Monday, January 10, 2011

MEME: Crime Fiction Alphabet (review of In the Company of Cheerful Ladies)

Hosted by Kerri at Mysteries in Paradise
By Friday of each week you have to write a blog post about crime fiction related to the letter of the week.
Your post MUST be related to either the first letter of a book's title, the first letter of an author's first name, or the first letter of the author's surname.
So you see you have lots of choice.
You could write a review, or a bio of an author, so long as it fits the rules somehow.

I am going to try to spotlight some mystery books or writers that I am reading, or want to read this year, as Kerri is hosting the Crime Fiction Alphabet again this year.Today, the letter A is brought to you by the prolific mystery writer, Alexander McCall Smith.



Alexander McCall Smith  - In the Company of Cheerful Ladies, 233 pages
book 6 of 12 in the series

Pull up a chair, or find a tree to stand under. Pour the bush tea, and settle your traditionally built body down for a visit. Mma Precious Ramotswe is becoming one of my favorite characters in books. Her thought process, her respect for tradition and elders, her love of Botswana, and her philosophy and manner of dealing with people is so kind, and smart, and practical.

This is book six, so if you've read these books, you know the drill. Quiet, not much of a mystery to solve, but several 'events' that need dealing with. Charlie, the apprentice at Mr J.L.B. Matekoni's garage has run off with an older women; Mma Makutsi is taking dance lessons; Precious' first husband, Note, is back in town;  and who left the pumpkin on the back porch? There is a lot going on, but not much at the same time. It is Mma Ramotswe's view of life and musings that we read these books for, and I hope to take a dip into the Number One Ladies Detective Agency a few more times this year. It's like sitting with an old friend for a cuppa, being in the company of cheerful ladies.