When an author starts talking about a detective story it is obvious that he is talking about a male who is dressed in black most of the time. Females usually don’t perform as detectives because it is dangerous business. Only men folk can handle cases of murders and missing children according to most people but Alexander McCall Smith tries to change that centuries-old pattern. After all, it is not the era of Sherlock Holmes in which we are living so a change is needed. Author Alexander has introduced Precious as a detective here who happens to be the only one of her kind in the Kalahari Desert. When she opened her business in the area there was distrust in the minds of the people. They thought that a cute lady could never solve their issues and then she started proving herself. In her small van, she is seen hurtling toward different situations and solving the cases more quickly than the men of the town.
In a year or two, we observe that she solves cases of murders, abduction, and different cases related to husbands who face psychological issues. No one who has listened to The Peppermint Tea Chronicles and How to Raise an Elephant before this book could have expected such a new change in the author’s writing. In the dominating voice of Lisette Lecat, we listen to the start of a series that is about to flourish real fast in the days to come. The character that rules the story is not only charming in appearance but it has matchless qualities too. For the female fans, this book can serve as a special treat by the author.
