An Agatha Raisin Mystery (Agatha Raisin Mysteries Book 23)

I have read all of the Agatha Raisin series and always wait for the next to come out. My mother has also read all of these. This is a light funny murder mystery that doesn't take a lot of thought. I have sat many times on the beach absorbed in one of this series. I do read more serious or maybe complicated books but hers and my near by beach are an inexpensive vacation.

Always a good read when it is an Agatha Raisin mystery. I love these mysteries -- always light and funny but with substance. I enjoy reading about what the characters eat and what they wear. They are quick reads and get to the plot right away. After reading all the Agatha series books, I find myself knowing all of the characters which makes for an even more enjoyable read. The titles are always catchy and it is fun to see how they introduce the story/murder.

If you want to just forget your concerns and step into the Cotswolds for another adventure with our fun and oh, not perfect Agatha then get this and enjoy. Nothing heavy, worrisome just great escape fiction. I am ready for another adventure already.

I really enjoy reading Agatha Raisin's adventures, this one started ok, with Agatha's obsession with the gardener, one would not expect any less of her other than being totally obsessed with the unreachable and her attempt to be noticed and be seduced, is as funny as ever. The plot was good and intriguing intitally but it was not a cliffhanger urging me to find out what happened next.
Overall it was an enjoyable read, but not rivetting :-( Not sure I'll rush out to get the next book, will see.

In "Hiss and Hers," Agatha Raisin, that wonderful, darling, shrewd, and comical detective, is once again dressed to the hilt, donning high-heels (which are crippling her), and heavily made-up in pursuit of the handsome, muscle-bound, local gardener, George Marsten, who has recently moved to the village. In fact, all the women in the charming Cotswold Village are wooing the charming George, but none so much as Agatha. When George has redone Agatha's garden to perfection, she ruins two perfectly good bookcases so that he may be employed to restore them. (So typical of Agatha!) George, on the other hand, is doing everything to avoid poor Agatha. Agatha decides to take some days off from the office so that she may devote herself to George. On one afternoon when she invites George to tea, he tells Agatha that he believes that some woman he knows is a psychopath. Their conversation is interrupted, and Agatha gets no further in ascertaining about whom he speaks.

Agatha then decides to hold a Gala Ball to raise funds for a Save the Children Campaign. And George has reluctantly promised her the first dance at the Ball. On the night of the Ball, Agatha, decked out in an elegant gold gown and gold slippers, awaits George. When he does not show, she goes in pursuit of him. And find him she does. He is lying near his cottage with a bag over his head, dead, having been murdered by the bites from adders. Agatha is horrified and in shock. She runs back to the Ball to call the police.

The usual cast of marvelous characters surround Agatha in her pursuit of George's murderer: Mrs. Bloxby, the insightful and kindly Vicar's wife, and good friend to Agatha; James Lacey, ex-husband to Agatha, who finally, in this novel, shows some concern for her; the charming. well-dressed Sir Charles, who is also a bit of a cad; young Detective Bill Wong, Agatha's good friend; the beautiful and clever Detective Toni Gilmore, who adds balance to Agatha, and the self-centered Roy Silver, her former employee from her Public Relation days. Each assist her in interviewing numerous women who, as it turns out, George himself had been pursuing. This irks Agatha no end because George always rebuffed her. They also investigate a second murder which Agatha is convinced is connected to George's murder.

Throughout, Agatha engages in numerous, comical escapades, which endear her to the reader. She always creates her own silly disasters, often brought on by her jealous tendencies, or her impulsive behavior, but we love reading about her dilemmas, which occasionally have us laughing out loud. As well, unfortunately, she and Toni and some of Agatha's detectives become entangled in very dangerous experiences, which create great conflict and enhance the work.

I have read most, if not all of the Agatha Raisin mysteries, and I just love every one of them. I very highly recommend "Hiss and Hers." Kudos to M. C. Beaton.

I eagerly await each new book written by this author. This book did not disappoint. I enjoyed it from beginning to end, looking forward to sequestering away in my reading nook to get lost in the story. The length of the book was perfect. What a great story.

Once again M.C. Beaton manages to portray Agatha Raisin with all her flaws as a likeable heroine who always seems to find herself in the middle of something big. The characters are predictable, but fun and interesting. Good, well-developed plot.

I always like this authors books with Agatha and Hammish(love love love the Hammish series) Not fond of her other books-that's just me.

They show a woman who is not perfect but succedes by her wits and determination and does it mostly on her own. I really like the characters. The stories are funny and full of action and the frailties of us everyday joes and jills.

