Reading order · 27 books · 1998 to 2026 · Set in Gaborone
No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Books in Order
Precious Ramotswe, a traditionally built woman, opens the first female-run detective agency in Botswana, in the capital, Gaborone, with money left by her beloved father. She solves small mysteries of everyday life with kindness, common sense and plenty of bush tea, helped by her assistant, later co-director, Grace Makutsi.
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Series facts
- Books
- 27
- Published
- 1998 to 2026
- First book
- The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
- Latest
- The Big Cats Dance Party (2026)
- Setting
- Set in Gaborone
The reading order
Every No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
27 books · Set in Gaborone
- 1The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency1998With Precious RamotsweAfter her father’s death, Precious Ramotswe sells his cattle and opens the No.Buy on Amazon
- 2Tears of the Giraffe2000With Precious RamotsweAn American woman asks Mma Ramotswe to find out what happened to her son, who disappeared in Botswana ten years ago.Buy on Amazon
- 3Morality for Beautiful Girls2001With Precious RamotsweThe agency is short of money, Mma Ramotswe is asked to help with a beauty contest, and Mr J.L.B.Buy on Amazon
- 4The Kalahari Typing School for Men2002With Precious RamotsweMma Makutsi opens a typing school for men, while a rival detective agency opens in town.Buy on Amazon
- 5The Full Cupboard of Life2003With Precious RamotsweA wealthy woman asks Mma Ramotswe to look into her suitors, while Mr J.L.B.Buy on Amazon
- 6In the Company of Cheerful Ladies2004With Precious RamotsweSomeone from Mma Ramotswe’s past returns to Gaborone, and an intruder is found in her house.Buy on Amazon
- 7Blue Shoes and Happiness2006With Precious RamotsweMma Ramotswe takes on a case of blackmail, and Mma Makutsi worries about her new fiancé.Buy on Amazon
- 8The Good Husband of Zebra Drive2007With Precious RamotsweMr J.L.B.Buy on Amazon
- 9The Miracle at Speedy Motors2008With Precious RamotsweA woman asks Mma Ramotswe to find her real family, and someone is sending threatening letters.Buy on Amazon
- 10Tea Time for the Traditionally Built2009With Precious RamotsweMma Ramotswe’s beloved white van finally breaks down, and the agency is asked to find out why a football team keeps losing.Buy on Amazon
- 11The Double Comfort Safari Club2010With Precious RamotsweMma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi travel to the Okavango Delta to deliver an inheritance to a safari guide.Buy on Amazon
- 12The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party2010With Precious RamotsweMma Makutsi’s wedding is approaching, and someone is harming cattle on a farm.Buy on Amazon
- 13The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection2012With Precious RamotsweClovis Andersen, the author of Mma Ramotswe’s favourite book on detection, visits Botswana.Buy on Amazon
- 14The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon2013With Precious RamotsweMma Makutsi is on maternity leave, and the owner of a beauty salon asks the agency for help.Buy on Amazon
- 15The Handsome Man’s De Luxe Café2014With Precious RamotsweMma Makutsi opens a restaurant, with mixed results.Buy on Amazon
- 16The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine2015With Precious RamotsweMma Ramotswe is persuaded to take a holiday, but cannot keep away from the agency.Buy on Amazon
- 17Precious and Grace2016With Precious RamotsweA Canadian woman who grew up in Botswana asks the agency to find the nanny who cared for her as a child.Buy on Amazon
- 18The House of Unexpected Sisters2017With Precious RamotsweMma Ramotswe learns she may have a sister she never knew about.Buy on Amazon
- 19The Colours of All the Cattle2018With Precious RamotsweMma Ramotswe is persuaded to stand for election to the city council.Buy on Amazon
- 20To the Land of Long Lost Friends2019With Precious RamotsweMma Ramotswe is reunited with a friend she lost touch with years ago.Buy on Amazon
- 21How to Raise an Elephant2020With Precious RamotsweMma Potokwane takes in an orphaned baby elephant, and Mma Ramotswe helps find it a home.Buy on Amazon
- 22The Joy and Light Bus Company2021With Precious RamotsweMma Ramotswe worries that Mr J.L.B.Buy on Amazon
- 23A Song of Comfortable Chairs2022With Precious RamotsweMma Makutsi’s husband battles a firm undercutting his furniture business, while Grace tries to help an old friend’s troubled son.Buy on Amazon
- 24From a Far and Lovely Country2023With Precious RamotsweAn American visitor asks Mma Ramotswe to find her late grandfather’s relatives in Botswana with only a few names to go on, while Charlie goes undercover at a singles club.Buy on Amazon
- 25The Great Hippopotamus Hotel2024With Precious RamotsweMma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi look into a run of misfortunes at a countryside hotel near Gaborone that may be more than bad luck.Buy on Amazon
- 26In the Time of Five Pumpkins2025With Precious RamotsweMma Ramotswe takes on a client who suspects his wife, and worries about Mr J.L.B.Buy on Amazon
- 27The Big Cats Dance Party2026With Precious RamotsweBuy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in order, starting with The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. The cases are small, but the characters’ lives develop gently through the series.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Precious Ramotswe | Grace Makutsi | J.L.B. Matekoni | Charlie | Fanwell | Mma Potokwane | Violet Sephotho | Phuti Radiphuti |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||
| 2 Tears of the Giraffe | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||
| 3 Morality for Beautiful Girls | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | |
| 4 The Kalahari Typing School for Men | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | |
| 5 The Full Cupboard of Life | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | |
| 6 In the Company of Cheerful Ladies | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | |
| 7 Blue Shoes and Happiness | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 8 The Good Husband of Zebra Drive | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 9 The Miracle at Speedy Motors | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 10 Tea Time for the Traditionally Built | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 11 The Double Comfort Safari Club | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 12 The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 13 The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 14 The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 15 The Handsome Man’s De Luxe Café | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 16 The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 17 Precious and Grace | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 18 The House of Unexpected Sisters | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 19 The Colours of All the Cattle | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 20 To the Land of Long Lost Friends | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 21 How to Raise an Elephant | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 22 The Joy and Light Bus Company | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 23 A Song of Comfortable Chairs | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 24 From a Far and Lovely Country | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 25 The Great Hippopotamus Hotel | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 26 In the Time of Five Pumpkins | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 27 The Big Cats Dance Party | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
Characters in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books
9 characters from Alexander McCall Smith’s chart, with the number of No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Precious RamotsweFounder of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency | 27 | The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency 1998 |
| Grace MakutsiRamotswe’s assistant, later co-director, proud of her 97% exam score | 27 | The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency 1998 |
| J.L.B. MatekoniMechanic, owner of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, Ramotswe’s husband | 27 | The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency 1998 |
| CharlieApprentice mechanic | 27 | The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency 1998 |
| FanwellApprentice mechanic | 27 | The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency 1998 |
| Mma PotokwaneMatron of the orphan farm | 27 | The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency 1998 |
| Violet SephothoGrace’s old rival | 25 | Morality for Beautiful Girls 2001 |
| Phuti RadiphutiFurniture shop owner and Grace’s husband | 21 | Blue Shoes and Happiness 2006 |
| Clovis AndersenAuthor of Ramotswe’s guide to private detection | 1 | The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection 2012 |