Beating About the Bush: An Agatha Raisin Mystery, Book 30

I have read every Agatha Raisin book and so looked forward to this new one. Something is off in the writing it is a little too brittle. I have watched some of the AR movies on Acorn and they have changed the characters. This new book seems to be changing toward the way the movies are. For instance, in the books Agatha is always descried as having glossy brown hair and in the movies she is a platinum blonde. Is M. C. Beaton getting help with her books or is she following how the movies want Agatha represented? I feel like I have lost an old friend.

Loved the latest Agatha Raisin book but heartbroken that it may be the last ever! I am not sure I can bear the idea of not reading Charles and Agatha finally tying the knot and living happily ever after! I fervently hope Ms Beaton had the genius of Agatha Christie to "curtain" books for both Hamish and Agatha as they deserve proper send offs.Rest in Peace dear lady, you will live on in my heart every time I re-read your books as they are my favorites and I do read them over and over often.

I'm not sure who wrote this book but I'm sure it wasn't MC Beaton. Whoever they had ghostwrite this doesn't pull it off. This Agatha is not the tough as nails Agatha with a heart of gold who endears herself to us. This Agatha is truly mean spirited and petulant. The series was never high literature but it was fun and Agatha became a friend of sorts. This book doesn't do the series justice.

This book is a step up from the last three jibber that was published. Agatha as we know her is almost back. She is funny, mature, observant and vulnerable. She is confident and girlish at the same time. The pros:: much much better writing that the last three which were unreadable, possibly written by people who had never read the series. These are still not spot on great, the character development on the secondary characters was lacking, and the big cliff-hanger in the last book of the mysterious man Agatha met was just dropped and unresolved. So for that it gets a star taken away. But much more improved that the previous jibber this publisher was peddling.

I like Agatha Raisin so I will read the books at least for now. She is quickly becoming a parody of her earlier self. I hope the books are not written to fuel the horrible tv series...how M. C. Beaton could have allowed that to happen is beyond me. This storyline is just about identical to some of the earlier Agatha Raisin books...just different names and contraband. And, don't you think by now people would stop hiring her as a cover for their criminal activity???

Agatha returns and not a moment too soon. An enjoyable tale with interesting characters from the old favourites to a worrying new antagonist and a promising love interest.

My favorite character is the donkey though. She sounds so cute. Hopefully she gets a bath, so she can be loved. Agatha really needs to take backup on her spying missions, especially when the last spy died. The question is whether Charles will escape yet another engagement, and whether he'll lose Agatha regardless. I loved it.

This book and the last one were so badly written that I couldn't believe that I had ever loved this series. All the crispness is gone, all the real character development, all the true personality of Agatha is GONE. This afternoon I went back to the first book in the series and was immediately drawn in, couldn't put it down, enjoying every page. They can say whatever they want but Ms Beaton is not writing these books anymore and the one who is doing it is not anywhere near good enough. Getting old doesn't mean bad writing. It didn't hurt Agatha Christie one bit.

Reading the latest Agatha Raisin is like catching-up with an old and valued friend – 5 StarsThis is the thirtieth book in the Agatha Raisin series, and reading this has been like catching-up with an old friend. Agatha has lost none of her irascibility, detective instincts, or penchant for attracting the attentions of good-looking guys. In this outing she also manages to attract the devotions of a donkey!The plot revolves around Agatha and Toni’s efforts to solve the murder of Mrs Dinwiddy and, by doing so, save Wizz-Wazz the donkey, who, according to the police, was responsible for her demise. This outing for Agatha features all that I’ve come to expect from these books including: Fast-paced plot, eccentric characters, a little slap-stick humour, and Agatha always finding herself in the thick of things. I’m also pleased to say several my favourite characters from the earlier books make an appearance, including the rather wonderful Sir Charles Fraith. And, by the end of the novel, Sir Charles has marriage very much on his mind!While any of the Agatha Raisin series can be read on their own, if you’re new to the series, then I would recommend starting at the beginning with “Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death”. There is a strong narrative that runs through all the books that is simply too good to miss. Is this the best of the series? Not in my opinion, but it still pleases. Anyway, I’m not a fickle friend, and I very much class Agatha Raisin as a literary friend – She’s always good company!

M.C. Beaton has done it again, another fantastic Agatha novel for us to enjoy again and again!Agatha and co are investigating an industrial espionage case, which turns out to be far more dangerous and complicated than any of them ever thought, and that especially includes newly promoted 'Chief Inspector Wilkes' who's as bumbling and useless as always, thankfully Bill Wong is there as always to balance out his bosses stupidity.Charles looks set to marry an awful title grabbing woman, that's far more interested in Agatha's background and keeping her away from the wedding and Charles as is healthy, we're not sure if that's to go ahead or not just yet, we'll just have to wait and see.Phil wasn't in this book, but we do hear a bit of Simon black and Patrick Mulligan, it's always nice to hear about the old favourites.Toni's doctor boyfriend turns out to be a truly lovely man that only wants all happiness for Toni no matter weather that includes him or not.And lastly Agatha's got a new man Chris Firkin, who works on Charles Fraith's estate turning old petrol cars into battery powered ones instead. Looking forward to seeing how this developes given Agatha and Charles love each other very obviously.Lastly a really cute but naught donkey called Wizz-wazz captured my heart in this great book, she's a lover of fashion and the limelight much like Agatha only slightly more windy!!Thanks for another fantastic read Marion I cannot wait to see what happens in the next Agatha raisin mystery!Enjoy everyone, I know I will again and again.

Having thought that the previous book in this series had lost the sparkle of its predecessors, I nevertheless awaited this one with excitement, based on all the previous books. I wasn't disappointed. Ms Beaton is right on form again, and this story is a cracker. Agatha is back to her abrasive best, and all the usual characters (minus ex-husband James) are here, great characterisation. The story doesn't start with a murder - it starts with investigating industrial sabotage. But, where there's an Agatha, there must be a murder, and there is. I won't say who is murdered or why, but Agatha, helped by Toni and, occasionally, Sir Charles, sets out to find out who did it, in between trying to sort her love life, and Sir Charles', out - and Toni's for that matter. It all comes together beautifully. The writing is excellent, the pace just right, and altogether this is Agatha Raisin back to her very best. Don't compare the books to the TV series - the books are much, much better than the TV programme.

It's a good book but it's not as in depth about the relationships of her friends as usual ,no wongs parents ,not much mention of her co workers ex husbands sect and seemed short at the end not sure I enjoyed it as much as all her other books

First. To pay humble respects to Marian Chesney on the occasion of her death. There will be a large number from her readership who will miss her various series deeply.. This story is up there with the best. The inclusion of the donkey includes an unexpected softness just as Agatha was getting somewhat harsh.