No.1 Ladies Detective Agency on M-Net

When I heard that Alexander McCall Smith's popular series of detective books were coming to the small screen, with a remake of his first book, No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, I set my PVR to record.

This seven part mini-series started on M-Net, Monday 3 August at 21:30.

The story of Precious Ramotswe

As a young girl growing up in the African nation of Botswana, Precious Ramotswe was encouraged by her father, to follow her dreams, no matter what. When Precious was a little girl, she spent her days with her father in the wilds of Botswana, learning to use her eyes, her ears, her memory and her patience to solve any mysteries surrounding her.

Years later, after her beloved father dies, Precious inherits his 180 cows – a windfall that draws the interest of her abusive ex-husband, Note, (a trumpet player) and conniving lawyer Lucky. Now in her mid-30s, Precious is embarking on an almost improbable career that utilises the unique gifts of inquisition and intuition she learned earlier in life to benefit those who need help the most.

No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

She beats the odds by opening her country’s first and only female owned detective agency at Kgale Hill, Gaborone, Botswana, and fittingly calls it, ‘No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency’. As she points out, it is also the 'only' Ladies' detective agency in the country.

Assisted by her efficient yet highly strung and devoted secretary Grace Makutsi (played Anika Noni Rose), who I thought provided much of the comedy, Precious investigates a variety of cases, helping townspeople solve ‘mysteries’ in their lives, from dubious fathers, to missing children, to philandering husbands and con-artist scams.Each case gets a really funny name - I chuckled at the case of Happy Bapetse and the Dubious Daddy.

She also begins a special friendship with a widowed suitor, JLB Matekoni (played by Lucian Msamati), the owner of a local garage.

South African actors

In the lead role of Precious Ramotswe is R&B singer/songwriter Jill Scott. I found her extremely likeable, and well-cast as the main character. She is no Hollywood cut-out, rather an engaging, warm representation of an authentic African woman. Anika Noni Rose is divine as Precious’ quirky secretary Grace, and other actors include Lucian Msamati as her devoted suitor JLB, Colin Salmon (Precious’ abusive ex-husband) and local act Desmond Dube as her neighbor BK, a flamboyant hairdresser (you've gotta love him).

There are several appearances by other South African actors, including Tumisho Masha (who plays conniving lawyer Lucky Sisane), John Kani, Brenda Ngxoli, Kenneth Nkosi, and Keketso Semoko.

Late Anthony Minghella

As on of the first major film and television project series to be shot entirely on location in Botswana, and to be directed and produced by the late Anthony Minghella (who won an Oscar for Best Director in The English Patient), No.1 Ladies Detective Agency is an amazing story of female intuition and inquisition at its best.

I'm not sure it will have universal appeal, as it's distinctly African and could be perceived as rather slow for the action-loving international audiences, but there is a place for this gentle story to be told, and I'm glad it was made into a series. I've set my PVR for next Monday night already.

Author info: Cindy Moritz

Cindy Moritz is All4Women's contributing editor based in Cape Town. She spent ten years in magazine publishing, and was editor of fashion business title Pursuit for most of that time. She went on to edit popular parenting title Cape Town's Child, drawing on her own experience as mother of two young children. Deciding to practise what she preached, after a couple of years Cindy gave up the office job to pursue that fine balance of work and life which freelancing offers, and after having features published in a number of local magazines including Elle, Longevity, Femina and Strictly Business, she discovered www.all4women.co.za and online publishing. She's never looked back.