I used to love the Agatha Raisin series, but the last few books have been less than stellar. I don't like the way the plot quickly moves from thing to another with really no lead up. The first part of this book had a tight plot and was centred around an English country summer. The atmosphere was wonderful, hot, dry with a storm finally coming to break the tension. But the tension of the book itself didn't follow the weather scenario. Then in the last half of the book we jumped 9 months, then a year and then almost 2 years with no plot to sustain this swift passage of time. I realize that cozy mysteries work on their own timeline, but this one was ridiculous. I felt like I was running to catch up to what was happening to Aggie and her crew. And Aggie's neediness for a man is getting old and tired too. We didn't get to see much of the wonderful Mrs. Bloxby either, so that in itself is a disappointment. I would give this one a miss unless you're a die hard Agatha Raisin fan.

That's one of the reasons I love the Agatha Raisin series - I come from a city and have moved to the a relatively posh (in the past) suburb - and find the contrasts in life focus to be very interesting - each place has opportunities - but rural country has a slower pace where villagers can actually get to know each other, which is what makes the series so lovely. Mrs Bloxby knows Agatha's weaknesses of obsession with varied men - but instead of making moral judgments, she worries over her friend. And both Charles and ex husb James - actually all the key characters - appreciate Agatha for stepping up and speaking out, not resigning selves to the ignorance hidden behind politeness. I've also worked as a bus driver, in a world usually left to men - and thus appreciate the understanding that life is challenging, and we do our best, and it is not helpful to focus on evaluating morals of others sexual behavior - MC Beaton does a good job of noting when behavior is callous or neglectful - and moving on. I love how she notes threats - with recording devices, that entrap the speakers. I love how in Britain, village policing takes threats seriously, and villagers agree on what is threatening behavior, don't confuse form with expression of swear words - in the USA, so much confusion over what is helpful or not, with huge scale standards that focus often on wrong parts of where the harm is, and spreads an attitude of judgment on form without context, demoralizing to live in. Villagers know each other long enough to consider context and history. I love her expression, Snakes and Bastards! And loved her response to the women rushing to get into the loo, when she went in there to hide the evidence that would incriminate her, but that Simon had taken. I'm tired of her reactions to Toni, but can understand, as old people become often invisible. She should have been kinder to Charles however, who showed a sad side of himself, by rushing to get married - she should settle with him, as he does love her, and I think it's great to have someone show up to help - she was wrong to berate him for absence later!

If only the Agatha Raisin books did not run so hot and cold with me.

For the most part, I enjoy the series, I like the recurring characters and Agatha’s annoying temperament, but sometimes the storylines just are not as fulfilling as I would like.

Once again, there is a new man in the neighborhood, George Marston is the area gardener and fix-it man. Determined to catch his eye Agatha agrees to arrange a charity ball in hopes of dancing with this man. When he does not appear, Agatha is crushed. That is until she discovered his dead body in a compost heap and the cause of death is the bite of an asp.

As Agatha begins her investigation, she realizes that she was very wrong about this man and that an asp bite just might be vengeance for the old snake himself.

The list is long on who might have wanted this man dead, but with Agatha’s investigations, she has managed to put herself in the path of a psychopath.

Now Agatha is determined to keep herself and her investigators safe all the while hiding listening devices and running all over the Cotswold’s in hopes of staying one-step ahead of the real killer.

Agatha has a way of making her life more complicated than necessary and that is what I like best about her. She has good intentions, but somehow always seems to mess things up. I do cheer her on and hope that one day she will get it right.

If this were the first Agatha Raisin mystery you ever read, it would be your last. The characters are underdeveloped even by Ms. Beaton's standards. The plot is unconvincing as are the motives, plus the writing is limp. In fact, the book is so faulty, you can't help but think that an underpaid hack utilizing Ms. Beaton's moniker has written it. Additionally, the use of AIDS and once again Ms. Beaton's depiction of homosexuality is outdated and possibly offensive. If the book were any good, I might be able to rouse up enough energy to get angered. Yet, if you are addicted to the characters that pop up around dear ol' Agatha, you might be able to bear this literary debris. It's like having a reunion with relatives you are fond of, but at the same time you realize you only want to see them every other Thanksgiving.

Agatha Raisin, that wonderful eagle-eyed gumshoe and wily, classy lady is slapdash sleuthing again, as is her trademark style, in this latest installment. She might be cynical with lots of chutzpah, but Agatha is not a hussy! She feels it is downright rude to throw yourself at a man, but George Marston, a local gardener, is oh, so very striking. Agatha, a trim, pretty woman, is smitten with George. In fact, all the women in the Cotswold village are gaga over him. Agatha goes so far as to plan a charity fundraiser in the hopes she might get up close and personal with Mr. Handsome. She asked him to attend and she thought he promised to dance the first dance with her, didn’t he? Only the man of the hour doesn’t show up. What’s holding up George?

