An Agatha Raisin Mystery (Agatha Raisin Mysteries)

I have told all my friends about M.C. Beaton the Agatha Raisin stories and of course Hamish McBeath. Thank you again for your great stories. Once I start a book I read it till the end. They are never dull and capture the reader from the beginning.

Okay, here’s my confession…

I want Agatha and Charles to get married and have a Happily Ever After.

I loved this latest entry in the Agatha Raisin series. The Witches' Tree has a great mystery, some truly devious crimes, and it’s just pure fun.

Agatha is maturing. She’s still Agatha (no worries), but in this book she’s becoming more the person her readers know she can be. And her relationship with Charles is getting interesting…in a swoon-worthy way.

No worries – your favorite characters are there and there’s still a lot of nasty under the ‘peaceful’ country exterior.

A fast and fabulously fun read. And as a reminder, if you’re new to Agatha Raisin, you really can start anywhere. No need to go back to book 1.

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

I sometimes read these more than once. M C Beaton has a delightful tounger-in cheek style and classy characterization. n Get some cookies
and sit by the fire with any of her books to wait out the winter!

Will she ever find true love? Perhaps when she stops attributing to men emotions and scruples they're not capable of. One can only hope she lives long enough to find a man worthy of her worship, who'll sweep her right off of her feet and right into .... . She does seem to attract murder though. I'm not sure either she or Charles will ever let down their guard long enough to see what's inside.

Usually I read Mrs Beaton’s mysteries in one sitting so to speak. This book, I put it down so many times. No one edited this book?
Mixed up or changed names, repeated situations from previous novels, short cut dialogue with no meaning, jumps from one scene to another forced and left handed.
It doesn’t do justice to regular work of the author.
I feel that someone else is trying to take over Agatha’s series, to keep her going later. So this person takes phrases, expressions and leitmotifs well known to the readers and throws them into a melting pot with no head or tail. From the last few novels when changes have been noted, this is by far the worst.
I really want to hear the audio of this book, his would the actress read this unreadable/illegible book.

Like many others, I have been an Agatha Raisin fan for years. The more recent books have gotten worse as time progressed and this one is definitely at the bottom. I'm no prude but was all the constant references to sex really necessary? Did we really need a comment about pubic hair? Did the references really contribute to the story? Okay, I get it, Agatha is horny.
The story also jumps incessantly from one scene to another with little to no regard for continuity. And, finally, as has been happening in the more recent stories, the story just ends with no real logic as to how the mystery was solved.
Definitely won't be reading number 21.

After the last book, ‘Pushing up Daisies’, I had hoped that MC Beaton has turned a corner and her Agatha Raisin series would get back to what they had previous been with multiple story lines that bounced back and forth effortlessly. Unfortunately, this book returned to the usual drivel that has become her norm.

Fifty-three year old Agatha is in her usual depressed mood when there is no man in her life and work is the usual boring assortment of missing pets, marital affairs and wayward teens. Agatha is still the “pet hate” for Wilkes since she tends to solve more crime by “bumbling about” then he does. Thus begins the tale of the Witches’ Tree when the body of Margaret Darby is found hanging from a tree that has a curious past.

The story gets a bit twisted with several dead bodies, a coven, and a will that has gone through several revisions, but when it comes down to it, the village of Sumpton Harcourt has some very odd people not to mention too much affinity for Agatha Christy and romance novels.

Things were touched on in the book, involving the wife of the new vicar, that I did not think belonged in a cozy mystery and I was rather surprised to see it brought up here. There were parts that did not seem to be fully addressed by the end of the book and characters that took up more room than they should have. Overall, if you have read the full series to this point, you would not be able to pass by a new Agatha, but if you are just staring out, I suggest that you start at the beginning and develop you own love for the people of Carsley.

Usually I read Mrs Beaton’s mysteries in one sitting so to speak. This book, I put it down so many times. No one edited this book?
Mixed up or changed names, repeated situations from previous novels, short cut dialogue with no meaning, jumps from one scene to another forced and left handed.
It doesn’t do justice to regular work of the author.
I feel that someone else is trying to take over Agatha’s series, to keep her going later. So this person takes phrases, expressions and leitmotifs well known to the readers and throws them into a melting pot with no head or tail. From the last few novels when changes have been noted, this is by far the worst.
I really want to hear the audio of this book, his would the actress read this unreadable/illegible book.

Like many others, I have been an Agatha Raisin fan for years. The more recent books have gotten worse as time progressed and this one is definitely at the bottom. I'm no prude but was all the constant references to sex really necessary? Did we really need a comment about pubic hair? Did the references really contribute to the story? Okay, I get it, Agatha is horny.
The story also jumps incessantly from one scene to another with little to no regard for continuity. And, finally, as has been happening in the more recent stories, the story just ends with no real logic as to how the mystery was solved.
Definitely won't be reading number 21.

After the last book, ‘Pushing up Daisies’, I had hoped that MC Beaton has turned a corner and her Agatha Raisin series would get back to what they had previous been with multiple story lines that bounced back and forth effortlessly. Unfortunately, this book returned to the usual drivel that has become her norm.

