No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Ten years ago, Alexander McCall Smith, an African-born, Scottish academic published a
modest little mystery set in Botswana. The result has been anything but modest.

The book, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, follows the exploits of Mma Precious Ramotswe, the first and only female detective in the southern African nation of Botswana. Mma Ramotswe, with no background in detection but armed with common sense, uncommon intuition, and keen powers of observation, sets out to help others and her beloved country.

The book was an instant hit with reviewers and readers. Publishers' Weekly called it "a little gem of a book"; the Wall Street Journal judged it a "literary treat"; the L.A. Times settled for "smart and sassy"; and the N.Y. Times dubbed Mma Ramotswe "the Miss Marple of Botswana." Before long, the book was delighting readers everywhere and climbing the best-seller lists.

Smith, a professor of medical law at the University of Edinburgh, followed that first title with nine more in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series including the most recent, Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (2009).

The prolific Smith is the author of two additional mystery series—the Sunday Philosophy Club and 44 Scotland Street—as well as academic texts and children's books.

Last night, HBO, in partnership with the BBC, brought the endearing series to the little screen with a two-hour pilot episode that's sure to please both fans of the books and those who are new to Mma Ramotswe and her friends. Written by Richard Curtis and the late Anthony Minghella and directed by Minghella, it's a consistently faithful adaptation of Smith's wryly humorous series. If the six follow-on episodes—written by Nicholas Wright and Robert Jones and directed by Charles Sturridge and Tim Fywell—sustain the initial momentum, HBO should have a hit on its hands.

The production, shot entirely on location in Botswana, looks great, and the actors are uniformly solid. American singer/actress Jill Scott plays the detective heroine with just the right balance of charm and good-natured determination. Anika Nonie Rose is spot-on as Mma Ramotswe's prim and proper secretary, as is Lucian Msamati as Mr. JLB Matekone, the proprietor of Speedy Motors.

Media outlets have been consistent in their praise of the pilot. USA Today calls it "perfect." That's a bit extreme, of course, but the nation's daily is not a stranger to hyperbole. See their review here: http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2009-03-26-ladies-detective-agency_N.htm?csp=23&RM_Exclude=aol

The more-circumspect Detroit News pronounces it "a winner." See here: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090328/OPINION03/903280314/HBO+s++Ladies+Detective+Agency++a+winner

The New York Daily News says it's "full of charm" here: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2009/03/28/2009-03-28_the_no_1_ladies_detective_agency_stories.html

For much more on the series including an interview with Alexander McCall Smith, check out the official site: http://www.hbo.com/no1ladiesdetectiveagency/