Of miracles and kindness

Have you read the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books written by the prolific author Alexander McCall Smith? I hope so – otherwise you are really missing out on tales of kindness, human nature, good and bad in Botswana.

A couple of weeks ago, I finished the ninth book in the series: The Miracle at Speedy Motors. Mma Precious Ramotswe, the only lady detective in Botswana, once again sets out to deal with a number of cases in a very compassionate and gentle way. There are the threatening anonymous letters, a client’s search for the truth about her family, as well as her husband’s own pursuit for a miracle for their wheelchair-bound foster daughter.

Oh – and let’s not forget the girl-obsessed mechanics at her husband’s garage and her assistant, Grace, wearer of extremely large glasses.

Mix these characters with a dash of detective work. Then sprinkle with a large dose of human compassion and reflection. You then enter another world where the pace is slower, and where gentleness and kindness – not to mention lots of red bush tea – can still solve most troubles.