A sweet hotel just outside of town is experiencing nasty tricks that are likely to drive away customers. The former owner has transferred his interest to his two nephews, who are brothers and a niece. But early on, Mma Ramotswe takes ill and the case must be pursued by Grace Makutsi who thoroughly enjoys the new important role. She has a firm belief, based on information that is only tangentially relevant, that her arch enemy Violet Sephoto is involved in the troubles at the hotel. This could have rendered the plot a thin and well-worn joke, but Mme Makutsi is actually quite capable in her interviews and strategies in the investigation. There's a really sweet character in the form of a little boy who is mute and has moved to the orphanage. There is a seemingly bombastic customer of the garage who had to have an expensive sports car and would hear no sound advice. There is... Botswana. So, as usual, this was a lovely entry into the series. Not my favorite but good. I was particularly happy to have the talking shoes return to torment Grace. Grab a cup of tea and read! You won'g go wrong.

This series is the perfect antidote for the anxiety of today’s world. When you finish any one of these books, it makes you want to be a better person. I confess, the beginning was basically a recycling of all the previous stories with frequently repeated observations practically word for word from earlier episodes, but halfway through Mma Ramotswe, the wise leader of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, was struck down by a case of food poisoning which placed the current case in the hands of her colleague, Grace Makutsi. Mma Makutsi has always come across as a bit of a flake, clinging to the reputation she acquired in secretarial school for achieving a high score on her final exam. Her insecurity was never more apparent than in this story when an acquaintance referred to her as an assistant at the detective agency rather than a full colleague. And frankly, to this reader it has always seemed she required the firm but diplomatic direction of Precious Ramotswe to do her part.
In The Great Hippopotamus Hotel, however, Grace manages to use the experience she has acquired in previous cases to help reach a satisfactory conclusion in determining who was behind the sabotaging of the reputation of this boutique hotel. What is even more enjoyable is seeing Grave replace her rigid preconceptions with a more flexible approach.
A final note is the pleasure in reading the author’s final paean to the country of Botswana. It is hard to believe that Alexander McCall Smith lives in Scotland. He seems to be a true native of this South African country..

This is my first Alexander McCall Smith book, and unfortunately likely my last.

Cody mysteries need a strong sense of place and terrific atmosphere to keep my attention, and this one was disappointingly short on both, or at least those elements didn’t work for me here. Theoretically the setting for this sounded outstanding and different, but it takes a backseat to a lot of dialogue and daily life content that didn’t appeal.

The story and mystery are fine and certainly thoughtfully crafted, but the low stakes nature of what’s happening meant that I needed a more fleshed-out world or setting to enjoy this, and they just aren’t there.

The characters are likable enough but fairly one dimensional in a way that isn’t important if the rest of the book appeals, but also aren’t going to draw you in if the rest doesn’t hold your attention.

There’s no real issue of quality with this book, and if you like this style of cozy you’ll likely do fine with this one, but much to my disappointment, this was not for me.

Another great addition to the No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are the ladies of the detective agency. They live in a small village in Botswana, They are tasked to help solve various mysteries. This one focuses mostly on the problems that are happening at The Great Hippopotamus Hotel. The previous owner left the hotel to some of his relatives. They are struggling with it. Mma Ramotswe’s husband, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, runs the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. He needs her help with an issue there too.

This series is known for cozy mysteries, well developed characters, and interesting plot. McCall Smith did not disappoint with this newest addition to the series. I have read many of the books before so I appreciate the updates on the various village people. But if you have not, I still feel like it could be enjoyed as a stand alone title.

Thank you NetGalley and Pantheon Books for the advanced reader copy.

This latest in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series delivers everything long-time readers look forward to, and still manages to be a fine starting point for someone who hasn’t encountered the series before. It’s like a little visit to beautiful Botswana with added mystery. Over a cup of bush tea we eavesdrop on conversations about seemingly everyday topics—but like a scorpion hidden in the hotel room, each little scene contains some vital clue or puzzle piece that hints of lurking danger. Grace Makutsi and her shoes do a lot of legwork in this book, while Mma Ramotswe manages to resolve a worrying situation for Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni while recuperating from a bout of food poisoning. In the end, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi together assemble all the puzzle pieces to unmask the culprit behind the troubles at the Great Hippopotamus Hotel. By turns exciting, humorous, and heartwarming—highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

I eagerly await each of Alexander McCall Smith's book. This one is another winner. Charming love letter to the people of Botswana. A mystery of who is sabotaging the hotel, the manager employs Mms Romotswe and Mma Makutsi to take the case. As a sub plot Mr. J.L. B Matekoni's biggest client hires him to purchase a sports car. The book is filled with common sense, honesty and compassion .

I love Mma Ramotswe, but this book moved very slowly, and I think the choice of having Mma Makutsi become the primary investigator was not good. She's just not as interesting as her mentor, and I found myself having to return to the book many times to finish it.

A nice engaging read with no. 25 of the Ladies' Detective Agency.

I love the characters and how they solve mysteries and are so connected to one another. The ladies care about one another. They give feedback on life and the best and worst of human nature. The interactions between characters are engaging and entertaining.

The story itself is fun and charming.

I enjoyed my time with the ladies and will return for the next installment.

Thanks to Netgalley and Vintage Anchor for the ARC.

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.