World Cup Soccer and Related Culture and Books On South Africa

This book to be reviewed in an extraordinary tale about southern Africa, soccer, and mystery. It makes an extraordinary start to one's summer reading in June, because the FIFA World Cup 2010 competitions began at this time in South Africa. This is well known; but be that as may be, this story makes good reading at any time in any year. Alexander McCall Smith's books are all good reading. Let's look -

Tea Time For the Traditionally Built - A mystery involving an important soccer team.

A famous soccer team in Botswana is having a mysterious problem. It seems that every game is being lost this season. Moreover, it seems that players do not care about the losses and may even be trying to facilitate a losing streak. This is bad, since football (association football or "soccer" to Americans) is a very important interest in Botswana and much of Africa.

The owner of the team is immersed in anguish and ready to tear out his hair with anxiety, but some of his players also wish to do this hair pulling - of their team owner's hair, for they are not happy. Something is wrong within the organization, but pinpointing that flaw is difficult at first.

Mr. Leungo Molofololo is the beleagured owner of the local Kalahari Swoopers football organization. Each and every member of his team shows a lot of athletic skill, but he suspects a traitor on the squad who may be ruining everything on purpose. He has no explanation as to why any of his players would be so disposed to "throw" a match - moreover, match after match. Someone must be paying off the culprit with big bribes.

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency's Mma Previous Ramotswe would like to help Mr. Molofololo, but she knows not one thing about soccer. She knows about red bush tea. She also knows about people and so, perhaps she can help. She must give this some thought.

Associate Detective Grace Makutsi and Mma Ramotswe attend a match played by the Swoopers. They set about the task of interviewing the players in order to determine the true nature of the suspected game-throwing problem. Mma Ramotswe also takes her young adopted son to these matches and he is very excited by this, being a big soccer fan. It brings him joy, for which Mma Ramotswe is thankful. Mr. Molofololo is kind this young boy, taking his mind off his losing streak somewhat from time to time. Still, he is becoming desperate.

Work on soccer case is interrupted by worries of another matter in the lead detective's life. The little white van that Mma Ramotswe has employed faithfully as a friend and transport for many years is dying. Why can vans not last forever? Her husband, the super-mechanic Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, tries to comfort her with a new van and the thought that all machines finally wear out. Yet, she is haunted still by her lost little van. Perhaps one of the apprentices at the garage can help her save it.

There is also trouble at the Double Comfort Furniture Shop - only its owner, Phuti Radiphuti does not realise that this is occurring. In fact, he is happy!

His fiance, Mma Grace Makutsi the Associate Detective, is very worried, however. Rra Radiphuti has hired her arch-nemesis, Violet Sephotho, the bottom of Grace’s graduating class at the Botswana Secretarial College. Violet is a liar all the time, but this time in stating that she scored very high in the class, so how will she handle sales at the furniture store? Dishonestly, of course! She will do it also while pursuing the well-to-do store owner as her future meal ticket. This should be obvious to Phuti, expect that he is a man, and everyone knows that they can be razzle-dazzled by such as Violet. Grace is worried in the ugly face of so much false glamour and manipulation that are Violet's hallmark behaviors.

So we have many mysteries in this story. What is wrong with the football club? Will Violet steal customers for the beds she is selling or sell something other than furniture? Who bought the tiny white van and where is it? Will the lady detectives understand enough about football in order to help solve their important case?

This is a pleasing story that provides mystery and suspense in the form of the puzzles of human interactions. It is just right for reading during soccer playoffs and championships.

The world is excited with the completion of the refurbished Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. Johannesburg is just south of Botswana and the Alexander McCall Smith mystery novel and HBO cable television series called The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agencythat stars singer Jill Scott and actress Anika Noni Rose as the ladies.

The weekly writing project at HubPages called HubMob targeted the FIFA World Cup 2010 at its topic of the week beginning May 24, 2010. A live feed to those entertaining articles is located below.