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Agatha Raisin #2
Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet
Agatha lets sleeping vets lie...Retired PR boss Agatha Raisin is enjoying life in her pretty Cotswold village of Carsely. It even seems likely that the attractive new vet, Paul Bladen, has taken a shine to her. But before romance can blossom, Paul is killed in an accident with Lord Pendlebury's horse. Only the circumstances are rather suspicious. Agatha decides she must once more play amateur investigator. And this cloud has a silver lining - she can persuade her usually stand-offish neighbour, James Lacey, to become her partner in the quest. As usual, Agatha is quite prepared to rush in, heedless of the lurking menace to both James and herself. Praise for "The Agatha Raisin Series": 'Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, pack-a-day habit and major man lust. I think she may be living my dream life' - "Entertainment Weekly". 'Clever red herrings and some wicked unfinished business guarantees that the listener will pant for a sequel' - "The Times Audiobook Review".
237 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
844 people are currently reading
4598 people want to read
About the author
M.C. Beaton
340 books6,013 followersLike her on Facebook!
Learn more on her website!
Marion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Marion Chesney, Charlotte Ward, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
Learn more on her website!
Marion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Marion Chesney, Charlotte Ward, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,219 reviews
March 6, 2024
Just when I thought she was perfect, Agatha levels up to crazy cat lady.
In my head, all cozy mystery lovers are owned by at least one cat.
Preferably more.
And Agatha's prickly demeanor, but secret desire to be liked (perhaps loved?), is the epitome of what makes cats the perfect mirror, and the perfect pets, for a lot of people.
Ok, this time around she sets off to solve the "murder" of the local vet. He was a hottie who had all the middle-aged female population popping into his local surgery just to make sure their beloved animal wasn't suffering from allergies or anxiety.
Turns out, he's a bit of a smarmy ladies' man and Agatha ends up on the receiving end of one of his attempts to pilfer money.
So when he's found dead in what seems to be a freak accident, Agatha only investigates it in order to spend time with her handsome but standoffish next-door neighbor. But when a few more bodies turn up, it seems like there might be something to this case after all.
The mystery (like all cozy mysteries) is secondary to the characters here. And I personally loved Agatha in this one. She's got a lot of vulnerability in the way she keeps getting her hopes up with neighbor-man, only to have them dashed on the rocks.
And I loveloveloved the ending.
Recomended.
In my head, all cozy mystery lovers are owned by at least one cat.
Preferably more.
And Agatha's prickly demeanor, but secret desire to be liked (perhaps loved?), is the epitome of what makes cats the perfect mirror, and the perfect pets, for a lot of people.
Ok, this time around she sets off to solve the "murder" of the local vet. He was a hottie who had all the middle-aged female population popping into his local surgery just to make sure their beloved animal wasn't suffering from allergies or anxiety.
Turns out, he's a bit of a smarmy ladies' man and Agatha ends up on the receiving end of one of his attempts to pilfer money.
So when he's found dead in what seems to be a freak accident, Agatha only investigates it in order to spend time with her handsome but standoffish next-door neighbor. But when a few more bodies turn up, it seems like there might be something to this case after all.
The mystery (like all cozy mysteries) is secondary to the characters here. And I personally loved Agatha in this one. She's got a lot of vulnerability in the way she keeps getting her hopes up with neighbor-man, only to have them dashed on the rocks.
And I loveloveloved the ending.
Recomended.
August 28, 2021
Una de las mejores cosas que he hecho este año ha sido empezar a leer los libros de Agatha Raisin, son geniales. Espero y deseo que Salamandra nos traiga la serie completa.🤞
February 19, 2012
After reading many glowing reviews of the Agatha Raisin series, I was pleased to find a copy of this book for 50c at our local thrift store. I just read it in a couple of days, but that does not mean that it was so gripping that I could scarcely put it down. It was because it's not that long a book, and I wanted to get to the end so I could find something more interesting to read.
The protagonist is nothing like the modern Miss Marple, as suggested by the blurb on the back. Instead, she's an arrogant, predatory and eminently dislikable women, who seems more eager to attract the attentions of a personable man than anything else. The plot rushes along with no character-building at all - we just have to believe that she (and others - for the viewpoint switches constantly) change their minds for no apparent reasons, and behave in the oddest of ways.
There's a murder mystery in the book, and a lot of time spent attempting to investigate it, but Agatha's motives are not even curiosity; she simply wants to spend more time with someone who actually is interested in solving the crime. There are far too many minor characters, all of whom were unremarkable and pretty much impossible to tell apart. I thought Agatha Christie's characters were flat, but at least they are distinguishable from each other.
Even the plot isn't very interesting. There were no false clues or trails, no indication as to motivation, no going over grounds and working by deduction. And in the end, the mystery is solved by an unlikely and minor clue, not by any clever logic.
I kept reading, hoping it might get better, but it didn't. It reminded me more than anything else of the ongoing and unremarkable 'Turnham Malpas' saga by Rebecca Shaw, but even those are a great deal more interesting than this.
Perhaps two and a half stars would be a fairer rating - I did, after all, get to the end - but have no inclination to read any more in this series. Really not recommended.
