Book Description
'Outwardly bossy and vain, inwardly insecure and vulnerable, Agatha grows more endearing with each installment.'-Cleveland Plain Dealer After being nearly killed by both a hired hit man and her former secretary, Agatha Raisin could use some low-key cases. So when Robert Smedley walks through the door, determined to prove that his wife is cheating, Raisin In-vestigations immediately offers to help. Trouble is, Agatha hates divorce cases-especially when she's been hired by a pompous jerk like Smedley-but she has a business to run now and she's not about to turn away a paying client.
Customer Reviews:
Agatha's Detective Agency Deepens Its Capabilities.......2007-10-03
Although this is the 16th mystery in the Agatha Raisin series, you could enjoy this book as a stand-alone if you don't want to go back. Of those earlier books, I do especially recommend the first one, Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death.
Agatha Raisin had a rough start to her detective agency in The Deadly Dance. She learned she didn't really know all that much about detecting, that getting and keeping good help are hard, and that the police don't like amateur detectives who set up agencies any more than they like amateur detectives.
As The Perfect Paragon opens, the detective business is operating more smmothly . . . if only there were more business to operate. The money is in divorces, but Agatha has tried to avoid those cases due to having been recently divorced. But when business is slow, she agrees to check on Robert Smedley's wife, Mabel, who has shown an unusual (for her) tendency to act independently of her husband. Who is she buying those new clothes for? At the same time, Agatha has the usual run of missing teenagers and dogs where she normally makes good progress.
Agatha's agency soon makes a hash of the Smedley assignment, and after that she's off the case for other reasons. When a missing teenager turns out to be a murder victim, the obvious suspects seem to be unlikely killers, and Agatha is at a loss to figure out what happened . . . until Mrs. Bloxby gives her a hint as to motive. Before the story is over, crimes are spilling out in all directions.
Agatha adds a new staff member who brings some pizzazz to Agatha's investigations, and Agatha gets occasional help from her old detective partner, Sir Charles Fraith. Being as insensitive as ever to others, she virtually destroys her relationship with Bill Wong in the process of trying to find the killer and accept Bill's hospitality.
The story has a few weaknesses that are unfortunate: The investigation is turned into more of a circus than is really needed to make a good story, agency people make more dumb mistakes than seem likely, and there are a few too many coincidences in how the key facts are turned up.
The actual mystery is better developed and hidden than in many earlier books. And Agatha mostly avoids being her most annoying self.
I think these detective-agency cases will be the saving of this series, even though M. C. Beaton couldn't resist having Agatha fall for yet another handsome man.
Consider all the circumstances if you want to get at the truth!
Have you heard from Agatha lately?.......2007-04-03
This latest (16th) entry into the long running Agatha Raisin series opens as Agatha is seeking advice from her friend, the vicar's wife, about her new detective agency. Business is slow and Agatha is having doubts about the whole thing. She is surprised when the advice she is given is not to scale back but rather to hire a new employee. Reluctantly Agatha agrees and soon finds herself with more cases, and staff than she had ever imagined. She is even working with the local police! And being Agatha there is a new romance on the horizon.
Authors of series novels are faced with some difficult choices. Should their main character age as the series progress or stay the same? How many murders can a person just stumble on to? If the author chooses not to age the character then how to keep the series fresh? Criticisms begin about the stories becoming boring, formulistic etc. If the character does age or change in anyway the complaints are that he/she is not the same. In my opinion Beaton has reached a happy compromise with Agatha who ages slightly with each novel and her personality also matures slightly as time goes on. In the later books Agatha is beginning to realize that she must consider other people's feelings, that the traits that brought her success in the London business world are not serving her well in a small village. To solve the problem of how many bodies Agatha could just happen on to, Beaton has had Agatha open a detective agency so the mysteries will be able to present themselves in a more straightforward manner.
These books could be read and enjoyed in any order but due to the on-going story arc of Agatha's personal life it would be better to read them in order.
Going downhill...such a shame.......2007-03-23
Alas, I don't refer to our Agatha's arthritic hip or thickening waist, but to the series. I have delighted in reading Agatha's adventures. Have rolled my eyes at her vanity, shaken my head at her desperation, sympathized with her worries, admired her courage and been completely captivated. The characters, in general, became as familiar and as loved. Roy, Bill, Charles and Mrs. Bloxby, even Miss Simms, all have very human strengths and flaws.
Unfortunately, this latest entry begs comparison with Lilian Braun's "The Cat Who..." series in which the books became carbon copies of each other, progressively blurrier. I must agree wtih the reviewer who commented that the characters were too good to be true and poorly developed, that guesses turned out to be facts and obstacles were too easily overcome. The book was too brief and felt hurried and formulaic, as if Ms. Beaton was under pressure to throw something together quickly.
I'm glad to see Agatha growing, changing and, for that matter, aging. It would simply be too frustrating if she didn't. I'd be content to accompany her on her adventures whether she remains single or enters into marriage. (Although I usually wanted to box James Lacey's ears) What I can't bear is to see is Agatha and the village of Carsely degenerate into the mystery genre's version of fast food, i.e., flavorless, empty and simply there to fill space. I sincerely hope for better things in the next installments.
My 2 Cents Worth.......2007-02-03
I just finished this book, the last of the series (except for the new one in hardback) and am going through withdrawal symptoms. I have read the series straight through and have developed a soft spot for the irrascible Agatha Raisin. While Agatha's going pro is an inevitable progression of the series, I don't like the dissipation caused by too many characters. Other changes are evident in this book. Agatha now cooperates with the police (most of the time) and the police sometimes give her tips. This is the first book where Agatha herself is not in personal danger. Her character has softened somewhat and she's now just understanding the meaning of friendship, which requires giving as well as taking. She's still vain and men obsessed, but doesn't get much satisfaction in this book. Because of that, a melancholy mood has settled over her and she fears loneliness and old age. Speaking of age, the author is going to have to age Agatha a bit. How many years can she spend in her "early 50s"? I love this series and can't wait for the new book to come out in paperback. In the meantime, I'll give the Hamish McBeth series a try.
