The Full Cupboard of Life is the fifth in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series of novels by Alexander McCall Smith, set in Gaborone, Botswana, and featuring the Motswana protagonist Precious Ramotswe as principal detective.
In this novel, Mma Ramotswe is asked to vet the four men offering marriage to one woman, who cannot tell which of them wants her money and which is in love with her. Mma Makutsi moves to new quarters, which her raise in pay and promotion allow. Mr JLB Matekoni gets roped into doing a parachute jump at a fundraiser for the orphan farm. He persuades his apprentice to do it instead of him; but there is a bigger reason to get Mr JLB Matekoni to that event. Mma Potokwane has arranged his wedding to Mma Ramotswe.
This novel has been reviewed as "delightful", "charmingly gossamer", "witty, elegant, gentle, compassionate and exotic.", praised for "the warm humanity infused throughout" and the whole series to date described as "literary confection of such gossamer deliciousness". In short, it has been well received by reviewers in the US and in the UK. Further, it received the first Saga Award for Wit in 2003; Saga is a UK firm whose audience is people over 50 years old.
Plot summary
Mma Ramotswe is now engaged to the mechanic Mr. JLB Matekoni, but he seems reluctant to set a wedding date, which makes her a little unhappy. She takes on an interesting investigation: Mma Holonga, a rich businesswoman, is seeking a husband, and asks Mma Ramotswe to check the men on her shortlist of four, to eliminate those who only want her for her money. Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi, Mma Ramotswe's assistant, moves to better rooms thanks to her promotion and extra income, but is mourning the loss of her brother.
Mma Potokwani, the formidable matron of the orphan farm, manoeuvres Mr J.L.B. Matekoni into agreeing to do a sponsored parachute jump to benefit the orphans. The gentle and timid mechanic is terrified at the prospect, Mma Ramotswe solves the parachute problem by persuading the garage apprentice Charlie to do it instead, convincing him that it will make him attractive to girls. Mma Potokwani offers to sort out the matter of the wedding by arranging it all herself, and presenting it to Mr JLB Matekoni as a fait accompli – Mma Ramotswe agrees, although Mma Makutsi is horrified.
Everyone assembles at the orphan farm to watch Charlie's parachute jump, which is successful. Mma Potokwani surprises everyone by announcing that she has made all the preparations for the wedding and, with the help of a priest who is present, Mma Ramotswe and Mr JLB Matekoni are married there and then.
Reception
This novel has been reviewed as "delightful", "charmingly gossamer", "witty, elegant, gentle, compassionate and exotic.", praised for "the warm humanity infused throughout" and the whole series to date as "literary confection of such gossamer deliciousness". In short, it has been well received by reviewers in the US and in the UK.
Publishers Weekly finds this novel "delightful". Mma Ramotswe always solves her cases, but not in haste, and following a code of behavior and decency. They credit the author for his "always engaging" way of portraying the code that guides his protagonists.
Kirkus Reviews calls this a "charmingly gossamer mystery" in this "enchanting series" of mystery novels. There is a focus on marriage in this novel, including her own, after such a long engagement. They describe the strength of the protagonist, Mma Ramotswe, who "provides less detection than advice, and wise advice it turns out to be, even when her clients decline to take it."
Marcel Berlins finds the protagonist of this novel to be the "magnificent Mma Ramotswe" who operates on intuition and common sense, skilled without much education or special training. He mentions that McCall Smith's novels have brought attention to a successful African nation that is not otherwise well-known. He finds this and the prior novels to be "witty, elegant, gentle, compassionate and exotic."