An Agatha Raisin Mystery (Agatha Raisin Mysteries Book 2)

This was a wonderful mystery. I love Agatha Raisin. However, I must say that the murder in this book was a bit gory. Wherever did Beaton come up with such a thing?

Beaton has endeared me to Agatha Raisin and all of the other colorful characters in her books. I highly recommend them to lovers of British mysteries.

No. I didn’t like the book, nor did I warm to Agatha.
Ms. Beaton is apparently trying to write an English anti-cozy. She seems to think that by giving Agatha’s cottage, in the inevitable English village, a thatched roof, she has adequately set the stage. She then makes Agatha a hard-boiled executive, independently wealthy, recently retired from a PR job in London. She is described as having a somewhat bear-like face and an incipient case of middle-age spread. She also has a girlish crush on an equally middle-aged neighbor, who has just bedded another, rather more stylish, newcomer, and has thus awakened feelings of jealousy in Agatha. Combine all this with a propensity for bitchy remarks, delivered publicly, from Agatha and certain other villagers, and you have neither Miss Marple nor St. Mary Mead. This settles “cosy”, but replaces it with some plywood characters on a plywood set. Forget it.
Three snappish stars.

Sorry I could not even continue reading this book and I rarely do not finish a book. The character Agatha is not likable. She is rude and self-centered. Her attempts to be sexy do not fit with her age.

I couldn't help it, as soon as I could I jumped straight into Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener. Agatha once again returns from a glamorous vacation, this time to find James Lacy's heart has been stolen by a newcomer to Carsely, a woman who happens to be both a cook and gardener extraordinaire, Mary Fortune.

The gorgeous Ms. Fortune appears to be everything Agatha is not, and while she has just about convinced herself that she has no interest in James, Agatha's self-confidence is shaken. In true Agatha fashion, she deeply overreacts and decides to cheat in the upcoming Carsely Open Day, which features garden tours on private residences. Unfortunately, Aggie's old tricks cost her, this time requiring her to return to her previous PR life London in the fall for six months.

As Open Day approaches, gardens are vandalized. Most vandalizations occur after the garden's owner has a negative interaction with Mary. The property crimes escalate, until Mary is found dead, hanging upside down and planted in her own greenhouse. Quite a change from the rather tame murders in the first two Agatha Raisin books. Agatha isn't sure exactly where to start when the whole town is full of suspects.

An important part of The Potted Gardener, maybe even more important that Aggie searching for Mary's killer, is that Ms. Raisin is now truly part of Carsely. The town considers her to be one of them; a bright, colorful character, but still one of them. It's wonderful to see her accepted, protected and understood. I can't help but love Agatha Raisin and the town of Carsely. I also can't seem to get enough of them! I'll be starting The Walkers of Dembley just as soon as I can get my hands on a copy.

A former PR agent based in London, Agatha Raisin has retired and moved to the Cotswolds. Unfortunately, there's not much to do except to dream about marriage to the retired military gentleman living next door to her, James Lacey. However, James has no intention of being anything but a carefree bachelor, and he flees whenever he catches that gleam in Agatha's eye. But the village is all abuzz about a new vet that has arrived and opened a practice, and soon all the widows and unattached females have contrived a reason to visit the newcomer. All their hopes are dashed when the new vet is found dead in a horse barn. His death is officially declared an unfortunate accident, but Agatha doesn't think so, and manages to get James involved in trying to find out what really happened. Even though they keep the police informed of their findings, they still manage to poke their noses into a hornet's nest of trouble.

I know a lot of people don't like the character of Agatha, but I find her a hoot. Incurably romantic and prone to daydreams, she is cranky and stubborn and does what she wants and worries about the consequences later, if at all. This is the second in the series, and I believe I read the first, AGATHA RAISIN AND THE QUICHE OF DEATH, when it originally came out, back in the early 90's. I'm really looking forward to finding the rest of the series that I haven't yet read.

In this second installment of the Agatha Raisin series, Agatha has just returned home from the Bahamas. When she found out that her neighbor, James Lacey, was planning a vacation there, Agatha decided to book a trip as well in the hopes that the "chance" meeting would result in some sparks! To her dismay, Agatha found out that James caught wind of her plans and changed his itinerary so that he could ditch her. He went to Egypt instead.

While she was away, a veterinarian set up a local practice and the ladies are all atwitter over Dr. Paul Bladen. At first, all of the ladies bring their pets as an excuse to see the good-looking bachelor. However, once they witness Dr. Bladen's brutish handling of their beloved canines and felines, the veterinarian loses his charm but not before he manages to swindle some money out of some of them.

When Dr. Bladen presumably accidentally injects himself with a lethal dose of a sedative meant for a horse that he is treating, Agatha finds that she has another mystery to solve. She is more certain than ever that it was murder when a local woman is also found dead. Agatha finds an unlikely sleuthing partner to help her: James!

I really liked how Agatha and James paired-up to solve this mystery! Agatha's feelings for James waffle from hot to cold. I felt a bit sorry for Agatha for constantly being rebuffed by James but, at the same time, it is a little amusing because she is a woman who is used to getting what she wants except in this case.

Agatha's antics always have me in stitches! There is an incident in a pub's washroom when she stands on the sink so that she can change the light bulb, and the sink gives way and comes tearing out of the wall followed by a spray of water! A normal person would get the manager's attention to shut the water off so that the room would not become flooded. No, not Agatha! She high-tails it out of there to avoid any embarrassment, but she has to admit to the entire incident when the police find her.

I missed Agatha's assistant, Roy! He was such a hoot in the first book in the series, Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death. Agatha doesn't receive any visits from Roy in this book, although she does speak with him on the telephone.

I was extremely disappointed when I found out that Penelope Keith, who narrated the first book in the series, was not narrating this one. I did enjoy Diana Bishop, who did a perfectly fine job, although her narration was a bit more subdued. Keith gave Agatha a bit more of an attitude, and I liked the extra "spark" in her personality.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one but not as much as its predecessor. Still, it is a most enjoyable series that I plan to continue reading!

I received this audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own.