The Perfect Paragon.......2006-08-05
I have always loved Agatha Raisin. As a matter of fact I got my mother and sister hooked on her also. I was very disappointed in this book. Agatha has lost her spark and fiesty disposition. She needs to drop the detective agency as it makes the story too scattered. Even the love interest fizzled before any fire started. Hope the next one is a gem!
Book Description
Agatha Raisin is lonely. Busy as she is with her detective agency and the meetings of the Carsely Ladies' Society, she still misses her ex-husband, James Lacey, so she welcomes his return to the cottage next door with her usual triumph of optimism over experience---especially when he invites her on holiday at a surprise location that was once very dear to him. With visions of a romantic hideaway in Italy or the Pacific dancing in her head, Agatha goes off happily with James to...Snoth-on-Sea, in Sussex.While James may have fond memories of boyhood holidays there, Snoth-on-Sea has seen better days, as has the once-grand Palace Hotel, now run-down and tacky and freezing cold. Nor do the other guests have much to recommend them, especially the brassy honeymoon couple, Mr. and Mrs. Jankers, who pick a fight with Agatha in the dining room. But trouble has a way of following Agatha even if romance does not: Just as she and James are preparing to flee to warmer climes, Geraldine Jankers is found dead on the beach---strangled with Agatha's scarf. So much for Agatha's holiday fantasies: Not only is it time to put her detective skills to work, but the police are not even sure that she'll be allowed to leave town.
Customer Reviews:
entertaining!.......2007-08-01
My first encounter with Agatha Raisin was well worth it. Ok so it's not Tolkien but still a very worthy diversion when the mind needs a mental holiday for several hours. It might have been just a tad over long, but it certainly kept me interested and entertained all the way to the end. Just like meeting a new friend.
Love, Lies and Liquor.......2007-06-15
Let's see. Did I like this? My husband gave it to me for Xmas. I've bought every single paperback since the beginning and just re-read Love, Lies and Liquor.
I love this series!
The series is becoming tiresome........2007-05-23
Things haven't changed much in this latest installment. In spite of her wealth and success, Agatha is still insecure and somewhat immature. In spite of his recent healing from cancer and his spiritual retreat, James Lacy is still cold and selfish, and is really quite stupid. At 53 or so, Agatha still views herself as having a girlish figure and dresses in twentyish-something apparel. She is often quite coarse and rude, and she still says, "Rats!" Even more disappointing is none of the lovable characters from earlier books make a significant appearance in this one.
I have always looked forward to the next "Agatha" book but the series is getting a bit tiresome. The plot "formula" hasn't changed from previous books and the reader is subjected to a lot of dialogue of Agatha giving her staff instructions (or in this case, phoning them to tell them what to do). I put this book aside after reading about halfway through and may not finish it for a while. Agatha isn't as much fun as she once was.
Comma-tose.......2007-04-17
I do love Agatha Raisin, but this book fell short of Beaton's usual brilliance. The first chapter was great. After that the author brings in a dizzying array of characters going in and out. The plot was hard to believe.
Dead boring!.......2007-02-11
I just finished this latest "Agatha" this morning. It is dead boring! Not only that there is little or no plot. Half way through the book I really didn't care who did the murders I just wanted the book to be finished. As the other poster stated. The story is confusing and unfinished!
The only interesting sub plot is that Agatha discovers she just might be an abused woman. Always returning to that vile James for more heart break. In the end she does it again!
Book Description
The Cotswolds (Gloucestershire, West Oxfordshire, and parts of North Wiltshire) have a rich history, stunning architecture, and glorious countryside. English Country Interiors features 18 specially photographed Cotswold homes with traditional charm, each house belonging to a person with a particular trade, from bee-keeping to carpentry. Many period-style buildings are shown, including a mill house, a shooting lodge, and a terraced cottage. Mark Nicholson’s stunning photography brings alive this beautiful part of England, capturing the essence and feel of each individual property.
Customer Reviews:
The Particular Flavor of the Cotswolds.......2006-05-26
Writer Sarah North with photographer Mark Nicholson take us through a stroll of Cotswold homes in a most unique way. The Cotswolds region is in central England, covering an area bounded by Oxford, Stratford, Cheltenham and Bath, an area known for quaint villages and scenic countryside. The term 'Cotswold' for most homeowners conjures visions of serene beauty of habitat and this excursion brings us closer to those elements that denote the Cotswold flavor.
But what North and Nicholson have elected as a tour is to knock on doors of various citizens who are not necessarily those with wealth, moneywise, but those who make life more beautiful. We visit the homes of florists, designers, craftsmen - the regular people of the streets and lanes of this beautiful region, and the book feels like a neighborly stroll. Interiors demonstrate the use of the elements of Cotswold design that are often copied in United States homes, but here retain the basic simplicity of functional design.
The paths and gardens are also scanned in this beautifully designed book. For those interested in traveling through England or for those with special interest in the Cotswold style, this book is well worth the investment. Grady Harp, May 06
Book Description
The Cotswolds has some of the loveliest countryside and architecture in Britain. Buildings of the Cotswolds covers over a 100 Cotswold villages and towns. Color and monochromatic photographs highlight the fine detail of the buildings, the stone and its variations, the style of construction, and local building specialities. Together with the vivid text they reveal features of manor houses, cottages, fine farm buildings, and churches, some dating from pre-Norman times.