Fifty-three year old Agatha is in her usual depressed mood when there is no man in her life and work is the usual boring assortment of missing pets, marital affairs and wayward teens. Agatha is still the “pet hate” for Wilkes since she tends to solve more crime by “bumbling about” then he does. Thus begins the tale of the Witches’ Tree when the body of Margaret Darby is found hanging from a tree that has a curious past.

The story gets a bit twisted with several dead bodies, a coven, and a will that has gone through several revisions, but when it comes down to it, the village of Sumpton Harcourt has some very odd people not to mention too much affinity for Agatha Christy and romance novels.

Things were touched on in the book, involving the wife of the new vicar, that I did not think belonged in a cozy mystery and I was rather surprised to see it brought up here. There were parts that did not seem to be fully addressed by the end of the book and characters that took up more room than they should have. Overall, if you have read the full series to this point, you would not be able to pass by a new Agatha, but if you are just staring out, I suggest that you start at the beginning and develop you own love for the people of Carsley.

I've been a big fan of this series for ages and I really had high hopes for this book.
Unfortunately, I was not impressed. The story fell flat, the characters seemed very irritated with each other, and quite honestly, Agatha was on my nerves.
I found myself swiping pages, hoping that it would get better, but it didn't happen.

For some reason this book lacked all the things I've loved about Agatha and I was really disappointed.

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

I checked this ebook out from my local library. I am a scientist and academic who likes to read cozy mysteries for escapism. I do not mind a few plot holes and less than great literature when the story is engaging. I have read all the books in the Agatha Raisin, hoping that each one will be better. The Witches' Tree started off promising but by chapter 2 it became apparent that this book is another sounding board for what Marion Chesney thinks is wrong with the world. The book reads like an advertisement for UKIP. There is a longing for a romanticized Britain of the past before feminists, immigrants, visible minorities, and LGBQT demanded equal rights and respect; the tentacles of the nanny state; and talks of climate change. Regarding the later, lately she has used Agatha Raisin to sneer at the mention of global warming using it being cold outside as evidence to contrary—anyone who understands climate change knows it is not limited to “global warming.”

I do not mind characters with strong political opinions. But there is no development or critical thinking involved in Agatha’s (Chesney’s) musings. Her critique of the world like her characters are undeveloped and two-dimensional. Most of the Agatha Raisin books read like Agatha Christie’s Passenger to Frankfurt where Christie has a tenuous grasp of the political and social changes in a world so different from the one she grew up in. Unlike Chesney, Christie however, made her characters more entertaining.

But it was the author’s handling of the rape of one of the new characters that was particularly infuriating. The author simultaneously reinforced and contested the erroneous belief that rape is the victim’s fault. It makes me wonder why the topic was introduced. It wasn’t necessary to the plot at all. However, it fits in with her depiction of women in general so I am not completely surprised it is there.

The Agatha Raisin in the television series is a much likable character and I had hoped that Chesney would infuse some of television Agatha into book Agatha. That said, I will still check out next year’s book if there will be another one with hopes that like some authors Chesney will listen to her readers.

I am a latecomer to the Agatha Raisin series, having discovered them only a few years ago. I was looking for short, undemanding listens and the reviews seemed to fill the bill. I ended up listening to all of the series over time. I often had mixed feelings about them, finding Agatha annoying at times, but entertaining to a greater or lesser degree. The Witches Tree begins with a dreadful dinner party given by the local "wannabe" squire and his flashy wife. The new vicar and his wife, Rory and Molly Devere, can't wait to get home. But their plan is disrupted when they drive by the Witches Tree and see a body hanging from the branches. It's Margaret Darby, an inoffensive elderly spinster and everyone in the odd little Cotswold village of Sumpton Harcourt can't imagine why....or so they say. The Deveres draw Agatha Raisin and her sometimes sidekick, Sir Charles Fraith, into the investigation. Agatha is feeling bored with her usual lost pet and divorce cases, but two more murders and a practicing witches coven add up to almost more than she can handle.

Agatha is a mixture of overconfidence and insecurity, despite great success as a Public Relations executive and now as a PI. She seems to be unable to feel worthy unless she is in a relationship with a man but none of those are ever a success. Her longest relationship has been with Sir Charles, but he is averse to commitment of any kind with the exception of keeping his money pit of an ancestral estate afloat. I admit that I had hopes that he was moving towards realizing how important Agatha is to him, but no such luck. Agatha at least appears to avoid falling for every eligible male she meets in The Witches Tree, which is a welcome development. I do enjoy the sly social commentary that Ms. Beaton injects into all the Agatha Raisin books.

Thanks to St.Martin's Minotaur and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

Agatha Raisin is bored with her life. Her detective agency hasn’t seen challenging cases for quite some time. In fact, most of the cases she’s been hired for are to find lost pets. Truth be told, this fifty-something retired London PR agent, who moved to the bucolic Cotswold several years ago in search of a life that exists in fairytales (and Agatha’s imagination; including the required handsome prince) is depressed and lonely. At the moment, Agatha not only has no challenging case, but she has no possible man on the horizon who she can obsess about. Not that she’d ever admit that to anyone, but the people in her inner-circle know all the signs.

