title: Confessions of a Serial Novelist
author:  Alexander McCall Smith 
description: ""One of the most entrancing literary treats of many a year. A tapestry of extraordinary nuance and richness."<br /><br />"The author's prose has the merits of simplicity, euphony and precision ..."<br /><br />"A quiet joy, a little gem of a book set apart from the genre by the quality of its writing, as well as by its exotic setting. It uses simple but tellingly descriptive language to introduce readers to its warm and appealing heroine."
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH  
  
  
  ![image](../Images/Mcca_9781400077656_epub_001_r1.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **THE NO. 1 LADIES’** **DETECTIVE AGENCY**
  
  
  
  
  
  Alexander McCall Smith is a professor of medical law at Edinburgh University.
  He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and taught law at the University
  of Botswana. He is the author of over fifty books on a wide range of subjects,
  including specialist titles such as _Forensic Aspects of Sleep_ and _The
  Criminal Law of Botswana_ , children’s books such as _The Perfect Hamburger_ ,
  and a collection of stories called _Portuguese Irregular Verbs_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  ![](../Images/Mcca_9781400077656_epub_002_r1.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **“A literary confection. …**  
  
  
  **There is no end to the pleasure.”**  
  
  
  **_—The New York Times Book Review_**
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../Images/Mcca_9781400077656_epub_003_r1.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **THE NO. 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY**
  
  
  
  
  
  **Volume 1**
  
  
  
  
  
  Millions of readers have fallen in love with the traditionally built,
  eminently sensible, an