Average customer rating:
- There is hope for the world
- Whimsical Endearing Gentle
- Love the book, hate the cover-art on the paperback...
- A Life of Riches is more than money
- I sneezed and almost lost the book!
|
Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin (Aunt Dimity)
Nancy Atherton
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Atherton, Nancy
| ( A )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
( A )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea (Aunt Dimity)
-
Aunt Dimity: Snowbound
-
Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday
-
Aunt Dimity: Detective
-
Aunt Dimity's Christmas
ASIN: 0143036548 |
Book Description
The next page-turning installment in the phantom-detective mystery series that has won the hearts of cozy mystery fans everywhere
Feeling a touch world-weary, Lori Shepherd decides to become a volunteer at the Radcliffe Infirmary, where she can spread a little good cheer. There she meets Elizabeth Beacham, a kind, retired legal secretary with no family, except a brother who has mysteriously disappeared. But after only a few visits, Miss Beacham suddenly passes away, leaving Lori to tie up the loose ends of her late friend's life. Lori soon discovers that hidden among Miss Beacham's belongings are clues that Lori believes her friend left for her to discover. Armed with the generous help of a handsome neighbor and, as always, Aunt Dimity's supernatural skills, Lori begins to unearth Miss Beacham's secrets and, ultimately, the surprising truth about her next of kin.
“Atherton's series is for those who like the puzzle of a mystery minus the corpses. . . . Put on the teakettle and enjoy.” —Rocky Mountain News
“A charming mystery, filled with warmth and affection.” —Deadly Pleasures
Customer Reviews:
There is hope for the world.......2006-09-17
I like the description of the Aunt Dimity mysteries as "Nancy Drew for grown-ups." If you are feeling down and discouraged, grab an Aunt Dimity story, a plate of cookies, and pot of tea for an afternoon. No four-letter words, no sex, and good always triumphs over petty in these books. My only criticism is that Lori is especially obnoxious in Next of Kin (she always is but seems more belligerent, judgmental, and inflexible here). Her moral reclamation is that much more dramatic after her childishness, so it's easy to forgive Atherton's portrayal.
Whimsical Endearing Gentle.......2006-06-02
I bought this book on a whim a few months ago and finally got around to reading it. I am going through a very difficult time right now and my concentration is scattered. I picked up this book and it is a blessing. I was drawn into the warmth of Lori and Ms. Beacham and for a little while was able to transport myself to the cozy English village and Ms. Beacham's neighborhood. I look forward to reading the other books.
Love the book, hate the cover-art on the paperback..........2006-03-29
The Aunt Dimity series is the first mystery series I've read. I really like the "family-friendly" nature of the book, the setting in England and endearing/interesting cast of characters.
What attracted me to the series initially was the "cozy" cover-art, I hope they re-release this paperback with the original cover-art. It's not the same without Reginald and Hamish!
A Life of Riches is more than money.......2006-03-21
I love this series. The premise is that Aunt Dimity, who is dead, can communicate with Lori Shepherd via a journal. Lori talks and Dimity writes her responses for Lori to read. I can accept this because these stories are rich in friendship, love, trust, caring, and community.
Lori's twins boys are now 5 and as active as ever. Lori stays active in the town of Finch, the church, and now visits at the Radcliffe Infirmary those patients who have no other visitors. It's at the Radcliffe that Lori meets Elizabeth Beacham, a retired legal secretary. They hit it off immediately and become friends. But as is the nature of cancer, Miss Beacham dies and Lori is devastated. Then she learns that Miss Beacham has left her a desk in her will. Lori feels that she has to find Miss Beacham's brother who disappeared years ago to find out why his sister died with no family at her side.
Of course this starts the chain of events that cause Lori to learn that Miss Beacham was more than she appeared to be. She also learns that cities can also have communities as tight knit as Finch. She recruits helper on her journey to find Kenneth Beacham and manages to lose her temper, jump to conclusions, and finally approach her goal.
As usual, there is a message to the book. This one examines our preconceptions of people and their roles. If you haven't read any of the previous Aunt Dimity books you can start with any of them including this one but why rob yourself of a wonderful, relaxing, reading experience--start at the beginning with Aunt Dimity's Death. Enjoy.
I sneezed and almost lost the book!.......2006-02-16
What to read after finishing a gut-wrenching, action-filled Star Wars novel? How about a little light mystery? Sounds like a smashing idea! Luckily, I was able to obtain the two latest Aunt Dimity mysteries, by Nancy Atherton. Aunt Dimity & the Next of Kin was first on the stack, so I plowed through it. Actually, plowed isn't the right word. Perhaps traipsed? Yes, the book is that flimsy. Enjoyable as it was, if I wasn't holding it in my hands, it probably would have fluttered away on the breeze that flows through my apartment. But is it good, you ask? If you like a mystery that's less dense than the proverbial "cozy" mystery (and those are pretty thin at times), then you'll love it. It's good, but not really my cup of tea.
Lori Shepherd is an American woman living with a nice lawyer husband in Finch, a small English village outside of Oxford. She is rich, but does her part by contributing to various causes and helping out around the town, going into Oxford to help at the homeless shelter, picking up trash at the church with her two young sons, and volunteering at the hospital. She visits patients who don't have family or friends to visit them. There, she meets Elizabeth Beacham, a terminally ill woman whose only family is a brother who seems to have disappeared years ago. Lori becomes determined to track down this brother who couldn't even be bothered to visit, and with the help of one of Beacham's neighbours, begins unraveling the mystery. Lori thought she was a lonely old woman living from hand to mouth, but the reality is much different. As always, the ghost of "Aunt Dimity" plays the sounding board to Lori's problems and theories, until the truth finally comes out.