When an elderly spinster is found hanging from a local landmark, The Witches’ Tree, Agatha jumps at the chance to get involved, whether the police want her help or not. In no time at all, another body turns up. This time it’s the policeman who’s doing guard duty outside the murdered spinster’s house. And then, before Agatha can come up with a list of suspects, a third person is murdered, the wife of Sir Edward Chumble. Sir Edward, a pompous fool who fancies himself the lord of the manor (even though no one else in the area does) immediately puts Agatha on retainer to solve his wife’s murder. At last, she has a legitimate reason to involve herself in the investigation.

Now there’s no shortage of suspects, and one common link between the three murders seems to be a dinner party that Sir Edward and his wife hosted the night of the first death. But when the sometimes brilliant/sometimes very annoying Agatha begins investigating in earnest, she finds herself the object of death threats from the local coven of witches.

I always enjoy reading about the intrepid Agatha’s adventures, especially the highs and lows of her romantic life. “The Witches’ Tree” is wicked good fun. Check it out!

Didn’t enjoy this book as much as the previous ones. Too many characters were vexed with each other. Story had a lot of diversions that were not explained at the end which was very abrupt. Even with all this confusion and infighting, the book is worthy of a read in order to see if Charles and Agatha relationship develops farther. Will Agatha have the sun shine again for her?

A long, long time fan of the Agatha Raisin books. But I have been trying to listen to The Witch's Tree several times now and I'm ready to give up. As some reviewers point out, I also can not believe this was written by M C Beaton.
It just does not sound like an Agatha Raisin book from the very start. To the point that I thought I was listening to another book by some other writer. Perhaps the time has come to either marry Agatha and be done with the books or have her go through an epiphany and realize that some women don't have to be married or have a guy in their life to be contented and fulfilled and be done with the books!
I do not want Agatha to turn into a caricature! There comes a time to retire gracefully and leave good memories and perhaps the time has come for Agatha. I'd rather remember her with fondness than think her totally ridiculous and boring!

Margaret Darby, an elderly spinster, is found dead and hanging from a tree. None of the villagers can fathom who would commit such a crime and are horrified, but Agatha is secretly glad for a bit of excitement. After spending much of her time working small cases like finding lost cats, she can’t wait to get her hands on something big….and murder definitely fits the bill. When two more murders happen though she starts to feel like perhaps she’s had enough excitement in her life and questions whether or not she even wants to solve the case.

It’s as if I have lost an old friend. I’m not sure what is going on with this series but I was already disappointed with the last book because it seemed rushed and without passion. This one isn’t any better. In fact, it’s worse. I have always looked forward to each installment but lately they just aren’t the same. The style is choppy and jumbled. The characters that I’ve come to enjoy so much are bouncing in and out of Agatha’s life like a boomerang, sometimes seeming as if they were added as an afterthought. They are so different from previous books that I almost wonder if someone else is writing them. I don’t want to give up on the series because it’s my favorite, but I’m feeling as if they may have ran their course and it’s time to end it.

A hard book to classify. A fairly simple, but unlikely, mystery set in a Cotswold village. At one extreme it is quite cosy and rural – at the other it is very violent. Agatha Raisin is a bit like Miss Marple on speed – a hard drinker, a smoker, and not exactly saving herself for the right man. She runs a private detective agency.

A devout church going lady of Sumpton Harcourt is found one night hanging with a noose round her neck in the Witches’ Tree in the centre of the village. She is dead. Other deaths follow at alarming speed as Agatha investigates. The book has all the usual village characters – the vicar and his wife (and why exactly did they move here from London?), the ex Foreign Office ‘squire’ and his wife, the strange mother and daughter who run the local tea shop, the equally strange brother and sister who live on a local small holding. Plus rumours of a present day witches’ coven. Plenty of suspects for the crimes…

The plot is well put together, and leads to a perhaps surprising denouement. But I would be lying if I said that the book is ‘my cup of tea’. It certainly has more ‘edge’ than an Agatha Christie mystery, but it is very much of the same genre. I guess I prefer something less cosy, less escapist and more of the real world. Many of the characters seem like caricatures of themselves… I can, though, absolutely understand how M C Beaton has become such a successful and respected author – though she is perhaps not entirely to my taste.

In TripFiction terms, the book works well. The Cotswolds come through loud a clear – and they really are a very beautiful part of the world.

I really hate leaving a negative review for an author I usually enjoy. My confusion started in the first chapter. I actually stopped to look at the front of the book to make sure it was an Agatha Raisin mystery. I thought maybe it was a standalone. I have to agree with a lot of the other reviewers who thought maybe it wasn't really written by M.C. Beaton. I felt that parts were, but other parts weren't. There were too many words and phrases that I don't think she's ever used before. The characters were way more nasty than usual too! I think I'll stop there and just say that I will try the next one, but if it's anywhere near as bad as this one, I quit.

