Title:	The Great Hippopotamus Hotel
	Author:	Alexander McCall Smith
	Published:	October 15, 2024, Pantheon
	No. of Pages:	237
	Cover Price:	$19.21 Hardcover, $18.00 Paperback, $13.99 Kindle

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Fans of Mma Ramotswe, protagonist of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, will want to pick up the 25th installment, The Great Hippopotamus Hotel.As are most of these fun books, this one is set in Botswana, and Mma Ramotswe meets up with a man who is needing help because he is the manager of The Great Hippopotamus Hotel, and there have been some strange things happening that are hurting his business. Because Mma Ramotswe gets food poisoning and is told to stay home for at least 5 days, Mma Makutsi takes over the case, sure her nemesis, Violet Sephotho, is behind it.

First time readers may think, at first, that they are reading a children’s book, but as they get further into the book and understand Smith’s writing style, they soon find that there is much wisdom, mostly by Mma Ramotswe, that is useful for all of us. Smith’s writing is simple, straightforward, and often humorous. There is always a lesson to be learned. While the mysteries aren’t all that serious, and so far haven’t included murder, they are interesting as the characters solve them. This book is lighthearted and fun to read. One thing that most readers will find is that Smith captures the culture of Botswana and the way the African people; they are quite formal in their interactions, and definitely respectful.

All told, this book is delightful, as are the other books in the series. They are worth reading and perfect for all ages.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.