What a happy occasion! The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series ( Pantheon), written by Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith, debuted in 1998 with the novel by the same name, and since the first book’s publication, the series has become a worldwide publishing phenomenon. MY THOUGHTS: This was not at all what I expected and, to be quite honest, I felt cheated. Does it not say #1 Ladies Detective Agency? There is not much detecting takes place.

And one that we all learned to read without ever being specifically taught to do so. How many parents sat their children down and told them what these things meant? Very few, or none, she thought. to calm Mma Makutsi down with a few reassuring words and a cup of tea. Tea had remarkable calming properties when administered mid-crisis, and that, perhaps, was what was needed now.’ In this latest installment in the beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Grace Makutsi encounters a pair of quandaries that will require all of her and Mma Ramotswe’s cleverness and generosity to resolve The detective agency has a separate entrance but is housed in the same building as his garage, Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. The two women are training the young mechanic Charlie as a part-time Junior Assistant Detective.THE AUTHOR: Alexander McCall Smith is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and he was a law professor at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland. The office case-load is light as they are selective about their clients and making money is not their primary objective. They rather prefer to right wrongs and restore harmony. ONE RIVAL FURNITURE STORE COULD BRING RUIN There is no end to the pleasure that may be extracted from these . . . books.” —Janet Malcolm, The New York Review of Books

I enjoyed the larger role played by Charlie in this book. He is certainly beginning to mature. Just beginning mind you. I am happy that he has been introduced to tooth paste just in time to save his teeth! I found myself in total agreement with Mma Ramotswe about the importance in our lives of comfortable chairs and of sharing cups of tea and cake with our friends. It is all very cosy and reassuring. Meanwhile, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi happen to meet Mma Makutsi's old friend Patience, who came to Gaborone from Bobonong. In this latest installment in the beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Grace Makutsi encounters a pair of quandaries that will require all of her and Mma Ramotswe’s cleverness and generosity to resolve.This is such a comforting read with wonderful outcomes for all concerned. Yes, I confess, it did seem a bit fluffy, especially compared to some of my other grittier reads, however if I pay attention in my daily walk of life I notice that I am surrounded by people who reach out to others through small gestures of care and consideration that make their day just a bit brighter and their hearts a little lighter. My favorite quotes are about tea and comforting others:

I cannot tell you the complete and utter joy I get in opening up a fresh new tale from the ‘No.1 Ladies Detective Agency’ series. It is hard to believe this is the 23rd installment! Yes! You read correctly, twenty three .... and still going strong. Precious Ramotswe and her life in Botswana is a place I am always eager to curl up on the couch for. It is a pleasure to step out of the rat race and spend some time with old friends, intriguing mysteries and a journey to a satisfying conclusion. To summarize, A Song of Comfortable Chairs is the kind of book you want to sit with on cold noon and warm your heart. It isn’t a typical cozy mystery or drama. It’s a comfort read that’ll make you think and smile at the same time.I read No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels for philosophical asides such as this: It was a curious thing, she thought, that a person's eyes should tell you so much about what was going on inside them. There were so many ways in which people might reveal their thoughts and emotions — gestures of the hands, smiles, shrugs. The repertoire of human body language was an extensive one. The main and many secondary characters remain the same while the cases change with each book, making it easy for a casual reader to drop in. Time passes slowly, and only a few years have gone by since the series began. Grace and Mma Ramotswe meet Grace’s childhood friend Patience, who appears to be dealing with her own issues. Mma Ramotswe comes up with ideas that might solve both issues and provide a happy solution for all of them. The story comes in the third person POV. It alters between limited third-person (of both the leading ladies) and omnipresent narration.

In a world where there aren’t always answers and at a time when we are all looking for answers, this is a fabulous read. I know any book in this series will end well and that Precious and Grace will solve the cases. For a few hours, all is right with the world and my worries are set aside. We could all do with a little Botswana wisdom in our life. But it wasn’t until the publication of the highly successful The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series that Alexander became a household name. The series has now sold over twenty million copies in the English language alone, and since the books took off, he has devoted his time to writing. As the story opens Mma Ramotswe is musing about Mma Grace Makutsi - her employee at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Over the years Mma Makutsi has promoted herself from secretary, to assistant detective, to co-detective, to co-director....and Mma Makutsi seems on the verge of upgrading herself once again. This is demonstrated by Mma Makutsi making her name more conspicuous on the firm's letterhead; buying a brass nameplate for herself; hiring a carpenter to enlarge her desk; and referring to herself as managing director. The books, like their author, have charm. You cannot overstate the power of this—it’s the missing ingredient in contemporary fiction.” — The GuardianAfter his first- ever visit to the dentist, Charlie is dismayed to learn what will be needed to keep his teeth from falling out. As usual, he has numerous unsatisfactory interactions with Mma Makutsi, but somehow ends up becoming a mentor to a troubled young boy.