Agatha Raisin will never win the Miss Congeniality Award for personal relationships, as fans will attest. Our favorite surly Cotswolds private eye is no closer to luring a suitable male companion as she runs her successful detective agency. Her calendar is filled only with divorce investigations and searches for lost pets, while her social life is a depressingly blank page. Sir Charles Fraith, perhaps the closest contender for her heart, can be seen leaving her house early in the morning after raiding her liquor cabinet and spending the night asleep on her living room couch. Gossips may muse, but we readers know the truth. Agatha is beginning to wonder why she stays in business. What kind of life is this? She’s ready for a tasty murder --- anything to break the monotony.

Molly Devere and her husband Rory, the new vicar in town, are driving home through dense fog following a welcoming dinner party. They are horrified to see a body hanging from an old tree on the edge of town. Molly, far from the typical spouse of a man of the cloth, promptly directs her husband to go for the police (no wireless reception in this God-forsaken corner of England) while she climbs the tree to see if she can save this wretched soul. She recognizes the woman, who is clearly beyond help, as the elderly lady who tidies up the church and arranges the flowers. It is clear that she hanged herself. But why?

When forensics determine that the dead woman did not commit suicide but was strangled, and then dangled from what has always been known as the Witches’ Tree, Agatha is itching to get in on the action before the police muddle things up.

Molly and Rory have serious misgivings about the rude Police Constable Turret, who arrives at the vicarage to question them. Turret views them as prime suspects, and after his sexist remarks affront Molly, the couple turns to their new parishioners for advice. Upon learning of Agatha’s detective skills, they hire her to investigate why anyone would want to murder their faithful vicarage assistant.

Agatha is back in business, especially gleeful that she may be able to foil the annoying Turret, aka “the ferret,” and solve the crime before he does. When two more bodies are found, the plot thickens. Mysterious evidence is uncovered, and rumors are circulated that a coven of witches who gather for dancing and suspicious ceremonies around the tree may be involved.

M. C. Beaton is a grand master of introducing fascinating and unconventional characters, not the least of whom are Agatha and the men who come and go in her life. The tale of this hapless vicar, sent to what amounts to an ecclesiastical Siberia after being rescued from a remote African village assignment because of misplaced paperwork, creates a story almost as entertaining as the obligatory murder investigation.

Mix a harmless group of bored village ladies who dabble in mysticism with Agatha’s never-ending search for the right man as she approaches middle age, add the ever-present, mysterious and handsome stranger who turns the head of our lady detective to apply her most alluring wiles, and sprinkle a pinch of Cotswolds charm, and you have a tasty little cozy with which to curl up by a crackling fire. Bon appétit!

Reviewed by Roz Shea

The Witches Tree by M.C. Beaton is the latest Agatha Raisin mystery. I have read and enjoyed many of the books in this series and I was excited to read this latest book. In this book, Agatha encounters a dead body hanging from a tree. She also deals with personal issues regarding romance in her life. I really had difficulty getting into this book. It seemed so unlike the other books in this series. Agatha was a very different character and the plot lagged quite a bit in places. The earlier books in this series are wonderful and I would recommend them. This book, I would not recommend. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher. These opinions are entirely my own.

You know, there are some truly sick people in the world. But luckily, there are those who work to uncover and bring to justice those who would rather their crimes remain in the dark. Enter Agatha Raisin.

Agatha is divorced. Her ex, James, lives next door. She has a wealthy friend, Charles, that has occasionally come 'with benefits'. She runs a small detective agency. Then she thought she'd like a little excitement. (Apparently the 'be careful what you wish for' goes for England as well as the US.) Agatha had her first adventure in 1992 (when #1 was published), so you think she'd know that! *LOL*

And, given that Agatha has now had like 24 or so adventures, you would expect well-established characters and MC Beaton delivers admirably. Agatha and James have danced around their lingering attraction for each other, and their interactions are still fresh and filled with a delicious romantic tension.

Agatha's staff work together like a well-oiled machine. I really think they can finish each other's thoughts as well as their sentences. (It reminds me of the character Radar in M*A*S*H, who has the papers that Colonel Blake needs to sign before he knows he needs them.)

As hard as it is to ingratiate oneself in small-town America, I think it may be even more difficult in small villages in England. But Agatha and Co utilize their unique strengths to unravel the web woven around the guilty party/ies. An actual coven of witches (I don't think they advertise as a rule) in such a community would have to be ultra-private.

If y'all haven't discovered already, there is also a TV series, called simply, Agatha Raisin. I, of course, was expecting the show to follow the books. Silly me. Some devices work better in books and some work better on the screen. But Agatha, no matter where she appears, is very, very good!

Agatha Raisin is back! Need I say more? 

Okay, apparently I do. Coming home from an uncomfortable dinner party, vicar Rory Deere and his wife Molly of the village of Sumpton Harcourt discover one of their parishioners hanging from the large and sinister-looking tree in the middle of the town. Called the witches' tree, its dark and spooky image has haunted villagers for years, and now it's become the centerpiece of what the local police are calling a murder. 

While Rory is feeling guilty for letting his parishioner down, his wife is more interested in getting to the bottom of the mystery. And who better to call on at a time like that than private detective Agatha Raisin? A sharp woman with a fondness for strong men and a head for business and finding answers, Agatha has been known to get to the bottom of a murder before, much to the chagrin of the local police. 

