A review by jem_ko
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith

3.0

Objectively this is not a bad book… Also objectively, that is not a great sign at the start of a review. The atmosphere created by always having a kettle brimming with bush tea on, sparse yet helpful shady acacia trees and a comforting found family dynamic that intermingles coworkers, acquaintances and couples is one that I appreciated deeply. That atmosphere is also the only reason this got more than two stars. The A plot of detective work is not essential to this book at all, it is barely noticeable for the large majority of the book and instead we spend chunks of the novella deliberating on useless information about how roads meander into bushland. As you near the end you then have a rushed conclusion to all points that (for the sake of no spoilers) simply is dissatisfying. Nevertheless, if you want a quick read that makes you feel like you’ve just spent a mildly rambling lunch talking to a cousin who lives in Botswana & tangents endlessly whilst story telling but sets a good scene (and has a really sweet anxious husband) - sure, read it. Did help me out of a reading slump tho! The book ‘Good Omens’ can get screwed for shoving me into that slump head first.