The concept behind the Aunt Dimity series is kind of cute, with Lori coming home to talk to the ghost who communicates through the act of writing in a special journal. It's intriguing, but ultimately doesn't mask the utter silliness of the plot. There's no real tension behind the story and not much meat to it either. If there was, we wouldn't need the subplot of Lori playing matchmaker for Beacham's neighbour. And isn't it a nice coincidence that the perfect suitor just presents herself while they're trying to figure the case out! There's no real conflict in the story, with just a little at the end when everything's wrapped up nice and tidy, Lori's found out the truth and has to get her two cents in before leaving the scene. Even that's over in a few paragraphs. What's amusing about this lack of tension is the number of times that Atherton ends a chapter on what appears to be an ominous note, only to have any shred of anxiety dissipate within the first paragraph of the next chapter.
There's really nothing wrong with a nice story about nice characters who have a flaw or two, but no really bad traits. Yes, Lori can have a bit of a temper, but the only time it really asserts itself, she quickly realizes she's been rude and moves to apologize. The other time it comes out is the comeuppance at the end, where the story has justified it. And that's the perfect word for this book: nice. It's a pleasant read, not very taxing, and it can be fun at times. The interplay between Lori and Gabriel (the neighbour) is nicely done, if a bit forced at times. Aunt Dimity is neat too, when she's in the book (which isn't all that often, considering her name's on the front cover...she should sue for more screen time). She's wise and always helpful, and Atherton captures her small English-village sensibility perfectly. In fact, she captures the entire village, making Finch a place I'd really like to spend time in (though I'm probably much too reserved for all the busybodies that live there).
There are two main problems with the book, aside from what I've mentioned earlier. First is the fact that Lori really doesn't do that much to solve the puzzle. She has a lot of information just fall into her lap. Her friend Emma does the Internet searches for information on the brother, a couple of her homeless charges provide her with information on where he used to live, and Dimity provides the perfect clue that opens up everything (maybe that's why her name's in the title). Lori has the wrong idea almost from the outset and refuses to think otherwise until she finds out the real situation.
The second problem is that I don't buy the setup to this story at all. We're led to believe that Miss Beacham set up the beginning of the trail of clues for Lori to sniff out based on the knowledge that Lori has told her that she likes mysteries and has solved a few in the past. That's fine. However, Miss Beacham never leaves her sick-bed at the hospital, so how could she do this? She must have had some outside help to plant everything just right. Sure, the ending of the book explains it to the reader, but for somebody supposedly as intelligent as Lori, that should have been the first question on her mind. How did Miss Beacham do this, and who helped her?
There are a lot of complaints about Aunt Dimity & the Next of Kin, but ultimately I didn't feel like I had wasted my time. It won't take that much time to read for any but the slowest reader, and it is the perfect tonic for someone who just wants a really quiet book. There is a running theme about being alone and how humans need social interaction to thrive, but that's about it. This book is not for everybody, but if you like this sort of thing, it's a great example of it.
David Roy
Book Description
Unlike quite a number of people, Agatha had not given up on Christmas. To have the perfect Christmas had been a childhood dream whilst surviving a rough upbringing in a Birmingham slum. Holly berries glistened, snow fell gently outside, and inside, all was Dickensian jollity. And in her dreams, James Lacey kissed her under the mistletoe, and, like a middle-aged sleeping beauty, she would awake to passion once more....
Agatha Raisin is bored. Her detective agency in the Cotswolds is thriving, but she’ll scream if she has to deal with another missing cat or dog. Only two things seem to offer potential excitement: the upcoming Christmas festivities and her ex, James Lacey. This year she is sure that if she invites James to a really splendid, old-fashioned Christmas dinner, their love will rekindle like a warm Yule log.
When a wealthy widow hires Agatha because she’s convinced a member of her family is trying to kill her, Agatha is intrigued---especially when the widow drops dead after high tea at the manor house. Who in this rather sterile house, complete with fake family portraits, could have hated the old lady enough to poison her?
Agatha sets out to find the murderer, all the while managing a pretty, teenage trainee who makes her feel old and planning for a picture-perfect Christmas, with James, all the trimmings, and perhaps even snow.
Book Description
In these inspiring parables drawn from his daily walks through the magnificent Cotswolds, LaGard shares life–renewing insights to guide readers to the very heart of God. These personal meditations refresh both the eye and the soul, bringing renewed perspective to the values and qualities of life people cherish.
Customer Reviews:
A fabulous book.......2000-06-03
This book is wonderful! I received it as a gift about a year ago and just rediscovered it. If you've ever been to England or have dreamed of going you should read this book. The author makes some very valid points about faith and living life that I had never thought about before. The chapters are short enough to read one every night before you go to bed (that's what I do). I would strongly encourage you to buy this book. It has been a true blessing to me.
A reflective walk along an Cotswold path.......2000-02-18
This is an excellent for anyone who has ever dreamed on visiting the "not so beaten paths of England. In each nook and cranny, Mr. Smith not only describes the beauty of the surroundings, but also weaves a touching testimony of how God is in all things. Each chapter unfolds another thought provoking revelation of nature and of God.
Book Description
(3rd in Agatha Raisin series)
Agatha Raisin's latest plan to catch bachelor James Lacey is to take up gardening and enter the prestigious Carsley Horticultural Contest. Unfortunately, a hard freeze kills all of her seedlings just as her former assistant, Roy, arrives to persuade her to return to work at the PR agency. He promises to restore her garden, but, as the contest approaches, the plants are mysteriously being uprooted, poisoned, and burned, as are plants in gardens throughout the Cotswold town where she lives. When the prime suspect, a beautiful blond newcomer named Mary Fortune, who has her eye on James, turns up murdered in a particularly nasty way, he and Agatha must put aside their differences to solve the puzzle.