The protagonist is nothing like the modern Miss Marple, as suggested by the blurb on the back. Instead, she's an arrogant, predatory and eminently dislikable women, who seems more eager to attract the attentions of a personable man than anything else. The plot rushes along with no character-building at all - we just have to believe that she (and others - for the viewpoint switches constantly) change their minds for no apparent reasons, and behave in the oddest of ways.
There's a murder mystery in the book, and a lot of time spent attempting to investigate it, but Agatha's motives are not even curiosity; she simply wants to spend more time with someone who actually is interested in solving the crime. There are far too many minor characters, all of whom were unremarkable and pretty much impossible to tell apart. I thought Agatha Christie's characters were flat, but at least they are distinguishable from each other.
Even the plot isn't very interesting. There were no false clues or trails, no indication as to motivation, no going over grounds and working by deduction. And in the end, the mystery is solved by an unlikely and minor clue, not by any clever logic.
I kept reading, hoping it might get better, but it didn't. It reminded me more than anything else of the ongoing and unremarkable 'Turnham Malpas' saga by Rebecca Shaw, but even those are a great deal more interesting than this.
Perhaps two and a half stars would be a fairer rating - I did, after all, get to the end - but have no inclination to read any more in this series. Really not recommended.
August 7, 2011
I think I enjoyed this one a little more than the first. Now that the set up of Agatha's move to the village is over we can jump right into village life and the next murder. Loved Agatha scaring off James when she'd get too eager and the scene with her destroying the ladies room in the pub trying to cover up a blemish on her nose had me chuckling while reading the whole scene. Agatha is a great character, prickly enough to be interesting but with sometimes seen softer side that keeps her likable. A fun, quick, cozy series that I'll definitely stick with.
February 10, 2024
Review to follow. A particularly nasty and deserving murder victim.
January 29, 2018
Enjoyed this second book in the series a bit more than book 1. Probably 4.6 as opposed to 4.5. Looking forward to reading more in the series.
August 20, 2022
Segunda entrega de la serie con una protagonista que tiene carácter. Agatha Raisin te cae bien o mal pero es una mujer con personalidad propia, una publicista de mediana edad retirada en un encantador pueblecito inglés de los Costwolds - sí, como los de Miss Marple, con la mujer del vicario y la asociación de damas... y el vecino coronel guapetón.
Pues con todos estos elementos se construye un entretenimiento apacible, con momentos divertidos, aunque la trama no es nada del otro mundo. Quizá me gustó más la primera parte Agatha Raisin y la quiche letal, porque esta segunda es un poco confusa y a ratos repetitiva. Pero si disfrutas del ambientillo cozy, no deja de ser una buena lectura piscinera.
2,5*
Pues con todos estos elementos se construye un entretenimiento apacible, con momentos divertidos, aunque la trama no es nada del otro mundo. Quizá me gustó más la primera parte Agatha Raisin y la quiche letal, porque esta segunda es un poco confusa y a ratos repetitiva. Pero si disfrutas del ambientillo cozy, no deja de ser una buena lectura piscinera.
2,5*
September 15, 2019
3.5 stars
June 20, 2023
Not quite as fun and funny as the first, but entertaining enough.
January 21, 2025
"So many women. So many suspects . . ."
I love it when an unlikable rogue turns up as a corpse. Besides the obvious glee that a reprehensible miscreant is finally getting his just reward, there is a certain thrill knowing that literally anyone could have wielded the murder weapon.
In this second volume of the long running Agatha Raisin series, a scamming, money-loving, cat-hating veterinarian is killed. Who wanted him dead? Lots and lots of people, that's who.
Hoping to win her handsome neighbor's heart, Agatha enlists his help in solving this mystery. There's a lot of knocking on doors, motoring around the lovely countryside, and tasty lunches & drinks in pubs. Time well spent, in my opinion.
I am a bit disappointed in what a man-hungry vixen Agatha is turning out to be. I'd much prefer her to be a happily single, independent, strong woman who is content to spend her time alone. Luckily, by the end of this tale, that appears to be the direction in which she's headed.
Long live this competent, childless cat lady!
I love it when an unlikable rogue turns up as a corpse. Besides the obvious glee that a reprehensible miscreant is finally getting his just reward, there is a certain thrill knowing that literally anyone could have wielded the murder weapon.
In this second volume of the long running Agatha Raisin series, a scamming, money-loving, cat-hating veterinarian is killed. Who wanted him dead? Lots and lots of people, that's who.
Hoping to win her handsome neighbor's heart, Agatha enlists his help in solving this mystery. There's a lot of knocking on doors, motoring around the lovely countryside, and tasty lunches & drinks in pubs. Time well spent, in my opinion.
I am a bit disappointed in what a man-hungry vixen Agatha is turning out to be. I'd much prefer her to be a happily single, independent, strong woman who is content to spend her time alone. Luckily, by the end of this tale, that appears to be the direction in which she's headed.
Long live this competent, childless cat lady!
September 20, 2024
3,5⭐️
Me ha gustado mucho más que el primero.
Pero es verdad que se le notan los años en el tratamiento de algunos temas, especialmente relacionados con el cuerdo y la edad de las mujeres. Y la actitud ante la soledad.