It doesn't take long before word gets out that she's on the case, and the threats get too close to home. But that's not enough to dissuade Agatha from finding out what she can from the local villagers, looking into the life of the spinster Margaret Darby and why anyone might want to murder an elderly woman and hang her body from the witches' tree. 

Amid rumors of witchcraft and the eerie atmosphere of the Cotswolds during the raining season, M. C. Beaton's The Witches' Tree is the perfect book to pick up and read in October. Agatha Raisin is captivating, and this is the ideal way to get into that Halloween mood. Very highly recommended for mystery lovers! 

(And then, don't forget to watch the wonderful Agatha Raisin mysteries on Acorn TV as well as on some local PBS stations. It's fantastic, with perfect casting and wonderful performances!)

Galleys for The Witches' Tree were provided by Minotaur Books (St. Martin's Press) through NetGalley.com, with many thanks. 

I quit reading this series several books ago because I found Agatha to be annoying and her obsession with the wrong men to be irritating. However, I decided to give this book a try, and I'm glad I did. I found Agatha to be more likable and the possible romance between her and Sir Charles a welcome turn. I hope that author will flesh out this romantic development in future books. I would love to see Agatha have an on-going romance with someone who can appreciate and understand her.

Even though I enjoyed this book, I feel there were elements in it that were not necessary to plot or story that kept me from giving it 4 stars. However, I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Let me start by saying, I’ve only read one other book by M.C. Beaton, the first in her other series Hamish Macbeth, and found it to be meh. But, she has such a loyal following, and sometimes the first in a series isn’t representative of the whole so…I thought I’d give this latest in her Agatha Raisin series a go. And I’m glad I did because now I know for certain that this author isn’t for me.

Man, I detest writing negative reviews. Usually, I just don’t finish and move it to my DNF shelf. But I felt compelled to give it a fair shake and see it through, and now it feels somehow dishonest to not explain why.

To begin with, the characters are completely unlikeable. Agatha is such a mess it is impossible to find the idea of her being a successful detective even remotely plausible. Perhaps she was more likeable at the beginning of the series and has slowly fallen apart throughout the series, and those who have read from the beginning are not appalled by her terrible behavior and personality because they know her from “back when”. Her employees are mostly ok (that Simon guy though, really?), her “friend” Charles is almost as bad as she is. No, I don’t like the characters one bit.

The story itself seemed less about the actual detective work and more about poor Agatha and her desperation to find a man. And it was choppy. The format of the digital galley may be partly to blame, but only a little. The segues were almost nonexistent. New paragraph with no chapter demarcation and all of a sudden something completely unrelated is going on. The sexual assault plot line was poorly handled and should have been changed to something else. And it feels like in Agatha Raisin’s world, everyone is a terrible person and no one can be trusted. I’m not saying that’s how she feels, I’m saying that is how the world is portrayed. Even her friends are jerks!

I’m afraid I can’t recommend it (unless, of course, you are a huge Agatha Raisin fan, in which case you don’t really need my recommendation anyway, do you?). I wish I had stopped earlier and read something else. But as I said, the upside is, I’ve given both series a go and now I know that M.C. Beaton isn’t my cup of tea.

Note: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley. I pride myself on writing fair and honest reviews.

I'm fortunate to have read the library copy, so I have no buyer's remorse. I agree with those who wondered if Ms Chesney wrote it. In fact, it seemed to me that the book had at least two ghostwriters, neither/none of them good; however the first portion was worse. In addition to poor word usage (e.g., "He commisserated her...) the story was all over the place. The characters' traits were dutifully described (or really listed) as in a fifth-grade book report. Charles is the victim of character assassination; really they all are. I can only think that this series was farmed out to others. I've read the recent Regency series, and the author seemed much herself, so I'm hoping this Agatha entry is a one-off and that Hamish hasn't suffered the same fate.

I have been a fan of this series for a long time and this latest offering does not disappoint, it even exceeded my expectations.
The whodunit was full of twists and turns and I had no idea who was the culprit.
I thoroughly enjoy the characters and appreciate the realistic portrayal of Agatha and her challenges with her self esteem and love life.
The ongoing characters and friendships are a delight to read.
I recommend reading this series over watching the television adaptation. As always the books are better.
I cannot read to read the next in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

In addition to the regulars of the series, there are a lot of new characters, who are as quirky and dysfunctional as the residents of Casely, including an unusually good looking young new vicar and his equally attractive wife in a neighboring village in this book. While trying to solve the murder mysteries, Agatha feels her years, wondering if she will ever find true love, and possibly first time in her life she gains insight into her poor choices in men. Normally feisty Agatha is fairly sad throughout this book, and I wouldn’t mind a new love interest and some happiness in her life in future books.

I had been greatly anticipating this book! I have read all of the Agatha Raisin series and all of the Hamish Macbeth series. I struggled getting through this Agatha Raisin book and the one before it. In the Witches' Tree novel, Mrs. Bloxby and Toni did not have the spirit they had in the other books. They were more like flat characters.

I also had to push myself to read the last Hamish Macbeth book (Death of an Honest Man) and the one before it (Death of a Ghost), too. The words were just not put together the same way and I had trouble staying interested in the plots.