In the third installment of the Agatha Raisin series, Agatha has just returned from a lengthy holiday. At the end of the previous book, Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet, Agatha had given a rude gesture to her neighbour, James Lacey, after imbibing a little too much. The next morning, Agatha felt rather ashamed of her behaviour and wanted to escape the embarrassment she felt whenever she thought of what she had done. Upon her return, Agatha learns that a ravishing divorcee, Mary Fortune, has moved into the village and has captured the attention of every man in town! She seethes with jealousy when she finds out that James has been taking Mary out for romantic dinners.

Not only is Mary Fortune beautiful and fit (with a completely unlined face that can only be the result of a facelift, in Agatha's opinion), she has a green thumb and is a great cook. In an effort to not be outdone by the newcomer, Agatha has a greenhouse delivered and decides that she is going to raise seedlings to prove that she is just as adept at gardening. However, Agatha doesn't heed Mary's warnings not to plant the seedlings too early because of a frost warning. She wants to show off her gardening skills to James Lacey and everyone else in the village but, alas, Mary was right. After spending a long day planting all of her seedlings in her flower beds, Agatha awakens to snow which kills her tender plants. Refusing to admit that she was wrong, she resorts to her scheming ways.

Mr. Wilson of Pedmans, the man to whom she sold her advertising firm, wants to woo Agatha to work for him for a six-month stint. He uses the influence of Roy, Agatha's former assistant, to try to win her over. Roy gives Agatha an offer that she cannot refuse. One of the firm's clients owns a plant nursery, and he convinces Agatha to build a high fence around her garden so that no one can see what she is growing. Then, on the night before the villager's gardens are open for show, Roy will come with his client's employees to plant luscious blooms that will be the envy of everyone! He sweetens the pot by promising Agatha that the flowers will be planted at no charge to her in exchange for her signature on the six-month contract. Since Agatha believes that her chances with James Lacey are shot, she feels that she has nothing (and no one!) keeping her in Carsley for the winter and agrees.

Before Carsley Open Day, villagers are horrified to find that their gardens have been defiled. Who would do such a thing? Agatha has another mystery on her hands but, before she can get to the bottom of it, someone turns up dead.

I don't think that anyone else could get away with the shenanigans that Agatha pulls. One of the reasons why I love this series is because Agatha is such a hoot! She seems to be at her best (or worst, depending on how you look at it) when she is with Roy. The two of them always wind up in some sort of a jam.

Just when you think that Agatha and James are on the verge of a blossoming relationship, it falls apart! The two of them can't seem to get on the same wavelength. Their ups and downs are comical, and it will be interesting to see whether they can get it right.

Aggie's back! Narrator Penelope Keith has returned in this installment, and I have fallen in love with Agatha Raisin all over again! The previous book was performed by a different narrator, and it just wasn't the same for me. She didn't have Aggie's verve and attitude that I have come to love. In the words of Beaton, her "pugnaciousness" was missing. Not so with Penelope Keith! Her narration is unmatched, and it feels like an old friend has returned.

I received this audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own.

THIS WAS AN AUDIOBOOK. 4.5 stars. Brassy Agatha Raisin has set her cap at the eligible new vet in town. Seems as though every middle-aged woman in Carsely is smitten with Paul Bladen, so when he asks Agatha on a date and then subsequently invites her back to his house she feels elated.  But a last minute prick of conscience sends her fleeing from his home. Turns out this charming vet is a philanderer. But before Agatha has time enough to sulk over being lured in by his charms, Bladen is found dead.  Presumably it was an accident, but might someone have wanted the vicious vet dead?

This was book 2 in the Agatha Raisin series and it too was greatly enjoyed. Like I mentioned in my review of Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death, Agatha Raisin is no Jessica Fletcher, and this book is no cozy mystery. Agatha's brusque manner and spontaneous outbursts can make one blush at times, but you just can't help but like her, flaws and all. Her absence of decorum in times of distress is what captivates me.  She's only human after all, and her down-to-earth character is endearing. 

I am growing more and more fond of the Agatha Raisin series and of M.C. Beaton's writing. If you like a good mystery with a mature female amateur sleuth, you will likely enjoy The Vicious Vet. 

This is second of the "Agatha Raisin" series of humourous ,cosy mysteries set in the upscale Cotswolds area of England .It is slightly more of a serious mystery than its predecesssor ,the frivolous ,albeit enjoyable "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death"This is not to say we are in the presence of a real brow furrowing puzzle ,just that something a little more akin to serious detection takes place ,without detracting unduly from the comedic -even farcical -set pieces that are so much a feature of the books.

The villlage of Carsley ,where Agatha lives ,has a new veterinary surgeon ,the outwardly charming and good looking "Doctor Paul Braden".His exterior concelas a great deal however;he is a womaniser who sets his cap at wealthy women with the aim of conning them out of money to finance a mythical new animal hospital.To top it all ,he is not even that fond of animals.So when he is found murdered while attending to a horse owned by the crusty old reactionary "Lord Pendlebury "there is no shortage of suspects for Agatha and her attractive neighbour "James Lacey"to quiz aas they work their way to a solution.There is his former wife ,who loathed him with a passion ;there is his partner "Doctor Peter Rice"with whom there had been professional tensions ,not to mention a whole slew of women who had fallen victim to his scams .

There are some deft comedic interludes -the ghastly dinner party at the home of her friend ,"Consatble Bill Wong"'s parents and the misunderstandings arising from her determined pursuit of "James "and her romantic rivalry with another woman for his affections .

I have docked it a point for what is a common feature of all such mysteries -a quite dreadful snobbery which mainifests itself in the patronising way she writes of the blue collar workers whom Agatha encounters .In the 70's the late Colin Watson wrote a superbly entertaining book about English crime writing of the inter-war years entitled "Snobbery With Violence " highlighting the reactionary and zenophobic traits of writers from that era .Some of that survives in Ms Beaton's work.Get past that and the book has much to delight cosy mystery mavens .

Agatha Raisin is back in the village of Carsely, after spending a holiday abroad. She's determined to snag the heart of neighbor, James Lacey. However when James doesn't return her advances, Agatha catches the eye of the new vet, Paul Bladen. However before a romance can truly begin, Paul Bladen, turns up dead. Despite it being ruled as an accident, Agatha is certain that it is murder, and drags James Lacey along to help investigate. Agatha hopes to not only make James fall in love with her, but solve the murder too!

