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Tears of the Giraffe isn't so much a sequel as a continuation of the events in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. As that book ended, Mma Ramatswe accepted the proposal of Mr J.L.B. Matekoni. In Tears of the Giraffe, the couple decides in which of their houses they will live, picks out a ring and decides about having children. Each event has its unexpected twists . . . including an attempt by Mr Matekoni's maid to derail the marriage.

There is less happening at the detective agency than in the prior story. This book involves solving only two mysteries, a wandering wife and a missing son. Mma Ramatswe learns that her able secretary wants to become a detective, and the savvy head of the agency tries out Mma Makutsi's talents with encouraging results.

Both story lines focus on questions of right and wrong. As a prospective spouse, what are the right reactions to one's fiance or fiancee? As a detective, how much may one do wrong to avoid greater wrongs? To one's community, what is owed? To one's employees, what opportunities should be opened? In each case, the suggestion is that all responsibilities must be borne . . . and borne bravely . . . but in a way that is tempered with love for one's fellow people.

As with The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Africa itself plays a role stronger than any single character in defining what is thought and done. The strong and distinct atmosphere makes the book more enchanting to those who do not know Africa.

The story is strengthened by alternating narrators among many different characters and using lots of dialogue so that each part of the novel is vivid and varied. It's as though six or seven almost unconnected short stories were woven together into a seamless novel. It's an impressive accomplishment.

As I finished the book, I wondered how much better off we all would be if we each took a strong responsibility for all those we meet and touch.


Africa Beckons You with Love in This Beautiful Novel   June 2, 2004
 31 out of 33 found this review helpful

If you have not read The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, I strongly urge you to do so before reading Tears of the Giraffe. Otherwise, this beautiful novel will seem like a four star effort as you fail to appreciate and integrate the background of Precious Ramotswe into your thinking as it was described in the earlier book.

Tears of the Giraffe isn't so much a sequel as a continuation of the events in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. As that book ended, Mma Ramatswe accepted the proposal of Mr J.L.B. Matekoni. In Tears of the Giraffe, the couple decides in which of their houses they will live, picks out a ring and decides about having children. Each event has its unexpected twists . . . including an attempt by Mr Matekoni's maid to derail the marriage.

There is less happening at the detective agency than in the prior story. This book involves solving only two mysteries, a wandering wife and a missing son. Mma Ramatswe learns that her able secretary wants to become a detective, and the savvy head of the agency tries out Mma Makutsi's talents with encouraging results.

Both story lines focus on questions of right and wrong. As a prospective spouse, what are the right reactions to one's fiance or fiancee? As a detective, how much may one do wrong to avoid greater wrongs? To one's community, what is owed? To one's employees, what opportunities should be opened? In each case, the suggestion is that all responsibilities must be borne . . . and borne bravely . . . but in a way that is tempered with love for one's fellow people.

As with The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Africa itself plays a role stronger than any single character in defining what is thought and done. The strong and distinct atmosphere makes the book more enchanting to those who do not know Africa.

The story is strengthened by alternating narrators among many different characters and using lots of dialogue so that each part of the novel is vivid and varied. It's as though six or seven almost unconnected short stories were woven together into a seamless novel. It's an impressive accomplishment.

As I finished the book, I wondered how much better off we all would be if we each took a strong responsibility for all those we meet and touch.


Take Me To Botswana!   March 25, 2004
 51 out of 51 found this review helpful

This is a lovely book, set in Botswana. Following directly on from No1 Ladies Detective Agency, it is a simple story about the day to day life of a Batswana woman in her 30s who tries to help others by solving their problems. She is a good woman, wiser than her age would suggest, and with a masterful insight into human nature. You learn about her background, her home, and the people around her. It is all related in such an enticing way, full of african names, attitudes and the charming way they use english that left me with not only my own clear picture of her life, but a desire to see Botswana for myself.

Isn't it one of the most lovely feelings when you find a series of books that you love to read? You cant wait to get stuck into the next one, and even once you've devoured that, there are still more books to go? Well, after reading No1 Ladies Detective Agency I was like a glutton - straight into Tears of the Giraffe, this, the second book, eating it up as if I'd been starved of reading material for years, not minutes. I wasn't disappointed - if you liked the No1 Ladies Detective Agency you WILL like Tears of the Giraffe. Absolutely no question about it. And if you loved the No1 Ladies Detective Agency you WILL love Tears of the Giraffe. Its that simple.

If you happen upon this review and are interested in Tears of the Giraffe but havent read No1 Ladies Detective Agency, make sure you read that before this, because they do run chronologically.


Totally Precious!   February 13, 2004
 7 out of 8 found this review helpful

Mma Precious Ramotswe is at it again.

She promotes her secretary, accepts a marriage proposal and discovers that that she has vicariously adopted two children without her knowledge. At the same time she solves large and small client cases without so much as swatting a Botswanan fly.

Smith's skill is to weave this altogether in a style that is simple, noble, funny, touching and ultimately, cleansing.


Continuing Life Saga of Precious Ramotswe, Woman PI   December 20, 2003
 46 out of 51 found this review helpful

I'm an American woman who has spent 12 years living in Africa, and traveled to almost every part of the African continent. When I discovered the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, I could hardly wait to read Tears of the Giraffe. I was not disappointed. I can hardly wait to get to the next books in the series. After saying she would never, ever remarry (in the first book), Precious does get engaged in this book, but continues to pursue investigating her cases while engaged. There are a lot of interesting developments that I don't want to give away. She hasn't gotten married by the end of the book, that is left to us in the third book to find out about.....!

I found it interesting that the author is a Professor of Medical law, living in Scotland, but having been born and raised in Zimbabwe. He has published many varied books on many subjects. I think these are his "fun" books! I also think that part of the reason he has written these books is to show non-Africans what traditional African society is like, especially how it is managing to move into the modern age. By setting it in Botswana, he neatly sidesteps many of the problems found in other parts of Africa, and is able to concentrate both on his story, and on showing us how traditional Africans THINK and act. I found this especially interesting, having lived in several African cultures, myself. I also find the series very uplifting and rewarding to read, in addition to being a good story. I think some of the critical reviews are from people who have never lived or traveled in Africa, and they just don't realize how true-to-life are so many of the episodes-I do not find these books at ALL condescending toward blacks. On the contrary, they are a celebration of the traditional GOOD values found in black African culture (a nice change from what we usually see in the news).

There were several things I especially enjoyed about this book. I don't particularly enjoy first-person, male-oriented police detective novels. This is about a woman detective, who had no more qualifications than you or I, but who just hung out a sign, and used her common sense. She ordered a text book from London, from which she learned some investigative procedures. She's very clever. The book is not written as a first person, blow-by-blow account. On the contrary, it is written in third person, and is more about her LIFE, going through her becoming a detective, the cases she meets along the way (which we watch her solve), and what we learn about the society as we go along. I would highly recommend this book to anyone planning to travel to any southern African country. It is a light, humorous book, from which you can learn a lot while enjoying a great story. I found it difficult to put down. I have now read the first two books in the series, and plan to order every single one. I can hardly wait until they arrive in the mail!