Ticket 2 Ride

Another book by Alexander McCall Smith, master of the observation and common sense mystery writer. Use the search to discover other novels of his I’ve reviewed.

This is book number 25 in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, quite astonishing when you consider all of the other book series Alexander McCall Smith juggles. The Great Hippopotamus Hotel (2024, Penguin Random House), continues the lives of Precious Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi, Mma Potokwane and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni in Botswana.

Mma Ramotswe still runs the detective agency with help from Mma Grace Makutsi, who has appointed herself the co-managing founding director. It’s a sore point when she is referred to as the assistant or even as working for Mma Ramotswe.

“No, you did not,” said Mma Makutsi. “You said assistant, Mma Potokwane, and I am not Mma Ramotswe’s assistant. I am joint managing director. Joint.”

Mma Ramotswe took Mma Matutsi on as a secretary or file clerk, and from there, the prickly Grace Matutsi has risen to be Mma Ramotswe’s equal, at least in her mind. When Mma Ramotswe comes down with a case of food poisoning, Mma Matutsi steps up to take the helm while Mma Ramotswe recuperates at home.

The case is quite typical for the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, there is a mystery with several suspects. Mma Matutsi takes quick action, her attention to finding the source of problems at the Great Hippopotamus Hotel is quite commendable. The problem lies in her assumptions and quick determination that a rival of hers is at the bottom of the hotel’s problems.

Smith allows his character Grace Matutsi the major role in this novel, where she must deal with her own weaknesses that nearly cause a false accusation to occur.

“Mma Makutsi absorbed this information. Of course, it was hardly in H. J’s favour that he was involved with Violet Sephotho that told one something about him. But even as she thought this, she realised women like Violet were quite capable of turning the heads of good men, and for this reason she should be careful not to make the sort of assumption that Clovis Andersen warned against in The Principles of Private Detection. Had he not written, The obvious conclusion about somebody is often the wrong one? And then, at another point, if her memory served her correctly, he had warned, Do not accept without question an assessment of character made by another person. What if that person is wrong? What if that person has a reason to mislead you as to the character of a third party?”

Violet Sephotho attended the same secretary college as Grace Makutsi and falsely asserts her accomplishments and is quick to use her feminine charms to get what she wants. Mma Makutsi seethes at the mention of Violet and is quick to proclaim Violet as the mastermind of the hotel problem.

Clovis Anderson’s book, The Principles of Private Detection, is the Bible of detective work for the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency and is quoted quite often as the basis for decisions and strategies utilized by Mma Ramotswe and Mma Matutsi.

Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, Mma Ramotswe’s husband, isn’t given much to do in the book, although he acquires a sports car for a client, who promptly wrecks it, and it afraid to tell his wife of the sports car or the accident.

It’s funny how Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni each refer to each other by their full name. So formal. These characters are charming and even the slimmest of mysteries are delightful as each story peels another layer in the lives of these Botswana residents.

I look forward to the next edition of this book series, or any of Smith’s universe of books.