I thought Jaime was a "Sommers", CB.

I finished The #1 Ladies Detective Agency on books on tape and it was a wonderful marriage of book to actor/reader. The reader spoke in what I assume is a Satswani (it sounded like she said Satswani, but it could be Botswani? [this is the downside of not have words on paper in front of you]) accent, which helped anchor the book in place, the place being Botswana. The sense of place is the best thing about the book. Mma Ramotswe loves Botswana, and her descriptions of her family history, and the look, feel, taste, customs, sounds of Botswana, and sometimes other countries, are lovely. The mysteries she solves are in alternating chapters to, um, mediations about Botswana or the Botswani, and were only interesting to me (the mystery lover) in the way they reveal another aspect of life there. Recommended, especially for the sense of place in a foreign land. I've just started the second book Tears of the Giraffe, read by the same actress.

Java, I just bought No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, I'm looking forward to it.

If it's already been recommended, I apologize - but along that vein, I LOVE Laurie King's historical mystery series -- starts with The Beekeeper's Apprentice

It supposes that Sherlock Holmes as an older, semi-retired detective meets a young, brilliant woman who becomes his partner in crime, as it were. FanTAStic.

KristinT, beware of MaryMarySue Russell. I had to stop reading them, although I liked the first three a great deal. By the time I got to Jerusalem, where Russell learned Arabic in three weeks, enchanted diplomats with her wit and beauty, and convinced her Muslim guides that Educated Western Women could kick their asses, I'd pretty much had it.

That said, I rather liked her XF-ish cult novel, and her San Francisco-based mysteries.

Yes - I know what you mean. Still love the series though, suspension of disbelief nonwithstanding.

Yes - love the others too. Did you read her latest? Sort of a sequel to Folly?

Yeah, I preferred the lesbian-cop stories to the MarySueSherlock stories. I liked the first one of those well enough, but after that, it just got worse and worse...(though part of the problem is that I find Sherlock Holmes improbable and marysueish, so it doens't start out on a good note for me!)

The reader spoke in what I assume is a Satswani (it sounded like she said Satswani, but it could be Botswani? [this is the downside of not have words on paper in front of you]) accent,

Setswana is the language, the Batswana are the people, one person is a Motswana, and the country is Botswana. Confusing enough for you? :-) The same pattern can be found in Lesotho: the people are Basotho, the language is Sesotho, etc.

t /showoff

Oh, and I really enjoyed The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and plan on reading the others soon. I loved all the descriptions of Botswana (and was less interested in the mystery part--unlike JC, I'm not much of a mystery fan in general), and I adore Mma Ramotswe.

Yes - love the others too. Did you read her latest? Sort of a sequel to Folly

I did -- unfortunatley too soon after a certin 'conflict' began . found it way too real fo rme to deal with well. But really good.

don't really thin of No. 1 ladies... as a mystery-- much more of a story of place. I have Tears, just haven't read it yet.

If it's already been recommended, I apologize - but along that vein, I LOVE Laurie King's historical mystery series -- starts with The Beekeeper's Apprentice

Have you read the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters? It's set in the 19th century, a woman Egyptian archaeologist/detective and her family. Books are set in London and Egypt. I quite like them.