I actually first discovered this series through the short-lived TV version by the same name. I was disappointed when it was canceled, but oh so delighted to discover the books!

Each and every entry in this series is absolutely delightful! I love the characters, I love the setting, and most of all I love the mystery! Being the 25th book in this series, if you’re just discovering it yourself? Feel free to give it a read it’s fine as a standalone, and then you can binge on the previous 24 entries! That’s awesome!

Once again we meet Mma Ramotswe and her partner Mma Makutsi as they investigate an unusual case at The Great Hippopotamus Hotel. The manager of the hotel informs the women of the strange happenings at the hotel which include, food poisoning, laundry disappearing from the clothes line, and a scorpion found in a guest's shoe which stung the man. He tells the women that about 6 months ago, the owner gave the hotel to three cousins. Now he thinks that someone is trying to sabotage the hotel and damage it's reputation.
As the women go about solving the mystery using common sense, integrity and inserting humor into their story, the story proceeds to give us a glimpse into Botswana and the people who live there.
This story was interesting, to me because once Mma Ramotswe comes down with food poisoning after eating at the hotel, she turns the case over to Mma Makutsi who handles it a little differently from Mma's usual gentle style. Nonetheless, Grace solves the case and takes the surprise in stride.
The secondary story concerns a client of Mr. JLB Matekoni who is going through a mid-life crisis and wants him to find an Italian sports car that will quickly go 120 mph. The client, however, wants to keep it a secret from his domineering wife. One can guess how this turns out! While it didn't have much of an impact on the detective work, it was a nice way to insert an ethical dilemma into the story.
These books are so much fun and it was nice to catch up with the characters. My one objection to this cozy mystery is that the philosophical one liners are getting repetitious, and I think that they bog down the story. I finished it quickly - in a day - and look forward to the next adventure.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and am leaving my opinions voluntarily.

I always enjoy this series, but haven't been able to read the last 5 or so, so was curious to see how things have progressed. Not much change at all, as far as I could see. In this one, Mma Ramotswe is helping her husband rather than a paying case when he makes the mistake of finding a fancy sports car for a client who doesn't want to tell his wife about it, and things go a bit off the rails. Mma Ramotswe's delicate hand and common sense soon come to the rescue. The detective case is handled primarily by Mma Makutsi this time around, and she does a fine job in her own inimitable style. The Great Hippopotamus Hotel has been suffering a bit of ghostly shenanigans or sabotage, and Mma Makutsi soon gets to the bottom of the nefarious situation. All in all it was a very enjoyable story, though not one of my favorites. I usually enjoy most of Mma Ramotswe's ponderings, but these seemed a bit repetitive from other books. The emphasis on Mma Makutsi could be a plus or minus, depending on your fondness for the character. Recommended.

A fun little mystery book filled with different types of characters. I got to learn a little about Botswana’s culture and custom which was amazing. I thought I had the mystery figured out but turns out I was slightly wrong. This is my first book by this author and overall a very enjoyable read. There’s nothing too crazy going on in the story but it’s a really good mystery.

It’s always fun to read about how different parts of the world take on solving a mystery.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc!

Book #25 in this excellent series finds all of our favorite characters working their magic as they provide readers with another peek into the premier detective agency in Botswana. Fans love this series for the characters. They are unique for their abilities to move through their neighborhood, solving problems without violence and ugliness. These books are to be enjoyed again and again and shared with your friends and family for the gifts that they are. Alexander McCall Smith has a dedicated league of fans who line up every new release to tell the world how great his books are. They can't all be wrong. Introduce yourself to No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, you won't regret it.

Precious Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi are asked to look into a series of events that seem intended to ruin the reputation of The Great Hippopotamus Hotel, while Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni struggles with a tricky request from one of his most important clients. How can he keep the client happy while maintaining his own integrity?

This is the 25th (!) book in this series, and I always enjoy my trips to Gabarone, Botswana. The characters feel like old friends, and the setting seems like home. There is no murder to solve, just puzzles to figure out, and this book is no exception. Using common sense, honesty and a dash of humor, both situations are resolved, although I was surprised by the culprits behind the hotel problems.

