It’s a joyous happening within the Book Circle, which has selected the first novel in Alexander McCall Smith’s widely acclaimed and delightful The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series as its selection for the Thursday, Feb. 23 meeting, on Zoom, at 4 p.m.

Fans around the world adore this best-selling series, set in Botswana, where Precious Ramotswe and her loyal associate, Grace Makutsi, navigate their cases and their personal lives with wisdom, good humor, and frequent cups of Red Bush tea. No sooner has Precious set up shop in a storefront in Gaborone, she encounters opportunities to help people solve problems in their lives.

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency received two Booker judges’ Special Recommendations, and was voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement.