Agatha Raisin and the Busy Body
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Book Description
The eagerly awaited 21st Agatha Raisin murder mystery out now in paperback in the stunning new cover style.
Product Description
Agatha Raisin has never been one for enforced holiday cheer, but her friendly little village of Carsely has always prided itself on its traditional Christmas festivities. But this year the bells will not be ringing out Silent Night as Mr John Sunday, an officer with the Cotswold Health and Safety Board, has chosen Christmas as the time to crack down what he sees as gross misconduct by every man, woman, and child in the vicinity. The village shop is told it can no longer have wooden shelves which have been there since the time of Queen Victoria ‘in case someone is inflicted with a splinter.’ The village school is ordered to leave lights on at night ‘to prevent unauthorized intruders from tripping in the dark.’ And children are warned to not play with “counterfeit banknotes” after passing around toy money in the playground. But finally Mr Sunday goes too far when he rules that there cannot be a Christmas tree atop the church tower this year. Soon after the decree and just before Christmas, Agatha is sipping a cup of tea and trying to stay awake as minute by minute of the Carsely Ladies Society meeting at the vicarage drones on when a sudden scream wakes her from her stupor. The ladies rush out of the building and into the garden to find Sunday lying face down in the petunias, very much dead. Agatha is instantly on the case, but with so many people having threatened the life of the victim, it's almost impossible to know where to start! Praise for the Agatha Raisin series: ‘M C Beaton has created a national treasure… Agatha Raisin is the strongest link’ Anne Robinson ‘M C Beaton’s imperfect heroine is an absolute gem’ Publishers Weekly ‘Clever red herrings and some wicked unfinished business guarantees that the listener will pant for a sequel’ The Times audiobook review ‘The Miss Marple-like Agatha is a refreshingly sensible, wonderfully eccentric, thoroughly likeable heroine’ Booklist
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
36 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
John Sunday is causing havoc in and around Carsely - the Cotswold village where Agatha Raisin lives. He is a Health and Safety officer and is upsetting everyone by banning things such as the Christmas Tree on top of the church steeple and the wooden shelves in the village shop.
Then during a meeting in a nearby vicarage to organise a protest against Sunday's activities the man himself is found dead in the garden. The problem for the police and for Agatha is that there are too many suspects. Just about all the villagers have means motive and opportunity to commit the crime.
This is the sort of case Agatha loves - where she can go ferreting around to find all the secrets that everyone wants to hide - and there are plenty of secrets to discover especially when another murder is committed and the whole thing acquires an international flavour.
I really enjoyed this fast paced story and the character development of the series characters. Agatha is also taking on new detectives for her expanding detective agency. This is a great addition to the series and will be read and enjoyed by all Agatha Raisin's many fans.
Then during a meeting in a nearby vicarage to organise a protest against Sunday's activities the man himself is found dead in the garden. The problem for the police and for Agatha is that there are too many suspects. Just about all the villagers have means motive and opportunity to commit the crime.
This is the sort of case Agatha loves - where she can go ferreting around to find all the secrets that everyone wants to hide - and there are plenty of secrets to discover especially when another murder is committed and the whole thing acquires an international flavour.
I really enjoyed this fast paced story and the character development of the series characters. Agatha is also taking on new detectives for her expanding detective agency. This is a great addition to the series and will be read and enjoyed by all Agatha Raisin's many fans.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Vine™ Review
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Agatha Raisin and the Bust Body is a prime example of that very British kind of cosy murder mystery that mixes corpses with middle class aspiration, something that author M.C. Beaton certainly isn't unaware of, keeping just enough of her tongue in her cheek to avoid descending into total tweeness. This entry in her popular series is a perfect bit of middle class wish fulfilment as the village's pedantic health and safety officer gets offed, but not before cancelling Christmas and leaving pretty much everyone with a motive for delivering the coup de grace. Most of the expected plot developments follow, including the omnipresent death of the chief suspect, but it's all handled deftly and wittily without getting bogged down in too many preliminaries. Beaton's small world isn't always a convincing one, owing more to the conventions of the amateur sleuth genre, and some of the plot developments strain credulity a bit, but Penelope Keith's reading of the unabridged CD audiobook captures the recognisable grumpiness of the modern day Miss Marple without making her too unlikeable and does a colourful job with the supporting characters too. It's not likely to make many new converts, but it's an amiable enough affair for its target readership.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This review is for the unabridged audiobook narrated by Penelope Keith.
