The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (No 1. Ladies' Detective Agency Book 8)

Good book

It is often said, "What goes around, comes around." Or perhaps more succinctly and more personally, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." In this book, the 8th book in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Series, McCall Smith concentrates on Work Ethics on the job. Many interesting events take place in this volume for followers of the series. We have two resignations, Mma Makutsi and Rra Charlie, the older mechanic apprentice; each for their own reasons. And, each returns for totally different reasons.Both are welcomed back, despite the terms of their resignations. Each of these allowances for their returns are deeply embedded in the high ethical positions of both Mma Ramotswe and Rra J.L.B. Matekoni. Both run the most highly ethical types of lives and these high ethics extend also to their work and how they treat people in their work and outside their work. Ethics in work is perhaps even more important than ethics in the rest of life, as at work, there is a job to keep secure and a salary to earn that supports families, children, and spouses; if not others.Perhaps the most interesting of all the ethical questions tackled by McCall Smith in this book is that of Medical Ethics. There is a case that comes into the Agency, involving the mysterious death of three people, who died in the same bed at the same time; each occurrence happening on a Friday. Surely this could be a coincidence, but the odds of such a coincidence must be astronomical.It is Mma Ramotswe's job to investigate and evaluate whether there is something or someone responsible for these mysterious deaths, or whether the unusually odd statistical probability is just that, a coincidence. With her usual style, Mma investigates this situation with the assistance of her unusually acute sense of awareness. She looks for something different, particularly at that time on Fridays. She does in fact find just such a difference. It turns out, that the Assistant Administrator is aware of this situation, but he had been the one to call in Mma Ramotswe and the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.That decision was one of ethics. Despite the Administrator's awareness of the reason, he wanted an outside agent to write a report indicating that there was nothing amiss in these deaths. When it turns out, that the one responsible for the mysterious occurrence is not aware whatsoever of what she had caused, it was left to Mma Ramotswe to decide what would be the ethical thing to do. All those who lost their lives had been old, with no dependent relatives and they had been very, very sick. Mma decides that the protection of the inadvertent perpetrator's sense of ethical propriety is the most ethically correct position to take. She therefore agrees with the Administrator to indicate that there is nothing unusual about the incident and to let it end right there.This volume is particularly fine in the series. By this the eighth book in the series, there is considerable character development and readers of all 8 books understand and know the ways of the characters that appear in the series. Because of this situation, McCall Smith is able to play on their past behaviors to work out some very tricky and sticky Work Ethics problems and considerations. The book is recommended to all readers interested in ethical behavior and all readers of McCall Smith books who want to read perhaps the very best of the series since the first book.

Fiction has the ability to transport a reader into the world of the author's choosing. The best fiction enhances the reader's ability to deal with reality. The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series, of which this volume is the eighth installment, brings the reader to Botswana--an African nation struggling to maintain its identity as it adopts modern ways--and shows the power to be had in moral living, in trying to do good and be good. No reader can or will regret time spent in Mma Ramotswe's world.The author's love of Africa pervades his stories. His characters are good people who deal with their circumstances and foibles in an honest and forthright manner so lacking in more "modern" cultures and settings. Africa seems to have retained habits of polite respect, habits now rarely found in this Californian's world. By this eighth volume we have come to know and respect Mma Ramotswe as a person with a singular gift of insight. By now we have seen her deal with numerous difficulties and the author is concentrating on her husband Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni who must deal with a mid-life crisis, her friend Grace Makutsi who must adapt to success, Charlie the Apprentice who is apt to make a mess of things as well as the typical clientele of the Agency; problems are solved.The genius of Mr. Smith's series is the pacing. There are no hurries. He takes the time to explore his characters' feelings and reactions to life and does so in an engaging, surprisingly readable manner. In a very telling scene, though there may be dangerous crocodiles in the water, Mr. Smith demonstrates that Mma Ramotswe can still, though wary, appreciate the beauty of her wild country. Likewise, though our world is inhabited by crocodiles of a different sort, we learn that happiness can still be found and enjoyed despite all difficulties.There is an unequalled depth to these characters and their stories are mixed with wry commentary on the human condition that is alone worth the price of the book--there is wisdom in these stories that far exceeds most of the drivel masquerading as literature. Marriage is sanctified, virtue is rewarded, mercy is extended and rewarded; Mr. Smith convincingly portrays the conditions precedent to happiness and true satisfaction with life. His stories give hope.I prescribe all eight volumes for anyone who is weary of the world in which we live. These books demonstrate that a gentle, peaceful life can still be had amongst the crocodiles.

