When Private Detective Agatha Raisin learns that her friend and one-time lover Charles Fraith is to be married to a mysterious socialite, Miss Mary Brown-Field, she sees it as her duty to find out what she can about the woman. Coming up empty, Agatha—out of selfless concern for Charles, of course—does the only sensible thing she can think of: she crashes their wedding, which ends in a public altercation. Nursing a hangover the next morning, she gets a phone call from Charles, with even more disturbing news: Mary has been murdered.
Agatha takes on the case, and quickly becomes entrenched in the competitive equestrian world, in which Mary had been enmeshed—as well as the victim’s surprisingly violent past. Agatha finds no shortage of motives among a wide range of characters, from Mary’s old riding competitors, to enemies from her schoolgirl days, to her surly father, who threatens Agatha to mind her own business. Meanwhile, the police department has its money on another suspect: Agatha. Will she track down the criminal in time, or end up behind bars herself?
Release Date: Nov 17, 2020
Series:Â An Agatha Raisin Mystery
Book:Â 31
Publisher:Â Macmillan
Imprint:Â Minotaur Books
Price: $13.99
There is no shortage of novel mysteries circulating Raisin Investigations.
Agatha (Aggie) Raisin cannot believe that her friend and not so long-ago lover, Sir Charles Fraith, is about to get married and worse, she was not invited.  Convinced that she may be able to help, she sets forth to Barfield House, Sir Charles’ estate, to talk some sense into him. Only when she arrives, he’s not home and is then warned by his butler, Gustav, that something is not right, and she should get involved and investigate. Worried for her friend, Agatha begins her investigation and crashes the wedding. Enraged and suspicious of the new Mrs. Fraith, Agatha has no choice but to pursue this vexing investigation, especially when the new Mrs. Fraith turns up dead and her and Charles are the main suspects!
Snakes and bastards!
Agatha Raisin, just the name is genius; refined, fierce and provocative. She’s a bit unlikable because she is so forward, but I am enamored with her. Her thought process, her wit, her deliverance and her actions. I wish Aggie had a course on how to be her. Do yourself a favor, if you’re not a fan of these, books, read them! Classic true detective work, she upholds to the highest standards (usually), she expects the best from her staff, and they deliver. A true classic, rich, detailed mystery-murder that you’ll love and respect.Â
But beware, never cross Mrs. Raisin, she sure knows how to put someone in their place. Stark and brutally honest; you’ll be reading along and then (bam!) she’ll say something that will have you laughing out loud. It’s almost like someone switched on the mic on her inner monologue and it’s not entirely suitable for the general audience. This book was top notch fun. Excellent flow, funny creative dialogue and memorable characters.Â
As I was reading this book, I kept thinking how much I would love to see this character on the big screen and to my surprise, there’s an Agatha Raisin TV series.
This is a new-to-me author and series and I had no trouble reading this book as a stand-alone, but I’m certain that after reading this book, you will want to take up this series from the beginning!Â
Note:Â M.C. Beaton (Marion Chesney) passed away on December 30, 2019. She will be remembered by many for her writing and her memorable characters. At the beginning of this book is a Foreword by R. W. Green, a friend of Marion Chesney, who remembers her fondly and respectfully.
~ Patricia
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