McCall Smith, Alexander

Von Igelfeld is the world's leading scholar on Portuguese irregular verbs, having written a majestic, nearly 1,200-page book on the subject. As one review says, "There is nothing more to be said on this subject. Nothing." But in other matters, von Igelfeld is not nearly so skilled. Whether haplessly playing tennis against an equally dreadful opponent, or committing his friends to swordfighting duels without their knowledge, von Igelfeld is somewhat naive in the ways of the world. Yet that does not stop him from having a go at life, and the results are always humorous.

Mma Ramotswe has been engaged to Mr. J.L.B Matekoni for quite some time, and still they have no weeding date. But she doesn't want to be too pushy, for Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni has much on his mind. Mma Potokwani, who runs the orphan farm, has tricked him into a parachute jump to benefit charity.

Mma "Precious" Ramotswe sets up a detective agency in Botswana on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, making her the only female detective in the country. At first, cases are hard to come by. But eventually, troubled people come to Precious with a variety of concerns.

Mma "Precious" Ramotswe's comfortable existence as the only detective in Botswana is rattled when a certain Mr. Buthelezi opens the Satisfaction Guaranteed Detective Agency. Mr. Buthelezi's brochure advises, "Don't take any chances! Entrust your enquiries to a MAN!" As if this development isn't enough, Precious has also taken on two difficult cases, one of which hits close to home. But with wisdom and common sense on her side -- and plenty of bush tea -- she figures to crack both cases and upstage her competition.

Isabel takes her eighteen-month-old son Charlie to a birthday party where she encounters her old adversary Minty Auchterlonie, who seems to want to make Isabel her confidante, but there are still those troubling questions about Minty's integrity; and Isabel faces other dilemmas with Professor Dove, her niece Cat, and Charlie's loving, marriage-minded father.

Precious Ramotswe, owner and operator of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in contemporary Botswana, accepts a job searching for a missing American man, while also dealing with her impending marriage, and her fiance's resentful maid.

On the African game preserve where his father works, Akimbo devises a dangerous plan to capture a ring of elephant poachers.

The residents of 44 Scotland Street struggle to balance the demands of real life with their desire for happiness and lasting love.

Precious Ramotswe makes friends with two new children at her school and is more than willing to ply her burgeoning detective skills by helping them find their missing cow.

The cunning and engaging Precious Ramotswe sets up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, hoping to become a private detective, and she soon has more business than she expected, including a disturbing case involving a missing child.