Darlene's Book Nook: Audiobook Review: Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet by M.C. Beaton

Monday, December 31, 2012

Audiobook Review: Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet by M.C. Beaton

TITLE: Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet

SERIES: Agatha Raisin, Book #2
AUTHOR: M.C. Beaton

NARRATOR: Diana Bishop
PUBLISHER: AudioGO Ltd.
PUBLICATION DATE: November 1, 2012 (first published 1993)

FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook, 5 hrs and 17 mins
GENRE: Mystery

In the delightful Cotswold village of Carsely, the air is heady with romance. Agatha Raisin is convinced that the new vet has taken a shine to her. But before she can get anywhere, handsome Dr. Paul Bladen is accidentally killed while attending to Lord Pendlebury’s horse. So was it really an accident? All the evidence points that way, but the circumstances are decidedly suspicious....

MY REVIEW:

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 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!

MY RATING:

4 stars!! It was really good, and you should put it on your "TBR" list! A big thanks to AudioGO and Audiobook Jukebox for the opportunity to review this audiobook!

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