Pero el misterio diver
Me ha gustado mucho más que el primero.
Pero es verdad que se le notan los años en el tratamiento de algunos temas, especialmente relacionados con el cuerdo y la edad de las mujeres. Y la actitud ante la soledad.
Pero el misterio diver
August 25, 2021
Necesito más Agatha Raisin. Por favor y gracias. Es que me divierto un montón leyendo sus historias, sus intentos de detective amateur, aunque parece que, naturalmente, en este segundo libro empieza a afinarlos más. Y eso es algo que me gusta, el hecho de que haya una continuidad inmediata entre el primer libro y este, que no se puedan leer desordenados porque se va trabajando en la evolución de los personajes, en cómo se sigue adaptando Agatha a la vida en los Cotswolds (en cómo se adapta el pueblo a ella también), etc.
Agatha sigue siendo un personaje muy interesante. En ocasiones es un poco ridícula, en ocasiones cae mal, pero en el fondo es superhumana y cuesta muy poco empatizar con ella justo por eso, porque está lejos de ser perfecta.
Creo que en esta ocasión el misterio también está mejor trabajado que en el primer libro y no sé qué más decir, que de momento me declaro muy muy fan de esta señora.
Agatha sigue siendo un personaje muy interesante. En ocasiones es un poco ridícula, en ocasiones cae mal, pero en el fondo es superhumana y cuesta muy poco empatizar con ella justo por eso, porque está lejos de ser perfecta.
Creo que en esta ocasión el misterio también está mejor trabajado que en el primer libro y no sé qué más decir, que de momento me declaro muy muy fan de esta señora.
February 9, 2022
Apenas unos días después de acabar “Agatha Raisin y la quiche letal”, me animé con la segunda entrega de esta extensa serie, “Agatha Raisin y el veterinario cruel”. En esta segunda parte, han pasado unos meses de los eventos sucedidos en la primera y Agatha empieza a sentirse poco a poco parte del pueblo. Sin embargo, la vida apacible y tranquila del lugar no termina de hacerle feliz y pasa sus días tratando de conquistar a su guapo, pero escurridizo vecino James Lacey. La apertura de una clínica veterinaria causará todo un revuelo en el pueblo, principalmente por culpa de Paul Bladen, su atractivo y frío veterinario. Días después, la sorprendente muerte de este, dará la oportunidad a Agatha para ponerse nuevamente tras la pista de un crimen.
Esta segunda parte me ha dejado una sensación muy parecida a la que me dejo la primera, me gusta, la disfrutó, pero no termina de matarme. Nuevamente la parte que menos me cuadra es la del mismo misterio, no es que esté mal, pero la veo floja, poco elaborada y con pocas pistas. No es que sea excesivamente necesario en este tipo de lecturas que la trama te vuele la cabeza, pero no consigue atraparme como me gustaría que lo hiciera. Eso sí, es una lectura confortable, de esas que no te requieren mucho, pero que te hacen disfrutar sin más pretensiones.
Lo que más me gusta sigue siendo lo mismo, la propia Agatha Raisin. Me gustan muchos sus salidas de tono, lo borde que puede llegar a ser el personaje y las situaciones tan absurdas en las que ella misma se mete. En este libro hay cierta escena que me hizo reír mucho y no soy un lector fácil en el humor, cosa que valoro especialmente. Pese a que no creo que la saga me vaya a fascinar en ningún momento, teniendo las dos primeras partes como ejemplo, sí que me gustaría seguir leyéndola, porque es entretenida, tiene momentos divertidos y es lectura de confort, ideal para una lectura ligerita entre lecturas más densas.
Esta segunda parte me ha dejado una sensación muy parecida a la que me dejo la primera, me gusta, la disfrutó, pero no termina de matarme. Nuevamente la parte que menos me cuadra es la del mismo misterio, no es que esté mal, pero la veo floja, poco elaborada y con pocas pistas. No es que sea excesivamente necesario en este tipo de lecturas que la trama te vuele la cabeza, pero no consigue atraparme como me gustaría que lo hiciera. Eso sí, es una lectura confortable, de esas que no te requieren mucho, pero que te hacen disfrutar sin más pretensiones.
Lo que más me gusta sigue siendo lo mismo, la propia Agatha Raisin. Me gustan muchos sus salidas de tono, lo borde que puede llegar a ser el personaje y las situaciones tan absurdas en las que ella misma se mete. En este libro hay cierta escena que me hizo reír mucho y no soy un lector fácil en el humor, cosa que valoro especialmente. Pese a que no creo que la saga me vaya a fascinar en ningún momento, teniendo las dos primeras partes como ejemplo, sí que me gustaría seguir leyéndola, porque es entretenida, tiene momentos divertidos y es lectura de confort, ideal para una lectura ligerita entre lecturas más densas.
November 25, 2018
Agatha Raisin lebt nun schon seit einigen Monaten in den Cotswolds, als ein neuer Tierarzt seine Praxis im Dorf eröffnet. Er ist ein äußerst attraktiver Mann, der Agatha nach einem Besuch bei ihm zu einem Essen einlädt. Dumm nur, dass der Arzt vorher stirbt. Es sieht nach einem Unfall aus, doch Agatha glaubt nicht daran und nimmt eigenständig Ermittlungen auf.