Oh Agatha, how I love thee! You are spunky, speak your mind and are behaving like a boy-crazy middled aged woman! It's impossible not to like Agatha with her zest for life. This time she has romance on the mind as she chases vet, Paul Bladen, and retired Colonel, James Lacey. Of course when it doesn't go her way she stamps her feet and becomes more determined.

This series has such a great colorful cast of characters, and it was great to see many of them returning in the second book. I would have liked to have seen more of the Carsely Ladies Society, but I'm sure they will be popping up in the next book too.

This audiobook flew by in a torrent of enjoyable goings on in the village, as Agatha and James try to solve the murder. Before I knew it the murder was solved and the audio was finished, leaving me wanting to grab the next one.

The first book in this series was narrated by Penelope Keith, and this second one was narrated by Diana Bishop. I really wished they hadn't changed narrators. Where Penelope was great and expressed all the color of the characters of Carsely, Diana fell flat for me. At times I had a hard time distinguishing the voices and it was really the story that pulled me through to the end of the book, with no help from the narrator. If you are a cozy mystery fan, this is a such a great series and I intend to continue on. The next in the series is narrated by Penelope Keith, and I can't wait!

She's not svelte, she's not young, she's not classy or subtle, but she's real and I like this cozy mystery series. In this story she's trying to find out who killed the new local vet who, by the way, didn't care much for cats and dogs. She breaks into places with her neighbor whom she has a crush on and breaks the law, gets threatened and has her cats stolen, but she gets her killer - but doesn't get her man.

I have a soft spot for murder mysteries that take place in picturesque English villages, and the Agatha Raisin series is one of my recent favourite finds.

I enjoyed Quiche of Death, the first book in the series, and The Vicious Vet continues in much the same vein. To be honest, the mysteries - decent enough as they are, and they do make me want to know "who did it" - are not the main reason to read these books. Neither is the writing (the style can take some getting used to - I'm not a fan of head-hopping, although at least I never had to stop and wonder whose point of view we're in, and there's a little bit too much telling in places for my taste, but those are very minor personal quibbles and on the other hand, the humour more than makes up for it).

The main reason is the cast of characters, Agatha herself in particular. She's not one of the most instantly likeable heroines around, sharp-tongued and rather lacking in tact, but I can't help but be fond of her - she just comes across as such a genuine, real character, and as much as her rather pathetic attempts at snagging handsome neighbour James Lacey amuse me, I also feel sympathy for her.

Some of the recurring supportive characters - Bill Wong, the local police detective, and James Lacey, Agatha's dashing neighbour - also come to their own in this book, and I enjoyed reading about Agatha's interactions with them.

The series isn't one I'd want to devour one book immediately after another - I feel that Agatha is best in smaller doses - but I'm very much looking forward to her next adventure.

Brief summary from Goodreads:

"Never say die. That's the philosophy Agatha Raisin clings to when she comes home to cozy Carsely and finds a new woman ensconced in the affections of her attractive bachelor neighbor, James Lacey.

The beautiful newcomer, Mary Fortune, is superior in every way, especially when it comes to gardening. And Agatha, that rose with many thorns, hasn't a green thumb to her name. With garden Open Day approaching, she longs for a nice juicy murder to remind James of her genius for investigation.

And sure enough, a series of destructive assaults on the finest gardens is followed by an appalling murder. Agatha seizes the moment and immediately starts yanking up village secrets by their roots and digging up all the dirt on the victim. Problem is, Agatha has an awkward secret of her own . . ."

Likes?

Agatha is my favorite part of these books. Her character makes these books so enjoyable and keep me coming back for more. I liked that she started to look at James in a different light and wasn't constantly making a fool of herself over him. Just sometimes :) And I found it to be enjoyable to see how Agatha has adjusted and become a part of the small village. Her insecurities come across realistically and I'm constantly wondering what kind of trouble she is going to get herself into next. I was happy to see all of the old characters from previous books back in this one...it was like visiting old friends.

Dislikes?

This wasn't my favorite of the series but not for any particular reason. The mystery was interesting but I didn't find myself really trying to figure out whodunnit or anything. I was more interested in seeing what Agatha was going to do next and the crazy schemes that she was going to come up with. I just didn't quite connect with the storyline for this book but was glad to revisit this series and the characters.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I found this to be a good read but not great. I enjoyed dipping back into this series and will be continuing on with it. I'm hoping that the next book draws me down into the story more but no matter what I'll want to see what kind of adventures Agatha has next. I would definitely recommend this series but start from the beginning!

Disclosure: I checked this out from my lovely, local library :)

Here is a link to a very short review for Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton (turns out I never reviewed Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet)

Like many readers, I found Agatha Raisin to be irresistible as a character when she first appeared in Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death. Here was a blunt, high-powered, but lonely, woman who wanted to start a new life amid her fantasy of what life is like in a Cotswold village. Her pushy instincts in that book worked well (when employed to raise funds for charity) and backfired when aimed at self-promotion (entering a store-bought quiche in a baking contest). Where would M. C. Beaton take this fascinating character?

In Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet, Agatha began to overcome her tendency to pursue James Lacey, her handsome bachelor neighbor, enough to attract him as a sleuthing partner. With Bill Wong as her advisor in the pursuit of the proper male, can she learn to be more reserved?

Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener combines both perspectives into one story. Agatha returns from an extended trip to find that James Lacey seems totally taken with a beautiful incomer, Mary Fortune, who has looks, money, and the same gardening interests as James. Agatha is stirred into action and decides to become a horticulturalist. Naturally, she doesn't know the first thing about what she's doing. Despite a warning from Mary that a frost is coming, Agatha puts out her seedlings. The result is a bare garden. Will Agatha cheat again to get her way?

Before the story is over, there's another murder in Carsely and Agatha is immediately in hot pursuit . . . with James Lacey soon enticed into joining her investigation. Before she's done, Agatha even braves the Boggles (the hard-to-satisfy older couple who like free trips from Quiche of Death) to get information.

This story is a more complex character development than either of the first two books in the series. Agatha becomes much more nuanced in her perspectives and responses . . . and becomes more like a real person rather than a mystery book character. I was particularly pleased to see the careful development of Mary Fortune as a character. It is very well done and adds a lot to the story. Unfortunately, James Lacey is developed in only one dimension, a predictable one. He becomes a bit tiresome before the end of the book.

