Chapters 1 and 2 Summary

This gently paced mystery novel, set in the African country of Botswana, has as its central character the self-sufficient, wise, and compassionate Precious Ramotswe. As the narrative explores the variety of circumstances that enabled her to start her agency and the agency's first cases, it also explores themes relating to the independence of women, African pride, and relationships between parents and children.

Chapter 1, "The Daddy" In this introductory chapter, narration describes how Precious Ramotswe (referred to as Mma Ramotswe) came to be the operator of the only woman-run detective agency in Botswana - her dying father, a self-made cattle rancher, left her all his goods and animals so she could start her own business and be independent. Narration comments, however, that he was surprised when she told him that that business was going to be a detective agency. Narration also describes...