How many The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books are there?

There are 27 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books, as of September 2026.

Is the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series finished?

There have been no new The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books since the last one.

Did Alexander McCall Smith write other series?

Yes: Professor Dr von Igelfeld Entertainments, 44 Scotland Street, Isabel Dalhousie and Precious Ramotswe.

Cover of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books in order A series by Alexander McCall Smith

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith has 27 books (25 novels and 2 shorter works), from The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998) to The Big Cats Dance Party. Read it in order, starting with The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

Reading order: 1 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998) · 2 Tears of the Giraffe (2000) · 3 Morality for Beautiful Girls (2001) · 4 The Kalahari Typing School for Men (2002) · 5 The Full Cupboard of Life (2003) · 6 In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (2004) · 7 Blue Shoes and Happiness (2006) · 8 The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (2007) · 9 The Miracle at Speedy Motors (2008) · 10 Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (2009) · … all 27 below

Updated September 2026

All 27 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books in order

1.
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998)
240 pages★ 3.5 (24 ratings)
Buy
2.
Tears of the Giraffe (2000)
233 pages
Buy
3.
Morality for Beautiful Girls (2001)
246 pages★ 4.3 (7 ratings)
Buy
4.
The Kalahari Typing School for Men (2002)
207 pages
Buy
5.
The Full Cupboard of Life (2003)
224 pages★ 4.3 (7 ratings)
Buy
6.
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (2004)
248 pages★ 4.0 (6 ratings)
Buy
7.
Blue Shoes and Happiness (2006)
256 pages
Buy
8.
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (2007)
240 pages
Buy
9.
The Miracle at Speedy Motors (2008)
249 pages
Buy
10.
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (2009)
250 pages
Buy
11.
The Double Comfort Safari Club (2010)
240 pages
Buy
12.
The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party (2011)
244 pages
Buy
13.
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (Apr 2012)
288 pages
Buy
14.
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon (Oct 2013)
245 pages
Buy
15.
The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe (2014)
256 pages
Buy
16.
The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine (2015)
224 pages
Buy
17.
Precious and Grace (May 2017)
240 pages
Buy
18.
The House of Unexpected Sisters (2017)
256 pages
Buy
19.
Colours of All the Cattle (2018)
240 pages
Buy
20.
To the Land of Long Lost Friends (Sep 2019)
240 pages
Buy
21.
How to Raise an Elephant (Sep 2020)
256 pages
Buy
22.
The Joy and Light Bus Company (2021)
240 pages
Buy
23.
Song of Comfortable Chairs (2022)
Buy
24.
From a Far and Lovely Country (2023)
Buy
25.
The Great Hippopotamus Hotel
Buy
26.
In the Time of Five Pumpkins
Buy
27.
The Big Cats Dance Party
Buy

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency FAQ

How many The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books are there?: There are 27 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books, as of September 2026.
What order should I read the The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books in?: In publication order, starting with The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998): 1 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998) · 2 Tears of the Giraffe (2000) · 3 Morality for Beautiful Girls (2001) · 4 The Kalahari Typing School for Men (2002) · 5 The Full Cupboard of Life (2003) · 6 In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (2004) · … all 27 below.
What is the first The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency book?: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998).
What is the latest The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency book?: The Big Cats Dance Party.
Is the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series finished?: There have been no new The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books since the last one.
Did Alexander McCall Smith write other series?: Yes: Professor Dr von Igelfeld Entertainments, 44 Scotland Street, Isabel Dalhousie and Precious Ramotswe.