In Conversation: On The Joy and Light Bus Company

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels and of a number of other series, such as the 44 Scotland Street novels, now the longest-running serial novel in the world, the Isabel Dalhousie novels, and the von Igelfeld series, as well as stand-alone books including The Forever Girl, Fatty O’Leary’s Dinner Party, and My Italian Bulldozer. His works have been translated into more than 40 languages and have been bestsellers throughout the world. In The Joy and Light Bus Company (Pantheon Books), the latest installment of the Agency series, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni comes back in low spirits after attending a course hosted by the local chamber of commerce entitled “Where Is Your Business Going?” He’s unsure how to grow his already venerable and successful business. When an old friend from school approaches him about a new venture that will require he mortgage his property, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi wonder what this will mean for his current business, as well as their own. Meanwhile, their professional duties must take precedence. When a concerned son learns that his aging father’s nurse now stands to inherit the family home, he begins to doubt her intentions and takes his case to Botswana’s premier detective agency – and off they go again.

Ian Rankin is a Scottish novelist, playwright, and crime writer, best known for his Inspector Rebus novels. The series’ 23rd installment, A Song for the Dark Times, was published last year. His other work includes the novel Doors Open, short stories, and a graphic novel, Dark Entries. Rankin debuted as a playwright in 2013 with Dark Road, a collaboration with Mark Thomson, the artistic director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre. His second play, Long Shadows, was co-written with Rona Munro and staged in 2018 starring John Rebus. Rankin is a regular contributor to the BBC 2’s Newsnight Review, and has also presented his own TV series.