"Compare this one to lemon meringue pie: light...with a delicious hint of tartness at its heart." (Washington Times)
Customer Reviews:
Agatha Takes Her Place as a Village Character.......2007-06-21
Like many readers, I found Agatha Raisin to be irresistible as a character when she first appeared in Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death. Here was a blunt, high-powered, but lonely, woman who wanted to start a new life amid her fantasy of what life is like in a Cotswold village. Her pushy instincts in that book worked well (when employed to raise funds for charity) and backfired when aimed at self-promotion (entering a store-bought quiche in a baking contest). Where would M. C. Beaton take this fascinating character?
In Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet, Agatha began to overcome her tendency to pursue James Lacey, her handsome bachelor neighbor, enough to attract him as a sleuthing partner. With Bill Wong as her advisor in the pursuit of the proper male, can she learn to be more reserved?
Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener combines both perspectives into one story. Agatha returns from an extended trip to find that James Lacey seems totally taken with a beautiful incomer, Mary Fortune, who has looks, money, and the same gardening interests as James. Agatha is stirred into action and decides to become a horticulturalist. Naturally, she doesn't know the first thing about what she's doing. Despite a warning from Mary that a frost is coming, Agatha puts out her seedlings. The result is a bare garden. Will Agatha cheat again to get her way?
Before the story is over, there's another murder in Carsely and Agatha is immediately in hot pursuit . . . with James Lacey soon enticed into joining her investigation. Before she's done, Agatha even braves the Boggles (the hard-to-satisfy older couple who like free trips from Quiche of Death) to get information.
This story is a more complex character development than either of the first two books in the series. Agatha becomes much more nuanced in her perspectives and responses . . . and becomes more like a real person rather than a mystery book character. I was particularly pleased to see the careful development of Mary Fortune as a character. It is very well done and adds a lot to the story. Unfortunately, James Lacey is developed in only one dimension, a predictable one. He becomes a bit tiresome before the end of the book.
The mysteries in the book are pretty easy to solve which reduces the book's interest for those who like puzzles. But the crimes themselves are certainly imaginative and enrich the story.
The book's main weakness is that the motives and actions of the characters seemed a little off to me. They didn't quite ring true. See what you think.
Any Agatha Raisin fan, however, would be foolish to skip this book. It's quite entertaining.
Cheaters Never Prosper!.......2006-05-18
Agatha Raisin returns in the 3rd book in this series. In this book, Agatha returns from a lengthy vacation only to find that a beautiful newcomer, Mary Fortune, threatens to snare James Lacey's affections. It seems that the perfect Ms. Fortune shares James' love of gardening and she plans to enter her property into the local garden show. Agatha's black thumb does not prevent her from entering the garden show herself, but she soon finds herself having to cheat when all of her seedlings are destroyed in a early frost. Agatha turns to the help of Roy Silver, P.R. cohort, to replant her garden with fully grown nursery plants. However, someone in Carsley is destroying all of the neighbor's gardens, and then Ms. Fortune is found "planted" in a pot...dead. It is up to Agatha to solve the murder before the murderer plants her too.
The Agatha Raisin mysteries are a delight from start to finish! I loved Agatha's gruff exterior but warm heart. It is heartening to see a character that has flaws, but that can make you laugh too. Agatha gets more loveable in each book, and really draws readers into her life. With both of M.C. Beaton's series (she also writes the Hamish MacBeth series), she makes the reader want to take a trip to the Cotswolds to meet the characters she has so vividly created.
The first book in the series is "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death". Enjoy!
Agatha and James Sitting in a Tree..........2005-11-12
In this third entry of the Agatha Raisin series, Agatha returns to Carsely after what turned out to be a lonely world tour only to find that her nest door neighbor and heartthrob James Lacey has his eyes on someone new. Not that he ever had his eyes on Agatha mind you. It seems that a pretty young blonde has moved to town and not only has she captured James' attention but she also seems to be the new darling of the little village. Worse yet, Mary Fortune, this new arrival in Carsely is like James an avid gardener, a situation that causes Agatha to take up gardening for herself. Agatha fails to notice however that as soon as she returns home the people of the village begin to lose interest in Mary and turn their attentions back to their old friend Agatha. Mary does notice this however and begins to turn nasty, especially when many in the village begin to blame her for a series of attacks on local gardens.
Some how or another Mary and Agatha end up being great friends even as James begins to distance himself from the pretty blonde newcomer. Then one night when Mary fails to show up at the local pub James and Agatha make a grisly discovery when they go to check on the missing Ms. Fortune. Ironic name isn't it? The author has made no attempt at all to lead the reader away from her intended victim and so it is no surprise that Mary is murdered but the "potted" position of her body is at the very least a novel idea.
Agatha by this point considers herself quite the sleuth and immediately sets out in search of clues. As in the last book James assists in the snooping and the two once again begin to grow close. Slowly but surely the pair of amateur detectives find out that Mary had been extremely nasty to several people and that there were numerous citizens with apparent motives for murder. In the end the solution comes about more by Agatha's intuition than from clues and it was a solution that caught me completely off guard. Right up until Agatha figured out who the guilty party was I was looking in a completely different direction, a direction that would have spelled the end for one of the major characters in the series.
As in the previous books, Agatha's adventures make for a delightful read. The mess she gets herself into as she tries her hand at gardening makes for a hilarious secondary plot and the people of Carsely are just delightful. Amazingly though the mystery itself remains at the center of the story and drives the action, right down to the mixed up labels on Agatha's fake garden. It seems that the harder Agatha tries to fit in the more she gets embarrassed and the more she gets embarrassed the more the people of Carsely love her. Every town needs an eccentric or two after all.