When local busy body John Sunday is found unexpectedly dead, Agatha Raisin sets out to winnow away the multitude of suspects and to find the murderer. In this tongue in cheek take on the world of amateur sleuths such as Miss Marple, MC Beaton provides us with a decent well written plot, with some nice twists and turns, and believable characters. The joy of the story is the sense of humour, and Agatha's constant stream of acerbicness. It's an entertaining story.
Having played MC Beaton's detective creation in a radio series, Penelope Keith seems a natural choice for narrating this audiobook version of her 21st adventure. The vocal characterisation is great, especially for Agatha herself. She is an actress of versatility and able to imbue the different characters with a unique voice. The six hours just sail by.
The set contains 6 discs, in a case about the size of a double jewel case. In all a great way to pass 6 hours in the car.
When local busy body John Sunday is found unexpectedly dead, Agatha Raisin sets out to winnow away the multitude of suspects and to find the murderer. In this tongue in cheek take on the world of amateur sleuths such as Miss Marple, MC Beaton provides us with a decent well written plot, with some nice twists and turns, and believable characters. The joy of the story is the sense of humour, and Agatha's constant stream of acerbicness. It's an entertaining story.
Having played MC Beaton's detective creation in a radio series, Penelope Keith seems a natural choice for narrating this audiobook version of her 21st adventure. The vocal characterisation is great, especially for Agatha herself. She is an actress of versatility and able to imbue the different characters with a unique voice. The six hours just sail by.
The set contains 6 discs, in a case about the size of a double jewel case. In all a great way to pass 6 hours in the car.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Politically Incorrect Escapism
What can one say about Agatha Raisin? She continues to try and avoid village life and the murders that occur on a frequent basis, but something draws her right into the melee of it... Read more
Published 15 days ago by Joanne D'Arcy
Busy Not getting better
After the dreadful effort of There goes the Bride this new installment of MC Beatons Agatha Raisin series is only mildly better . Read more
Published 24 days ago by Mrs. A. L. Bailey
Gossip Under the Mistletoe
The Agatha Raisin books have been going for some time now and M C Beaton is a prolific writer, churning out what feels like 4 books a year. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Sam
Terrible, I didn't think it possible but the series is getting worse!
I can't start to understand why this book scores 4 or 5 stars. It is a terrible read, a once good series is being left to die painfully. Read more
Published 4 months ago by R. Lowther
agatha raisin
Agatha Christie but very light reading. Do not want to stop reading once started. First book I have read by this author. Will read more. International delivery very fast.
Published 6 months ago by elaine
all titles
I have read the whole series of Agatha Raisin and found them to be a great read. The only down side is that now they are finished it is like losing a good friend. Read more
Published 6 months ago by linda
A good read
I love Agatha Raisin and all her little foibles. As a heroine, she is not the nicest of people- but you can't fail to be on her side. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Snowy
Back in form!
Bravo! I am very happy to see that Mrs. Beaton is back in her old form with the "Agatha Raisin" books. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Bookworm
My Holiday Treat
On my last trip to France I took a serious history book and a treat to read. This was my treat. I have been listening to the BBC radio Agatha Raisins, but the books are much much... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Mrs H Terry
Good holiday read
Agatha Raisin is a good Miss Marple substitute and this book is just right for holiday reading! Nothing too challenging, but think the story line was a little on the weak side - I... Read more
Published 12 months ago by old bird
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