Morality For Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith

Blurb

In this third volume of The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, the irrepressible Precious Ramotswe faces supreme problems at home and at work.

With her detective agency in financial difficulty, Mma Ramotswe takes the hard decision to share offices with her husband-to-be, Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni. But even though Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors could do with a little help, it is Mr. Matekoni himself who requires her attention…

If that wasn’t enough, the agency is facing some of it’s most puzzling cases: the government official whose sister-in-law is trying to poison his brother: the beauty pageant whose contestants aren’t as good as their looks; and the strange young boy, found naked and wild, and smelling of lion…

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My thoughts

Ratings -⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Morality For Beautiful Girls in the third book of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective series. Going into it, I was expecting a plot- heavy book, but this book surprised me in a good way. A slice Of Life would be the most appropriate way to describe it.

Although I did not read the previous two books in the series, the writing was simple and elaborate enough for me to understand the characters’ backstory. Precious Ramotswe owns a private Investigation agency in Botswana, the capital of Gaborone. Mma Makutsi is her assistant. While Mma Ramotswe takes on the case of an obnoxious Government Man who wants his own family to be investigated, Mma Makutsi takes on other small cases on top of operating Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors in absence of Mr. Matekoni, Mma Ramtoswe’s fiancé.

Although Mma Ramotswe is a private investigator, these stories are more character-driven than mystery oriented. Written in very simple terms, the characters talk about their ideas and feelings as well as the old Botswana morality.

However, there were a few unfinished plotlines which I think could be discussed further. If you are looking for a high action detective novel, this book is not for you. Written is simple terms, Morality for Beautiful Girls will be a perfect companion for a light- hearted, cozy, thoughtful read about the life and aspirations of people of Botswana.

The Author

Alexander McCall Smith, often referred to as ‘Sandy’, is one of the world’s most prolific and best-loved authors. For many years he was a professor of Medical Law and worked in universities in the UK and abroad before turning his hand to writing fiction. He has written and contributed to more than 100 books including specialist academic titles, short story collections, and a number of immensely popular children’s books. His first book, The White Hippo—a children’s book, was published by Hamish Hamilton in 1980.