Yuletide over-indulgence on the poison front... During the dark grey days of early December Agatha is obsessed by two things
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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 & Safety Board has chosen Christmas as the time to crack down what he sees as gross misconduct by every man woman & 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.' & 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 & just before Christmas Agatha is sipping a cup of tea & 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 & 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 & 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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He was a vicar to die for
- & he did! Agatha is going through a man-hating phase & so is unmoved by news of the captivating new
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Drowned brides are like buses: nothing for ages then two come along at the same time.. .! Abandoned by husband James Agatha hops on a plane to the South Pacific hoping to mend her broken heart. But there she meets a happy honeymooning couple for whom disaster strikes when tragically the bride drowns. Back home alarm bells start ringing for Agatha when a woman dressed in a wedding gown is swept down river. The police say suicide but Agatha spurred on by recent memories particularly her own disastrous marriage sets out to prove them wrong. Praise for the Agatha Raisin" series: ' Sharp witty hugely intelligent unfailingly entertaining delightfully intolerant & oh so magnificently non-PC M.C. Beaton has created a national treasure'
- Anne Robinson. 'M.C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem'
- " Publishers Weekly". ' The Miss Marple-like Raisin is a refreshing sensible wonderfully eccentric thoroughly likeable heroine'
- " Booklist". ' Once started you'll have a job to put it down until you've finished'
- Amazon reader Kent. ' Another wonderful tale about Agatha & her chums.. . Long live Aggie!'
- Bookworm Essex."




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There may be trouble ahead...so will Agatha face the music? Can the feisty Agatha cut it as a private investigator? She soon learns that running her own detective agency in the Cotswolds is not quite like starring in a Raymond Chandler movie. But then walks in wealthy divorcee Catherine Laggat-Brown & Agatha is given her first real case. Death threats blackmail & physical attack soon follow & once again Agatha is off scouring the countryside for clues & showing friends & enemies alike what Raisin Investigations can do! Praise for the Agatha Raisin" series: 'A potent cocktail of satire mystery & adventure that will leave you wanting more'
- Myshelf.com. ' Sharp witty hugely intelligent unfailingly entertaining delightfully intolerant & oh so magnificently non-PC M.C. Beaton has created a national treasure'
- Anne Robinson. 'M.C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem'
- " Publishers Weekly". ' The Miss Marple-like Raisin is a refreshing sensible wonderfully eccentric thoroughly likeable heroine'
- " Booklist"."



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Agatha's away with the fairies...and the little folk are causing big trouble for her! Angry at being jilted by new husband James Agatha follows a fortune-teller's advice & rents a cottage in pretty Fryfam. There she hopes true love will come chasing after her. But her romantic notions are dispelled by a series of odd goings-on in the village: strange lights start appearing in her back garden; there are thefts of paintings & pottery; & her beloved cats vanish. & then the local squire is found dead. Agatha's nose for trouble ensnares her in a maelstrom of jealousy blackmail & dangerous liaisons especially with a murderer who plans to keep irrepressible Agatha permanently in Fryfam
- as a resident corpse! Praise for The Agatha Raisin Series": ' Sharp witty hugely intelligent unfailingly entertaining delightfully intolerant & oh so magnificently non-PC M.C. Beaton has created a national treasure'
- Anne Robinson. 'M.C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem'
- " Publishers Weekly". ' The Miss Marple-like Raisin is a refreshing sensible wonderfully eccentric thoroughly likeable heroine'
- " Booklist"."



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A vengeful ghost comes back to haunt the living? Reports of a haunted house soon have Agatha snooping around but it turns out the victim of the haunting is a universally disliked old biddy on whom someone is playing a practical joke. & then the old lady is murdered
- but for Agatha solving a crime is much more fun than hunting a ghost! Very soon she's up to her usual tricks involving the villagers local police & of course her handsome new neighbour. Praise for The Agatha Raisin Series": ' Fast-paced witty & well-plotted'
- My Shelf.com. ' Sharp witty hugely intelligent unfailingly entertaining delightfully intolerant & oh so magnificently non-PC M.C. Beaton has created a national treasure'
- Anne Robinson. 'M.C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem'
- " Publishers Weekly". ' The Miss Marple-like Raisin is a refreshing sensible wonderfully eccentric thoroughly likeable heroine'
- " Booklist"."




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Recently married to James Lacey Agatha quickly finds out that it's not all 'happy ever after'
- before long the newlyweds are living
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Love like hell is a four-letter word for Agatha...no happily ever after for her! Recently married to neighbour James Lacey Agatha quickly finds that love is not all it's cracked up to be
- soon the newly-weds are living in separate cottages & accusing each other of infidelity. Then after a fight down the local pub James vanishes
- a bloodstain the only clue to his fate. Naturally Agatha is Suspect Number One. Determined to clear her name
- & find her husband
- Agatha begins her investigation & promptly discovers a murdered mistress. Praise for The Agatha Raisin Series": ' Sharp witty hugely intelligent unfailingly entertaining delightfully intolerant & oh so magnificently non-PC M.C. Beaton has created a national treasure'
- Anne Robinson. 'M.C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem'
- " Publishers Weekly". ' The Miss Marple-like Raisin is a refreshing sensible wonderfully eccentric thoroughly likeable heroine'
- " Booklist"."






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The morning of Agatha's marriage to James Lacey dawns bright & clear. But her luck runs out in the church when Jimmy the husband she had believed long dead turns up large as life & twice as ugly. Agatha has a go at strangling him. James breaks off the engagement. So when Jimmy is found murdered next day Agatha & James are both the prime suspects. & they'll have to work together in order to clear their names... Praise for the Agatha Raisin" series: 'M.C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem'
- " Publishers Weekly". ' The detective novels of M.C. Beaton a master of outrageous black comedy have reached cult status'
- " The Times". ' Being a cranky middle-aged female myself I found Agatha charming'
- Amazon customer review. 'I dream of being able to speak out like Aggie.. .she's a heroine'
- A. Lucas Essex reader review."



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