Better than the last entry.......2004-01-06
Having been very disappointed in the last entry in this series (it was a complete rehash of the first book), I had almost decided not to buy this one, the third in the series, but I did and it is better than I had expected.
Agatha takes up gardening to get closer to James, her next door neighbor, but as usual, makes a complete hash of the effort and has to agree to return to London for 6 months to work for an agency in return for help getting her garden in shape before the village garden show.
The current main rival for her affections for James is murdered and she naturally must figure out who did it. It is rather easy to figure this mystery out but the writing was a little sharper than the previous book making it much more enjoyable.
The sleuth's a winner, the plot is fluffy.......2003-12-31
I read this at someone else's urging, not being a regular devotee to the mystery genre, and I was pleasantly surprised. Agatha Raisin is delightful, sort of a middle-aged Bridget Jones with brains and business acumen. She rises above cute kookiness--her feelings and motivations are quite honestly rendered, though one would wish for her sake she would think before she opens her mouth or acts on some occasions. Most of the pickles she gets herself into are based in her crush on her neighbor, James Lacey, who compares to Mark Darcy of the Bridget Jones books. When the inevitable murder comes due, she and Lacey manage to work together until they solve the whodunit.
Beaton is a witty writer who turns a nice sentence. She makes satirical hay of the village murder mystery genre and the age-old theme of fish out of water (Agatha has taken early retirement in a Cotswold village, escaping momentarily from a high-powered London job.) The actual mystery is kind of poofy; James quietly nails it early on, but his observation is thrown away. It is obvious from the getgo who will be murdered, a rather inscrutable character who the author has set up with a variety of conflicting behaviors but never imbues with the psychological resonance that would explain or reconcile the behaviors. In other words, a cartoon. The obligatory red herrings don't fare much better. The villagers more than make up for this lapse in character definition, however.
Book Description
(4th in Agatha Raisin series)
When Sir Charles Fraith, a kindly baronet, receives a letter from Jessica Tartinck, president of the Dembley Walkers Asssociation, his life is thrown into chaos. Ms. Tartinck, as part of her campaign against landowners over the use of public footpaths, has chosen Fraith for her latest attack. Although he suggests a reasonable counteroffer to her demands, Jessica ignores him. Jessica's protest march turns into a death march and she ends up murdered in Sir Charles' field. Agatha is only too willing to try to help clear Sir Charles' name, especially since it means playing the "wife" of her attractive and elusive neighbor, James Lacey. Toward murder and romance, Agatha takes an agreeably direct approach.
"Agatha at her most endearing infuriating best. Anyone who likes to take their murders with a dose of good humor will love AGATHA RAISIN AND THE WALKERS OF DEMBLEY." (Amazon.com)
Customer Reviews:
Agatha Plays House.......2007-06-28
I found Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley to be a much less successful book than the earlier three books in the series. The mystery can barely qualify as one. Agatha is an unpleasant terror for much of the book (which makes for less than happy reading). The new characters are unsympathetic. The victim is particularly so.
So should you read the book? Yes, you're stuck. The book contains a lot of development in the Agatha Raisin-James Lacey relationship that will leave you high and dry if you skip Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley. Sorry.
During Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet, Agatha agreed to work in PR again in London in exchange for surreptitious help with her ruined garden. As this book opens, Agatha is finishing up her six-month stint in London at Pedmans, the firm that bought out her PR old firm. It's been an unpleasant experience and her final dinner leaves a bad taste for everyone but the client.
In Dembley (part of Gloucestershire), the cause-devoted, militant Jessica Tartinck is organizing the Dembley Walkers (a ramblers society) into another planned confrontation with a landowner who has blocked the public way while armed with a shotgun. Jessica savors the chance to make a splash. The others aren't so enthusiastic. After that meeting, her written challenge to Sir Charles Fraith is returned with an invitation to tea if the ramblers will avoid one of his fields that has been planted. Jessica's friend Deborah Camden is sent to check out the path. Jessica decides to ask permission first and captures the attention of Sir Charles who asks for her telephone number. Thoroughly charmed, Deborah recommends that they go along with Sir Charles and the other ramblers agree . . . except for Jessica who decides to challenge him on her own.
Meanwhile, Agatha returns to Carsely and finds that her handsome next-door neighbor, middle-aged bachelor James Lacey, has also been leading walks. She immediately joins the group and irritates him again by trying to organize things.
Soon thereafter, Jessica is found murdered in Sir Charles' field and a witness places Sir Charles in the vicinity. Concerned for her new friend, Deborah calls on her friendship with Mrs. Mason, head of the Carsely Ladies Society, seeks to engage Agatha to find the killer. Before long, Agatha and James are operating undercover, posing as a married couple, to penetrate the Dembley Walkers.
In the process, Agatha finds it frustrating to be pretending what she so desperately wants . . . to be Mrs. James Lacey. James, in turn, finds the whole matter even more annoying for different reasons.
Before the book ends, Agatha finds herself in a race to stop a murder.
Those who like romantic mysteries with an emphasis on "romantic" may find this book to be a four-star effort.
very funny and entertaining-I love Agatha Raisin.......2006-08-26
"Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley" is one of my favorite Agatha Raisin books. It is in this book that Agatha first meets Sir Charles, who becomes her companion and works with her on cases in later books. Agatha's roots were in working-class Birmingham, and she brought herself up by her bootstraps to own a successful PR firm in London. As a child, she had a dream that she would someday leave the grimy city and live in a Cotswold village, and that no one would know she had ever been poor and desperate. Now middle-aged, Agatha has sold her firm and bought a charming cottage, just as she dreamed. She never had friends in London, and for the first time she is making friends. She would really like her handsome, aloof next-door neighbor to be more than a friend, but he's alarmed by Agatha's prickly personality and man-hunting ways. A group of ramblers, comprised of assorted bohemians, rebels, and troublemakers, has decided to hike across some cultivated farmland belonging to Sir Charles. This is a political statement against landowners who do not honor the right for foot traffic to use ancient right-of-ways. When the strident leader of the "Walkers of Dembley" is killed in his field, Sir Charles becomes a suspect and Agatha and her neighbor James go undercover as a married couple to infiltrate the walking group. There is a lot of humor in Agatha living under the same roof as the hard-to-get James, and the new man in Agatha's life, Sir Charles, is absolutely hilarious. If you have never read an Agatha Raisin mystery before, you are in for a real treat!