The mysteries in the book are pretty easy to solve which reduces the book's interest for those who like puzzles. But the crimes themselves are certainly imaginative and enrich the story.

The book's main weakness is that the motives and actions of the characters seemed a little off to me. They didn't quite ring true. See what you think.

Any Agatha Raisin fan, however, would be foolish to skip this book. It's quite entertaining.

I tried to like this character, with all her flaws, but I just couldn't. She is shallow, she cheats and lies and deceives with great relish for the most part, and she is petulant, sarcastic, demanding, peevish, bossy, petty, huffy, mulish, truculent, and sulks and glares at people and behaves like a big baby if someone dares NOT include her part in solving a murder. One would think that someone in her 50s - unless they had a narcissistic personality disorder--would be a bit more mature.

Also, something about Agatha still being married, and yet having set her cap for her neighbor (and that whole thing when she found out he had 'relations' with another female), was just icky. The characters in this novel were flat and the story line was contrived. A description of Agatha indicates she is not physically all that attractive (Eyes like a bear? Really?), and she's fairly ugly on the inside too (see Paragraph 1 with descriptive adjectives) but often, outward "plainness" is often supplanted by inner beauty, honesty and kindness--of which Agatha seems to be sorely lacking.

Perhaps this book speaks to a reader's need for a less than stellar main character with major flaws, but this is certainly not for me. In fact, the book is going straight into the recycle bin for shredding and then out into the manure heap by the barn for composting.

Agatha Raisin had clawed her way to the top of the London PR field, acquiring a substantial nest egg and an unsatisfactory husband along the way. She had long ago shed the husband and not so long ago sold her firm, making her nest egg even more substantial, and retired (early as she hastened to inform everyone) to a sleepy little village in the Cotswalds. Her intention had been to settle into village life but somehow things had not quite worked out the way she had planned. As this third entry into the series opens Agatha is returning from a long holiday. At the end of the previous volume she had given way to a fit of pique with her next door neighbor, the all too attractive and eligible James. Agatha returned quite ready to abandon all thoughts of romance, at least with James, until she discovered a new neighbor, Mary Fortune, who also had her sights set on James. Never one to turn down a challenge Agatha once again took up the chase, and since both Mary and James seemed obsessed with gardening, Agatha decided that she too would become a gardener.

Alas, as always, Agatha's plans hit a snag, or several actually, she set out her carefully nutured seedlings too early and lost them all to frost, then in order to cover that fiasco she was forced to try to deceive the entire village, no easy task even for Agatha. Things really got difficult though when one of the village gardeners is found dead. Soon James and Agatha are hot in pursuit of the culprit....will they find romance as well as a killer?

As always with the series of cozies the mystery takes a back seat to the on again off again romances of Agatha and her attempts to make a new life for herself in the village. While it is possible to enjoy these books by themselves they are best read in sequence, perferably settled down comfortably and indulged in one after another. These are not great thought provoking mysteries, but rather enjoyable light entertainment.

In the second book of this delightful series Agatha has turned her romantic attentions away from her next door neighbor James Lacey and toward Paul Bladen, the new vet in Carsely. Unfortunately for Agatha, many of the other ladies in town have done the same and it appears that there could be a free for all until the vet turns up dead. The police rule it an accident but Agatha isn't convinced and neither is James Lacey it turns out. In fact, now that Agatha doesn't appear to be chasing after him anymore Lacey is quite comfortable hanging around with her and the two are soon hot on the trail of what might well be an imaginary killer.

As it turns out, several of Bladen's lady friends were no longer his friends at all by the time of his death and the list of suspects is therefore rather long. Then, at a meeting of the Carsely Ladies Society one of the suspects who has had far too much of the spiked apple cider announces loudly to Agatha that she will tell her everything about the "Vicious Vet" the next morning. The next morning the suspect list is reduced by one as Agatha finds her informant dead. Again Agatha and James are left to wonder if this death is natural or murder.

In this series entry the author introduces several new characters into the Carsely landscape, most of who are suspects in the vet's death. Back from the first book are Agatha's policeman friend Bill Wong, her cleaning lady Doris Simpson, Mrs. Bloxby who always seems to bring out the best in Agatha and of course James Lacey. The reader will also in this book get an explanation of Lacey's phobia like fear of aggressive females. This being one of Lacey's main character traits and the trait that most frustrates Agatha it is good to finally understand what is going on.

I was quite fond of the first entry in this series but I liked this book even more. The first book in any series always bogs down just a tad in the author's effort to define the characters and the series' setting. That having been done in the first book, this entry had a much better flow and was in fact a real page-turner. I found this to be one of those books that kept me up far into the night as I read on to see what would happen next. The mystery itself does occasionally take a back set to the characters but that is a common trait in these type of warm fuzzy mysteries and when the characters are as enjoyable as the ones in this book this trait is indeed a blessing and not a flaw.

Was the death of the "Vicious Vet" an accident? Did one of his lady friends simply die of complications from her diabetes with no foul play involved? Or is there a wild murderer loose Cotswolds? There is only one way to find out and I highly recommend that you do so.

Agatha returns from world-wide travels to find an attractive divorcée, Mary Fortune, has captured the fascination of the villagers. She has become known for both her baking and gardening. Agatha’s jealous nature flares when she discovers that her neighbor James has come under Mary’s spell. But it soon turns out that Mary is a contradiction of warmth and hate, and Agatha hears a lot of surprising stories about her behavior. When Mary is found strung up by her ankles with her head buried in a garden pot, the hunt is on for the murderer. This is an early work in the series, and though it’s nothing special, it’s a comfortable village cozy.

Agatha Raisin returns in the 3rd book in this series. In this book, Agatha returns from a lengthy vacation only to find that a beautiful newcomer, Mary Fortune, threatens to snare James Lacey's affections. It seems that the perfect Ms. Fortune shares James' love of gardening and she plans to enter her property into the local garden show. Agatha's black thumb does not prevent her from entering the garden show herself, but she soon finds herself having to cheat when all of her seedlings are destroyed in a early frost. Agatha turns to the help of Roy Silver, P.R. cohort, to replant her garden with fully grown nursery plants. However, someone in Carsley is destroying all of the neighbor's gardens, and then Ms. Fortune is found "planted" in a pot...dead. It is up to Agatha to solve the murder before the murderer plants her too.