Mein Leseeindruck:
Auch dieser zweite Band der Reihe hat mich wieder überzeugen können! Ich hatte sehr viel Spaß und gute Unterhaltung mit Agatha und ihren Ermittlungen. Die Handlung ist einerseits sehr spannend, andererseits ist es aber auch ein eher ruhiger Krimi mit einer ganz besonderen Atmosphäre, die ich einfach sehr mag. Ich konnte mich auch hier wieder voll in die Geschichte hineinfallen lassen, habe miträtseln können und habe einfach nur Spaß am Buch gehabt.
Mein Leseeindruck:
Auch dieser zweite Band der Reihe hat mich wieder überzeugen können! Ich hatte sehr viel Spaß und gute Unterhaltung mit Agatha und ihren Ermittlungen. Die Handlung ist einerseits sehr spannend, andererseits ist es aber auch ein eher ruhiger Krimi mit einer ganz besonderen Atmosphäre, die ich einfach sehr mag. Ich konnte mich auch hier wieder voll in die Geschichte hineinfallen lassen, habe miträtseln können und habe einfach nur Spaß am Buch gehabt.
February 6, 2017
I got serious reader's block half way through this which spoilt it a tad, but before long I was back on track binge reading and Agatha was as amusing and infuriating as ever! I'm beginning to really like her cats as well.... Another great read from MC Beaton.
September 20, 2009
Second in the highly popular Agatha Raisin murder mystery series The highly irrepressibly Agatha feels sure the attractive new village vet has taken a shine to her, yet before romance can blossom, Dr Bladen accidentally kills himself in an unfortunate incident involving a horse and a needle. Ah well, his death serves as an excuse for her to become chummier with her neighbour James Lacey as once more they are thrown together in an amateur murder investigation...
Cosy, highly entertaining, and very English. An incident with a wash basin in a ladies loo had me chortling in bed last night. Agatha is so likeable, mainly because she has silly dreams in her head, makes a total fool of herself, and says things without thinking, just like we all do sometimes. Great weekend reading - and I am now really becoming a fan.
Cosy, highly entertaining, and very English. An incident with a wash basin in a ladies loo had me chortling in bed last night. Agatha is so likeable, mainly because she has silly dreams in her head, makes a total fool of herself, and says things without thinking, just like we all do sometimes. Great weekend reading - and I am now really becoming a fan.
October 14, 2017
Another good read in the Agatha Raisin series. Really enjoyed this book because it explains the reasons for the murders much better than the TV series did, as well as the Colonel's horror at being linked romantically with anyone.
A light and enjoyable read or listen. Agatha cracks me up, and yet she has powers of observation and deduction that are superior to the local police - not sure if that is always the same in all these cozy-styled mysteries. What marks this series from others is the very good and detailed plot and the fact that the final solution is such that you cannot figure it out in the first 50 pages as in other such books.
The part about Agatha in the bathroom of a pub and trying to put on cream to hide the new pimple on her nose is hilarious, and just continues her misadventures.
A light and enjoyable read or listen. Agatha cracks me up, and yet she has powers of observation and deduction that are superior to the local police - not sure if that is always the same in all these cozy-styled mysteries. What marks this series from others is the very good and detailed plot and the fact that the final solution is such that you cannot figure it out in the first 50 pages as in other such books.
The part about Agatha in the bathroom of a pub and trying to put on cream to hide the new pimple on her nose is hilarious, and just continues her misadventures.
July 7, 2013
Well, I thought I'd give it another try, but this one is no improvement over the previous. Reviewers quoted on the cover call these books "playful", "delicious", "hilarious", "intelligent, amusing reading", and the main character "irascible but endearing". I dunno - I find her repulsive and deeply depressing - a person so utterly lacking in self-awareness that she is constantly behaving in ways that are offensive to others while simultaneously making herself miserable. Can't see the humour. I'll pass on the rest of this series.
September 29, 2023
"Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet" by M.C. Beaton is another delightful chapter in the unforgettable adventures of Agatha Raisin, a sharp-tongued amateur investigator. In the small community of Carsley, a new veterinarian arrives, the handsome and magnetic Dr. Bladen, and when he is found dead under mysterious circumstances, the quiet village is shaken by suspicions and gossip. Agatha jumps into action, crying murder, and is more determined than ever to uncover the truth, this time with the help of her next-door neighbor, Colonel James Lacey.
Unlike the first volume, the murder and investigations take center stage in this novel. Agatha and James roam the English countryside in search of witnesses and information, encountering eccentric characters who add warmth and humor to the story. Throughout the book, Agatha has moments of vulnerability and reflection that make her a more complete character. The challenges she faces during the investigations bring out new aspects of her personality, making her more human and authentic.
This book is a fun and engaging read, an unmissable addition to M.C. Beaton's mystery series.
Unlike the first volume, the murder and investigations take center stage in this novel. Agatha and James roam the English countryside in search of witnesses and information, encountering eccentric characters who add warmth and humor to the story. Throughout the book, Agatha has moments of vulnerability and reflection that make her a more complete character. The challenges she faces during the investigations bring out new aspects of her personality, making her more human and authentic.