Agatha seeks out George only to discover he has met with a horrific end. Gosh, snakes alive, it’s murder! Who in the pleasant Cotswold village wanted George snuffed out? Agatha, with her trusty bloodhound nose, ferrets out facts and fiction from the villagers but meets up with some rather nasty consequences. Creepy crawly snakes, a foul smelling, nasty trick and other grim deeds have Agatha shivering and shaking. In addition, she finds out that George lived a rather soap opera life, much to her chagrin. Most importantly though, who did him in?

Slithery creatures, quirky characters and shameless romance populate M.C. Beaton’s irresistible new novel called HISS AND HERS. Agatha Raisin’s out-and-out goofy persona and her blundering endeavors is her secret charisma. Agatha and her band of detectives are on the run trying to figure out the truths in this latest mystifying mystery. Who wanted such a fine-looking man like George Marston dead? M.C. Beaton injects that incredible magic of hers into the stories, turning it into a work of art. Plot points are tight; characters have depth with lots of hidden secrets along with charisma and sharp humor, rounding out all the corners very nicely! Plus, Ms. Beaton amazingly fills the entire story with an appeal that warms the heart. This is a cozy mystery at its best! HISS AND HERS is snappy, feisty and playfully crusty. Just like comfort food.

Hiss and Hers is the 23rd book in the Agatha Raisin series. I am still reading the series because of my fondness for Agatha. The last books are rambling and seem quite disjointed. At times, it seemed like small segments were written down at one time with the thought that they would be good to put in a book someday. The first half of the book is better than the last half. I found myself somewhat bored for the first time and was looking ahead to see when the chapter ends.

At this point, I have decided that as a reader perhaps it is time for me to leave the series. It is hard to do as I have enjoyed the series so much. How I chuckled when Agatha entered a quiche into a baking contest or the time she had an instant garden in her zeal to win a contest. I am still enjoying the Hamish series but am only 11 books into the series. Normally it isn't hard to leave a series but this one has provided many hours of relaxation and enjoyment. Agatha has been a favorite fictional character. I will only obtain library copies in the future if I want to revisit Agatha again.

I like complex characters and fascinating plots entertwined with character. I could not find one thing to like about this novel. I also like a profound sense of place and I really cannot see the Cotswalds. When on a tour in Engliand, I had to choose between Stratford-Upon-Avon and the Cotswalds. I chose Stratford but have known that I missed a good experience in the Cotswalds. Guess I'l go to Google Images since nothing here gives me a sense of place. Formula writing. Boring style.

Shame on M.C. Beaton's editors for not vetting all the mistakes in this book.
I've been going off Agatha Raisin ever since she started the detective agency. She's lost her personality; the village has lost its personality; the whole thing is just in ruins. The obnoxious Toni should never have been introduced; she's a sour note in a failing series, and doesn't contribute anything to it but a constant irritant. If she resents Agatha so much why doesn't she just go away? By the same token, this later Agatha is weak and soppy and altogether just not a very engaging character.
Not going to waste my money again; Ms. Beaton should know when to stop, and if she doesn't, her editors surely do. The time was about 6 books ago.

I found a newer, more politically correct Agatha Raisin in the 2012 audio version of Hiss and Hers by M. C. Beaton. While Agatha may get a bit flustered by the new times and new technology, I liked her character much better. There were fewer references to women as “cows”, which I truly appreciated. Agatha, while still the quirky detective, has matured and softened as a person… just a bit. At the same time, she’s still surrounded by all the familiar characters: James, Charles, Bill Wong and Mrs. Bloxby. As always, Beaton weaves a good murder mystery. This time, as the title suggests, vipers played a role. I borrowed the digital audio version of the book from our local library, through NJ Listens. Hiss and Hers was definitely a good listen!

I've read all the books in this series and in the Hamish series. This is just sad. The plot is so incredibly bad -- killing people with snakes?? It seems to me that in the beginning of the series, Agatha could be very witty. Here she's just brittle. I hate giving up on an author, especially one I've enjoyed for so long; I don't think I'll read any more of them.

A friend loaned me this book to read while I was in the hospital. I was hoping for a light read with some humor but this book was not that. The writing style is very flat to me. It took me until she discovered Marston's body to feel like I wanted to read the book at all. I didn't think Raisin or her staff were very professional at their jobs and wondered how they stayed in business.

