Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death
(Book #1 in the Agatha Raisin series)
By: M. C. Beaton
ISBN: 978-0312939168
Agatha Raisin is finding it hard adjusting to village life following her early retirement from her London PR firm. As she starts her a new life in England’s Cotswolds, Agatha enters a local baking competition to get to know the residents of Carsley. She shamelessly purchases a spinach quiche from her favorite London deli and passes the bought goods off as her own baking masterpiece. Agatha becomes suspicious that the contest is rigged when the competition is won by one of local ladies with a less worthy entry. Disgusted by the outcome, Agatha leaves her contest entry behind. That evening, murder is what’s for dinner when the contest judge, Mr. Comingsbrown helps himself to a large slice of the deadly pie. Certainly this is one meal he should have skipped! Agatha has no recourse but to expose herself as a cheat and sets out to clear her name and restore her reputation in the town of Carsley.
By: M. C. Beaton
ISBN: 978-0312939168
Agatha Raisin is finding it hard adjusting to village life following her early retirement from her London PR firm. As she starts her a new life in England’s Cotswolds, Agatha enters a local baking competition to get to know the residents of Carsley. She shamelessly purchases a spinach quiche from her favorite London deli and passes the bought goods off as her own baking masterpiece. Agatha becomes suspicious that the contest is rigged when the competition is won by one of local ladies with a less worthy entry. Disgusted by the outcome, Agatha leaves her contest entry behind. That evening, murder is what’s for dinner when the contest judge, Mr. Comingsbrown helps himself to a large slice of the deadly pie. Certainly this is one meal he should have skipped! Agatha has no recourse but to expose herself as a cheat and sets out to clear her name and restore her reputation in the town of Carsley.
Anyone who is old enough to remember Margaret Rutherford’s film portrayal of Miss Marple (from the early 1960s) will love this book. Agatha Raisin has the same steel backbone as Rutherford ‘s Miss Marple character. Agatha uses this same resolve in sleuthing her way to redemption. She clears her name and what’s this… a prospect of a middle aged romance?
M. C. Beaton is the pseudonym used by Scottish born Marion Chesney. Ms. Chesney currently divides her time residing in the Cotswolds of Britain and Paris, France. She also writes the Hamish MacBeth series under the name of M.C. Beaton. Ms. Chesney is a very popular author with countless books to her credit. In addition to mysteries, she also has written historical romance and other book series under her real name. She has also written under the pseudonyms Sarah Chester, Helen Crampton, Ann Fairfax, Marion Gibbons, Jennie Tremaine and Charlotte Ward.
If you like mysteries with an English setting, you might also consider the Royal Spyness mystery series of Rhys Bowen, Mrs. Malory mysteries by Hazel Holt or the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter mystery series by Susan Wittig-Albert.
I have read this and enjoyed it so much I have since read many of the other books in the series. The author's description of the English country side was so impressive that it propted a family trip to the Cotswolds, England.
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