Part of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, book 10
First published 2009
Precious Ramotswe confronts a worrying sound coming from her beloved tiny white van. She fears her husband J.L.B. Matekoni, Botswana's finest mechanic, will scrap the vehicle for something newer. Precious must find a way to preserve her faithful companion. Meanwhile, her assistant Mma Makutsi learns that Violet Sephotho, her former classmate who barely passed typing school with fifty percent, now pursues Mma Makutsi's fiancé Phuti Radiphuti. The detective agency also takes on a puzzling case involving a local football team's terrible performance. The team owner believes someone sabotages the players from within. Precious has never watched a football match, making the investigation particularly challenging. She must identify the traitor while navigating unfamiliar territory. Solutions emerge from surprising sources as Precious applies her keen intuition to each problem. Red bush tea provides comfort and clarity throughout these domestic and professional challenges.
Genres: african-literature, mystery, contemporary, detective, slice-of-life
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Botswana
Period: Contemporary
212 pages · Hardcover · Pantheon Books