Book Review
IAgatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley by M C Beaton
I've read several Agatha Raisin books. I like them because they are refreshingly original ,free from cliché, not over written, short and sweet with no deep philosophy, and perfect for a light read. I looked up the author and found that she is a Scottish lady, over 80, with a formidable history which suggests that she is a compulsive writer. This is one of nearly thirty novels about Agatha. She has a number of nom de plumes. (noms de plume?) and one of her most famous sleuths is Hamish McBeth. I am unfamiliar with any of her other works, but may well try one or two.
Agatha Raisin is a unique character, richly bestowed with a variety of interesting flaws and dazzling attributes. I found it easy to engage with the flaws; they made her an endearing and unusual heroine.
This book, and the others, are peopled with a variety of disparate characters, from minor nobility to social outcasts (one of which is Agatha's long lost husband), all described with a touch of caricature. The story bounces along, the characters race around the Cotswolds in a variety of vehicles, and the crimes unfold in a most unlikely, and quite amusing way. The story lines tend to be preposterous, and that is part of the charm. You're not expected to rupture your brain trying to figure out whodunit - you'd never guess anyway. And Agatha's love-life forms at least half of the interest.
Agatha lives and mixes with posh people, but she's actually from a Brum slum, and has clawed her way to the top. So she can be charming, but underneath is a dirty fighter who can hold her own, figure out everyone's weak spot, and get her own back.
There are far too many murders in the Cotswold village of Carsley to be credible, so if you want credibility you'll have to look elsewhere. There are also too many murders to be feasible in Lewis's Oxford, and around Midsomer, and in the vicinity of Miss Marple - that's how the genre goes.
This book's charm is in the interactions of the characters, and Mrs Raisin's ability to get tough and play dirty whilst solving murders and seeking love and romance, as well as buying lots of shoes and clothes.
Loved it.
I've read several Agatha Raisin books. I like them because they are refreshingly original ,free from cliché, not over written, short and sweet with no deep philosophy, and perfect for a light read. I looked up the author and found that she is a Scottish lady, over 80, with a formidable history which suggests that she is a compulsive writer. This is one of nearly thirty novels about Agatha. She has a number of nom de plumes. (noms de plume?) and one of her most famous sleuths is Hamish McBeth. I am unfamiliar with any of her other works, but may well try one or two.
Agatha Raisin is a unique character, richly bestowed with a variety of interesting flaws and dazzling attributes. I found it easy to engage with the flaws; they made her an endearing and unusual heroine.
This book, and the others, are peopled with a variety of disparate characters, from minor nobility to social outcasts (one of which is Agatha's long lost husband), all described with a touch of caricature. The story bounces along, the characters race around the Cotswolds in a variety of vehicles, and the crimes unfold in a most unlikely, and quite amusing way. The story lines tend to be preposterous, and that is part of the charm. You're not expected to rupture your brain trying to figure out whodunit - you'd never guess anyway. And Agatha's love-life forms at least half of the interest.
Agatha lives and mixes with posh people, but she's actually from a Brum slum, and has clawed her way to the top. So she can be charming, but underneath is a dirty fighter who can hold her own, figure out everyone's weak spot, and get her own back.
There are far too many murders in the Cotswold village of Carsley to be credible, so if you want credibility you'll have to look elsewhere. There are also too many murders to be feasible in Lewis's Oxford, and around Midsomer, and in the vicinity of Miss Marple - that's how the genre goes.
This book's charm is in the interactions of the characters, and Mrs Raisin's ability to get tough and play dirty whilst solving murders and seeking love and romance, as well as buying lots of shoes and clothes.
Loved it.
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