The characters are lovable believable and the kind of people you would like to spend some time with. They're kind and thoughtful and their thoughts at times are even inspiring. While the book does slow down occasionally, those times are easy to put up with because the characters themselves are just so enjoyable to be with. And added Plus for this book is that it will give you a deep appreciation of the beauty of Africa.

I love this series as it mimics so many ch in life then & now. I highly recommend the entire series with breaks in between books for something light & fun!

Although this book is set in Botswana, in a detective agency and amongst people that I know very little of I find it completely engaging because the author has the ability to make me identify with the thoughts and actions of his characters. This is a gentle read but is totally engaging. It is positive and uplifting in the nicest possible way without at any time being sentimental and saccharine.In the life of our heroine Mme Ramotswe and her husband there are both professional and personal events. In the detective agency there are cases to investigate and Mr J LB Maketone gets the opportunity to investigate a case for himself. There are unexpected deaths at the local hospital, missing office supplies at a local printing company and a possibly errant husband. In their personal life this enchanting married couple have to face a fallout with their friend and the possible loss of their apprentice.It is difficult to define exactly what it is that is so compelling about this story. Some of it is in the way that the author writes about the country, its landscape and its people. A lot of it has to do with the engaging characters he has created and especially in how he describes their inner life – we spend a lot of time seeing how the characters think and why they make the decisions they do. Some of the delight of the story is also wrapped up in the fact that the author examines very small things like, for example, what you do when you run out of tea or how you handle an unexpected visitor or a request to be a godparent. This book could have overflowed with sugar and been so feelgood that it was impossible to read but in all places there is plenty of wit and sarcasm in order to make sure that the feelgood aspects do not get out of control and overwhelm the whole book. I think the author gets this balance completely right.I have read all of these books up until this point and this one certainly doesn’t disappoint as an addition to the series. The actual plot and any possible mysteries or crimes are becoming a less important part of the story with more and more time being given to the ordinary lives of the main characters. I don’t think that the book suffers in any way from this change in emphasis and, in fact, I think it actually enhances it. This is not really a crime novel. It is a novel about ordinary people trying to do their best, often with very few resources, and trying to be people that are worthy of their country and of their aspirations. I cannot imagine many other authors that can that can portray this so well. After this book I am still a fan of this series and shall be looking out for more.

I could not speak too highly of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. Seemingly simple stories but so beautifully told with sensitivity and a deep understanding of human nature. Alexander McCall Smith has woven mystery, tragedy, humour and gentle fun and presented the reader with an escape to a beautiful country that has its share of the world's troubles - these are not fairy stories, and not everything gets perfectly resolved, as in life. I was disappointed to come to the end of the series.

Another winner of a novel. These books just make me smile. The husband this time trying his hand at detective work with the predictable results that make you chuckle.

A.M.Smith is one of my favorite authors, and this is just one more great book in a great series that I highly recommend and have reviewed elsewhere. I only gave this book 4 points because I have all the other books with this cover. What arrived is a completely different, and to my eyes, inferior cover that does not match the rest of my books, and the typeface is also different and more difficult to read. So beware, this cover is not what you will receive.

And her colleague MMA Makutsi. Absolutely beautiful read of old fashion values morality, compassion and understanding, still relevant for today.