Author: Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher: 30th August 2022 by Hachette Australia
Pages: 256 pages
Genre: contemporary fiction, Africa, mystery
My Rating: 5 cups
Synopsis:
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
Grace Makutsi’s husband, Phuti, is in a bind. An international firm is attempting to undercut his prices in the office furniture market. Phuti has always been concerned with quality and comfort, but this new firm seems interested only in profits. To make matters worse, they have a slick new advertising campaign that seems hard to beat. Nonetheless with Mma Ramotswe’s help, Phtui comes up with a campaign that may just do the trick.
Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi is approached by an old friend who has a troubled son. Grace and Phuti agree to lend a hand, but the boy proves difficult to reach, and the situation is more than they can handle on their own. It will require not only all of their patience and dedication, but also the help of Mma Ramotswe and the formidable Mma Potokwani in order to help the child.
Faced with more than her fair share of domestic problems, Mma Makutsi deals with it all with her usual grace. That, along with the kindness, generosity, and good sense that the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is known for, assure us that in the end, all these matters will be set right.
My Thoughts
‘… 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.’
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.
‘It was important, she felt, to keep your working life separate from your home life; she knew far too many people who allowed the cares of the job to intrude upon their home life, and these were the people who tended to become depressed or suffer from something that she had recently read about in a magazine - something referred to as burn-out.’
Followers of this series are in it for the long haul as it’s like catching up with old friends. More often than not, it’s not the gentle story/investigation unfurling that draws you in, but rather the keen observations that make you smile, the pearls of wisdom that cause you to pause and ponder.
‘Most people longed for the day when they might tune into a news broadcast and hear the announcer say, 'I'm sorry, everybody, but nothing has happened. There is no news today none at all.' That day had never come to pass, as far as she knew, but you could still hope. That was what you could always do - no matter how bad things seemed to be - you could hope.’
Alexander McCall Smith has managed once again to write another wonderful tale where our leading lady, Precious, encourages us to slow down and express gratitude. To many it might seem simplistic, yet truly speaking, it is the superb craftsmanship of Alexander that provides devoted readers with a gentle reminder to be more open minded and extend warmth to those around us.
‘That was the problem, she reflected; that was the source of so much unhappiness - there were people who made it their business to stop other people from being themselves; who tried to make people be something they did not want to be. That led to swathes of unhappiness as wide as the Kalahari itself.’
Exuding gentleness and a philosophy many of us could learn from, Precious Ramotswe and friends remind us of the more important things in life. A Song of Comfortable Chairs is just that: time out in a comfy chair where the rhythms of Africa sweep over you. We could all do with a little more Botswana wisdom in our lives. I can’t wait for the next instalment - these books being an absolute treasure that I shall continue to read as long as Alexander writes them (please … keep writing them!)
‘The real art in going through life with dignity and with a modicum of happiness was to accept what you were, and, at the same time, to accept others and to love them all equally. That was hard, and for some people it was impossible, but you had to try.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
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