Ramblin Raisin .......2006-07-09
I am new to the Agatha Raisin series. I have not been reading them in sequence and I am really glad I did not read this one first. I did not find this story as interesting as the others in the series that I have read. This story lacked the humor that I am accustomed to from M. C. Beaton's other books.
This story deals with class prejudice.
It is about a group of Walkers from Dembley, England more often called Ramblers in this story. This is no ordinary group of ramblers that like to ramble in the countryside. This group is described as an odd bunch of leftists who like to demand their walking rights and aggravate aristocratic landowners by trespassing on their private property. In the group are teachers, waiters, an IRA sympathizer, and a male chauvinist.
The group has a major falling out with the leader, Jessica. Jessica is a bully and Marxist sympathizer. Jessica wants the group to trespass on Sir Charles' property. The others refuse so Jessica decides to walk by herself and is found murdered. Agatha Raisin and James Lacey go undercover and discover by accident the real murderer. Unfortunately, this happens after a second member of the group is found murdered.
All the members of the walking group plus Sir Charles are prime suspects. Sir Charles is a ladies' man and has an interest in one of the ramblers, Deborah.
It is Deborah who convinces Agatha to help Sir Charles by finding the real killer so that Sir Charles would no longer be a prime suspect.
Agatha is a middle aged PR professional and amateur detective. Throughout most of the book she creates a fantasy romantic life with her neighbor James Lacey. She eagerly suggested that she and James should pose as husband and wife and infiltrate the Dembley Ramblers so they could learn more about the characters involved.
James for most of the story is indifferent towards Agatha. He likes being a bachelor. By the end of the story he draws closer to Agatha.
A Disagreeable Entry in a Fine Series.......2005-12-05
The walkers referred to in the title are a rather eclectic and somewhat pathetic bunch who traipse around with a chip on their shoulders just spoiling for a fight with area landowners. They seldom have any trouble finding conflict especially with their pushy, outspoken and obnoxious leader Jessica Tartinc leading the charge. As this book begins Jessica has gone too far even for her followers and she heads off to confront a local aristocrat on her own. When her body is found on said aristocrat's land the suspect list includes not only the gentry but also the walkers themselves. Because one of the walkers is the niece of Mrs. Mason, the President of the Carsely Ladies Society, and has therefore heard of Agatha and her amateur sleuthing Agatha's assistance is requested. Needless to say, this gives a big boost to Agatha's ego but by the end of the book she finds out that maybe the reference that she received wasn't nearly as complimentary as she had thought.
Much to Agatha's delight, the strategy decided upon requires her and her neighbor James Lacey to move into a flat in Dembley and pose as husband and wife in order to infiltrate the group of walkers. Agatha, who has been chasing Lacey since the first book of the series is soon dejected however because her pretend marriage just doesn't work out at all like she had planned. Unknown to her however she is much more attractive to James when she isn't trying to get her claws into him and he becomes more and more fond of her as the book progresses. This part of the plot in fact leads to a bombshell of sorts at the end of this book, which will leave the reader very anxious to get their hands on the next entry in the series.
Despite the bombshell however this is probably the least enjoyable of the first four books in this series. The mystery itself plays a much larger part in this story than in the previous books, which would at first glance appear to be a good thing. Unfortunately the mystery is not suspenseful or for that matter interesting enough to carry the plot on it's own and all of the little side plots that involve the other characters in the book fall very flat. The problem may well be that for the most part the old comfortable characters in Carsely are basically absent from this book leaving only the new characters introduced for this book and quite frankly most of these new characters are fairly wretched creatures. It is really hard to get involved in a story when most every person involved makes your skin crawl. The whole notion of a cozy mystery is sort left by the wayside when there is absolutely nothing cozy about the story or it's characters.
I am a great fan of this series and if you intend to read any of the books following this one then this is a must read because of the interaction between Agatha and James. Just don't be at all surprised if after reading this book you find that instead of feeling all warm and fuzzy, like your supposed to feel after reading a cozy mystery, you just feel numb.
Read Agatha Raisin, but dont start with this book.......2005-04-14
I love Agatha Raisin. M.C. Beaton has created one of the finest character studies of small provincial towns I have come across. I've found myself laughing aloud several times with each book that I pick up and I bless Beaton for that.
In her previous three stories, the mysteries have stood second stage to Raisin's interactions with people in the town. And that was just fine. But here it seems that Beaton is attempting to turn Raisin into a bumbling Mrs. Marple alluded to in every story. But it doesn't work. Beaton just can't set up a mystery on par with Christy and in her efforts to do so, Beaton sacrifices much of what was so enduring about her first three Raisin stories.
I did not especially like this book though I plan on reading more Raisin novels in the hopes that Beaton once again captures the magic of her past triumphs.
Book Description
It's not as if Nel Innes doesn't have enough on her plate already: keeping track of her unnervingly beautiful teenage daughter, sorting out a house full of animals, and organizing a farmers' market in the picturesque Paradise Fields. The last thing she needs is yet another complication in her life, but when her old friend Sir Gerald dies, and his son, Pierce, accompanied by his glamorous American wife, takes possession of the property, it seems that preserving the Fields is not on his list of priorities.