The Agatha Raisin mysteries are a delight from start to finish! I loved Agatha's gruff exterior but warm heart. It is heartening to see a character that has flaws, but that can make you laugh too. Agatha gets more loveable in each book, and really draws readers into her life. With both of M.C. Beaton's series (she also writes the Hamish MacBeth series), she makes the reader want to take a trip to the Cotswolds to meet the characters she has so vividly created.

The first book in the series is "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death". Enjoy!

I read this at someone else's urging, not being a regular devotee to the mystery genre, and I was pleasantly surprised. Agatha Raisin is delightful, sort of a middle-aged Bridget Jones with brains and business acumen. She rises above cute kookiness--her feelings and motivations are quite honestly rendered, though one would wish for her sake she would think before she opens her mouth or acts on some occasions. Most of the pickles she gets herself into are based in her crush on her neighbor, James Lacey, who compares to Mark Darcy of the Bridget Jones books. When the inevitable murder comes due, she and Lacey manage to work together until they solve the whodunit.
Beaton is a witty writer who turns a nice sentence. She makes satirical hay of the village murder mystery genre and the age-old theme of fish out of water (Agatha has taken early retirement in a Cotswold village, escaping momentarily from a high-powered London job.) The actual mystery is kind of poofy; James quietly nails it early on, but his observation is thrown away. It is obvious from the getgo who will be murdered, a rather inscrutable character who the author has set up with a variety of conflicting behaviors but never imbues with the psychological resonance that would explain or reconcile the behaviors. In other words, a cartoon. The obligatory red herrings don't fare much better. The villagers more than make up for this lapse in character definition, however.

Agatha Raisin returns in the 3rd book in this series. In this book, Agatha returns from a lengthy vacation only to find that a beautiful newcomer, Mary Fortune, threatens to snare James Lacey's affections. It seems that the perfect Ms. Fortune shares James' love of gardening and she plans to enter her property into the local garden show. Agatha's black thumb does not prevent her from entering the garden show herself, but she soon finds herself having to cheat when all of her seedlings are destroyed in a early frost. Agatha turns to the help of Roy Silver, P.R. cohort, to replant her garden with fully grown nursery plants. However, someone in Carsley is destroying all of the neighbor's gardens, and then Ms. Fortune is found "planted" in a pot...dead. It is up to Agatha to solve the murder before the murderer plants her too.
The Agatha Raisin mysteries are a delight from start to finish! I loved Agatha's gruff exterior but warm heart. It is heartening to see a character that has flaws, but that can make you laugh too. Agatha gets more loveable in each book, and really draws readers into her life. With both of M.C. Beaton's series (she also writes the Hamish MacBeth series), she makes the reader want to take a trip to the Cotswolds to meet the characters she has so vividly created.
The first book in the series is "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death". Enjoy!

In the first book about Agatha, AR and the Quiche of Death, Agatha was struggeling to find her place in the countryside village she moved to when leaving London. AR and the Vicious Vet is the second book about the colorful woman detective Agatha Raisin. Still not quite sure if the countryside is her cup of tea she feels more settled now, one of the reasons for that is her fliration with her distinguished neighbour, James Lacey. As always she is overdoing, and frightens her poor neighbour again and again. In this book the village has got a new vet, a handsome man in his fourties, and apparently he is living by his own. All the women suddenly are in need for a vet for their cats, and of course Agatha is among them. She is thrilled when the vet asks her out for dinner, and Mr. James Lacey is more confused than ever when Agatha starts passing his house without paying attension. Agatha has her date with Dr. Paul Bladen, but the next day the poor vet dies under suspicious circumstances. At least suspicious for Agatha - and to her great pleasure to Mr. James Lacey as well. Agatha throws herself in a whirlwind of happenings, and she lets us readers take part in them all. This book has been just as big a pleasue to read as the first one, and I know as soon Agatha starts making her cottage garden I will follow her out into my garden to make it just as beautiful as the one her good friend Bill Wong in the village police has.

Agatha is at it! Reading this book I felt as though I was meeting with a good old friend. In this book Paul Bladen a womanizing, married vet dies of apparent accidental death but that is not enough for Agatha and neighbor James Lacey. Agatha runs to investigate and try to convince Bill Wong and the rest of the police force that it was indeed cold blooded murder!!!! Very enjoyable liked it just as much as the first. What a great series!

Agatha Raisin returns in the 3rd book in this series. In this book, Agatha returns from a lengthy vacation only to find that a beautiful newcomer, Mary Fortune, threatens to snare James Lacey's affections. It seems that the perfect Ms. Fortune shares James' love of gardening and she plans to enter her property into the local garden show. Agatha's black thumb does not prevent her from entering the garden show herself, but she soon finds herself having to cheat when all of her seedlings are destroyed in a early frost. Agatha turns to the help of Roy Silver, P.R. cohort, to replant her garden with fully grown nursery plants. However, someone in Carsley is destroying all of the neighbor's gardens, and then Ms. Fortune is found "planted" in a pot...dead. It is up to Agatha to solve the murder before the murderer plants her too.

The Agatha Raisin mysteries are a delight from start to finish! I loved Agatha's gruff exterior but warm heart. It is heartening to see a character that has flaws, but that can make you laugh too. Agatha gets more loveable in each book, and really draws readers into her life. With both of M.C. Beaton's series (she also writes the Hamish MacBeth series), she makes the reader want to take a trip to the Cotswolds to meet the characters she has so vividly created.

The first book in the series is "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death". Enjoy!

I read this at someone else's urging, not being a regular devotee to the mystery genre, and I was pleasantly surprised. Agatha Raisin is delightful, sort of a middle-aged Bridget Jones with brains and business acumen. She rises above cute kookiness--her feelings and motivations are quite honestly rendered, though one would wish for her sake she would think before she opens her mouth or acts on some occasions. Most of the pickles she gets herself into are based in her crush on her neighbor, James Lacey, who compares to Mark Darcy of the Bridget Jones books. When the inevitable murder comes due, she and Lacey manage to work together until they solve the whodunit.
Beaton is a witty writer who turns a nice sentence. She makes satirical hay of the village murder mystery genre and the age-old theme of fish out of water (Agatha has taken early retirement in a Cotswold village, escaping momentarily from a high-powered London job.) The actual mystery is kind of poofy; James quietly nails it early on, but his observation is thrown away. It is obvious from the getgo who will be murdered, a rather inscrutable character who the author has set up with a variety of conflicting behaviors but never imbues with the psychological resonance that would explain or reconcile the behaviors. In other words, a cartoon. The obligatory red herrings don't fare much better. The villagers more than make up for this lapse in character definition, however.

