In the Company of Cheerful Ladies

Lisette Lecat is the voice of McCall Smith's bestselling books about Mma. Ramotswe and the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency of Botswana. In this installment, the detective agency is busy amid a number of distractions, including the return of Mma Ramotswe's former abusive husband. Lecat reads with the knowledgeable pacing of one who knows the material well. The main characters have the distinctive voices that listeners have come to expect, and she gives all the characters the lilt of Botswanans. Admittedly, she has more than the usual number of male characters to handle, and at least one of the newcomers sounds very much like one of the series leads, Mr. J.L.B. Matakone. But that's a minor criticism. Lecat will keep you entertained throughout. R.E.K. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine