100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Auckland Bookstore open weekends (8:30am - 5pm) for browsing and Pick Ups! πŸŽ‰

Precious and Grace

By Alexander McCall Smith
Series: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
0.0 (0 reviews)
4.1 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 13,010 ratings, 1,571 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Precious and Grace by Alexander McCall Smith is a heartwarming tale set in Botswana, following the adventures of Mma Precious Ramotswe, the owner of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. In this instalment, Mma Ramotswe and her assistant Grace Makutsi face various challenges, including helping a Canadian woman trace her childhood roots and dealing with the consequences of Grace's impulsive decisions. The novel explores themes of compassion, culture, and the enduring bonds of friendship.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
Save 16% Off
Savings are calculated from our regular price of $25.00 compared to the current price of $21.00.
$2100
Elsewhere:
$2799
On Sale
in Book Hero's Moving Sale until 31 Aug or while stocks last
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy heartwarming tales infused with gentle humour and keen insights into human nature. You'll find yourself drawn into a vividly painted world filled with charming, engaging characters and the depth of community and friendship against the cozy backdrop of Botswana.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Precious and Grace is a story about life at Botswana's leading No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Precious and Grace is the seventeenth book in the beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.

The one with the woman who lost her past . . .

Precious Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi's friendship is tested by a curious case: a client who left Botswana thirty years ago and remembers little of her past. The quest for the truth takes the detectives in very different directions - but what if they are both wrong?

Meanwhile, Fanwell adopts a stray dog, Mr Polopetsi becomes entangled in a tricky business deal, and Violet Sephotho could be running for a prestigious award. Can Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi move beyond their differing views to solve the case and bring harmony to the agency?

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Readers appreciate the enduring friendship and collaboration between Precious and Grace, which is nuanced by their differing opinions on a particular case. The narrative is complemented by charming details such as memories, a stray dog, and countless cups of tea, all contributing to the story's appeal for fans of the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780349142036

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 May 2017

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Abacus

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 16.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 205g

Pages: 256

Collections

2025 Best Sellers Alexander McCall Smith Best Sellers at Book Hero Crime & Thriller Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction Moving Day Sale Moving Day Sale: Books Moving Day Sale: General Fiction New Release Fiction Series: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

About the Author

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of over one hundred books on a wide array of subjects, including the award-winning The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. He is also the author of the Isabel Dalhousie novels and the world's longest-running serial novel, 44 Scotland Street. His books have been translated into forty-six languages. Alexander McCall Smith is Professor Emeritus of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh and holds honorary doctorates from thirteen universities. He was knighted by the King in 2024.

Also by Alexander McCall Smith

View all
  • The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
    Wayward daughters. Missing husbands. Philandering partners. Curious conmen. If you've got a problem, and no one else can help you, then pay a visit to Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's only - and finest - female private detective. Her methods may not be conventional, and her manner not exactly Miss Marple, but she's got warmth, wit, and canny intuition on her side,...
    By Alexander McCall Smith
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Full Cupboard Of Life
    The Full Cupboard Of Life continues the delightful story of Mma Ramotswe, who remains engaged to Mr J.L.B. Matekoni following the events of the first book. Yet, she finds herself pondering when a date for the wedding will finally be set, all the while being careful not to exert too much pressure on her fiancΓ©. Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, however, has...
    By Alexander McCall Smith
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Miracle At Speedy Motors
    BOOK 9 IN THE BELOVED NO.1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one with the poison pen letter . . . For the first time in her career as Botswana's no. 1 lady detective, Mma Ramotswe suffers a blow to her faith in the goodness of humanity (and of her neighbours in particular) when she receives a threatening letter. But she...
    By Alexander McCall Smith
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party
    As the countdown to Mma Makutsi's wedding begins, all is not as it should be at the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency. While investigating unpleasant occurrences on a southern cattle-post, Mma Ramotswe, always on the side of the weak against the strong, has reason to reflect on Rule No.3 of The Principles of Private Detection: never lie to the client. Apprentice...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon
    As Botswana awaits the familiar blessing of the rains and the resumption of the eternal cycle, seismic upheaval is taking place at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Not only is Mr J. L. B. Matekoni attempting to reform himself into a modern husband, but after her marriage to Phuti Radiphuti, Mma Ramotswe's challenging but irreplaceable associate Mma Makutsi has...
    By Alexander McCall Smith
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Limpopo Academy Of Private Detection
    Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi have always relied on the advice of the classic guide to their trade, The Principles of Private Detection. But who is the eminent author, Mr Clovis Andersen, and what if he were to come to Botswana? That seems a very unlikely possibility, and yet... When Mr Andersen visits Botswana on holiday, he is delighted and...
    By Alexander McCall Smith
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    12% off
    The Handsome Man's De Luxe CafΓ©
    Even the arrival of her baby can't hold Mma Makutsi back from success in the workplace. No sooner does she become a full partner in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agencyβ€”despite Mma Ramotswe's belated claims that she is only 'an assistant full partner'β€”she also launches a new enterprise of her own: The Handsome Man's De Luxe CafΓ©. Grace Makutsi is...
    By Alexander McCall Smith
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    16% off
    The Colours of all the Cattle
    The nineteenth book in the beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series The one with the election . . . When Ramotswe enters politics to oppose the construction of the dubious-sounding 'Big Fun Hotel', her opponent turns out to be local troublemaker, Violet Sephotho. But the general air of excitement cannot eclipse important matters of detection. Charlie, assigned a mysterious...
    By Alexander McCall Smith
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    17% off
    The Joy and Light Bus Company
    Catch up on the latest from Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi, and other favourites in this new instalment of Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. "Mma Ramotswe is a glorious creation" - Mail on Sunday Mma Ramotswe knows she is very lucky indeed. She has a loving family, good friends, and a thriving business doing what she...
    By Alexander McCall Smith
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Song of Comfortable Chairs
    THE ONE WHERE MMA POTOKWANI SAVES THE DAY A Song of Comfortable Chairs follows Grace Makutsi's husband, Phuti, who finds himself in a bind. An international firm is attempting to undercut his prices in the office furniture market, and their slick new advertising campaign seems hard to beat. With Mma Ramotswe's help, however, Phuti devises a campaign that may just...
    By Alexander McCall Smith
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • 44 Scotland Street
    Immediately recognisable are the Edinburgh chartered surveyor, stalwart of the Conservative Association, who dreams of membership of Scotland's most exclusive golf club. We have the pushy Stockbridge mother, and her prodigiously talented five-year-old son, who is making good progress with the saxophone and with his Italian. Then there is Domenica Macdonald who is that type of Edinburgh lady who sees...
    By Alexander McCall Smith
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Corduroy Mansions
    Welcome to Corduroy Mansions in Pimlico: a temple of Arts and Crafts architecture, with comforting, weathered brickwork and frankly frivolous dormer windows, it is home to a delightfully eccentric cast of Londoners. In the top flat lives William, with a faithful ex-vegetarian dog named Freddie de la Hay and a freeloading son who he hopes will soon fly the nest....
    By Alexander McCall Smith
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

