The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon

This is the fourteenth book in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, which is probably my favorite mystery series, and one of the few sets of books that reliably makes me happy as I read them. This installment has two mysteries, both of which are of interest, yet it is the character of the writing and the characters themselves that attach me to these books. They are books about friendship, kindness, love, such as the central friendship of Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi, which is described as follows at the end of chapter eleven: “They remained silent after that, sitting in the silence of a friendship that was the greatest and deepest and most valuable friendship that either of them had ever had, or ever would have.”

If you are looking for gentle stories, ones that will make you feel better about the world, then I highly recommend these stories.

Alexander MacAll Smith has to be one of my favourite authors. When I finish his books, I want to turn around and read them again. I am entirely involved with his characters from the beginning. I sip the red bush tea with Mma Ramotswe,and the tea of Mma Makutsi, eat the fruit cake of Mma Potekama, go into the garage with the mental picture of Mr J L B Maketoni, Fanwell and Charlie underneath the vehicles they are attending. He brings a gentleness, a real feeling of respect for and with fellow humans that I readily espouse, with his help of course. His capture of the African turn of phrase, the African way of life, makes we want to go to Zebra Drive and just sit and have a chat with whoever comes along.

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.

Each new volume in Alexander McCall Smith’s “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Series” has been like coming home to old friends, and wondering what Precious Ramotswe and her sidekick Grace Makutsi are up to now. Smith’s newly published “Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon” is no exception. The characters are kind (mostly), considerate of each other’s feelings, and yet bold in solving the ingenious mysteries that make up the plot.

As in previous books in this series, there is a good dash of the past history of Botswana, as Mma. Ramotswe reflects with pride on her late father’s traditional values. There is also a bittersweet sense that the country is inevitably changing as more modern commerce and customs are spreading.

Every time a new “Ladies’ Detective Agency” tale has come out, I’ve wondered if the magic would still be there. And I’m happy to report that it is. Once again Alexander McCall Smith has pulled us into a gentler world that we would probably all like to visit, and people we would all enjoy knowing.

This is the fourteenth book in Smith’s “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Series” and it lives up to expectations. With 240 pages, the chapter titles give clues to the story: 1. mechanics can cook; 2. bones never lie; 3. snakes are very shy; this shall be Botswana; 5. the modern husband course; 6. that is my baby, Mma.; 7. in the chair of a very great man; 8. he was the light of our lives; 9. mall men can benefit; 10. not a lady with many enemies; 11. the nothing vacuum cleaner; 12. shoes are wasted on men; 13. bless you, and your shoes; 14. washing the feet of another; 15. like a tiny spark plug; 16. that is not how you treat a sausage; 17. the best woman in Botswana.

With her usual style, the protagonist Precious Ramotswe and her soon-to-be promoted associate Grace Makutsi unravel various mysteries as life in Botswana goes on. This is a very satisfying and enjoyable story up to the high standards of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Series.