The Miracle at Speedy Motors (2008)

The ninth installment of Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, The Miracle at Speedy Motors, featuring ''traditionally built'' Botswana sleuth Mma Precious Ramotswe is as quietly enjoyable as the first. Mma Ramotswe tries to help a lonely woman track down her family, frets about the rattling engine of her beloved tiny white van, and, over many a cup of bush tea, attempts to figure out who has been sending her hate mail. As usual, not a whole lot happens, but the pleasure of these sweet books lies in the clarity and gravity with which the characters reason through everyday dilemmas. B+