Reviews

The Dead Ringer by M.C. Beaton

cynthiaslibrary's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

helenephoebe's review against another edition

3.0

Review - I was quite disappointed by this story in the Agatha Raisin series. I still really enjoyed reading it, but it wasn't up to the usual standard of M.C. Beaton I thought. Maybe it's time for Agatha to just marry Charles Fraith and retire? It was hinted at so much through this story but failed to deliver in the end. Some of my favourite supporting characters had noticeably smaller roles in this story, such as Bill Wong, which didn't really help matters either. I hope Beaton can recapture some of the joy and comedy from earlier novels in the series in her next book in the series.

Genre? - Crime / Mystery

Characters? - Agatha Raisin / Mrs Bloxby / Charles Fraith / Mavis Dupin / Millicent Dupin / James Lacey / Joseph Kennell / Bishop Peter Salver-Hinkley / Bill Wong / Alice Peterson

Setting? - Carsely & Thirk Magna (England)

Series? - Agatha Raisin #29

Recommend? – Maybe

Rating - 14/20

For full review see my blog https://bookbloggerish.wordpress.com/2018/12/04/agatha-raisin-and-the-dead-ringer-by-m-c-beaton/

kmg365's review against another edition

4.0

I think I've discovered the trick of actually catching all the plot twists in an M.C. Beaton novel. I prefer audio books, but Beaton has a habit of dropping important nuggets of information with brief, declarative sentences buried in long passages of description. If you're driving while listening, it's easy for that short important sentence to get lost if someone cuts you off in traffic, or you have to make an unexpected lane change. So for this book, I listened, but I also got the e-book version. Any time I felt lost, I used the e-book copy to backtrack and find the bit of important information I missed.

The actual murder plot here is nothing special, but the sub-plot involving Agatha's personal life focused on one of my favorite things about the series-- Charles and Agatha are once again flirting with the idea of marrying one another. Oh, they don't actually talk about it-- that would be too sensible and straightforward. They both simply ruminate about it privately, but never summon the nerve to speak up.

My favorite part was that Agatha seems bummed out, but hardly bereft, when a man she had a brief affair with is found dead in her cottage. But later, when her cats are held for ransom, she freaks out. She has her priorities straight, at least.

Here's what needs to happen in the next book in the series-- someone murders the odious Gustav and Charles's elderly aunt. Agatha investigates, and since the two biggest obstacles to her being with Charles are removed, all that remains is for her to inherit a large fortune from a grateful former client. She's already rich, but if she's super rich, Charles will finally agree to walk down the aisle.

jmbreslin's review

2.0

I generally do not write reviews because I don't write as eloquently as the ones I read on here but I just had to come on and write my comments down for this one. With this being the 29th installment of the series, we all have come to love Agatha and are quite accustomed to the author's style of writing as M.C. Beaton. There was something very off with this addition. The whole writing style was very different. The was no wit, lacked humor and every plot "twist" seemed rushed. As if the author was in the middle of a thought - put a page break and moved on in the next paragraph. Put in simple terms, the book was just odd. It wasn't horrible when I didn't want to keep reading but didn't seem to have the same flow as the others. So close to the end of the series so can't stop now - just hope they get better :)

emoust's review against another edition

funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

madisonreadsbooks's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

erna_reads's review against another edition

5.0

Almost gone through all Agatha Raisin books - then I’ll start again

heid_rth's review against another edition

4.0

I really enjoyed this book! I'm a big fan of the TV show but I'd never read the books. I did think it was funny how in the TV show Agatha is a very nice person and yet in the books she's horrible. I found this book really gripping - I couldn't put it down - and I love M.C. Beaton's writing style. The plot is so clever and quite complicated with all of the intricate characters and yet still easy to read.

However, I did think there were a few unanswered questions by the end of the book. For example, when the bishop went to Thailand all those years ago, what actually happened? Also, when the bishop fled to Thailand near the end of the book he wasn't mentioned again which was strange because he was such a main character. I felt like it was an abrupt ending to that particularly plotline and the whole ending of the book felt kind of rushed. This is why I gave it 4 stars.

I did really love this book and I would definitely read it again and 100% recommend.

sbunyan's review against another edition

1.0

I enjoy the Agatha Raisin series though I can’t read too many sequentially because Agatha can be so annoying and the situations too manipulated.

This book was just confusing. It felt as if someone d else wrote it - took all the other books from the series and made a weak attempt at a new story. It was a jumbled mess. And while Agatha and other characters often have unbelievable reactions, this time they all seem just parodies of themselves.

I hope this was just a strange aberration.

perednia's review against another edition

3.0

A bit convoluted because Beaton is building more introspection not only into Agatha, but into some of those nearest to her. I liked that part of this latest Cotswolds mystery the best. And the foundation was laid for more ups and downs in the ongoing saga.

The worst was a throw-away idea of Aggie's about Charles being as inscrutable as "an Oriental". Really? That racist remark was completely unneeded.

Still pondering what Beaton really meant about two of the more unsavory characters and their relationship.