Any chance to read another Agatha Raisin "mystery" is a promise of a very pleasant interlude in life. This series is one of "cozies" where the characters and locale are the draw, and old friends. In this visit we find cranky middle-aged Agatha retired to a Cotswold village from a very successful London career. She has developed a new obsession with a rogue who gets murdered and Agatha sets out to find his killer. If, like Agatha and I, you too are middle-aged and a little cranky, try this series. Begin with the first and you'll have many happy hours of reading.

Agatha has fallen in love again with George Marston a hunky gardener/handyman. The trouble is that many of the ladies in the village of Carsely have also fallen for his rugged charms. When George is found dead in his own compost heap in a particular vicious murder involving snakes, Agatha is determined to find out who did it.

Her colleagues, Toni, Simon, Phil and Patrick are all keen to help her as they don't like to see Agatha upset. All are worried for Agatha's safety when she starts to receive some very dubious attentions from an unknown source. Agatha herself is frightened and her private life seems to be falling apart when long time friend and occasional lover Sir Charles Fraith announces his engagement.

I really enjoyed this entertaining mystery and read it in less than twenty four hours. The plot is quite complex and I liked seeing more of Agatha's employees. I like the way the series characters are developing with everyone rallying round Agatha even while they accept she can be intensely annoying at times.

There are many amusing incidents in the story and there are also many where Agatha appears at her best such as in her dealing with the rival detective agency. She jumps to conclusions and puts herself in danger but her hunches are usually good and even the police are starting to pay more attention to what she says - while at the same time treating her as a loose cannon.

There were a few darker strands in this novel with the way the villagers are turned against Agatha by a few comments made by a few people. Some of the suspects are very dubious as well yet standing above it all is Mrs Bloxby, the vicar's wife, with her aura of calm. The episode with the vicar and the talking grave is absolutely priceless. This latest in the Agatha Raisin series is well worth reading especially if you have wondered whether the character was becoming a little tired of late. M C Beaton is well on form with this one.

Once again Agatha has set her sights on an attractive man, this time it is her gardener, George Marston. The trouble is she is not alone in her appreciation, it seems as though a number of her neighbors are also in pursuit of him. Never one to resist a challenge Agatha formulates a plan to catch George's eye that cannot possibly fail. Unfortunately the one problem that she had not anticipated was someone murdering him before she got a chance for her plan to work. Agatha quickly sprang into action to discover just who had committed this foul deed (and to stop the police from suspecting her). In her quest she enlisted help from some unlikely sources, including her ex-husband James and her sometimes companion Charles among others.

This is a very long running series, one with a very pronounced overall story arc so for maximum enjoyment do begin at the beginning (AGATHA RAISIN AND THE QUICHE OF DEATH) and proceed in order as much as possible. As with any series the stories tend to become rather set into a pattern after a time. We become familiar with the main character, the setting and the recurring cast of characters which makes it difficult for the author to both keep the elements that drew readers into the series in the first place without falling into a rut. Beaton has managed to handle this problem better than most series authors. Agatha has managed at time to make some changes in her life but has still remained fundamentally the same person she was at the beginning - in other words she is portrayed very realistically. The various crimes that have occurred in and around the quiet little Cotswolds village have been committed in a variety of ways with enough twists and turns to catch the reader out at least once or twice in each novel. The charm in this series lies in the wonderful depictions of the various secondary characters that interact with Agatha that keep the readers coming back.

My first touch of Beaton was the "Hamish Macbeth" series, which led me eventually to Agatha Raisin. I have read every book in both series. I tried Beaton's third mystery series but the first offering was so dismal that I persuaded myself not to bother with the rest.

She is not a good writer, but she is a capable plotter. She relies a lot on repetition of words, phrases, and descriptions, and to some degree, plots. PG Wodehouse could make that work; Beaton is not in that class. (I believe she mentioned Agatha's "bearlike" eyes three times in this book, starting on page 2.)

The characters never really develop from one book to the next. They simply appear, do their usual "turn" and then vanish again. Agatha (who in chronological terms would be at least in her mid-60s by now) is still described as a "50-ish" woman hungry for men and adventure, who never learns her lessons in relationships. Beaton has now populated the series with so many "Agatha assistants" that they are hard to keep track of, and one gets the feeling that she struggles to find something for everyone to do in each successive book.

I won't say anything particular about the plot, because you've heard it all before. I consider myself a former fan who is now more of a straggler, reading each new book out of habit. If you are new to the series, please start with the early books which were wittier and not covered with barnacles like the later ones. I'm just about ready to give up on Agatha. I'm sure Beaton will continue with them as long as the cash rolls in.