I have purposely avoided writing reviews for any of the above mentioned books. I have loved these two series.

Before reading this awful Agatha Raisin episode, I had collected everyone of the previous books. Never again. The author must have run out of steam, because this book was poorly written, poorly edited and poorly put together. The first chapters felt like writer was in a high school class, writing her first few lines ever. Then the writing became more adult like, but with an extreme obsession for sex.
I think this will be my last Agatha Raisin book. Too bad. I have always looked forward to the next offering in the series, but I think it's time to put her to rest. Thank goodness I got this book from the library & didn't spend any $$ on it.
I gave it 2 stars instead of one because I finished it. Reading this was time wasted.

This review by Maria. I enjoyed this book, even though there were several loose ends by the time it was done. Some of Beaton's other recent Raisin novels seemed more rushed with sketchier characterization. This seemed to have a little more "comedy of manners" to it. But story lines were dropped, some were rather confusing, at least for an American, and the end was rather abrupt.

And isn't it about time to marry Agatha off? There's someone for everyone, and Agatha is a brilliant, spunky woman some man would enjoy the challenge of loving/marrying. That doesn't necessarily have to end the series, either, though I wonder if Beaton is tired of it and just plugging on because of her publishers and the TV series. Make Charles man up or James Lacey get sick and have Agatha nurse him back to health (or vice versa, even better) or let her meet and compete with another tough (male) private eye or lawyer or cop who finally appreciates her. Please! Quit torturing her! She'll still drive her husband (and us) crazy with her antics, but even cranky people deserve some happiness. Are you listening, M.C.?

I’ve been waiting and waiting for this book and I’m so disappointed. I can’t believe it was written by the same author. This book was not one bit of fun to read. Maybe this should be the final book in the series.

I can't understand why others are criticizing this book for being repetitive - the Agatha Raisin books have been repetitive since the fourth book of the series. Nonetheless, it has never stopped me from enjoying them all, even Agatha's ongoing difficulties landing a man. This time she's in the middle of a tiny, remote village's murders - was the community's witch's coven responsible? Or are there other motives? Agatha, her detective agency, and the frustrating men in her life are all on the job trying to solve the crime. There were (at least for me) more laugh-out-loud lines in this than in her other books. In any case, I will always be back for more of the abrasive, unsinkable Agatha.

This was my second Agatha Raisin book and while the first one I read was okay for me, this one, not so much.

It was a good story but Agatha Raisin just really got on my nerves in this one. She's always pining for a man and looks at every man like a dog in heat and wonders what he could do for her.

While I thought it was funny in the first book, not so in this second book that I read.

There were lots of other interesting characters and the story was good, Agatha's narcissist personality overwhelmed everything else for me.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Title: Agatha Raisin and the Witches' Tree - Agatha Raisin Mysteries Book 28
Author: M.C. Beaton
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Published: 10-3-2017
Pages: 288
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Sub-Genre: Suspense, Paranormal, Witches, Covens, British Detectives, Amateur Sleuths, Cozy Mystery, Women Sleuths, Police Procedurals
ISBN: 9781250057464
ASIN: B06XKGL3MR
Reviewed For Minotaur Books
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.25 Stars

After leaving the dreadful dinner party of Sir Richard and Tiffany Chumbles, the vicar Rory Harris and his wife, Molly are driving along the dark & foggy roads back to the village when Molly slams on the breaks. There hanging from the tree is Margaret Darby, a village spinster who helped in the church from time to time. With no local constabulary the calls the police and they send a car. Detective Sergeant Bill Wong and his partner Detective Constable Alice come to the vicarage to question them. While they are talking Rory mentions that Sumpton Harcourt did have it's own Miss Marple in the person of Agatha Raisin. As Agatha investigates she finds old secrets and a few new ones. Such as there is coven of witches live and well practicing their craft. When a second, then a third body turns up Agatha is still stumped, but worried she may become the next victim.

I have read this series for years and I like many of the changes has brought about in Agatha. When I first started reading the series I did not like her to well. I thought her a bit crude, slutty and she drank way too much. She seemed restless and unsure of herself, even a touch flighty. Truly in my mind I imagined a woman in her mid to late sixties who had lived a hard life and it showed. Over the course of the series she has cleaned up. She doesn't drink as much and cleaned up her appearance both in looks and in health. The only thing I regret has not changed is her apparent belief that she requires a man in her life to make it complete.

This last summer I saw the PBS Agatha Raisin Mysteries and was shocked to find the character was younger. Luckily I had read the series to find the depiction close to the character in the book. I have come to like her and her friends a lot over the years. They have become old friends I enjoy visiting with.

This could be read out of order and enjoyed by a reader, but I recommend reading the series from the start to see how Agatha, her friends and even the village have evolved. "The Witches' Tree is a bit more sinister than usual, but it has the humor and wit the series is known for. If you like British cozies this is one you will not want to miss.

