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Recommendations based on Precious and Graceby Alexander McCall Smith
* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans
The House of Unexpected Sisters
by Alexander McCall Smith
A woman's journey of self-discovery, as she uncovers secrets and finds new connections.
Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are approached by their part-time colleague, Mr. Polopetsi, with a troubling story: A woman, accused of being rude to a valued customer, has been wrongly dismissed from ... (Goodreads)
The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine
by Alexander McCall Smith
Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's finest detective, takes a vacation and finds herself solving a mystery in the heart of Botswana's Okavango Delta.
In this latest installment of the beloved and best-selling series, Mma Ramotswe must contend with her greatest challenge yet—a vacation! Business is slow at the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, so ... (Goodreads)
The Handsome Man's Deluxe Café
by Alexander McCall Smith
A tale of the accidental proprietor of a small café in an African country.
Mma Makutsi has decided to start a new venture: The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café. She envisages this to be place for fashionable men to hobnob, and in her excitement ignores the various warning signs, ... (Wikipedia)
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
by Lisa See
A woman's search for identity in the face of cultural expectations and familial secrets.
In their remote mountain village, Li-yan and her family align their lives around the seasons and the farming of tea. For the Akha people, ensconced in ritual and routine, life goes on as it has for ... (Goodreads)
Aunt Dimity's Death
by Nancy Atherton
After her Aunt Dimity's death, Lori discovers a mysterious journal that leads her on a journey of self-discovery and magical revelations.
Down-on-her-luck Lori Shepherd thought Aunt Dimity was a pretend character in her mother's bedtime stories ... until the Dickensian law firm of Willis & Willis offers the possibility of large ... (Goodreads)
Messenger of Truth
by Jacqueline Winspear
An investigator is hired to solve a mysterious murder, uncovering a web of secrets and lies.
Maisie Dobbs investigates the mysterious death of a controversial artist—and World War I veteran—in the fourth entry in the bestselling series London, 1931. The night before an exhibition of his ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Story of Arthur Truluv
by Elizabeth Berg
A young boy and two older people form an unlikely friendship, finding solace in one other amidst life's struggles.
A beautiful, life-affirming novel about a remarkably loving man who creates for himself and others second chances at happiness. A moving novel about three people who find their way back from loss and ... (Goodreads)
Lost Lake
by Sarah Addison Allen
A woman and her daughter visit a magical lake in Georgia, where they find healing, love, and a sense of belonging.
A, New York Times, bestseller! "Tender and enchanting" —,Southern Seasons, "An endearing tale of surprising second chances." –, Booklist, (starred review) The first time Eby Pim saw Lost Lake, it was ... (Barnes & Noble)
Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamillo
A girl's journey of self-discovery and healing, as she finds friendship in an unlikely companion.
Kate DiCamillo's beloved, best-selling debut novel is now available in a paperback digest edition. Kate DiCamillo's first published novel, like Winn-Dixie himself, immediately proved to be a keeper—a ... (Goodreads)
Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd
by Alan Bradley
Amateur sleuth Flavia de Luce uses her ingenuity and chemistry skills to solve a murder mystery.
In spite of being ejected from Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy in Canada, twelve-year-old Flavia de Luce is excited to be sailing home to England. But instead of a joyous homecoming, she is greeted on ... (Goodreads)
The War I Finally Won
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
A young girl with a disability finds the courage to fight for independence and to make her own choices.
Ada and her younger brother, Jamie, now have a permanent home with their loving legal guardian, Susan Smith. Although Jamie adapts more easily, Ada still struggles with the aftermath of her old life, ... (Goodreads)
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
by Lisa See
Story of two women in 19th-century China, exploring the power of female friendship.
In rural Hunan province called Puwei (nicknamed the Common Beauty Village), a county in China, Lily is destined to become a, laotong, pair with Snow Flower, a girl of the same age from Tongkou (the ... (Wikipedia)
Before We Were Yours
by Lisa Wingate
Family torn apart is reunited across generations, revealing a powerful tale of resilience and hope.
Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the ... (Goodreads)
The Leavers
by Lisa Ko
A story of the struggles and triumphs of two individuals navigating the complexities of immigration and identity.
Told in four parts, the novel begins as Deming Guo's mother Polly suddenly disappears from the family's New York City apartment without warning. Deming is placed into foster care , ultimately to be ... (Wikipedia)
The Whipping Boy
by Sid Fleischman
A prince and his whipping boy switch places and embark on an adventure to escape danger and learn about each other.
