The Double Comfort Safari Club

Fans of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency mysteries will be delighted with this latest installment—the 12th in the series. With her usual aplomb, Precious Ramotswe sorts out the inheritance bequest from a grateful American tourist, attempts to reconcile an unhappy couple, thwarts a scheming femme fatale, and helps to reunite her assistant, Grace Makutsi, with her injured fiancé, who is being held in isolation by an overbearing aunt. Ramotswe's kindness and wisdom are welcome antidotes for a troubling economy and ecology. As in previous performances (Tea Time for the Traditionally Built), Lecat captures Ramotswe's rich tones and Grace's occasional, outraged high-pitched shrieks. The regular cast is well-defined, and even if a few newer characters lack sufficient individualization, it's not enough to detract from this audio book's charm. A Pantheon hardcover (Reviews, Feb. 8). (Apr.)