My rating of "Agatha Raisin and the Witches' Tree - Agatha Raisin Mysteries Book 28" is 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Agatha finds herself in another dangerous place. After months of lost pets and wandering husbands there is a murder and Agatha is hired to find the guilty party. I love Agatha and always enjoy how she finds a man to obsess over. This time nothing comes of it and the obsession does not last long. However after one murder others occur and Agatha finds herself in danger. Once again Agatha and Charles seem to connect and then disconnect. Small spoiler, Agatha saves Charles from a very bad marriage. A fun addition to the series.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

This is an interesting read, as always for the Agatha Raisin books. Agatha seems a little different in this book. I wonder if the television series is influencing the writing,

However, I marked it down to just three stars because Beaton trashes the reputation of a perfectly innocent woman who's been the victim of a gang rape Even Mrs. Bloxby winds up erroneously thinking she's a slut.

Wow! I’ve found a new best friend and it is Agatha Raisin. I know I have come to this series late in its life, but I had no problem reading and thoroughly enjoying this latest addition to the series. I love M. C. Beaton’s books and particularly the Hamish Macbeth series and now this one. I do have to wonder though – does this author not want Hamish and Agatha to have HEA’s. I say that because Hamish seems to go from lady to lady without finding love and the same is apparently true for Agatha.

Agatha is fifty-three years old and has been married twice. To me, she is very depressed, lonely and insecure without a man in her life. I can only assume that is thoroughly explained in earlier books. She’s insecure about her looks and her lovability. She’s also strong, grumpy, sensible, quirky, funny, acerbic, and well – just likable. She is still friends with her last ex-husband – he even lives next door. Agatha also has an interesting relationship with her friend Sir Charles. It would appear that they actually may love each other, but neither of them realizes it or would admit it. I would like to see this relationship grow and come to an HEA for Agatha and Charles because I like both of them. Given the author’s other series though, I wonder if Agatha is destined to remain a lonely old cat lady for the rest of her days.

On a very dark, foggy night the new vicar and his wife are returning home from a very boring dinner party in the next town over. In a quick parting of the fog, their headlights illuminate something hanging from the Witches Tree – it is a body. The police soon determine the victim was murdered – and there are more bodies to come. What a gruesome welcome to the Cotswolds!

Agatha, who has her own private investigation firm, is retained to solve the crime. She’s so happy to do so because she has become very bored and tired of investigating divorce cases, lost cats, etc. This will be a welcome diversion for her.

The book is filled with quirky, interesting characters as most of Beaton’s books are. Everyone has a hidden ‘secret’ and before Agatha is finished, she knows them all. There is a host of suspects and Agatha eliminates them one-by-one and is still baffled – until she finds that one very important question she had forgotten to ask.

Can you believe a coven of witches in a small, beautiful English village in the Cotswolds? Well, there is one and they are a pretty nasty bunch. Agatha is sure they have something to do with the murders, but she isn’t sure what. Are they the murderers or are they just the enablers? You’ll just have to read the book to find out.

I almost didn’t request this book because the description of Agatha Raisin as ‘Agatha Christi like’ just didn’t appeal to me. I decided to request it anyway because I usually like Beaton’s work – and I’m so glad I did. I read the book straight through into the wee hours of the morning because I couldn’t wait to see what Agatha was up to next. I do hope Beaton decides to give Agatha the love she so longs for.

Great read!

“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

This book was ok. I haven't read the rest of the books in this series, maybe if I had I might have enjoyed this book a little more. The characters were loveable and quite funny. I would read this author again. I was given this book for an honest review by Netgalley

Oh, dear. What happened? This is such a lackluster entry in one of my favorite series. The plot limps along, with most of it being taken up with Charles and Agatha wondering why they are always so mean to each other. Utterly charmless, with an odd emphasis on sex popping up throughout.

I used to really enjoy this series and have listened to all the previous books, but the plots are getting really tired lately. The plot lines are ludicrous but not in a fun entertaining way. The worst part however is the current narrator. AWFUL!! Don't think I'll be purchasing another one

Too much “Poor Agatha is getting old.” The author should focus on a strong plot. Also, so many of the characters were angry or in a bad mood. Not like the usual light-hearted MC Beaton mysteries.

I adore M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth series, and have read several outings with Agatha Raisin. I'm not sure why I didn't click with this one, it started out promising. I think in the end, it felt like I was pulled in too many directions without many satisfying conclusions.

I'm a huge fan of Agatha Raisin. This wasn't my favorite in the series, probably because it didn't seem fresh, just a rehash of the previous stories. Since I liked all the previous stories, that's okay.

This book was ok. I haven't read the rest of the books in this series, maybe if I had I might have enjoyed this book a little more. The characters were loveable and quite funny. I would read this author again. I was given this book for an honest review by Netgalley

Oh, dear. What happened? This is such a lackluster entry in one of my favorite series. The plot limps along, with most of it being taken up with Charles and Agatha wondering why they are always so mean to each other. Utterly charmless, with an odd emphasis on sex popping up throughout.

I used to really enjoy this series and have listened to all the previous books, but the plots are getting really tired lately. The plot lines are ludicrous but not in a fun entertaining way. The worst part however is the current narrator. AWFUL!! Don't think I'll be purchasing another one

Too much “Poor Agatha is getting old.” The author should focus on a strong plot. Also, so many of the characters were angry or in a bad mood. Not like the usual light-hearted MC Beaton mysteries.