Agatha Raisin returns in the 3rd book in this series. In this book, Agatha returns from a lengthy vacation only to find that a beautiful newcomer, Mary Fortune, threatens to snare James Lacey's affections. It seems that the perfect Ms. Fortune shares James' love of gardening and she plans to enter her property into the local garden show. Agatha's black thumb does not prevent her from entering the garden show herself, but she soon finds herself having to cheat when all of her seedlings are destroyed in a early frost. Agatha turns to the help of Roy Silver, P.R. cohort, to replant her garden with fully grown nursery plants. However, someone in Carsley is destroying all of the neighbor's gardens, and then Ms. Fortune is found "planted" in a pot...dead. It is up to Agatha to solve the murder before the murderer plants her too.
The Agatha Raisin mysteries are a delight from start to finish! I loved Agatha's gruff exterior but warm heart. It is heartening to see a character that has flaws, but that can make you laugh too. Agatha gets more loveable in each book, and really draws readers into her life. With both of M.C. Beaton's series (she also writes the Hamish MacBeth series), she makes the reader want to take a trip to the Cotswolds to meet the characters she has so vividly created.
The first book in the series is "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death". Enjoy!

In the first book about Agatha, AR and the Quiche of Death, Agatha was struggeling to find her place in the countryside village she moved to when leaving London. AR and the Vicious Vet is the second book about the colorful woman detective Agatha Raisin. Still not quite sure if the countryside is her cup of tea she feels more settled now, one of the reasons for that is her fliration with her distinguished neighbour, James Lacey. As always she is overdoing, and frightens her poor neighbour again and again. In this book the village has got a new vet, a handsome man in his fourties, and apparently he is living by his own. All the women suddenly are in need for a vet for their cats, and of course Agatha is among them. She is thrilled when the vet asks her out for dinner, and Mr. James Lacey is more confused than ever when Agatha starts passing his house without paying attension. Agatha has her date with Dr. Paul Bladen, but the next day the poor vet dies under suspicious circumstances. At least suspicious for Agatha - and to her great pleasure to Mr. James Lacey as well. Agatha throws herself in a whirlwind of happenings, and she lets us readers take part in them all. This book has been just as big a pleasue to read as the first one, and I know as soon Agatha starts making her cottage garden I will follow her out into my garden to make it just as beautiful as the one her good friend Bill Wong in the village police has.

Agatha is at it! Reading this book I felt as though I was meeting with a good old friend. In this book Paul Bladen a womanizing, married vet dies of apparent accidental death but that is not enough for Agatha and neighbor James Lacey. Agatha runs to investigate and try to convince Bill Wong and the rest of the police force that it was indeed cold blooded murder!!!! Very enjoyable liked it just as much as the first. What a great series!

In this third entry of the Agatha Raisin series, Agatha returns to Carsely after what turned out to be a lonely world tour only to find that her nest door neighbor and heartthrob James Lacey has his eyes on someone new. Not that he ever had his eyes on Agatha mind you. It seems that a pretty young blonde has moved to town and not only has she captured James' attention but she also seems to be the new darling of the little village. Worse yet, Mary Fortune, this new arrival in Carsely is like James an avid gardener, a situation that causes Agatha to take up gardening for herself. Agatha fails to notice however that as soon as she returns home the people of the village begin to lose interest in Mary and turn their attentions back to their old friend Agatha. Mary does notice this however and begins to turn nasty, especially when many in the village begin to blame her for a series of attacks on local gardens.

Some how or another Mary and Agatha end up being great friends even as James begins to distance himself from the pretty blonde newcomer. Then one night when Mary fails to show up at the local pub James and Agatha make a grisly discovery when they go to check on the missing Ms. Fortune. Ironic name isn't it? The author has made no attempt at all to lead the reader away from her intended victim and so it is no surprise that Mary is murdered but the "potted" position of her body is at the very least a novel idea.

Agatha by this point considers herself quite the sleuth and immediately sets out in search of clues. As in the last book James assists in the snooping and the two once again begin to grow close. Slowly but surely the pair of amateur detectives find out that Mary had been extremely nasty to several people and that there were numerous citizens with apparent motives for murder. In the end the solution comes about more by Agatha's intuition than from clues and it was a solution that caught me completely off guard. Right up until Agatha figured out who the guilty party was I was looking in a completely different direction, a direction that would have spelled the end for one of the major characters in the series.

As in the previous books, Agatha's adventures make for a delightful read. The mess she gets herself into as she tries her hand at gardening makes for a hilarious secondary plot and the people of Carsely are just delightful. Amazingly though the mystery itself remains at the center of the story and drives the action, right down to the mixed up labels on Agatha's fake garden. It seems that the harder Agatha tries to fit in the more she gets embarrassed and the more she gets embarrassed the more the people of Carsely love her. Every town needs an eccentric or two after all.

Agatha Raisin returns in the 2nd book in this cozy mystery series. Still living in a small village in the Cotswolds of England, Agatha tries to keep herself occupied and to catch James Lacey's attentions. When a handsome new vet sets up a practice nearby, Agatha finds herself among his many female admirers. However, when the vet is found dead with a lethal shot meant for a horse, Agatha is the only one who truly believes it was murder. She sets out to find the murderer, but is too late to save a second victim. In true Agatha fashion, she stumbles on the murderer, and must save herself in the process.
I completely enjoy the Agatha Raisin series and look forward to the antics of Agatha in each new release. Agatha's sharp tongue, impetuous attitude, and desire to attract a handsome man makes for some hilarious situations. I laughed out loud several times while reading this book, and found it easy to find the "true, lovable" Agatha beneath the frosty exterior. If you enjoy reading cozy mysteries, you need to read this series!
The first book in the series is "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death". Enjoy!

