Reading Lists β†’ The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Books In Order (Full List)

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a series of 27 books by Alexander McCall Smith. The first book published in the series is The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in 1998. Here is a complete list of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books in order.

Last update: October 18, 2026

1. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998)

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency book cover

1 Ladies Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe But the case that tugs at her heart, and lands her in danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been snatched by witchdoctors.

  • πŸ“‡ 278 Pages
  • πŸ“ 69,500 - 83,400 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 9 Hours Reading Time

2. Tears of the Giraffe (2000)

Tears of the Giraffe book cover

1 Ladies' Detective Agency received two Booker Judges' Special Recommendations and was voted one of the β€˜International Books of the Year and the Millennium' by the Times Literary Supplement.

  • πŸ“‡ 227 Pages
  • πŸ“ 56,750 - 68,100 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

3. Morality for Beautiful Girls (2001)

Morality for Beautiful Girls book cover

THE NO.1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY published in 1998, introduced the world to the one and only Precious Ramotswe, the engaging and sassy owner of Botswana's only detective agency.

  • πŸ“‡ 227 Pages
  • πŸ“ 56,750 - 68,100 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

4. The Kalahari Typing School for Men (2002)

The Kalahari Typing School for Men book cover

1 Ladies' Detective AgencyFor All Confidential Matters and InquiriesSatisfaction Guaranteed for all PartiesUnder Personal ManagementThe phenomenal success of The No.

  • πŸ“‡ 191 Pages
  • πŸ“ 47,750 - 57,300 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 6 Hours Reading Time

5. The Full Cupboard of Life (2003)

The Full Cupboard of Life book cover

1 Ladies' Detective Agency hit series. Once again we are transported to Gaborone, capital city of Botswana, and into the world of Mma Ramotswe and her friends.

  • πŸ“‡ 198 Pages
  • πŸ“ 49,500 - 59,400 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 7 Hours Reading Time

6. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (2004)

In the Company of Cheerful Ladies book cover

In the newest addition to the universally beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the charming and ever-resourceful Precious Ramotswe ends up overly beset by problems.

  • πŸ“‡ 233 Pages
  • πŸ“ 58,250 - 69,900 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

7. Blue Shoes and Happiness (2006)

Blue Shoes and Happiness book cover

1 Ladies' Detective Agency and Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. A cobra has been found in Precious Ramotswe's office.

  • πŸ“‡ 256 Pages
  • πŸ“ 64,000 - 76,800 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 9 Hours Reading Time

8. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (2007)

The Good Husband of Zebra Drive book cover

The 8th novel in the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency Series Grace Makutsi is promoted to associate detective and handles a case herself. Mma Ramotswe helps the hospital in Mochudi deal with a string of mysterious patient deaths.

  • πŸ“‡ 213 Pages
  • πŸ“ 53,250 - 63,900 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 7 Hours Reading Time

9. The Miracle at Speedy Motors (2008)

The Miracle at Speedy Motors book cover

Precious Ramotswe takes on a family mystery while she keeps the agency at Speedy Motors running.

  • πŸ“‡ 224 Pages
  • πŸ“ 56,000 - 67,200 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 7 Hours Reading Time

10. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (2009)

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built book cover

Mma Ramotswe's little white van starts to fail, and she has to turn her detective skills on a problem of her own.

  • πŸ“‡ 212 Pages
  • πŸ“ 53,000 - 63,600 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 7 Hours Reading Time

11. The Double Comfort Safari Club (2010)

The Double Comfort Safari Club book cover

Precious Ramotswe deals with issues of mistaken identity and great fortune against the backdrop of Botswana's remote and striking Okavango Delta.

  • πŸ“‡ 240 Pages
  • πŸ“ 60,000 - 72,000 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

12. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party (2010)

The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party book cover

Hoping to reclaim a van that was featured in a possible prophetic dream, Precious and Grace find themselves helping an apprentice of Phuti Radiphuti, investigating a cattle poisoning.

  • πŸ“‡ 213 Pages
  • πŸ“ 53,250 - 63,900 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 7 Hours Reading Time

13. The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (2012)

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection book cover

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection is the thirteenth mystery novel by Alexander McCall Smith in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, first published in 2012.