When I began reading this installment of the wonderful Agatha Raisin series, I was overjoyed to find Agatha back at her best in M.C.Beaton's Cotswold caustic cosy...but somewhere in the middle of the book....the whole thing becomes contrived and the timeline just falls over. This is not to say, I didn't enjoy it, my relationship with this wonderful fiesty amateur sleuth, can withstand the pitfalls of a dodgy plot line or two, or slightly spurious ending; but I do long to see more of the old Aggie. If you are considering reading this as your first experience of Agatha Raisin, then don't. The original books in the series are worth reading before entering this slightly pale form of the original 21st century Miss Marple on HRT! With all that said, for the die hard fans of Agatha, I doubt it will be your favourite book, but it is still worth the read...just to see how our beloved hero is getting on.

Poor old Agatha. When I left her at the end of the first novel, she was smooching over her neighbour. In this novel, she's got her eyes firmly fixed on at another `hunk'. Unfortunately for them both, he ends up in the compost heap having come off badly against a poisonous viper. How he came to be there, is the question Agatha must answer.
Agatha comes across as much more likeable in this novel than in earlier novels of this series. Others must think so as well because her friends rally around and help her crack the case, unearthing a heap of vipers along the way.
I enjoyed reading this, it was particularly nice to find out how Agatha and the other characters have grown over time.
An absolute must for the many fans of the series, and a recommend for fans of the comic detective genre.
Jane Hetherington's Adventures in Detection Omnibus (Books 1-3)

The Magpie Murders - Omnibus Edition

This is the 23rd in the Agatha Raisin series and I've read them all. Some are better than others, and this one is an improvement over "As the Pig Turns" which was not one of her better efforts. In this installment Agatha who is always looking for the right man is in pursuit of the local gardener and odd job man George Marston and goes all out in her efforts to impress and seduce him. Unknown to her he is having affairs with other women in the village of Carsely. Agatha discovers he had no interest in her after he is found dead of snake bites. Agatha and her detective agency set out to solve the murder. All the usual characters are here with an emphasis on Sir Charles Fraith who is a long-time friend and a bit of a cad. Anyone who enjoys British cozy mysteries will enjoy this series. The early books are the best and my favorite is "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death."

I much prefer M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth novels, and unlike some reviewers here I consider Beaton a very good writer and plotter. Her Agatha Raisin series had to "grow" on me (I hear mutterings of "yeah, like a fungus") over time. Agatha is an unlikable character: insecure, volatile, man-mad, nosy, pushy, etc. But over the series Beaton has given us enough of Agatha's hardscrabble backstory to humanize her and spark a bit of sympathy from the reader. And I like Agatha's sense of adventure, energy, desire to get things done, PR skills, and even the assertiveness that is the flip side of the pushiness that can annoy.

However, I pick up an Agatha Raisin book with tempered expectations - and therefore avoid deep disappointment. I don't buy the things; I borrow them from the public library. I enjoy the Agatha Raisin books in audio form more than on the printed page. This audiobook narrated by Davina Porter was just right to listen to in short doses driving around town, to/from work, and finally in my living room to wrap up the last disc or two.

Davina Porter's name on any audiobook gives me confidence, and she has a great way with this one. She brings a somewhat no-nonsense and energetic tempo to the narration, and a professional skill to voicing the different characters. I enjoyed listening to most of this book; if I'd hated it, I wouldn't have finished it. Agatha is, well, still Agatha. I really prefer the stories where she's not running after a man, so this one started out weakly. I thought the plotting was a bit looser than usual, as the actual motive for the initial/main murder was never really clarified by the end of the book.

But there was a lot that I liked here. Agatha's man-mad, age-denying vanity (wearing high heeled sandals after hip replacement). Her total lack of domestic skills (I can relate, and despise "foodie" mysteries with a white-hot hatred). Aggie's jealousy of her attractive young staffer Toni, which co-exists with a protective instinct as she identifies with Toni's hardscrabble origins. Some of the supporting characters who are drawn with satiric skill, including old acquaintance Jimmy the widower (of a woman who was too proud of her hair to have chemo so died of cancer, and the hair was worn in an ugly crunchy old perm). The way a TV soap star bewitched all the men and most of the women in her vicinity. Beaton's by now habitual extending the story well past the "gotcha/solved it" point, letting some of the other plot lines work themselves out. And grouchy Alf the vicar, who has in my opinion a perfectly valid loathing of Agatha which is a wonderful counterpoint to his kindly wife's staunch friendship with Agatha - also a perfectly valid position.

