Title: Introducing Agatha Raisin
Author: M.C. Beaton
Publication: September 3, 2008
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 416
SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)
The Quiche of Death
Putting all her eggs in one basket, Agatha Raisin gives up her successful PR firm, sells her London flat, and samples a taste of early retirement in the quiet village of Carsely. Bored, lonely, and used to getting her way, she enters a local baking contest. Despite the fact that Agatha has never baked a thing in her life, she is sure the pie she has secretly bought from an upper-crust London quicherie will make her the toast of the town. But her recipe for social advancement sours when the judge not only snubs her entry–but falls over dead!
The Vicious Vet
Agatha Raisin hasn’t quite adjusted to the slow pace of village life, or to the failure of her overtures to her handsome neighbor, James Lacey. Since the new vet in town is young and good looking, Agatha’s perfectly healthy tabby endures a nasty physical exam in the name of romance. Unfortunately, his sacrifice is all for naught when the vet is soon found dead. The police call the death a freak accident, but Agatha convinces James that playing amateur detective might be fun. Unfortunately, just as curiosity killed the cat, Agatha’s inept snooping is soon a motivation for murder. . . .
REVIEW:
A few years ago my sister-in-law told my husband and me about this great British mystery show that she had watched. She told us that it was appropriate for the kids which since they were getting older and understanding what was going on was important now. We checked it out and fell in love. I learned that it was based on a book series which was interesting but wasn’t really on my radar. A few months ago, my mother and I found the first book in a used book store somewhere and I decided to pick it up. Then I was browsing the free audiobooks on Audible and low and behold that book was on the list so I promptly added it to my library to listen to.
Agatha lived a posh life. She owned her own PR company in London. She decides to sell her business make a load off it and buy a cottage in the Cotswolds and spend the rest of her life there. What she didn’t plan on is A: not really liking it and wanting to move back to London and B: getting involved in a murder mystery and solving it. First, you should know that this book is two books in one. It’s book one and book two of the series. It’s also a cozy mystery so there is nothing overly wild about it. I really did love this book…so much so that I will probably end up getting and reading the other books in this series. I will preface it by saying that while I liked the book, I did find the book version of Agatha really annoying and nothing at all like the character that is portrayed in the show. The differences are startling and kind of off-putting, I guess you would say.
Don’t get me wrong I truly enjoyed the book. I loved her style of investigating and how she eventually wholeheartedly threw herself into the small village life. Even getting herself a cat, even when she insisted almost daily that she was moving back to London. She slowly made friends. She slowly learned that life in the Cotswolds was just as wonderful as life in London but it wouldn’t be the same. I found myself looking forward to her wild escapades with her dating life. I love that she doesn’t give up her pursuing her neighbor romantically even if he thinks that she is honestly crazy. I loved the writing style as well. It flowed well and kept me engaged the entire time. It was well written and well just an all-around good cozy mystery. I can’t wait to read more of the books in the series. I have already started to watch the series again.
