a fantastic installment in the Number One Ladies' Detective Agency series. In fact, when I finished listening to it (was amazed to find our library had it already), I couldn't go on to another audio book because I was still so caught up in the story.
In this episode, we watch Mma Ramotswe take on the case of a suspicious individual wanting to get to the bottom of the killings of two of his cattle. In this perplexing case, the client himself may be a suspect. It is obvious that a timid child knows more than he is saying, but can Mma Ramotswe get the boy to speak honestly and openly?
In the meantime, back at the office, Mma Makutsi is preparing to wed Phuti Rhudiphuti and is searching for the perfect pair of shoes. She is also eager to confront Charlie, the apprentice who has often sparred with Mma Makutsi (calling her a "warthog") and who is rumored to have gotten a girl pregnant.
The only thing that felt out of place in this novel was the inclusion of Mma Makutsi's arch-enemy, Violet Sopotho. She is running for a government seat and the whole thing seems unlikely and unnecessary to the progression of the story. The topic is introduced at the beginning and then left cold until the very end, when it is summarily tidied up.
Still, I fully enjoyed this book and cannot recommend the audio version of this series enough. Lisette Lecat does a fantastic job of bringing the various characters to life and carrying the tone of the novels, with their rich descriptions of Botswana and the rambling considerations of "Botswana morality." Once again, I will eagerly await another installment to see more of the lives of these characters unfold.
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