I adore M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth series, and have read several outings with Agatha Raisin. I'm not sure why I didn't click with this one, it started out promising. I think in the end, it felt like I was pulled in too many directions without many satisfying conclusions.

I'm a huge fan of Agatha Raisin. This wasn't my favorite in the series, probably because it didn't seem fresh, just a rehash of the previous stories. Since I liked all the previous stories, that's okay.

Too predictable. Didn’t have the twists and turns usually present in this series. Also let her and Charles get together and have a wonderful time sleuthing together. It gets old with this hot and cold romance. We’d like to see her happy

There must be someone else who is involved with these books. The last two have been terribly disappointing and the characters seem diminished and don't act or sound like themselves. Is M,C. Beaton getting some help?

I’m a fan and have read them all...putting up with the repetitive bits. But really, this book is weak. And worse, many spelling and grammar mistakes...at least in my copy. Who wrote this, and who proofread it? Awful.

No offense to Ms. Larkin, but the inexplicable change to her as narrator -- from the incomparable Penelope Keith -- is a travesty for at least this lover of the Agatha Rasin books.

I have purchased all of the Keith-read audiobooks of this series (some only available on the store.co.uk or Ebay) except for this one and the previous Pushing Up Daisies, because cannot obtain versions with Ms. Keith. That needs to be rectified, PRONTO..

(Keith has narrated a version of Pushing Up Daisies that is available on the store.co.uk, but for some reason, I'm not allowed to purchase it because I live in the U.S. Some of the Keith versions also are blocked on Audible, the store's audio site,. of which I am a member.) That needs to be rectified as well.

I was given a review copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. Fortunately, what I have to say is all positive. I already love the character of Agatha Raisin, and this mystery is just as good as the others in the series. Every one in the book is a little quirky, but believable. This is a good book to hunker down with under a blanket on a snowy day.

Such a jumbled mess, the story bounced around with characters running in and out like a revolving door. I have read almost all of her books (both Agatha and Hamish) but this was the worst. Agatha is supposed to be a successful woman why would she be so nutty about any man that gave her a look and has so little confidence in herself. Buck up and show Charles the door and take away his keys.

Didn’t enjoy this book as much as the previous ones. Too many characters were vexed with each other. Story had a lot of diversions that were not explained at the end which was very abrupt. Even with all this confusion and infighting, the book is worthy of a read in order to see if Charles and Agatha relationship develops farther. Will Agatha have the sun shine again for her?

The Witches' Tree, the 28th Agatha Raisin mystery by acclaimed author M.C. Beaton, is so well written that it doesn't matter if one hasn't read all the previous books in the series prior to this one. Personally, I'd only read the first (The Quiche of Death) but did see all the episodes of the television series. Other than the location and some of the characters, new readers to the series should not expect the same warm/fuzzy feeling from the television shows to be evident in the books. The story is very enjoyable - it's a lovely combination of charming, spooky, amusing and it's also a little bit dark. Not one, but two bodies are found hanging from The Witches Tree in the small Cotswolds village of Sumpton Harcourt (near Carsely), and it's up to Agatha and her team to investigate and discover the culprit. There are lots of little behind the scenes antics as well (relationships between Agatha and James, and also between Agatha and Charles), and it does quite well as a standalone. The banter is quick and clever, and there is a little surprise in the epilogue as well. Highly, highly recommended!

I am a big fan of MC Beaton. Like other reviewers, this one seemed off. I thought perhaps there were too many characters to keep track of. I loved the adaptation they made of the series for TV. I wish they would do more. As I lay in bed after finishing the book, I wondered why did they kill the others but not Agatha and Toni? Of course they can't kill off the main characters, but maybe they should make up a reason. I hope the next book gets back on track.

M.C. Beaton took with her direction in this writing as I have read a lot of her original works as well. This book is reminiscent of her 4 set 'Edwardian series' where she did mentions rather than stories of the laundry list of characters to avoid clutter to the plot. Do not be hoodwinked, this is a great read & I see why most reviews criticized it when the writing routine style for this series finally got a break.

I did not enjoy this mystery, as has been the case for the last several Agatha Raisin mysteries. Agatha is still immature, silly, shrewish, very ill-mannered and her jealousy of young Toni is just ridiculous.

The plot of this book follows the same formula as the several before it. Agatha was so much more fun BEFORE she opened her detective agancy. I have read every Agatha mystery and I keep buying them, hoping that that Ms. Beaton returns us to better days by writing books like she used to.

I love all Agatha Raisin books, but, this one was below par. It seemed scattered and shallow like M.C. Beat on was just churning out a book on a publisher deadline. There were not the usual number of absurdly funny situations of character sidelines. Read it anyway.

The witches tree by MC Beaton.
After two people are found hanging from the witches tree Charles brings in Agatha Raisin hoping she will solve who murdered these two people then he will say it was him. But will there be more? Who is it?
This was a good read although I read it I couldn't get into it like I normally do. I did like Agatha character. But that's about it. 3*.