Part of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, book 14
First published 2013
Precious Ramotswe faces two perplexing cases in Botswana. Lawyer Mma Sheba suspects a young man falsely claims to be a deceased farmer's nephew to steal his inheritance. She asks Ramotswe to visit the farm and investigate the would-be heir. Meanwhile, the owner of the Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon seeks help after her new business suffers mysterious troubles. Someone sent her a bad omen through the mail. Rumors spread that her salon uses products that burn customers' skin. Ramotswe wonders if someone wants to destroy the business. Back at the office, Ramotswe notices changes in Grace Makutsi, who appears pregnant but says nothing about it. In Botswana, where family matters above everything else, Makutsi's situation could spark both joy and conflict. Smith weaves together questions about marriage, parenthood, loss, and the traditions that guide people's choices in this fourteenth book of the series.
Genres: fiction, african-literature, mystery, contemporary
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, found-family
Setting: Botswana
Period: 21st-century
242 pages · Hardcover · Pantheon Books