More from General Fiction

View all
  • The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people β€” but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    By Alison Espach
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Dungeon Crawler Carl
    The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman-now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition! You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what's worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Pre-order
    Big Little Truths
    Parenting teens is not for the faint of heart but Madeline, Jane and Celeste have been through worse. It's been a decade since the school trivia night that changed their lives forever and now they're living blissfully ordinary suburban lives. But when an anonymous grisly package arrives at the local high school, and a man in a green Volvo is...
    By Liane Moriarty
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    Pre-order
    Out 25 Aug 2026
  • Throne of Glass Box Set (Paperback)
    Enter the realm. Unleash the darkness. Live the legend. Discover the worldwide phenomenon of the #1 New York Times-bestselling Throne of Glass series in this gorgeous 8-book box set! In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Set
    $12400
    Elsewhere:
    $15500
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Goal
    Welcome to Briar U!Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy!Read The Goal now for the perfect forced proximity romance! She's good at achieving her goals . . . College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick...
    By Elle Kennedy
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Red Rising
    The first book in the incredible New York Times bestselling series Darrow is a Helldiver, toiling beneath the surface of Mars. As a member of the Red caste, he performs grueling labor in the belief that his sacrifice will enable future generations to one day inhabit the surface of the Red Planet. The Reds are humankind's lowest caste, living in...
    By Pierce Brown
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    The Ballad of Falling Dragons [Special Deluxe edition]
    The No.1 Sunday Times bestselling sensation When the Moon Hatched continues with the second book in The Moonfall Series, The Ballad of Falling Dragons… Raeve’s thirst for vengeance continues to burn, as does her love for Kaan Vaegor – a staunch beacon from a past she’s yet to face. With Rekk’s blood still fresh on her hands, she learns the...
    By Sarah A. Parker
    Hardback
    $5999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Crescent City Paperback Box Set
    A beautiful box set containing all three paperback instalments of the Crescent City series from #1 bestselling global phenomenon Sarah J. Maas. BOUND BY BLOOD. TEMPTED BY DESIRE. UNLEASHED BY DESTINY. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan - Time Think Game of Thrones meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a drizzle of E.L. James – Telegraph Spiced...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Set
    $5499
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Project Hail Mary
    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...
    By Andy Weir
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    (4)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    Join Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut as they fight fantastical creatures and deadly mobs in the second book in the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl series -now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They've already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Hardback
    $4699
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Score
    Welcome to Briar U! Get ready for your newest obsession... Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy! Read The Score now for the perfect friends with benefits romance! He knows how to score, on and off the ice... Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn't have...
    By Elle Kennedy
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Golden Son
    ENDER'S GAME meets THE HUNGER GAMES in this, the second in an extraordinary trilogy from an incredible new voice.'I'm still playing games. This is just the deadliest yet.' Darrow is a rebel forged by tragedy. For years he and his fellow Reds worked the mines, toiling to make the surface of Mars inhabitable. They were, they believed, mankind's last hope....
    By Pierce Brown
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

General Fiction lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all