Agatha Raisin returns in the 2nd book in this cozy mystery series. Still living in a small village in the Cotswolds of England, Agatha tries to keep herself occupied and to catch James Lacey's attentions. When a handsome new vet sets up a practice nearby, Agatha finds herself among his many female admirers. However, when the vet is found dead with a lethal shot meant for a horse, Agatha is the only one who truly believes it was murder. She sets out to find the murderer, but is too late to save a second victim. In true Agatha fashion, she stumbles on the murderer, and must save herself in the process.
I completely enjoy the Agatha Raisin series and look forward to the antics of Agatha in each new release. Agatha's sharp tongue, impetuous attitude, and desire to attract a handsome man makes for some hilarious situations. I laughed out loud several times while reading this book, and found it easy to find the "true, lovable" Agatha beneath the frosty exterior. If you enjoy reading cozy mysteries, you need to read this series!
The first book in the series is "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death". Enjoy!

Agatha Raisin returns in the 2nd book in this cozy mystery series. Still living in a small village in the Cotswolds of England, Agatha tries to keep herself occupied and to catch James Lacey's attentions. When a handsome new vet sets up a practice nearby, Agatha finds herself among his many female admirers. However, when the vet is found dead with a lethal shot meant for a horse, Agatha is the only one who truly believes it was murder. She sets out to find the murderer, but is too late to save a second victim. In true Agatha fashion, she stumbles on the murderer, and must save herself in the process.
I completely enjoy the Agatha Raisin series and look forward to the antics of Agatha in each new release. Agatha's sharp tongue, impetuous attitude, and desire to attract a handsome man makes for some hilarious situations. I laughed out loud several times while reading this book, and found it easy to find the "true, lovable" Agatha beneath the frosty exterior. If you enjoy reading cozy mysteries, you need to read this series!
The first book in the series is "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death". Enjoy!

A great second book in a great series! Agatha is as grumpy and entertaining as ever.
In this book you really get to know a little bit more about the villagers and Detective Bill Wong. I loved the beginning of the book which finds Agatha taking a Caribbean vacation where it just so happens James Lacey, her handsome neighbor is vacationing. Of course the whole thing falls apart and Agatha returns home in a bad mood with her eyes on the handsome new vet. The mystery in the second book evolves around the vets murder. The mystery was good and kept me guessing until the end but the main part of this book seemed to be the burgeoning relationship between Agatha and James. This is a great book and Agatha is entertaining, amusing and as delightful as ever!

Have read several of the Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth books. Have liked them all. Agatha is now trying to get into the flower business to impress her, want to be sweetie, James Lacey. However, there is a new WOMEN in town. She is Mary Fortune. Of course hard headed Agatha will not listen to anyone about when to plant her flowers and they all are killed by frost. She then decides to buy a load of flowers and get them planted during the night. Is like the time she bought a quiche instead of baking it for a village competition and one of the judges dropped dead of poisoning. Every one seems to love Mary Fortune, but she ends up being planted upide down in a flower pot. Agatha and Lacey, of course, start asking questions and trying to find out who the killer is. Could it have been Mrs. Bloxby, Miss Simms, Mrs. Mason, the Boggles or old Mr. Spott? I think the ending will surprise you. As usual Beaton has written the characters and the village so that they seem real and you can see them in your mind as you read. Am looking forward to the next book.

Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet (Veterinarian) is the second book in the Agatha Raisin series of mysteries by M. C. Beaton, author of the highly acclaimed Hamish Macbeth mysteries. If you haven't yet read the first book in the series, Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death, I suggest you read that book before taking on Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet. The earlier book is a very strong introduction to this series: You'll like Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet much better if you have read the earlier book first.

As Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet opens, Agatha Raisin is frustrated by her unsuccessful pursuit of James Lacey, her handsome bachelor neighbor. Having heard that Lacey was off to the Bahamas for a vacation, Agatha headed there, too, only to find no James Lacey in situ. Returning to Carsely in the English Cotswolds, she's upset to learn that Lacey changed his plans for the Bahamas after learning that Agatha was scheduled to be there as well. He doesn't even answer his door when she stops by.

But she's mildly curious to learn about the new vet that the women at the Carsely Ladies Society are gushing over. Surely, her cat, Hodge, can provide an excuse. Imagine Agatha's surprise when a long wait to see Paul Bladen, the vet, leads to a dinner invitation. Her plans are foiled, however, by a winter storm, an accident, and a call to Bladen's home that encounters someone who claims to be his wife. But there is good news: James Lacey helps her after an accident.

In a separate story line, Agatha finds herself courted by James Pomfret who wants to open a new PR agency. Agatha is very impressed that Pomfret has two prestigious clients in tow . . . and must decide whether to invest her savings into this little venture. Disturbed by her failures with James Lacey and the setback with Paul Bladen, Agatha is seriously inclined to take up her old life in London. In the process, she finds herself acquiring a second cat.

Into the breach comes her good friend, Detective Sergeant Bill Wong, who wisely counsels a careful background check of Pomfret and taking it slower with James Lacey. On her own, she decides to confront Bladen about why he asked her out to dinner when he was married. Bladen offers an excuse and Agatha accepts a second dinner invitation. The date goes well (except for the wretched restaurant), and Agatha finds herself with the opportunity for romance. But before matters can progress much further, Bladen is found dead . . . having received an injection of a deadly poison that is used on horses. The police conclude it's an accident, but Agatha decides it would be fun to investigate anyway. In the process, she acquires a partner who enjoys turning over mysterious occurrences almost as much as she does.

Inevitably, this book will mostly be compared to Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death. The character development in that story was much better than this one, and the mystery was a little more satisfying to solve. Also, the predicament of being an embarrassed incomer made for a better nonmystery story line in that book. Agatha as a pursuer of men in Vicious Vet is portrayed mainly a series of virtual pratfalls as her aggressive nature gets her into what are more annoyingly awkward than funny situations. Vicious Vet's main virtue is that the character of James Lacey is developed into what could become a whole person eventually.

Unless you hated Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death, you'll probably find Vicious Vet to be an enjoyable, if somewhat disappointing, read.

