Book Review: Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith

I bet you were beginning to think that I didn't like ANY books, or simply liked to review those that I didn't like; however, I DO usually like books, and Morality for Beautiful Girls is one that I liked a lot.

I first read the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency late last fall for bookclub. I have to admit that I was really not looking that forward to it. As a rule I don't like detective novels/mysteries. I usually find the ending so contrived that, well, it's just not believable in the way that it should be. But this series is a much different type of detective novel than others I have tried to read but gave up on. So, if you haven't started this series, I highly recommend that you do.

In this third installment Precious Romatswe is busy dealing with personal and professional issues. Her fiance, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, is depressed, and she has to get him professional help. her assistant, Mma Makutsi helps out by taking over the garage and getting the lazy apprentices busy. Rose, her housekeeper helps out with the foster children (who are really Matekoni's responsibility, but somehow Precious is taking care of them).

She is also worried about remaining financially stable, so she takes a case she wouldn't otherwise because the client is a big Government Man. He is trying to blame his sister-in-law for attempting to poison his brother. While Precious is working on that case, Mma Makutsi takes a case to find the most beautiful good girl in Botswana.

This is another fast-read by Smith. Discussions about morality focus on how Botswana ways are good and pure. There's a little heaven on earth that Smith introduces us to in this series that really makes you feel that there ARE places in the world where things are good, or at least have the potential to be if you'll just put your mind to making the right decisions and choices. MBG is a delightful, up-lifting read. It is nice to read a book where the characters know where "right" is and seek it for the benefits of its rightness. I can't wait for the next book (and he's just published #7 in this series, so I can read it soon.)