Every time I finish one of the books from this series, I’m ready to book a trip to Botswana to see the country for myself. That’s not realistic, though, so I’ll just look forward to reading the next book when it comes out :)

Following Alexander McCall Smith's engaging No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series, The Great Hippopotamus Hotel is another excellent addition. I love reading this series for leisure and have been savoring each page. I'm always surprised by how McCall Smith builds such intricate worlds with clever characters. I particularly loved the musing of relationships, especially how sibling bonds are lifelong. I finished the book as a more empathetic and observant person. I'll forever remember how Mma Ramotswe considers love an act of courage and a reminder to do the right thing. Thank you to Pantheon and Netgalley for this wonderful ARC!

The Great Hippopotamus Hotel by Alexander McCall Smith--the 25th entry in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series that releases on 10/15. All of the beloved characters in the series are back, this time with Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi taking on a case of potential sabotage at a local hotel. A man with a sports car he is hiding from his wife also gives Mr. JLB Matekoni some angst at his garage. Everything I enjoy about this series is here. Low stakes, wisdom from Mma Ramotswe (and Mma Makutsi's shoes), and a satisfying resolution to both storylines made this a relaxing and enjoyable read.

I always look forward to the newest book in this series, and this one doesn’t disappoint! A quiet, thoughtful book with some especially timely philosophy from Mma Ramotswe, and a lot of practical wisdom from Clovis Anderson via his well read book “The Principles of Private Detection”. There are two cases, with Precious Ramotswe indisposed for several days Mma Grace Makutsi leads the investigation into the first. Her prickly style and tendency to jump to conclusions as she works to solve the case alone are quite a contrast to the gentle and thoughtful way Precious normally has, Grace wants to solve the case alone to gain Precious’s praise. The second case isn’t a mystery to be solved, but a man’s midlife crisis to be dealt with while not damaging his status as Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni’s customer.
It was a pleasure to take time and immerse myself into the world of Botswana that Precious paints for us so well, thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Pantheon for allowing me access to it via an advance copy, I strongly recommend reading it, it’s like a warm, gentle hug.

Alexander McCall Smith's The Great Hippopotamus Hotel is a delightful treasure, just like the other 24 books in the series that I devoured as soon as they were released. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC that gave me an early glimpse of Mma Makutsi's solo endeavor to solve a mystery. When Mma Ramotswe is told to stay home for a few days after a bout of food poisoning, Mma Makutsi is determined to find out who is trying to sabotage the Great Hippopotamus Hotel. Is Violet involved? Does someone have a grudge against one of the three owners?

The cast of characters is as vibrant and entertaining as always. Mma Ramotswe's words of wisdom are unforgettable and Mma Makutsi's shoes offer some sage advice as well.

In the exciting 25th installment we are instantly transported back to all the feel good characters that we have meet along this journey. I loved this book it felt so good to be back at the detective agency and sorting through mysteries again.

Thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

Available November 14th.

I was in ninth grade when I first found Mma Ramotswe and the No 1 Ladies Dectective Agency. Now it's been over a decade and I still look forward to each new addition to the series, to hearing the ever enduring, gentle hearted Mma solve a never ending series of mysteries in her home country of Botswana. This particular story is more heavily led by Mma Matsuki, but is still just as delightful as the rest. I recommend pairing this book with your favorite cup of red tea and an indulgent slice of fruit cake and an afternoon of mystery and humor.

A gently comedic yet lovingly sincere addition to the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. This volume has the coziness one expects from Alexander McCall Smith's writing. I particularly appreciate Mma Ramotswe's spirit of generosity towards her friends and acquaintances. It's a very kind series, always a bit light on plot but strong on characterization.

In this installment, the manager of The Great Hippopotamus Hotel approaches the detective agency with his fear that someone is trying to sabotage the hotel. Cases of food poisoning and scorpions underfoot are wreaking havoc on the hotel's reputation. With aid from unlikely sources, Mma Makutsi takes on the case and ponders whether the obvious solution is always the right one. Meanwhile, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni has been tasked by a middle-aged client to find him a sports car but to keep it a secret from his wife, raising ethical questions at the garage.

This 25th book in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency was soothingly familiar, from the cadence of the writing to the well-loved founder of the agency Mma Ramotswe and her partner Mma Makutsi. The philosophizing was a bit much at times, and the mystery was somewhat easily solved, but I still loved the Botswana setting. A mystery that truly fits the definition of cozy.

Thanks for the ARC. I have not read other books in this series, and there certainly are a lot of them. Overall the storytelling was a little slow for me, and some of the inner monologue asides went on a bit long. But, as this is one in a series of many, I imagine if that's a style of story telling you're used to, and what you're expecting, then The Great Hippopotamus Hotel delivers. I'm not sure it's entirely for me, but I'm glad I got the chance to spend some time with these characters and get to know the world. It was interesting, and out of the norm of what I usually read.