This book is a fun and engaging read, an unmissable addition to M.C. Beaton's mystery series.
March 12, 2017
Book on CD read by Diana Bishop.
Book two in the popular Agatha Raisin cozy mystery series.
I was not a fan of the first Agatha Raisin book, giving it only 1 star. I found Agatha unbelievable and the plot weak. But … I needed a book for a challenge, and this one was both relatively short, and fit the bill, so I decided to give Agatha Raisin another try.
Agatha is still abrasive and rude, but she’s growing on me. Or I should say, her escapades are growing on me. This begins with a new veterinarian in town … a handsome, single, veterinarian. Since her neighbor, James Lacey hasn’t shown any romantic interest, Agatha decides to take her cat for a check-up, hoping to spark a romance with Paul Bladen. Instead she winds up investigating the vet’s untimely death.
One of the review blurbs calls Agatha “a glorious cross between Miss Marple, Auntie Mame, and Lucille Ball, with a tad of pit bull tossed in.” (St Petersburg Times) I’m beginning to see that combination here, and I’m starting to appreciate the humor in Agatha’s character. Her rough edges are softening a tad, thanks to the tenuous friendships she’s developing in her small Cotswold village. She doesn’t recognize how her “London PR executive” personality is abrasive and off-putting, which frustrates her efforts at finding love. But that part of her make-up is also what leads her to investigate.
Diana Bishop does a fine job narrating the audio version. She has good pacing and brings out the humor in several situations.
Book two in the popular Agatha Raisin cozy mystery series.
I was not a fan of the first Agatha Raisin book, giving it only 1 star. I found Agatha unbelievable and the plot weak. But … I needed a book for a challenge, and this one was both relatively short, and fit the bill, so I decided to give Agatha Raisin another try.
Agatha is still abrasive and rude, but she’s growing on me. Or I should say, her escapades are growing on me. This begins with a new veterinarian in town … a handsome, single, veterinarian. Since her neighbor, James Lacey hasn’t shown any romantic interest, Agatha decides to take her cat for a check-up, hoping to spark a romance with Paul Bladen. Instead she winds up investigating the vet’s untimely death.
One of the review blurbs calls Agatha “a glorious cross between Miss Marple, Auntie Mame, and Lucille Ball, with a tad of pit bull tossed in.” (St Petersburg Times) I’m beginning to see that combination here, and I’m starting to appreciate the humor in Agatha’s character. Her rough edges are softening a tad, thanks to the tenuous friendships she’s developing in her small Cotswold village. She doesn’t recognize how her “London PR executive” personality is abrasive and off-putting, which frustrates her efforts at finding love. But that part of her make-up is also what leads her to investigate.
Diana Bishop does a fine job narrating the audio version. She has good pacing and brings out the humor in several situations.
June 29, 2021
I don’t normally “do” cosy mysteries but when I tried the first in the series, I really quite enjoyed it. Well the honeymoon’s over.
November 30, 2024
Dar viena Agatėlės byla, dar vienas dramos ir pletkų kokteilis mažo Anglijos kaimelio bendruomenės ratelyje. Šįkart miršta gana įdomi asmenybė – miestelio veterinaras, turintis gana įdomią reputaciją. Kaip specialistą jį mėgsta ir gerbia, o štai tarp moterų jis šioks toks Kazanova. Ir kas įdomiausia, toks jausmas, kad į jo pinkles patenka absoliučiai visos miestuko moterys.
Šiaip smagu skaityti, jaučiasi cinkelis, patiko man ir Agatos personažas iki tam tikro taško. Tačiau nepaisant visko, šioji dalis man pasirodė labai silpna. Nesvarbu, kas kaltas, dėl ko kaltas. Gal gale, turbūt didžiausia šios istorijos bėda – man nerūpi jos veikėjai. Ypač tie, dėl kurių pagal visus standartus ir moralės normas reikėtų gailėti ar jaudintis. Deja, skaitant šią knygą taip nenutiko.
Kitas niuansas – pačios Agatos nebrandumas. Kas liečia santykius, bendravimą. Bėga, slepiasi, nesikalba. Tokie mažų vaikų žaidimai, kur realiai jau geriau veikėjai pasimuštų ar išsirėkautų, o ne praeidami gatve apsimestų, kad vienas kito nepažįsta. Žodžiu, toli eiti nereikėjo, kad iš smagios ir šūstros veikėjos Agata pasidarytų tokia, kokia man nebepatinka.
Lengvas, greitas, neįpareigojantis skaitinys. Kas kaltas – nenumaniau, o čia jau didelis pliusas autorei. Ir kad ir kaip bebūtų, kad ir kaip tų gražių žodžių šiai daliai pagailėjau, manau, kad vis tik norėsiu suteikti dar vieną šansą ir pasitikrinti, ar kai kuriais klausimais Agatėlė ateis į protą kitoje dalyje.
Leidyklos dovana.