Prince Horace can be annoying and craving attention from his father, he frequently misbehaves—to the point he is nicknamed "Prince Brat." Since he is a prince, no one may raise a hand against him. ... (Wikipedia)
Five Quarters of the Orange
by Joanne Harris
A gripping tale of a young woman's struggle to uncover the secrets of her past and confront her family's dark history.
The novels of Joanne Harris are a literary feast for the senses. Five Quarters of the Orange represents Harris's most complex and sophisticated work yet - a novel in which darkness and fierce joy ... (Goodreads)
Hag-Seed
by Margaret Atwood
A modern retelling of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" with a cast of unique characters.
Hag-Seed follows the life of Felix, once experimental Artistic Director of the Makeshiweg theatre festival, now an exiled man who speaks to his daughter's ghost. Felix's fall from the theatrical ... (Wikipedia)
Where the Heart Is
by Billie Letts
A journey of resilience and courage, as a young woman faces her struggles with poverty and hardship.
This novel opens with Novalee and Willy Jack, her then boyfriend, traveling from Tennessee to California , where Willy Jack claims he was promised by his cousin, J. Paul, a job working at a train ... (Wikipedia)
H is for Homicide
by Sue Grafton
Private investigator Kinsey Millhone investigates the death of a claims adjuster.
These are troubling times for California Fidelity, the insurance company for whom Kinsey Millhone does occasional freelance work in return for office space. First, a recent employee and friend of ... (Wikipedia)
Pompeii
by Robert Harris
A thrilling historical fiction novel set in Pompeii, leading up to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.
Marcus Attilius Primus arrives in the Bay of Naples from Rome to take charge as aquarius ( hydraulic engineer ) of the Aqua Augusta , the aqueduct that supplies water to the towns in the region ... (Wikipedia)
The Namesake
by Jhumpa Lahiri
A young Indian-American's journey of reconciling two different cultures and his own identity.
The story begins as Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli, a young Bengali couple, leave Calcutta , India, and settle in Central Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts . Ashoke is an engineering student at the ... (Wikipedia)
A Year Down Yonder
by Richard Peck
Young girl moves to her grandmother's for a year, discovering life's hard lessons and unexpected joys.
The year is 1938, and the Great Depression has hit the Dowdel family hard. 15-year-old Mary Alice is sent downstate to live with Grandma Dowdel while her mother and father remain in Chicago. Her ... (Wikipedia)
I is for Innocent
by Sue Grafton
Private investigator searches for the truth behind a murder, uncovering the secrets of the past.
After being unceremoniously fired by California Fidelity Insurance, Kinsey has found herself new office space with her attorney, Lonnie Kingman. Lonnie has a case with which he wants Kinsey's help. ... (Wikipedia)
The Underground Railroad
by Colson Whitehead
An escaped slave's daring escape to freedom, fighting against the brutality of slavery.
The story is told in the third person, focusing mainly on Cora. Scattered single chapters also focus on Cora's mother Mabel, the slavecatcher Ridgeway, a reluctant slave sympathizer named Ethel, and ... (Wikipedia)
The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays
by Oscar Wilde
Satirical plays that explore the hypocrisies and absurdities of Victorian society.
Combining epigrammatic brilliance and shrewd social observation, the works collected in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays are edited with an introduction, commentaries and ... (Goodreads)
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
by Agatha Christie
Amateur detective investigates the mysterious murder of a wealthy landowner.
In King's Abbot, wealthy widow Mrs Ferrars unexpectedly commits suicide, which distresses her fiancé, widower Roger Ackroyd. At dinner that evening in Ackroyd's home of Fernly Park, his guests ... (Wikipedia)
Maisie Dobbs
by Jacqueline Winspear
Detective story set in post-WWI London, investigating a mysterious disappearance.
Maisie Dobbs, Psychologist and Investigator, began her working life at the age of thirteen as a servant in a Belgravia mansion, only to be discovered reading in the library by her employer, Lady ... (Goodreads)
The Children Act
by Ian McEwan
A family court judge must make a difficult decision between the law and her conscience.
Fiona Maye is a respected High Court Judge specialising in Family Law and living in Gray's Inn Square. While reviewing a case, she is approached by her husband, Jack, who tells her that because of ... (Wikipedia)
I Shall Wear Midnight
by Terry Pratchett
A young witch must battle a malicious presence threatening her beloved land.
Tiffany is working as the Chalk 's only witch in a climate of growing suspicion and prejudice. When the local Baron (for whom she had been caring) dies of poor health, she is accused of murder. ... (Wikipedia)