At the end of the day, and the book, Agatha and her circle are flawed humans who rarely make much progress against their fundamental character defects. This was an interesting visit to another chapter in these fictional lives. Not the best stuff out there, but Porter's excellent job of narration rendered it interesting enough to be getting on with.

I do not understand how this author has won awards and how some readers of this book gave it high marks. Agatha is a royal B, totally clueless about men and a lousy detective. I began reading the book, transitioned to scanning, then turned to the back just to be done with it. The title has nothing to do with the content. Fortunately I did not waste a lot of time on it, nor a lot of money.

"The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes." -- Proverbs 21:10 (NKJV)

M.C. Beaton draws on her favorite Agatha Raisin plot element: Agatha finds an enthralling man and pursues him. As usual, the chase doesn't lead to happiness. In fact, the object of her desires soon expires from a most unusual cause that's no accident. Naturally, Agatha wants to find out who did him in. The mystery is an above-average one for this series and you may not be able to identify the murderer until quite near the end. Along the way, there's plenty of humor built around Agatha's male- and youth-obsessed orientation. Her male friends, as usual, serve as humorous foils in many different ways. I thought that the humor in the story is well above-average for this series.

Enjoy!

I just utterly and completely adore Agatha Raisin. Always a treat to read the books in this series. So thrilled that Agatha stays true to form in each novel. All of the supporting players are along for the ride such as Mrs. Bloxby, Roy, James, Toni and her cats. Of course Agatha is blindly chasing after another unsuitable character who manages to get offed in the first chapters of the book. It is the usual madcap adventure as Agatha and her team stumble around solving the crime. Lots of twists and turns and even some danger thrown in. Love visiting Carsely with Agatha again and again.

Another winner from M.C. Beaton...cannot wait for the next one!

Agatha Raisin is smitten by the hunky gardener, George Marston, who has been tending a lot of ladies' gardens in the tiny Cotswold village of Carsely. When he's late for a charity ball, Agatha runs to his home and finds his dead body buried in a compost heap. A bag containing three snakes was tied around his head. The suspects are many because George was a serial philanderer, or, as my dear mom would say, he was a whore hopper. The corpses pile up like cordwood as Agatha and the staff at her detective agency investigate George's gruesome murder.

Always drinking, always smoking, always shouting, "Snakes and bastards," Agatha Raisin's whacky misadventures in sleuthing continue in M. C. Beaton`s hilarious "Hiss and Hers." This time around, Agatha's sleuthing takes her into the world of primetime soap operas as she investigates one of her celebrity neighbors, actress Jessica Fordyce. Her flaky, young employee, Simon Black, is smitten by the gorgeous actress. Simon's annoyed coworker, Toni Gilmour, must keep an eye on him, fearing he's endangering himself. Agatha, meanwhile, is still searching for a man to love her. Jimmy Jessop, her ex-fiancée, invites her for a weekend at his home in Wyckhadden.

Not only is "Hiss and Hers" chockfull of romance (mostly of the unrequited, one-sided kind), but it is also packed with humor. I laughed out loud several times. The funniest line came from Sir Charles Fraith when Agatha and him were discussing George`s attraction to homely women:

"He didn't have taste," said Charles brutally. "He would have screwed the cat."

Beaton's Agatha Raisin novels provide me with a pleasant respite from the more violent, more gruesome crime dramas that I usually read. Plus, they are fast-paced because they don't dwell too much on boring, extraneous details. A busy person like myself can make a few hours for relaxing and reading one of Beaton's novels. In fact, I've recently convinced my girlfriend to read the entire soap opera-like series with me beginning with the first novel, "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death" (Introducing Agatha Raisin: The Quiche of Death/The Vicious Vet), which I ordered from the store.

The setting is primarily the serene, pastoral village of Carsely. It reminds me of Cabot Cove, Maine, where Jessica Fletcher of the "Murder, She Wrote" television series (Murder, She Wrote - The Complete First Season) does her sleuthing. However, Agatha drinks more, smokes more and curses more than Jessica. Nevertheless, Agatha is a woman after my own heart. Recently, I learned she has to drive a small car because she can't parallel park; neither can I. We also share the same fear of growing old alone. I think many readers can relate to Agatha Raisin and that is probably why she has garnered so many fans over the past two decades.