Šiaip smagu skaityti, jaučiasi cinkelis, patiko man ir Agatos personažas iki tam tikro taško. Tačiau nepaisant visko, šioji dalis man pasirodė labai silpna. Nesvarbu, kas kaltas, dėl ko kaltas. Gal gale, turbūt didžiausia šios istorijos bėda – man nerūpi jos veikėjai. Ypač tie, dėl kurių pagal visus standartus ir moralės normas reikėtų gailėti ar jaudintis. Deja, skaitant šią knygą taip nenutiko.
Kitas niuansas – pačios Agatos nebrandumas. Kas liečia santykius, bendravimą. Bėga, slepiasi, nesikalba. Tokie mažų vaikų žaidimai, kur realiai jau geriau veikėjai pasimuštų ar išsirėkautų, o ne praeidami gatve apsimestų, kad vienas kito nepažįsta. Žodžiu, toli eiti nereikėjo, kad iš smagios ir šūstros veikėjos Agata pasidarytų tokia, kokia man nebepatinka.
Lengvas, greitas, neįpareigojantis skaitinys. Kas kaltas – nenumaniau, o čia jau didelis pliusas autorei. Ir kad ir kaip bebūtų, kad ir kaip tų gražių žodžių šiai daliai pagailėjau, manau, kad vis tik norėsiu suteikti dar vieną šansą ir pasitikrinti, ar kai kuriais klausimais Agatėlė ateis į protą kitoje dalyje.
Leidyklos dovana.
April 18, 2022
Agatha Raisin hat sich ja mittlerweile in ihrem Cottage in den Cotswolds schon etwas eingelebt. Manchmal kommen zwar so kleine Überlegungen durch, wieder nach London zurückzukehren, aber das geschieht, denke ich, durch ihre Unsicherheit sich richtig entschieden zu haben. Auch weil das Dorfleben nicht ganz so klappt, wie sie sich das vorgestellt hat.
Und ihre Vorstellungen sind schon sehr egoistisch und überheblich - was sie nicht unbedingt sympathisch macht. Aber da wir alle unsere Marotten haben, stört es mich nicht so sehr. Manchmal wirkt es aber schon überzogen, grade was ihre etwas biestige Einstellung betrifft und sie durchaus kindisch und schadenfroh wirkt in Momenten, wo es absolut unpassend ist.
Andererseits ist sie auch einfach eine ältere, einsame Frau, die Bestätigung sucht. Freunde, Gemeinschaft, das Gefühl, dazu zu gehören. In ihrem bisherigen Leben konnte sie das durch die Arbeit kompensieren, aber jetzt, wenn sie den ganzen Tag sozusagen nichts zu tun hat, kommen diese ganzen Gefühle hoch und bringen sie ordentlich durcheinander.
Ihre Art hat auch eine gewisse Komik in sich und insgesamt komme ich mit ihrer Figur ganz gut klar.
Wie gut, dass ein weiterer Mord sie beschäftigt und dieses Mal hat sie sogar eine tatkräftige Unterstützung beim ermitteln. Wobei erstmal alles auf einen Selbstmord hindeutet und Agatha mehr an ihrer männlichen Begleitung interessiert ist als an den Hintergründen des seltsamen Falls.
Es gibt ein paar nicht notwendige Schlenker in der Handlung, insgesamt geht es aber zackig vorwärts. Manchmal sind die Szenenwechsel sogar etwas zu knapp und manchmal hab ich den Eindruck, dass die Übersetzung etwas geschludert hat, aber es stört mich nicht so sehr.
Die Charaktere sind hier insgesamt bisher alle nicht so wirklich sympathisch, was einerseits negativ sein könnte, es hat aber auch seinen gewissen Reiz. Einzig die Pfarrersfrau Mrs Bloxby ist eine Perle :)
So ganz überzeugen konnte mich der zweite Band nicht, aber trotzdem fand ich es super unterhaltsam und hatte meinen Spaß, so dass ich auf jeden Fall die Fortsetzung weiterlesen möchte.
3.5 Sterne - und trotz kleiner Kritikpunkte mochte ich es :) Es liest sich einfach schön leicht und locker weg, auch wenn die Protagonistin manchmal etwas nervig und "kindisch" ist :D
Weltenwanderer
Und ihre Vorstellungen sind schon sehr egoistisch und überheblich - was sie nicht unbedingt sympathisch macht. Aber da wir alle unsere Marotten haben, stört es mich nicht so sehr. Manchmal wirkt es aber schon überzogen, grade was ihre etwas biestige Einstellung betrifft und sie durchaus kindisch und schadenfroh wirkt in Momenten, wo es absolut unpassend ist.
Andererseits ist sie auch einfach eine ältere, einsame Frau, die Bestätigung sucht. Freunde, Gemeinschaft, das Gefühl, dazu zu gehören. In ihrem bisherigen Leben konnte sie das durch die Arbeit kompensieren, aber jetzt, wenn sie den ganzen Tag sozusagen nichts zu tun hat, kommen diese ganzen Gefühle hoch und bringen sie ordentlich durcheinander.
Ihre Art hat auch eine gewisse Komik in sich und insgesamt komme ich mit ihrer Figur ganz gut klar.
