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Wednesday, September 7, 2016

#Audiobook #Review: 5 out of 5 stars for Agatha Raisin and the Deadly Dance by M.C. Beaton @mc_beaton @BlackstoneAudio @PeneKeith1

TITLE: Agatha Raisin and the Deadly Dance 
SERIES: Agatha Raisin, Book #15
AUTHOR: M.C. Beaton 
NARRATOR: Penelope Keith
PUBLISHER: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
PUBLICATION DATE: February 1, 2013
FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook
LENGTH: 6 hrs and 11 mins
GENRE: Mystery/Cozy Mystery
ISBN: 9781504612821
Can the feisty Agatha Raisin cut it as a private investigator? She soon learns that running her own detective agency in the Cotswolds is not quite like starring in a Raymond Chandler movie. But then in walks wealthy divorcée Catherine Laggat-Brown, and presents Agatha with her first real case. Death threats, blackmail, and worse quickly follow, and once again Agatha is off scouring the countryside for clues and showing friends and enemies alike what Raisin Investigations can do!

MY REVIEW: 

Finally! People have suggested to Agatha repeatedly in the last several books that she should open her own detective agency, and she finally does it in the 15th book of the series. She opens an office in Mircester, and she hires the best of the best on a freelance basis: a retired newspaper photographer, Sammy Allen, and a retired police officer, Douglas Ballentine. Agatha also hires her new neighbour, 67-year-old Emma Comfrey, as her secretary. The older woman wasn’t exactly who Agatha had in mind (she thought someone younger, for starters!), but a client walked into the office during their interview with a plea to help find her lost cat and Emma took charge of the situation, taking down the distraught woman’s particulars. After the client left, Agatha told Emma that the job is hers if she can find the cat. Not only does Emma find the lost cat, but she steals the glory from Agatha when it is her photograph that is taken for the newspaper with the now-happy woman and her cat. Agatha’s jealousy gets the better of her, and we know that will spell trouble for Emma! Business is slow and, when a well-dressed woman wants to hire Agatha’s agency to get the goods on her cheating husband, Emma requests a hefty retainer to cover expenses up front. Instead of being pleased with Emma’s initiative, she chastises her for not clearing it with her first! When Emma reacts calmly and asks Agatha what she would have requested, Agatha is a bit stunned and admits that she never would have dreamed to ask for such a large sum and tells her “well done!” Finally, Agatha gets an exciting case: a rich woman’s daughter has received a death threat. Soon, the case turns to murder and Agatha is up to her neck in trouble.

It is hard for Agatha to share the limelight, and it was amusing to see her interactions with her staff. Although it must have killed her to do it, I was impressed that Agatha actually complimented Emma!

Both of Agatha’s sidekicks are back, Charles and Roy. More hilarity ensues when Emma becomes love-stricken over Charles! However, the green-eyed monster rears her ugly head again, and Agatha ends up alienating her friends which has a profound effect on her. Is Agatha finally growing up? I love seeing her more vulnerable and sensitive side, and the dear woman does try to make things right and I love her for that. Overall, the book was lots of fun (especially the ending). With 15 books now into the series, I think Beaton made a wise decision to have Agatha start-up her own agency. It has injected something new and fresh into the series!

I wholeheartedly believe that one of the reasons why I love this series so much is because I absolutely love the narrator, Penelope Keith. If I was reading instead of listening, I'm not sure whether Agatha's voice would sound the same way in my own mind. I love the life that Ms, Keith breathes into each character!

MY RATING:


5 stars!! I loved it and will likely re--read it in the future! You should definitely put it on your TBR list if you enjoy cozy mysteries.

View all my reviews

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