Agatha Raisin 21 - Trouble-fête (edició 2020)

I've enjoyed many of the Agatha Raisin series. However, I'm beginning to think maybe Mrs. Beaton has over done the series. Sometimes, when an author seems to be pushing out one copy right after another, the plots and characters begin to falter. I'm afraid that is the situation we have here. How many times must we hear Agatha's handbag call "capacious"? Why bother bringing back James Lacey for 1 paragraph of the story? It almost seems as if the plots are identical (person who is hated by everyone gets bumped off and the culprit is the person who hires Agatha because they want to steer detection away from themselves) and past characters are being dropped in for a scene just to show readers they are still there, though lurking off in the shadows. I really did enjoy the series until the recent few books. I do hope they begin to improve or I may have to get my cozy fix elsewhere. ( )

In this book Agatha investigates when the Health and Safety inspector is murdered. He had upset many people who who was his killer?

A quick read for those who like this kind of book but I just can't like the main character who is rude and obnoxious to everyone around her. ( )

3.5 stars ( )

While attending a Lady's Society meeting at the Odley Cruesis vicarage, Agatha Raisin and the rest of the women are stunned to watch a man outside the window fall to a bloody heap in the snow. Agatha, now the proud owner of the Carsley Detective Agency, sees that the victim is a much-hated man from the area, John Sunday, otherwise known as "The Grudge". Sunday, as an officer of the Health and Safety Board, has caused untold grief in the village by refusing to allow Christmas lights on houses, a Christmas tree on the church roof, a local toymaker from selling her handiwork, and many other petty complaints. Many people have been heard threatening "The Grudge's" life but the prime suspect, Miriam Courtney, soon becomes the victim of a murder herself. Agatha and her employees are had pressed to find a reason for the two seemingly unrelated murders but the investigators find themselves in danger themselves while following the clues.

I am a fan of the Agatha Raisin mysteries but I have always listened to them on audio before this book. The reader, Donata Peters, does such a wonderful job that I have always found the stories fun and very entertaining. Therefore I'm not sure if I was slightly disappointed in this one since I didn't have that pleasant audio experience. The book seemed a tad choppy and the reason for the murders was rather weird. I do still love the irrascible, cranky Agatha though.
( )

Pushy, irritable Agatha Raisin, PI, gets involved in investigating the murder of a disliked safety inspector. Soon, there is another murder of a wealthy older woman who is a newcomer to the same town. With the help of her two young PIs, a couple of friends and a friend on the police force, Agatha figures out who killed who and why.

Agatha is not very likable and neither are many of the quirky characters she talks to during her investigations. The story goes in many directions before coming back and wrapping up the murders. I think all this is meant to be humorous but I didn't think so most of the time. ( )