Tea Time for the Traditionally Built

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Could a book that is slow-paced where little happens, compared, say to a Douglas Preston/Lincoln Childs crime novel, be a good book? In this case, very much so. This is a relaxed, slow-paced, pleasant, cheery and inviting novel about Precious Ramotswe, the proprietor of the Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Botswana. It's the tenth book in a series, and I read it out of order, but I enjoyed it anyway. I thought it had a loose end, or I would have given it 5 stars instead of 4. It's an internationally best-selling book. It takes place in Gaborone, Botswana, where the AIDS epidemic is the highest in the world. Many people referred to in the book ate "late." But life goes on, and there are problems with the football team being on a losing streak, so the lady detectives, who do not follow football (in this case, soccer), are hired to find out why. And the tiny white van bites the dust and Violet tries to steal a finance and a woman named Lily has a problem with too many husbands. All of this is quietly addressed over tea and various goodies. What better way to address problems? And do the ladies succeed in solving problems? I don't believe in spoilers! You'll have to read the book to find out. Suffice it to say I enjoyed it very much. It was a postive educational experience.

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This was my 49th book of the year--So I will hopefully be averaging about a book a week by the end of the year--maybe a little more.