The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

J.L.B. Matekoni is in his auto shop when one of his mechanics informs him that a man is waiting in the front office. The man, sent by Charlie Gotso, is dressed like a soldier, but wearing a snake skin belt and a fancy watch. Rra Matekoni feels that breaking the windshield was easy, but lying to the soldier will be harder, and wishes Mma Ramotswe never involved him in this scheme. He reflects on his lack of willpower with her. When the soldier examines the car, he tells Rra Matekoni that something is missing. Rra Matekoni feigns ignorance and recommends Mma Ramotswe’s services. The soldier tells Rra Matekoni to arrange it, and leaves.

Later, Rra Matekoni decides to tell Mma Ramotswe that he wants no part of her scheme. He prepares a speech declaring that the bag of muti is none of their business but finds he cannot deliver it when he arrives at her home. He tells her that he finds it difficult to lie. She reminds him that murder is a worse crime than lying, and that his lie will help to solve the murder. Rra Matekoni is convinced; he watches her smile and thinks that there is no one in the world to love him but her.

In his offices near the Gaborone Mall, Charlie Gotso studies Mma Ramotswe’s face, thinking that she reminds him of his wife, who he sent to live in a farm on the countryside. His wife had expected him to be faithful, like a lower-level government official, even though she knew that he was a powerful man moving in powerful circles. He wishes he had married someone else. He questions Mma Ramotswe harshly about her agency and her clients. She thinks that he’s the type of man who won’t listen to women.

Mma Ramotswe tells him that she found the young boys who stole his property, but that she won’t give him their names. He is initially annoyed, but grateful to have his property back. She returns the bag of muti, and says that it’s very powerful. Charlie Gotso says that it doesn’t belong to him, but to a friend. Mma Ramotswe implies that she’d like to buy her own muti, and that she would provide him a sexual favor if he told her where he purchased the bag. He declines, and she offers him information about a businessman moving into offices next door. He accepts and draws her a map to his witchdoctor in the country.

Before Mma Ramotswe can investigate the witchdoctor, her childhood friend Dr. Maketsi, an administrator at the Hospital, brings a new case. After ensuring her discretion, Dr. Maketsi reveals that he thinks one of his doctors, Dr. Komoti, is on drugs. Half of the time the doctor’s performance is excellent; the other half, he makes dangerous mistakes and misses obvious problems. Dr. Maketsi is worried that any negative publicity related to the doctor’s mistakes (or his firing as a result of those mistakes) would harm the hospital. Mma Ramotswe agrees to take the case for free, as Dr. Maketsi treated her father in his final years.

Mma Ramotswe tails Dr. Komoti for days before following him across the border into Mafikeng, South Africa, where she discovers that Dr. Komoti is a twin. The twins tell her that they are both doctors: one has medical practice in Mafikeng, and the other works in the north. Mma Ramotswe realizes that the brothers are pretending to be the same person, and that only one of them has a medical license. She shares the news with Dr. Maketsi, and tells her police friend Billy Pilani about the South African clinic, so that he can arrest the brothers and spare Dr. Maketsi the scandal. 

Mma Ramotswe follows Charlie Gotso’s map through miles of desolate countryside to the witch doctor’s house. When she arrives at the house, Mma Ramotswe feels a sense of deep unease, as if she’s being watched. She is greeted by the witch doctor’s wife, who tells her that he is gone and won’t be back for several days. Mma Ramotswe tells her that she is a typist at a police station, and that the police are planning to arrest the witchdoctor and his wife for the murder of the missing boy, which is punishable by death. Mma Ramotswe explains that she has come to help the wife because she doesn’t believe women should be executed. The wife assures Mma Ramotswe that the boy is alive and offers to take her to him.

The women drive four hours out to a cattle post where the boy has been working. Mma Ramotswe confirms that he is the kidnapped child whose father wrote to her, and takes him from the cattle post back to his family in Katsana Village. As she watches the child reunite with his father, she remembers holding her infant son’s hand as he passed. She thinks about all of the suffering in Africa, and the importance of not looking away.

During the drive through the countryside to the witch doctor’s house, Mma Ramotswe’s white van picked up sand, damaging the engine. Mma Ramotswe calls Rra Matekoni’s shop, rather than his personal line, hoping not to disturb him. He answers and offers to visit personally and repair the van at her home. She worries that the van cannot be repaired. He replies that anything can be fixed, while privately wondering if his broken heart can be healed.

On Saturday morning, Mma Ramotswe shops for food in town and meets friends for coffee. She then reads the newspaper in its entirety, absorbing all of the local gossip and political information to support her work as a detective. She reflects on how well she knows her community and its inner workings. In the afternoon, Rra Matekoni works on Mma Ramotswe’s van for several hours. As the sun sets she begins cooking dinner, watching birds fly through her garden. Rra Matekoni restores the van to working condition, and the two eat dinner together on the verandah. Rra Matekoni watches Mma Ramotswe and thinks that she is everything that is good about Africa. He wishes he was a poet, rather than a mechanic. He asks Mma Ramotswe again to marry him, and she accepts.