A review by judyward
A Spoonful of Poison by M.C. Beaton

3.0

I really don't know why I like this series of books so much. No, wait, I know why. The books in this series can be read in an afternoon (particularly a rainy afternoon in front of the fireplace) and the main character is a self-centered, unfocused,cranky woman in her 50s. Sound familiar? The basic premise of the series (which is over ten books) centers around Agatha Raisin, a successful public relations guru, who took early retirement to move to the English countryside and find happiness in a thatched cottage in a small village. Doesn't work out the way she planned, predictably enough. She solves crimes (which are really a minor part of the book) while trying to find love, acceptance, and friendship. She faces some challenges. First, she falls in love with essentially every man that she meets, she doesn't appreciate the friends that she has (with the exception of the Vicar's wife), and she faces hostility both as an outsider in the village and because of her personality (the vicar can't stand her). I actually bought this book to give as a Christmas gift to my 84 year old mother, but decided, while wrapping presents on Sunday, to read it before wrapping it and placing it under the tree.