Part of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, book 18
First published 2017
Mma Ramotswe takes on what appears to be a straightforward case when Mr. Polopetsi brings her a story about workplace injustice. A woman has lost her job at a furniture store after being accused of rudeness to an important customer. The dismissal seems unfair, and Mma Ramotswe cannot ignore such treatment. But as she digs deeper, the detective uncovers information that forces her to reconsider everything about the situation. Meanwhile, other mysteries emerge to complicate her life. She learns about a local nurse who shares her surname, Mingie Ramotswe, yet this woman appears to be a complete stranger. Mma Ramotswe thought she knew every person with her family name in Botswana. Then Mma Potokwani delivers troubling news about someone from Mma Ramotswe's past who has returned to town. This unwelcome figure seems determined to find her, though his motives remain unclear. As these threads weave together, Mma Ramotswe must navigate questions about justice, identity, and the connections that bind people together, whether through blood or choice.
Genres: african-literature, suspense, mystery, contemporary, detective, mystery-thriller
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, mystery
Setting: Botswana
Period: Contemporary
227 pages · Hardcover · Pantheon