Wie gut, dass ein weiterer Mord sie beschäftigt und dieses Mal hat sie sogar eine tatkräftige Unterstützung beim ermitteln. Wobei erstmal alles auf einen Selbstmord hindeutet und Agatha mehr an ihrer männlichen Begleitung interessiert ist als an den Hintergründen des seltsamen Falls.
Es gibt ein paar nicht notwendige Schlenker in der Handlung, insgesamt geht es aber zackig vorwärts. Manchmal sind die Szenenwechsel sogar etwas zu knapp und manchmal hab ich den Eindruck, dass die Übersetzung etwas geschludert hat, aber es stört mich nicht so sehr.
Die Charaktere sind hier insgesamt bisher alle nicht so wirklich sympathisch, was einerseits negativ sein könnte, es hat aber auch seinen gewissen Reiz. Einzig die Pfarrersfrau Mrs Bloxby ist eine Perle :)
So ganz überzeugen konnte mich der zweite Band nicht, aber trotzdem fand ich es super unterhaltsam und hatte meinen Spaß, so dass ich auf jeden Fall die Fortsetzung weiterlesen möchte.
3.5 Sterne - und trotz kleiner Kritikpunkte mochte ich es :) Es liest sich einfach schön leicht und locker weg, auch wenn die Protagonistin manchmal etwas nervig und "kindisch" ist :D
Weltenwanderer
March 25, 2019
Para mi sorpresa, me esta gustando mucho Agatha Raisin.
Al final del libro anterior, habia llegado un vecino nuevo a Agatha. Un coronel retirado y parece que soltero. Por casualidad, cof cof , como él dice que se va de vacaciones a Bahamas, ella se va tambien de vacaciones para allá, pero bue... James Lacey al final va a otro destino. Y ella regresa con el bronceado , pero chasqueada y decidida a ignorarlo. Un veterinario nuevo mientras tanto se ha instalado, tambien nada de feo, y soltero, asi que ella lleva a su gato a revision. Pero cuando el veterinario termina muerto, en un accidente relacionado con su oficio, puede o no que su odio por los pequeños animales tenga relación o tal vez el que sea mujeriego. Agatha parte decidido a husmear, er digo a investigar y quuien mejor que el vecino este aburrido y la acompañe ¿no?
Le pasa cada cosa a la entrometida Agatha, que tiene cero tino para soltar las cosas, mientras no avanza mucho o nada con el vecino, y el fiel amigo policia sigue igual de solidario , hay que ver la vida en Cotswolds incluye casi poco aburrimiento ;P
Me entretiene mucho la vida de esta mujer.
Al final del libro anterior, habia llegado un vecino nuevo a Agatha. Un coronel retirado y parece que soltero. Por casualidad, cof cof , como él dice que se va de vacaciones a Bahamas, ella se va tambien de vacaciones para allá, pero bue... James Lacey al final va a otro destino. Y ella regresa con el bronceado , pero chasqueada y decidida a ignorarlo. Un veterinario nuevo mientras tanto se ha instalado, tambien nada de feo, y soltero, asi que ella lleva a su gato a revision. Pero cuando el veterinario termina muerto, en un accidente relacionado con su oficio, puede o no que su odio por los pequeños animales tenga relación o tal vez el que sea mujeriego. Agatha parte decidido a husmear, er digo a investigar y quuien mejor que el vecino este aburrido y la acompañe ¿no?
Le pasa cada cosa a la entrometida Agatha, que tiene cero tino para soltar las cosas, mientras no avanza mucho o nada con el vecino, y el fiel amigo policia sigue igual de solidario , hay que ver la vida en Cotswolds incluye casi poco aburrimiento ;P
«¿Sabes? A veces, cuando volvía a casa de permiso, miraba las casitas como ésta desde el tren e imaginaba vidas acogedoras y tranquilas. Pero qué espantosos dramas emocionales se esconden tras las fachadas de estas casas con nombres tranquilizadores como Mon Repos o Shangri-La, qué caldos de cultivo para el asesinato.
—Oh, sí, es un lugar bastante animado; el campo, me refiero —convino Agatha de buen humor»
Me entretiene mucho la vida de esta mujer.
February 7, 2017
Such lovely and easy reading - can't wait to get back to the next! Don't let only 3 stars deter you from this series - the highest I've ever given a cozy is 4 stars. I love Agatha in all her sardonic self.
July 29, 2023
Enjoyed this just as much as the first one! Agatha goes looking for love and murderers in her ‘cosy’ English village where an awful lot hides under the surface. Funny and dramatic story with a great set of characters that feel like you know quite well already.
June 17, 2013
This is the second in the Agatha Raisin series, following on from Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death. Agatha Raisin is an oddly compelling character; a strange mix of the downright rude and the vulnerable. When we meet Agatha in this book, she has just returned from a holiday where she had attempted, unsuccessfully, to follow her handsome neighbour - only to find that on her return to the village of Carsely, there is a new vet causing fluttering hearts.