  • πŸ“‡ 257 Pages
  • πŸ“ 64,250 - 77,100 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 9 Hours Reading Time

14. The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon (2013)

The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon book cover

The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon is the fourteenth mystery novel by Alexander McCall Smith in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, first published in 2013.

  • πŸ“‡ 242 Pages
  • πŸ“ 60,500 - 72,600 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

15. The Handsome Man's De Luxe CafΓ© (2014)

The Handsome Man's De Luxe CafΓ© book cover

Mma Ramotswe has her hands full both at home and in the office. To add to her current challenges, her devoted partner, Grace Makutsi, has decided to branch out on her own and open The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe.

  • πŸ“‡ 227 Pages
  • πŸ“ 56,750 - 68,100 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

16. The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine (2015)

The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine book cover

Business is slow at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, so slow in fact that for the first time in her estimable career Precious Ramotswe has reluctantly agreed to take a holiday.

  • πŸ“‡ 213 Pages
  • πŸ“ 53,250 - 63,900 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 7 Hours Reading Time

17. Precious and Grace (2016)

Precious and Grace book cover

Mma Ramotswe takes the case behind "Precious and Grace".

  • πŸ“‡ 227 Pages
  • πŸ“ 56,750 - 68,100 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

18. The House of Unexpected Sisters (2017)

The House of Unexpected Sisters book cover

1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Precious Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi are intrigued by the troubling dismissal of an employee at a thriving local business.

  • πŸ“‡ 227 Pages
  • πŸ“ 56,750 - 68,100 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

19. The Colors of All the Cattle (2018)

The Colors of All the Cattle book cover

Mma Potokwane urges Precious Ramotswe to run for a seat on the Gaborone city council.

  • πŸ“‡ 361 Pages
  • πŸ“ 90,250 - 108,300 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 12 Hours Reading Time

20. To the Land of Long Lost Friends (2019)

To the Land of Long Lost Friends book cover

Alexander Hamilton was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first U.S. secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795 under the presidency of George Washington.

  • πŸ“‡ 240 Pages
  • πŸ“ 60,000 - 72,000 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

21. How to Raise an Elephant (2020)

How to Raise an Elephant book cover

Mma Ramotswe takes the case behind "How to Raise an Elephant".

  • πŸ“‡ 256 Pages
  • πŸ“ 64,000 - 76,800 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 9 Hours Reading Time

22. The Joy and Light Bus Company (2021)

The Joy and Light Bus Company book cover

Mma Ramotswe takes the case behind "The Joy and Light Bus Company".

  • πŸ“‡ 240 Pages
  • πŸ“ 60,000 - 72,000 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

23. A Song of Comfortable Chairs (2022)

A Song of Comfortable Chairs book cover

The bibliography of Alexander McCall Smith, a Scottish legal scholar and author of fiction. He was raised in Southern Rhodesia and was formerly Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh.

  • πŸ“‡ 227 Pages
  • πŸ“ 56,750 - 68,100 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

24. From a Far and Lovely Country (2023)

From a Far and Lovely Country book cover

Mma Ramotswe takes the case behind "From a Far and Lovely Country".

  • πŸ“‡ 227 Pages
  • πŸ“ 56,750 - 68,100 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

25. The Great Hippopotamus Hotel (2024)

The Great Hippopotamus Hotel book cover

Mma Ramotswe takes the case behind "The Great Hippopotamus Hotel".

  • πŸ“‡ 227 Pages
  • πŸ“ 56,750 - 68,100 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

26. In the Time of Five Pumpkins (2025)

In the Time of Five Pumpkins book cover

Mma Ramotswe takes the case behind "In the Time of Five Pumpkins".

  • πŸ“‡ 227 Pages
  • πŸ“ 56,750 - 68,100 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time

27. The Big Cats Dance Party (2026)

The Big Cats Dance Party book cover

Mma Ramotswe takes the case behind "The Big Cats Dance Party".

  • πŸ“‡ 227 Pages
  • πŸ“ 56,750 - 68,100 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 8 Hours Reading Time