Alexander McCall Smith

Reviewed on 22nd February 2025

Long regarded as a classic, I’ve tried to listen to a radio recording of this book before, but failed to get into it. Finally though I’ve found myself with a print copy and been able to find out what the fuss is about.

I can see why people like it - it feels like a cross between John Grisham and Richmal Crompton. The former because of the way the narrative focuses on events and less in the minds and emotions of the characters, and the latter because each chapter is almost an independent story, but they add up to a whole, like a Just William book.

I feel slightly uncomfortable conceptually with a book about a Motswana woman written by a white man, and so am not sure how confidently I can take any of the cultural information presented in the narrative.

It took a few chapters to really get into the book, but then I raced through in two days. I don’t however think it captured my attention enough to bother with the rest of the series.

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