Agatha Raisin is middle aged, meddlesome, pugnacious, tough,gritty and occasionally has a desire to be completely contrary. Whichall adds up to an utterly unusual and charming heroine of this series. Agatha returns to the Cotswolds refreshed and tanned after a solitary visit to Jamaica. The stocky maven has been pursuing her handsome neighbor James Lacey, but sensing a lack of interest, takes Hodge the cat to visit the new (very handsome) vet in town. A day after Agatha turns down his advances, he is found dead. An Accident or a Murder? James & Agatha join forces to puzzle it out. And Agatha twists the plot from being the pursuer to being pursued. There were a few loose ends in this story, specifically what would a compulsive gambler be doing with all that money in the bank? And, why would the vet be vicious? Somehow I suspect it was alliterative license, but do I sense a tendency of Ms. Beaton to perhaps "kill" real-life people she might meet in her books? Surely Not? Well, do sign me -- The Repentant Reviewer.

Feisty Agatha Raisin returns from a holiday to her cozy home in the Cotswolds. The vacation was interesting, but lonely and she missed her home and her friends in Carsely. While she was away, a lovely blond named Mary Fortune had moved to the village and become very popular. Mary had also captured James Lacey's heart and that was too much for our Agatha who was mad about James. Mary and James share a love of gardening which leads Agatha to take it up herself, but her attempts only lead to disaster.
The villagers are all excited and getting their gardens prepared for the contest which is the the talk of Carsely. As the date for the horticultural contest gets near, something very unexpected happens as various gardens are destroyed in a malicious fashion. The police are called to investigate and then the prime suspect is found murdered. Of course, Agatha must and does get involved with solving the murder case.
This is the third book in this fascinating series and a most enjoyable read.

Well, I have to say that while I enjoyed this book to an extent, I was really quite disappointed. After reading the first in the series, "AR and the Quiche of Death," I thought I had found a new series to replace the series that I could no longer find (author passed away or quit writing).
There are at least two major plot points in this book that are retreads of the first one: the murder victim is a womanizer (exactly the same as the victim in "Quiche") and Agatha threatens to sell her cottage and return to London (also exactly the same).
I was also disappointed in the characterization of James Lacey, Agatha's next door neighbor. Sometimes he comes across as intelligent & witty and on the very next page, he is a bumbling fool, making unbelievable mistakes.
I will definitely pick up the third in the series, but if it does not return to the form of the first book, it will be the last of the Agatha Raisin books I will read.

This is the second book in the Agatha Raisin series.
Feisty Agatha Raisin is still getting used to living in a small village after retiring from her public relations business and leaving London. She's also very interested in getting the attention of James Lacey who is her handsome neighbor. Lacey seems to be avoiding her and Agatha turns to another pursuit. She hears that there is a very attractive veterinarian who has recently set up a nearby office and she makes an appointment for her cat. The vet, Dr. Paul Bladen, has attracted the attention of all of the local ladies, but he does make a date with Agatha.
When Dr. Bladen is found dead, it appears to be an accident, but after talking with several women, Agatha learns that he had angered people in the way that he treated small pets. Agatha suspects that he was murdered. The possible crime also interests James Lacey, and he and Agatha work on the mystery together.

This is the second in the Agatha Raisin series and my personal favorite so far. In the Quiche of Death we met Raisin and followed her around the Cotswold's as she moved into her new home in the country. We immediately are confronted with a haggy old dame who has retired and now plans on wrecking havoc on her poor neighbors. What makes 'Vicious Vet' work on an even grander scale than 'Quiche of Death' is Beaton's willingness to further expand upon the characters and Raisins interactions with them.

This is not at all a mystery. One does take place in these pages, but it is very much secondary to the town folk. So even though Beaton references Marples in every book, this is not an engrossing mystery online with Agatha Christies work. Instead I would recommend that you think of this as a romp on par with Wallace and Grommit.

If you are looking for something similar to this, I would recommend that you pick up the Kate Shugak novel 'Break Up,' by Dana Stabenow. Another good author that slightly reminds me of Beaton is Connie Willis, and I would recommend her work, 'To Say Nothing of the Dog.'

Agatha Raisin and the potted Gardener was the first book I have read in this series. I enjoy cosy mysteries and thought I would really enjoy this book, I was slightly let down. Although I enjoyed getting to know Agatha and her friends, I have to say the actual murder story was very weak. Although Agatha's gardening escapades and searching for clues are entertaining, I feel I really missed out on what I actually read the book for............. the murder mystery!
When the murderer is revealed the reason behind it is very, very poor, you get no history, no explanation. There is no real reason for murder! I cant go into why as I would give it away, but the murderer could have been anybody! If everyone killed someone for the reason this murderer had there would be no one left in the world. So was the murder crazed or out for revenge? No not really, they had a reason it was just so poor I can not believe a book was themed around it.

The murder was such a sub plot. That is why I am rating it so low, although the book was interesting for all that was in it, I feel the murder story should be a large part and it just wasn't in this book..........

I picked up this book because of a review I read and am not sure what to make of the book. The murder-mystery aspect is a very light bit of fluff having to do with a womanizing jerk of a vet who doesn't like cats and dogs, cons a bunch of desperate women out of lots of money, and winds up dead. The amusement in this series, I assume, is to be had from the characters, and not the plots, which appear to be no more complicated than the most rote "Murder She Wrote" episode. The book really reads more like a romance novel about a particularly socially inept retired career woman, and a village full of desperate menopausal single women than a mystery. I'm reminded of Judi Dench's character Jean Pargiter in "As Time Goes By", only without any of the charm or wit. Oh, the situations Agatha gets herself into are amusing enough, but her behavior itself is off-putting. She's rude, she's grumpy, and worst of all, humorless. Anyone who can't see the humor in the whole the "knocking the sink off the wall trying to screw in a lightbulb to check up on her pimple makeup in a pub restroom" is a dull bore in my estimation. Just writing that should make me laugh, but somehow reading it didn't. Maybe it helps to be English?

All that said, the book was an amusing trifle. I read the whole thing cover to cover in a few days, and I don't waste time finishing books I don't enjoy; life is just too short. I may try another to see if it's a flavor that grows on you.

The second book in the Agatha Raisin series, and my hopes about the unnecessary descriptions being edited out were not fulfilled. The story could be okay, but I'm still only interested in the story. Not in what color each wrinkle on the dress is. Just like in the first book, around half of the book is nothing more than description of clothes, people or makeups.