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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I always loved Marion Chesney's Regency romances so I was delighted to realize this hilarious "cozy" mystery series was hers under the pseudonym M.C. Beaton. She also writes the Hamish mysteries which are set in Scotland and are also charming. Although there are so many of them out there, it's hard to find a good cozy, because there's a fine line between light and funny on one hand and burblingly stupid on the other.
Part of what makes this all work is that Agatha Raisin herself is a bull in a china shop: ruthless, tart-tongued, and smart. She has retired to a picturesque little village in the Cotswolds after a highly successful career as a publicist in London. At that point she realizes she has no personal life apart from reading Agatha Christie. Agatha decides to make a splash in the village by winning the local quiche contest, judged by an obnoxious neighbor. She smuggles in a store-bought London spinach quiche, and is furious to discover she has lost to the usual winner. Then it turns out her obnoxious neighbor has died of poison, and a deadly herb is found in Agatha's quiche! What is an inveterate reader of Agatha Christie to do? The investigation is launched. Will Agatha acquire deft social skills and a conscience along the way? We rather hope not.
Part of what makes this all work is that Agatha Raisin herself is a bull in a china shop: ruthless, tart-tongued, and smart. She has retired to a picturesque little village in the Cotswolds after a highly successful career as a publicist in London. At that point she realizes she has no personal life apart from reading Agatha Christie. Agatha decides to make a splash in the village by winning the local quiche contest, judged by an obnoxious neighbor. She smuggles in a store-bought London spinach quiche, and is furious to discover she has lost to the usual winner. Then it turns out her obnoxious neighbor has died of poison, and a deadly herb is found in Agatha's quiche! What is an inveterate reader of Agatha Christie to do? The investigation is launched. Will Agatha acquire deft social skills and a conscience along the way? We rather hope not.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've read a few in the Agatha Raisin series, so it was nice to go back to the beginning & read the first one. Just like others in the series, this had humor & good side characters. I have a better idea of why Agatha is the way she is now, although I can't say I really like her any better.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
What a fun series starter. Agatha, the main character, is definitely a character. She’s retiring to Carsley after working in PR, and can’t cook a thing, being a career woman.
This prompts her, of course, to buy a quiche to win a competition, but she then has to confess when the judge is poisoned. She meets Bill, a police Constable, and her friend Roy from London also visits, and they both help her work out whodunit.
In the meantime, the ladies club run by the vicar’s wife accepts her, but the parade of women the deceased was having an affair with don’t like her a bit. I love the vicar’s wife, so placid and supportive.
Great English comedy, I’m looking for the next one right away.
GPL audiobook
This prompts her, of course, to buy a quiche to win a competition, but she then has to confess when the judge is poisoned. She meets Bill, a police Constable, and her friend Roy from London also visits, and they both help her work out whodunit.
In the meantime, the ladies club run by the vicar’s wife accepts her, but the parade of women the deceased was having an affair with don’t like her a bit. I love the vicar’s wife, so placid and supportive.
Great English comedy, I’m looking for the next one right away.
GPL audiobook
i knew there was a reason why i never cared for quiche. i just have to say that British cozy mysteries have a very special place in my heart and i really wanted to like the first book in this series so i could dedicate my time to reading the rest. i was not disappointed and could not put this down!
Agatha is formidable and i like her character (although she can be quite unlikeable sometimes but somehow it works), however my only hang-up was that there were some questionable and problematic things said in the book that made me uncomfy. hopefully that’s not the case for the rest of the books in the series.
Agatha is formidable and i like her character (although she can be quite unlikeable sometimes but somehow it works), however my only hang-up was that there were some questionable and problematic things said in the book that made me uncomfy. hopefully that’s not the case for the rest of the books in the series.
This was a nice cozy mystery.
I REALLY didn't like Agatha Raisin, the main character. She's a thoroughly unlikeable woman, although that changed somewhat near the end.
Despite that, this was just fun. Beaton writes a certain style of mystery - small towns, small mysteries, and big characters.
I REALLY didn't like Agatha Raisin, the main character. She's a thoroughly unlikeable woman, although that changed somewhat near the end.
Despite that, this was just fun. Beaton writes a certain style of mystery - small towns, small mysteries, and big characters.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced