Alexander McCall Smith No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series Books In Order

1. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency

2. Tears of the Giraffe

3. Morality for Beautiful Girls

4. The Kalahari Typing School for Men

5. The Full Cupboard of Life

6. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies

7. Blue Shoes and Happiness

8. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive

9. The Miracle at Speedy Motors

10. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built

11. The Double Comfort Safari Club

12. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party

13. The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection

14. The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon

15. The Handsome Man’s de Luxe Café

16. The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine

17. Precious and Grace

18. The House of Unexpected Sisters

19. The Colors of All the Cattle

20. To the Land of Long Lost Friends

21. How to Raise an Elephant

22. The Joy and Light Bus Company

23. A Song of Comfortable Chairs

24. From a Far and Lovely Country

25. The Great Hippopotamus Hotel

26. In the Time of Five Pumpkins

Alexander McCall Smith

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No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Books In Order

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Set in Botswana, the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series is known for its gentle humour and delightful, colourful characters. Central to the cast is the wise and clever Mma Precious Ramotswe, a fan favourite among millions of mystery lovers.

The books revolve around Precious, who opens the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency in her hometown. Readers enjoy Alexander McCall Smith’s charming and light writing style, which immerses them in the daily lives and misadventures of Botswana’s residents.

The series is best enjoyed in order, as numerous characters and plot points develop throughout the novels. However, many of the books provide explanations of events from previous volumes, so readers can still follow the story without reading them in sequence.

Having begun in 1998, the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is Alexander McCall Smith’s most popular series, and Precious Ramotswe continues to captivate readers. McCall Smith has also written a children’s series featuring Precious as a young girl.

1. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency

This first novel in Alexander McCall Smith’s widely acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe

2. Tears of the Giraffe

Fans around the world adore the bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series and its proprietor, Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier lady detective.

3. Morality for Beautiful Girls

In Morality for Beautiful Girls, Precious Ramotswe, founder and owner of the only detective agency for the concerns of both ladies and others, investigates the alleged poisoning of the brother of an important “Government Man”

4. The Kalahari Typing School for Men

Mma Precious Ramotswe is content. Her business is well established with many satisfied customers, and in her mid-thirties (“the finest age to be”) she has a house, two adopted children, a fine fiancé. But, as always, there are troubles.

5. The Full Cupboard of Life

Still engaged to the estimable Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, Mma Ramotswe understands that she should not put too much pressure on him, as he has other concerns, especially a hair-raising request from the ever persuasive Mma Potokwane, matron of the orphan farm.

6. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies

Precious is busier than usual at the detective agency when she discovers an intruder in her house on Zebra Drive—and perhaps even more baffling—a pumpkin on her porch.

7. Blue Shoes and Happiness

Life is good for Mma Ramotswe as she sets out with her usual resolve to solve people’s problems, heal their misfortunes, and untangle the mysteries that make life interesting. And life is never dull on Tlokweng Road.

8. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive

There is rarely a dull moment in the life of Precious Ramotswe, and on Zebra Drive and Tlokweng Road many changes are afoot. Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni wants be put in charge of a case involving an errant husband

9. The Miracle at Speedy Motors

Under the endless skies of Botswana, there is always something Mma Ramotswe can do to help someone and here she finds herself assisting a woman looking for her family.

10. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built

Precious Ramotswe faces problems both personal and professional. The first is the potential demise of an old friend, her tiny white van.

11. The Double Comfort Safari Club

In this story, Precious Ramotswe deals with issues of mistaken identity and great fortune against the beautiful backdrop of Botswana’s remote and striking Okavango Delta.

12. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party

Precious Ramotswe faces two confounding cases: the mysterious fate of some cows, and the ghost-like reappearance of her dear old white van.

13. The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection

Alexander McCall Smith’s beloved, bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series continues as Botswana’s best and kindest detective finds her personal and professional lives have become entangled.

14. The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon

As Botswana awaits the familiar blessing of the rains and the resumption of the eternal cycle, seismic upheaval is taking place at the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.

15. The Handsome Man’s de Luxe Café

The new Botswana book from bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith this is Mma Ramotswes fifteenth wonderful adventure

16. The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine

Precious Ramotswe, the esteemed proprietor of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, now faces her greatest challenge yet: a vacation!

17. Precious and Grace

Mma Makutsi, who has recently been promoted to co-director, has been encouraging Mma Ramotswe to update to more modern office practices. An unusual case, however, will require both of them to turn their attention firmly to the past.

18. The House of Unexpected Sisters

Precious Ramotswe learns valuable lessons about first impressions and forgiveness.

19. The Colors of All the Cattle

When Mma Potokwane suggests to Mma Ramotswe that she run for a seat on the Gaborone City Council, Mma Ramotswe is unsure until…

20. To the Land of Long Lost Friends

Mma Ramotswe has reconnected with an old friend who has been having problems with her daughter.

21. How to Raise an Elephant

Mma Ramotswe must balance family obligations with the growing needs of one of Charlie’s pet projects.

22. The Joy and Light Bus Company

Mma Ramotswe is tempted to put the brakes on a business venture before it even gets rolling.

23. A Song of Comfortable Chairs

Grace Makutsi encounters a pair of quandaries that will require all of her and Mma Ramotswe’s cleverness and generosity to resolve.

24. From a Far and Lovely Country

All of Mma Ramotswe’s tact, affability, and good sense will be required to disentangle a delicate dispute

25. The Great Hippopotamus Hotel

Precious Ramotswe takes on an interesting but sensitive case and learns valuable lessons along the way in this next installment of the beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series.

26. In the Time of Five Pumpkins

The rains are coming, but not just yet. When they do, there will be green shoots of growth throughout Botswana. Pumpkins will flourish – particularly those of Mma Potokwani, matron of a children’s home and old friend of Precious Ramotswe.

The Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe's Very First Case

Young Precious: the Collected Adventures

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No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Books In Order

1. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency

2. Tears of the Giraffe

3. Morality for Beautiful Girls

4. The Kalahari Typing School for Men

5. The Full Cupboard of Life

6. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies

7. Blue Shoes and Happiness

8. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive

9. The Miracle at Speedy Motors

10. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built

11. The Double Comfort Safari Club

12. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party

13. The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection

14. The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon

15. The Handsome Man’s de Luxe Café

16. The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine

17. Precious and Grace

18. The House of Unexpected Sisters

19. The Colors of All the Cattle

20. To the Land of Long Lost Friends

21. How to Raise an Elephant

22. The Joy and Light Bus Company

23. A Song of Comfortable Chairs

24. From a Far and Lovely Country

25. The Great Hippopotamus Hotel

26. In the Time of Five Pumpkins

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