As in the previous novel, Agatha seems unsure about whether to return to her advertising career in London or stay in Carsely; at one point, rushing off to investigate a possible business venture, which turns out to be a desperate attempt from an old business acquaintance to make her part with money. Back in the Cotswolds, the new vet, Paul Bladen, is also trying to raise money from his female clients - including Agatha. When he is found dead, Agatha suspects murder. Despite her old friend Bill Wong, from the police department, telling her to leave such investigations to the authorities, she is soon asking dangerous questions - with the added bonus of the company of her neighbour, James Lacey.
The next book in this series is Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener. These books are a fun, easy read, and I enjoyed getting to know the inhabitants of Carsley better. This book will sometimes make you cringe and possibly laugh, but Agatha Raisin certainly has a legion of fans that enjoy following her adventures.
As in the previous novel, Agatha seems unsure about whether to return to her advertising career in London or stay in Carsely; at one point, rushing off to investigate a possible business venture, which turns out to be a desperate attempt from an old business acquaintance to make her part with money. Back in the Cotswolds, the new vet, Paul Bladen, is also trying to raise money from his female clients - including Agatha. When he is found dead, Agatha suspects murder. Despite her old friend Bill Wong, from the police department, telling her to leave such investigations to the authorities, she is soon asking dangerous questions - with the added bonus of the company of her neighbour, James Lacey.
The next book in this series is Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener. These books are a fun, easy read, and I enjoyed getting to know the inhabitants of Carsley better. This book will sometimes make you cringe and possibly laugh, but Agatha Raisin certainly has a legion of fans that enjoy following her adventures.
December 12, 2021
If you're in a reading slump, than this series is the answer to get out of it. I enjoyed this one more than the first book and the first one was still really fine.
Agatha is now settled in the Cotswolds and soon she finds herself poking her nose into another murder mystery. This time with the help of dear James Lacey. Oh, I felt sorry at times for the poor man with all the feminine attention. But when there's a new vet in town, it seems that allmost all the women are swoon for him. But the vet has a hidden agenda and find himself soon murdered and there is where Agatha comes in.
The book never gets boring with the adventures of Agatha, like when she distroyed the ladies room, chasing James Lacey, but allthough she's arrogant, dislikable, manchasing woman etc., she has a soft spot for her cats Hodge and Boswell and when they got abducted, she finds out that they have a big spot in her life and saves them with risk of her own life taken.
Agatha is now settled in the Cotswolds and soon she finds herself poking her nose into another murder mystery. This time with the help of dear James Lacey. Oh, I felt sorry at times for the poor man with all the feminine attention. But when there's a new vet in town, it seems that allmost all the women are swoon for him. But the vet has a hidden agenda and find himself soon murdered and there is where Agatha comes in.
The book never gets boring with the adventures of Agatha, like when she distroyed the ladies room, chasing James Lacey, but allthough she's arrogant, dislikable, manchasing woman etc., she has a soft spot for her cats Hodge and Boswell and when they got abducted, she finds out that they have a big spot in her life and saves them with risk of her own life taken.
April 9, 2017
J'avais vu juste, ce tome 2 avec des personnages déjà connus est un bonbon anglais qui se savoure de la première à la dernière page !
Agatha est désormais bien installée à Carsely et prête à accueillir le nouveau vétérinaire célibataire ... Lorsqu'il décède subitement, là, encore, le drame a tout l'air d'un accident sauf pour Agatha et son voisin, James, colonel à la retraite. Le duo, qui ne manque pas de piquant, décide d'enquêter en marge de la police et vivent quelques situations franchement drôles, on ne voit pas défiler les pages tant le caractère extraverti d'Agatha balance le côté pince sans rire de James !
La recette est connue mais décidément, les petits villages regorgent de secrets et de passions cachées, matière à bien des crimes et il faut encore suivre l'instant d'Agatha pour découvrir le coupable !
Agatha est désormais bien installée à Carsely et prête à accueillir le nouveau vétérinaire célibataire ... Lorsqu'il décède subitement, là, encore, le drame a tout l'air d'un accident sauf pour Agatha et son voisin, James, colonel à la retraite. Le duo, qui ne manque pas de piquant, décide d'enquêter en marge de la police et vivent quelques situations franchement drôles, on ne voit pas défiler les pages tant le caractère extraverti d'Agatha balance le côté pince sans rire de James !
La recette est connue mais décidément, les petits villages regorgent de secrets et de passions cachées, matière à bien des crimes et il faut encore suivre l'instant d'Agatha pour découvrir le coupable !
March 1, 2024
Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🎎
This kindle e-book novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 2
As a fan of M C Newton I had listened or read books available so I am so happy to find the series on Kindle Unlimited.
Agatha is happy when a new vet opens a surgery plus all the other women in the village. Then he is dead. Was it an accident or murder? Agatha is asking questions when a woman dies. Then strange events are occurring. Then it all comes together.
I would recommend this series and author to readers of British mystery novels. 2024
This kindle e-book novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 2
As a fan of M C Newton I had listened or read books available so I am so happy to find the series on Kindle Unlimited.
Agatha is happy when a new vet opens a surgery plus all the other women in the village. Then he is dead. Was it an accident or murder? Agatha is asking questions when a woman dies. Then strange events are occurring. Then it all comes together.
I would recommend this series and author to readers of British mystery novels. 2024
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