📖 About No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency is a series universe written by Alexander McCall Smith. The complete collection runs to 28 books across 2 series, published between 1998 and 2026.

The main series is Publication Order of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Books with 27 books. It opens with The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998) and currently runs to The Big Cats Dance Party (2026).

Series included on this page:

🎯 Where to Start with No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

New readers should begin with the first book of the main series in publication order: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998), book 1 of Publication Order of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Books. Reading in publication order lets the world and characters develop the way the author intended, and it avoids spoilers that later books may contain.

Each of the 2 series on this page is expandable — click a series heading to see every title it contains, in order, with a direct link to buy the book on Amazon.

📚 No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Books in Order

Publication Order of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Books
27 books
1
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency book cover1The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency1998Buy on Amazon
Tears of the Giraffe book cover2Tears of the Giraffe2000Buy on Amazon
Morality for Beautiful Girls book cover3Morality for Beautiful Girls2001Buy on Amazon
The Kalahari Typing School for Men book cover4The Kalahari Typing School for Men2002Buy on Amazon
The Full Cupboard of Life book cover5The Full Cupboard of Life2003Buy on Amazon
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies book cover6In the Company of Cheerful Ladies2004Buy on Amazon
Blue Shoes and Happiness book cover7Blue Shoes and Happiness2006Buy on Amazon
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive book cover8The Good Husband of Zebra Drive2007Buy on Amazon
The Miracle at Speedy Motors book cover9The Miracle at Speedy Motors2008Buy on Amazon
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built book cover10Tea Time for the Traditionally Built2009Buy on Amazon
The Double Comfort Safari Club book cover11The Double Comfort Safari Club2010Buy on Amazon
The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party book cover12The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party2010Buy on Amazon
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection book cover13The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection2012Buy on Amazon
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon book cover14The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon2013Buy on Amazon
The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café book cover15The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café2014Buy on Amazon
The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine book cover16The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine2015Buy on Amazon
Precious and Grace book cover17Precious and Grace2016Buy on Amazon
The House of Unexpected Sisters book cover18The House of Unexpected Sisters2017Buy on Amazon
The Colors of All the Cattle book cover19The Colors of All the Cattle2018Buy on Amazon
To the Land of Long Lost Friends book cover20To the Land of Long Lost Friends2019Buy on Amazon
How to Raise an Elephant book cover21How to Raise an Elephant2020Buy on Amazon
The Joy and Light Bus Company book cover22The Joy and Light Bus Company2021Buy on Amazon
A Song of Comfortable Chairs book cover23A Song of Comfortable Chairs2022Buy on Amazon
From a Far and Lovely Country book cover24From a Far and Lovely Country2023Buy on Amazon
The Great Hippopotamus Hotel book cover25The Great Hippopotamus Hotel2024Buy on Amazon
In the Time of Five Pumpkins book cover26In the Time of Five Pumpkins2025Buy on Amazon
The Big Cats Dance Party book cover27The Big Cats Dance Party2026Buy on Amazon
Publication Order of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Collections
1 books
2
The Cleverness of Ladies book cover1The Cleverness of Ladies2012Buy on Amazon

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books are there?
There are 28 books in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency collection, organised into 2 series and published between 1998 and 2026.
What is the first No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency book?
The first book is The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, published in 1998.
What order should I read the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books in?
Most readers use publication order, which is the order the books were originally released. A chronological order is also provided on this page for readers who prefer to follow the internal timeline of the story.
Who wrote the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books?
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books were written by Alexander McCall Smith.
Is the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series finished?
The main series, Publication Order of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Books, has 27 books so far. The most recent title listed on this page gives the current end point of the series.
When did the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series start?
The earliest title in this collection was published in 1998, and the most recent in 2026.