Part of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, book 7
First published 2007
Precious Ramotswe discovers a cobra slithering through her detective agency in Botswana. The serpent marks the start of a busy period for the famous lady detective and her assistant Grace Makutsi. A nurse approaches them about falsified blood pressure measurements at a medical facility. Meanwhile, a new newspaper columnist named Aunty Emang dispenses advice that strikes Mma Ramotswe as too harsh. Grace faces personal troubles when her fiancé Phuti Radiphuti fails to appear for their regular dinner. His absence makes her question whether he still wants to marry her. Grace splurges on a pair of stylish blue shoes that pinch her feet. Mma Ramotswe tells her that real happiness comes from appreciating simple pleasures and finding peace with the world around you, not from expensive purchases.
Genres: african-literature, mystery, contemporary, detective
Vibes: cozy, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, found-family
Setting: Botswana
Period: 21st-century
227 pages · Paperback · Anchor