Nel takes up arms, determined to fight for the meadow and the market she loves. But who can she trust? She's pretty sure her friends Sacha and Vivian are on her side, but her sensible boyfriend of six months, Simon, an estate agent, is less encouraging. And then there's Jake, the infuriating yet attractive stranger who surprised her with a kiss under the mistletoe at the last market before Christmas. Maybe she's been a celibate widow for a little too long....
Customer Reviews:
If you like european romances..........2007-02-12
Nel has been a widow for ten years and is comfortable with life in her little village. Her two sons are at university and her daughter is almost finished high school. She is determined to remain unmarried until her children are independent so she has no complaints about her stuffy boyfriend, Simon, although her children do not like him and she never has lustful thoughts about him. She keeps busy with charity activities to support a local hospice. She is not bothered about the fact that she has not had sex since her husband died so Nel is surprised when a handsome younger man kisses her at the Christmas fair.
Nel is working hard to save Paradise Fields, the estate where she organizes a farmers market which supports the hospice. The new owners want to develop the land for cheap housing. Nel meets with the owners to oppose the development and discovers that their lawyer is Jake, the man who kissed her. Jake tries to date Nel, but she cannot believe a handsome London lawyer is interested in a plump, older woman and suspects he is just trying to get her to agree to the development plans.
When she ends up in Jake's bed one night, Nel puts it down to a mistake, but Jake keeps pursuing her and even seems to be trying to help her save Paradise Fields. Then Simon asks her to marry him and encourages her to agree to the development plan.
A charming story.......2006-07-06
Katie Fforde writes delightful stories about nice people. I was feeling particularly down one day (had just visited a much-loved family member who was dying of cancer) and needed something light and happy to read, so I plucked this book off my TBR shelf and settled down in my favorite chair. From the first word, I was immediately carried away into Fforde's fictional world. Nell is a lovely heroine--the kind of woman I would enjoy knowing. It was fun to read about her life because I knew that no matter how serious the problems were that she encountered, all would be well in the end. This is a great story told in Fforde's lighthearted style with both skill and charm. You'll enjoy it.
Very Nice Read.......2005-01-31
The first word that comes to mind after reading this novel is "pleasant" (a vastly underrated adjective IMHO). I haven't read this author before, and it was such a nice experience to read a book that was more about ordinary people, trying to live their lives as best they could, than about plot machinations and torrid sex scenes every other page (not that there's anything wrong with that). One comes to care about these characters and sympathize with their struggles of having to compromise about a real estate development, acknowledging that the children are really growing up and parents are really growing old.
So if you are looking for a well written book with strong character development, this book's the ticket. Nicely done!
Fforde At Her Very Best.......2005-01-22
There is no such thing as a bad Katie Fforde book, but Paradise Fields, her latest, is simply quintessential Katie: charming, funny, witty, engaging and a joy to read.
Here is the story of just-over-40 widow Nel Innes, who thinks of herself as an over-the-hill dowdy "old thing," a perception not shared by anyone else in her life, from her gorgeous best friend Viv to her twentysomething daughter Fleur to her dull-as-nails boyfriend, estate agent Simon (yawn). Nel halfheartedly thinks she will probably settle down at some point with Simon so she has a man around to do DIY work, when she gets embroiled in a community effort to safe Paradise Fields, a strip of riverfront land upon which sits the sick-children's hospice, a charity dear to her heart.
Nel is used to running farmers' markets and other charity events on Paradise Fields, all of whose profits go to the hospice, but now she is up against a real threat as a heartless couple and their equally heartless land developer plan to turn it into a housing development. As Nel plots and plans desperately to save the land, the landowning couple's nefarious (maybe) attorney Jake comes to muddy the waters. Literally. Nel knows better than to consort with the enemy, but Jake's charm is lethal.
Does Nel find love and happiness in Jake's arms? Or is he the devil? Will the hospice be saved? I found myself zipping through the pages, trying hard not to skip to the end to find out. It's that kind of book, as only Katie Fforde could write it. Enjoy!
Books:
- The Persona Lifecycle : Keeping People in Mind Throughout Product Design (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Interactive Technologies) (Interactive Technologies)
- The Surfer's Guide to Costa Rica & SW Nicaragua
- The Truth About Beauty: Transform Your Looks and Your Life from the Inside Out
- The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2007 (Unofficial Guides)
- The Zone System for 35MM Photographers: A Basic Guide to Exposure Control
- Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
- Tumbling After: Pedaling Like Crazy After Life Goes Downhill
- Words of My Perfect Teacher, Revised Edition (Sacred Literature Series)
- Younger Next Year Journal: Start Now and Live the Promise Day-by-Day
- 5x7
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Women Who Raised Me: A Memoir
- Roswell High Series 1 Through 10: The Outsider; The Wild One; The Seeker; The Watcher; The Intruder;
- Popular Music From Vittula: A Novel
- Positive Options for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Narrative as Virtual Reality: Immersion and Interactivity in Literature and Electronic Media
- Nothing in This Book Is True, But It's Exactly How Things Are
- Social Dominance: An Intergroup Theory of Social Hierarchy and Oppression
- The People of the Sea: A Journey in Search of the Seal Legend
- Little Mother of Russia: A Biography of Empress Marie Fedorovna
- Women at Risk: We Also Served
The Deadly Dance (An Agatha Raisin Mystery)
Love, Lies and Liquor (Agatha Raisin Mysteries)
Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House (Agatha Raisin Mysteries)
Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell (An Agatha Raisin Mystery)
Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came (Agatha Raisin Mysteries)