One thing Agatha and I don't share is a fear of snakes. I've had several for pets. However, they were of the harmless king snake varieties. I don't really care for the poisonous ones myself. Horror films with snakes [e.g., "Venom" (Venom), "Frogs" (Frogs), "Rattlers" ] and "Sssssss"(Sssssss)] have always intrigued me and, therefore, I was excited to read "Hiss and Hers," which abounds with them. Those with snake phobias will most likely experience shivers when they read it. Fans of Agatha Raisin will definitely want to read the latest installment in this popular, offbeat cozy series.

Joseph B. Hoyos

"The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes." -- Proverbs 21:10 (NKJV)

M.C. Beaton draws on her favorite Agatha Raisin plot element: Agatha finds an enthralling man and pursues him. As usual, the chase doesn't lead to happiness. In fact, the object of her desires soon expires from a most unusual cause that's no accident. Naturally, Agatha wants to find out who did him in. The mystery is an above-average one for this series and you may not be able to identify the murderer until quite near the end. Along the way, there's plenty of humor built around Agatha's male- and youth-obsessed orientation. Her male friends, as usual, serve as humorous foils in many different ways. I thought that the humor in the story is well above-average for this series.

Enjoy!

Well done! Agatha is infatuated with the gardener....and so are a lot of women in this Cotswold village. Unfortunately, this romantic notion was a dangerous affair and, rather than marriage death results. Beaton has done a masterful job with her characters as well as the plot and will not disappoint her readers.

I just utterly and completely adore Agatha Raisin. Always a treat to read the books in this series. So thrilled that Agatha stays true to form in each novel. All of the supporting players are along for the ride such as Mrs. Bloxby, Roy, James, Toni and her cats. Of course Agatha is blindly chasing after another unsuitable character who manages to get offed in the first chapters of the book. It is the usual madcap adventure as Agatha and her team stumble around solving the crime. Lots of twists and turns and even some danger thrown in. Love visiting Carsely with Agatha again and again.

Another winner from M.C. Beaton...cannot wait for the next one!

Agatha Raisin is smitten by the hunky gardener, George Marston, who has been tending a lot of ladies' gardens in the tiny Cotswold village of Carsely. When he's late for a charity ball, Agatha runs to his home and finds his dead body buried in a compost heap. A bag containing three snakes was tied around his head. The suspects are many because George was a serial philanderer, or, as my dear mom would say, he was a whore hopper. The corpses pile up like cordwood as Agatha and the staff at her detective agency investigate George's gruesome murder.

Always drinking, always smoking, always shouting, "Snakes and bastards," Agatha Raisin's whacky misadventures in sleuthing continue in M. C. Beaton`s hilarious "Hiss and Hers." This time around, Agatha's sleuthing takes her into the world of primetime soap operas as she investigates one of her celebrity neighbors, actress Jessica Fordyce. Her flaky, young employee, Simon Black, is smitten by the gorgeous actress. Simon's annoyed coworker, Toni Gilmour, must keep an eye on him, fearing he's endangering himself. Agatha, meanwhile, is still searching for a man to love her. Jimmy Jessop, her ex-fiancée, invites her for a weekend at his home in Wyckhadden.

Not only is "Hiss and Hers" chockfull of romance (mostly of the unrequited, one-sided kind), but it is also packed with humor. I laughed out loud several times. The funniest line came from Sir Charles Fraith when Agatha and him were discussing George`s attraction to homely women:

"He didn't have taste," said Charles brutally. "He would have screwed the cat."

Beaton's Agatha Raisin novels provide me with a pleasant respite from the more violent, more gruesome crime dramas that I usually read. Plus, they are fast-paced because they don't dwell too much on boring, extraneous details. A busy person like myself can make a few hours for relaxing and reading one of Beaton's novels. In fact, I've recently convinced my girlfriend to read the entire soap opera-like series with me beginning with the first novel, "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death" (Introducing Agatha Raisin: The Quiche of Death/The Vicious Vet), which I ordered from the store.

The setting is primarily the serene, pastoral village of Carsely. It reminds me of Cabot Cove, Maine, where Jessica Fletcher of the "Murder, She Wrote" television series (Murder, She Wrote - The Complete First Season) does her sleuthing. However, Agatha drinks more, smokes more and curses more than Jessica. Nevertheless, Agatha is a woman after my own heart. Recently, I learned she has to drive a small car because she can't parallel park; neither can I. We also share the same fear of growing old alone. I think many readers can relate to Agatha Raisin and that is probably why she has garnered so many fans over the past two decades.

One thing Agatha and I don't share is a fear of snakes. I've had several for pets. However, they were of the harmless king snake varieties. I don't really care for the poisonous ones myself. Horror films with snakes [e.g., "Venom" (Venom), "Frogs" (Frogs), "Rattlers" ] and "Sssssss"(Sssssss)] have always intrigued me and, therefore, I was excited to read "Hiss and Hers," which abounds with them. Those with snake phobias will most likely experience shivers when they read it. Fans of Agatha Raisin will definitely want to read the latest installment in this popular, offbeat cozy series.

