 | By: Alexander McCall Smith Binding: Audio Cassette Publisher: Time Warner AudioBooks ISBN: 1405500107 ISBN-13: 9781405500104 Released: 06 May 2004 RRP: Average Rating:  |
If you have not read any books in the series, I suggest that you look instead to begin with the first one (The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) & work your way through them in the order of their publication (Tears of the Giraffe, Morality for Beautiful Girls, & The Kalahari Typing School for Men). All of those books are better than this one, & provide helpful context for The Full Cupboard of Life.
The Full Cupboard for Life has one detective case in it. Mma Holonga is a successful entrepreneur who has developed a number of beauty parlors for braiding hair in interesting ways & also has created a special formula for treating the hair for braiding. At 40, she realizes that she lacks a husband & child . . . & decides to at least find a husband. But she doesn't want one who is after her money! So she hires Precious to check out her four suitors, beginning with the one she likes best. The case is delicate because Precious is well known in Botswana as a detective, & must avoid having the suitors realize that she is checking them out for Mma Holonga.
Most of the book, however, focuses on the personal lives of the others. Precious finallly asks her fiancé when they will marry, & he answers that it will be a year or two before he can save the money for a large wedding. When she offers to sell some cattle to hasten the happy day, he declines her offer. When will they ever marry?
As usual, Mma Potokwame has plans for Mr J.L.B. Maketoni that will help the orphans. Precious is kept busy helping Mr J.L.B. Maketoni deflect & deal with those plans. In the process, Precious employs some of the classic methods of psychology to influence men to do what she wants them to do.
This book moves further away from the roots of the series. Except for one brief encounter with a snake, wild Africa plays no role in the story. The detective agency is almost an after-thought in the story's development. The one assignment is given as limited a space as is possible.
But Mr. Smith has created some delightful characters, & those who care about the characters will enjoy seeing them move on with their lives.
I hope that in future books Mr. Smith will once again put several detective cases in the story . . . & let wild Africa appear again as a character.
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