Part of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
First published 2026
Mma Ramotswe begins what should be a simple shopping trip to find birthday shoes for Mr J.L.B. Matekoni. One thing leads to another, as it always does in her world. Charlie, the eager junior mechanic turned trainee detective, has cooked up an ambitious plan with two local jazz musicians who perform as Lion and Leopard. He wants to organize a major event with these rising stars. Mma Makutsi predicts nothing but trouble ahead. Mma Ramotswe would prefer to monitor Charlie's scheme, but urgent business calls her north to the Okavango Delta. Friends at an elephant sanctuary face a hostile campaign and need her help. She travels to the wilderness, bringing her trademark generosity and wisdom to their cause. Between Charlie's musical adventures in Gaborone and the sanctuary crisis in the delta, Mma Ramotswe finds her life more eventful than usual. She reflects that while she considers herself fortunate, sometimes a quieter existence would appeal to her. The twenty-seventh case for the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency tests her ability to handle multiple crises with her characteristic grace.
Genres: african-literature, mystery, contemporary, adult-fiction, comedy
Vibes: community-focused, gentle, humorous, reflective, warm-hearted
Tropes: found-family, mentor-figure, multiple-storylines
Setting: Gaborone, Okavango Delta, Botswana
Period: Contemporary
360 pages · Paperback · Isis