Joseph B. Hoyos

Agatha's in love again and of course it becomes complicated when the object of her desires is murdered. Agatha once again shows that even a great detective has a blind side. I was not sure justice was going to rule in the end, but in M.C. Beaton fashion al the loose ends were tied up. I like that about her writing.

I once found Agatha Raisin entertaining but soon grew tired of her self-centered childish ways. She needs to get a different perspective. It "is not all about me". Time for this reader to return to Hamish McBeth!

"Hiss and Hers," the latest in the Agatha Raisin saga (for I refuse to dignify these books any longer by calling them mysteries), finds Agatha up to her old tricks: obsessing over wrinkles, tottering around in uncomfortable and inappropriate sky-high stilettoes -- all in the pursuit of an unattainable man, this time a randy gardener. The more the titles of the novels in this series change, the more the plot lines remain the same. Readers run the literary gauntlet of the same thin characterizations (e.g. Agatha's shiny brown hair, good legs, and bear-like eyes). The plot is negligible, as thin as consomme but not as satisfying.

What turned this reader off to the entire series is Beaton having Agatha make a callous remark about AIDS. Although Beaton labors to have Agatha chastised for the remark, the offense lingers. Beaton digs a deeper hole by characterizing AIDS as a "curse." A curse on whom and for what? Time was menstruation was termed "the curse." In the 21st century, it should be accepted HIV/AIDS is a virus, lacking any retributive or accusatory import.

Beaton has gone too far. I will never read another of her "writings."

Can't wait for the next one! Just love these books. Very enjoyable to read.I discovered MC Beaton's Agatha series couple of years ago and I had lots to read but now have to wait for the new one next year ohhh. Have started to read the Hamish series too.

This was a very enjoyable read with several laugh-out-loud moments. As another reviewer already said, I miss the Ladies Society and Ms Simms, but it is fun to catch up with Charles, Roy, Mrs. Bloxby and the rest of the regular characters. Toni is starting to irritate me - I don't think I ever forgave her and Simon for trying to start up their own independent detective agency (in a previous book) after Agatha had already offered to set them up. I guess Toni's occassional pettiness is human and it would be even more sickening for someone SO young and SO beautiful and SO smart to be an angel as well, but I can't help wishing she would change her mind and join the police force or go to University.

But Agatha is still the shining star of these mysteries and I wish just one time someone would pursue her as fervently as she pursues the men in her life :)

I've read and enjoyed all the Agatha Raisins in order and I think this is the best one in a long while. Loved the plot and all the characters are especially interesting and enjoyable--even poor, put-upon Roy. Don't miss this one, especially if you haven't read Agatha in while! She's not the easiest character in the world, but I think we'll all see bits of ourselves in her.

As a big audiobook buff, I become attached to certain readers for certain books -- especially series. And for Agatha Raisin, only British actress Penelope Keith will do. Unfortunately, most of Keith's earlier "readings" as Agatha are available only on the store's British site. That was not the case for the last few audiobooks, such as "As the Pig Turns," which were read by Keith and available on the U.S. site. But for whatever reason, "Hiss and Hers" appears to be marketed in the U.S. with Davina Porter reading. No offense to Ms. Porter, but only Keith will do. I had to buy the Keith version on the store's UK site, and pay the hefty postage. But it was worth it.

Agatha Raisin had become quite standard and same old, same old, in the last few titles, but this one read better. I liked how Simon came to the fore and had more of a story arc than ever before. I also enjoyed how well the hot summer in England was part of the read in a lot of different ways. There's still a lot of same old, same old, but with some fresh elements this is an enjoyable read.

I'm glad I didn't leave the series before Hiss and Hers.

I have read all of M C Beatons books and especially old Agatha Raisin. She's a fun character. It's a story like all the others .. nothing spectacular but easy to enjoy and its a bit like you're visiting with old friends. I always look forward to reading these stories. I'm going to start reading the Agatha ones from the beginning again. Bless you dear Ms Beaton for providing me with hours of "company" here in the woods of British Columbia, Canada when the winter is long and cold I can snuggle in my bed and "visit" with characters I know.

Although I immediately lost track of all of George's conquests within the first few pages, I still was able to follow along enough to understand the ending. My only caveat was the actions of Bill Wong toward the end. I found it hard to believe he would use Agatha and Charles the way he did.