Precious and Grace, by Alexander McCall Smith

Traditionally built Mma Ramwotse and secretarial school star graduate Mma Makutsi have expanded their Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Their somewhat prickly professional relationship sometimes hampers their work. Canadian visitor Susan is seeking a sense of home she has lost since leaving Botswana as a child, but the intrepid ladies sense there is more to her quest. Part time volunteer detective Mr Polopetsi has got himself caught up in a pyramid scheme that Mma Ramotswe must try to extract him from. And then there’s the problem of apprentice Fanwell’s stray dog. Long tracts of homespun of philosophy make the story a trifle dull, rather than low key and charming. This is embodied by the rather prosaic title, lacking the usual quirk. It seems the author and his lady detectives are rather running out of steam.