Saturday, August 15, 2015

Review: Agatha Raisin and Love, Lies and Liquor by M.C. Beaton


Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
Audio

Publisher:
Blackstone Audio Inc.

Release Date:
February 2013







Synopsis from Goodreads:

Agatha Raisin is lonely. Busy as she is with her detective agency and the meetings of the Carsely Ladies’ Society, she still misses her ex-husband, James Lacey. So when he suddenly resurfaces and invites her on holiday at a surprise location, she’s ready to go yesterday. With visions of a romantic hideaway in Italy or the Pacific dancing in her head, Agatha sets off with James to...Snoth-on-Sea, in Sussex. While James may have fond memories of boyhood holidays there, the once-grand Palace Hotel is in shambles and freezing cold—as are fellow guests and newlyweds Mr. and Mrs. Jankers, who pick a fight with Agatha one night. Just as she and James prepare to flee to warmer climes, Geraldine Jankers is found dead on the beach…strangled with Agatha’s scarf. So much for holiday fantasies: For Agatha, trouble has a way of following her even when romance does not

My Review:

I can’t believe I’m already up to book #17 in this series. After the first two, I wasn’t sure how long I’d continue because Agatha wasn’t a very nice person. Now, although she’s still rough around the edges, she has won me over. There’s just something about her that makes me care about her. I still wish she didn’t act like a love struck teenager and I still wish people didn’t carry on like she’s almost 100 years old instead of her mid-50’s. But, she’s amusing and, for the most part, an intelligent amateur sleuth.

In this one, Agatha’s former husband is back, unfortunately. James Lacey is probably supposed to be hero material, but I haven’t liked him since book one. LOL Oh well, things aren’t always working out well for him, so I will be satisfied with that  :)

It’s really amazing how murder cases literally seem to fall at Agatha’s feet. Plus, it makes me laugh how she always shows up the police. She’s so much better at investigating than they are. LOL As I’ve said before, adding a P.I. business to Agatha’s life complete with an additional set of new characters is one of the best ideas yet.

As you can tell by my review, I’m more involved in the characters than I am in the actual mysteries. They are good, simple and – as simple as they can be – I still never seem to figure out whodunit.

The good thing is these are so short that I can usually finish listening to them in just one week during my commute to/from work. It’s onto the next one now…



For reading challenges:
2015 I Love Library Books Reading Challenge

Disclosure: I borrowed this from the library. All opinions expressed are my own.


3 comments:

  1. Great review - I love the Agatha Raisin series and Beaton's Hamish MacBeth series as well, although I haven't listened to audioversions yet. Isn't it strange how Agatha is so unlikeable and yet so endearing at the same time?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've read the first few books in this series. Listened to several of them and I agree that they are great listens. I can remember that at first I thought Agatha was horrible. Like Sarah said though, unlikeable yet endearing. Perfect description. I ought to try these again if I can figure out where I left off.

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