Books with author McCall Smith Alexander

"Precious Ramotswe is approached by the lawyer Mma Sheba, who is the executor of a deceased farmer's estate. Mma Sheba has a feeling that a young man may be impersonating the farmer's nephew in order to claim his inheritance. Then the proprietor of the Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon comes to Mma Ramotswe for advice. Rumors are swirling that the salon is using products that burn people's skin. Is someone trying to put the salon out of business? Meanwhile, at the office, Mma Ramotswe has noticed something different about Grace Makutsi lately. Though Mma Makutsi has mentioned nothing, it has become clear that she is pregnant"--Back cover.

SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR, ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH. The delightful seventeenth installment of the ever-popular, perennially best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series Precious Ramotswe and her Chief Associate Co-Director, Grace Makutsi, have worked together for many years. Together, they have solved numerous complex cases, seeing eye-to-eye on most professional matters. But when a Canadian woman invokes their help in recovering memories of her early childhood in Botswana, differences of opinion arise between the two firm friends, and diplomacy is called for. And it s not just clients who need Mma Ramotswe s help this is also sought by Mr. Polopetsi, her assistant, who becomes involved in a pyramid scheme, and Fanwell, the junior mechanic, who finds a stray dog that will not go away. Both, of course, receive the help and sympathy that Mma Ramotswe dispenses with the graciousness and warmth for which she is so well-known.

The best-selling author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series deftly escorts Jane Austen’s beloved, meddlesome heroine into the twenty-first century in this delightfully inventive retelling. The summer after university, Emma Woodhouse returns home to the village of Highbury to prepare for the launch of her interior design business. As she cultivates grand plans for the future, she re-enters the household of her hypochondriac father, who has been living alone on a steady diet of vegetables and vitamin supplements. Soon Emma befriends Harriet Smith, the naïve but charming young teacher’s assistant at an English-language school run by the hippie-ish Mrs. Goddard. Harriet is Emma’s inspiration to do the two things she does best: offer guidance to those less wise in the ways of the world and put her matchmaking skills to good use. Happily, this summer presents abundant opportunities for her to do just that, as many friends, both old and new, are drawn into the sphere of Emma’s occasionally injudicious counsel: Frank Churchill, the attractive stepson of Emma’s former governess; George Knightley, Emma’s brother-in-law and dear friend; the charming yet self-important Philip Elton; and, of course, the perfect (and perfectly vexing) Jane Fairfax. Alexander McCall Smith’s gentle satire and cozy, old-fashioned sensibility prove to be the perfect match for Jane Austen’s wit and characters. Though carriages have been replaced by Mini Coopers and cups of tea with cappuccinos, Emma’s story is wonderfully timeless.

Precious Ramotswe is on holiday, staying with her Aunty Bee at safari camp deep in the Botswana countryside, and is excited when a new lion arrives. Not just any lion but an actor-lion called Teddy with his own film crew! But when the four-legged movie star goes missing the camp is thrown into confusion. Can the young detective and her resourceful new friend Khumo solve the mystery and find out where Teddy has gone? The search plunges the two young sleuths deep into the jungle. As they dodge the hippos and crocs they will need all their bravery and cleverness to catch their prize. Find out if they succeed as Alexander McCall Smith tells us the story of Precious and the Mystery of the Missing Lion.

In the latest book in the widely beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, Precious Ramotswe takes on a case for a childhood acquaintance but her inquiries will require an even more delicate touch than usual. Mma Ramotswe reconnects with an old friend who has been having problems with her daughter. Though Precious feels compelled to lend a hand, she discovers that getting involved in family affairs is always a delicate proposion. Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni finds himself embroiled in familial drama as well, when one of his clients asks for help evicting an unwanted houseguest who turns out to be the man's own brother. Elsewhere, Charlie and Fanwell are also involved in tricky matters of the heart, as Queenie-Queenie, Charlie's girlfriend, seems to have transferred her affections to Fanwell. It's up to Mma Makutsi to set things right, but she may be be too distracted by her nemesis Violet Sephotho, who has somehow been appointed to the board of a charity. What is Violet up to now? As all of these mysteries are unraveled, Mma Ramotswe and the entire No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency will be reminded of the value of tried-and-true wisdom--never judge a book by its cover.

When writer Paul Stewart heads to the idyllic Italian town of Montalcino to finish his already late book, it seems like the perfect escape from stressful city life. Upon landing, however, things quickly take a turn for the worse when he discovers his hired car is nowhere to be found. With no record of any reservation and no other cars available it looks like Paul is stuck at the airport. That is, until an enterprising stranger offers him an unexpected alternative. While there may be no cars available there is something else on offer: a bulldozer. With little choice in the matter, Paul accepts and so begins a series of laugh out loud adventures through the Italian countryside, following in the wake of Paul and his Italian Bulldozer. A story of unexpected circumstance and lesson in making the best of what you have, My Italian Bulldozer is a warm holiday read guaranteed to put a smile on your face.