As a long-time fan of the No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, I was eager to read this new installment, and found it to be possibly the best in the series. What stands out are the excellent characterizations and internal musings of all the characters, Some are even rather philosophical, as when Mma Potokwane comments that men’s socks do not last long because men don’t bother to cut their toenails! Early on, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni and his two mechanic helpers, Falwell and somewhat-immature Charlie, join Mmas Ramotswe and Makutsi for tea and engage in a humorous discussion on people who are “big” or “small’ inside and outside, and what combinations exist. Mma Ramotswe muses afterwards that for all their strength, men are “fragile creatures.”

Two troublesome issues arise in this installment. First, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni agrees reluctantly to purchase a sports car for an important customer who wants to keep it secret from his domineering wife. Second, Mma. Ramotswe is approached by Quick Babusi, manager of The Great Hippopotamus Hotel, to help find out what is behind recent food poisoning incidents that are damaging the hotel’s reputation. The hotel is owned by three cousins after the original owner gave it to them six months prior. When Mma R becomes I’ll after eating at the hotel, Mma Makutsi takes the lead. In the investigation. The investigation itself takes many twists, turns and false leads until the true perpetrators are discovered.

While the plots are interesting, above all I enjoyed the delineation of characters, human foibles exposed and remedied, and quirks described such as Mma Matusi’s shoes whispering guidance to her (!) most of all. Highly recommend, and my thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy.

Another pleasant and entertaining story from the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. I always enjoy going back to Botswana to hear from old friends - the characters in this series. The gentle caring for people. nature and the country is refreshing. The mysteries are engaging and often have endearing cultural connections. I have been to Botswana and reading these stories makes me want to go back to Southern Africa to a country that is peaceful and has the sometimes stark beauty of that part of the world.
Initially, when the antagonist was Violet, was thinking, "not another Violet story". She has been used in that role enough. At the end I felt better with the outcome and hopefully a learning / maturing for Grace. It was good to see her growing in her skills and views as a detective.
Looking forward to the next visit with the Ladies and the other characters.

Another wonderful cozy mystery from Alexander McCall Smith, featuring the heartwarming characters in the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. This series is a refreshing alterative to the happenings in the real world, and sprinkled amongst the case of misfortune to befall the The Great Hippopotamus Hotel, is a dose of common sense and subtle commentary of the changing roles of men and women, 'modern ways' as opposed to the traditional customs in the land of Botswana.

As in the earlier book in this series, the crimes are gentle, and resolved with discussion and a dose of wisdom. Things move at a slower pace in this version of Botswana, relying less on technology and more on intuition and understanding.

I’ve enjoyed the No. 1. Ladies’ Detective Agency series from the first book and this was a strong twenty-fifth book in the series. It had that mystery element that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall concept that I wanted. The characters felt like the same characters and was glad I was able to continue the story with them. It left me wanting to read more in this series and from Alexander McCall Smith.

"In this latest installment of Alexander McCall Smith's beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi take on an intriguing new case and uncover surprising truths.

In the rolling hills just outside Gaborone, surrounded by a grove of acacia trees, lies The Great Hippopotamus Hotel. With spacious rooms overlooking the Botswanan countryside and a fine and loyal staff, the hotel has served as a refuge to weary travelers for many years. But a sudden string of misfortunes threatens to ruin the hotel's reputation. Food poisoning befalls an unlucky diner, laundry mysteriously disappears from the drying line, and a scorpion stings one of the guests. Mishap after mishap, until it seems these incidents are more than simple coincidences - something foul is afoot.

Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are on the case to find out who could be responsible for these unfortunate events. The answer at first seems clear, especially when they find out Violet Sephotho is involved. But as they dig deeper, they realize that the solution is not as simple as it initially seems. Meanwhile, one of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni's most important clients has asked him to source a sports car, putting him in a ticklish position as the man's wife seems to be unaware of the purchase and the client is taking great pains to keep it that way. Nevertheless, with a healthy dose of good humor and kindness, Mma Ramotswe and her associates must help restore the reputation of the hotel and prove that even the most difficult situations can be remedied with honesty and compassion."

Because every once in awhile you need Mma Ramotswe to cheer you up.