Beating about the Bush: An Agatha Raisin Mystery (Agatha Raisin, #30)

by M.C. Beaton

'Every new Agatha Raisin escapade is a total joy' ASHLEY JENSEN

'No wonder she's been crowned Queen of Cosy Crime' MAIL ON SUNDAY

'A Beaton novel is like The Archers on speed' DAILY MAIL

'The detective novels of M C Beaton have reached cult status' THE TIMES

'Irresistible, unputdownable, a joy' ANNE ROBINSON

Agatha Raisin returns for her 30th adventure . . .
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When private detective Agatha Raisin comes across a severed leg in a roadside hedge, it looks like she is about to become involved in a particularly gruesome murder. Looks, however, can be deceiving, as Agatha discovers when she is employed to investigate a case of industrial espionage at a factory where nothing is quite what it seems.

The factory mystery soon turns to murder and a bad-tempered donkey turns Agatha into a national celebrity, before bringing her ridicule and shame. To add to her woes, Agatha finds herself grappling with growing feelings for her friend and occasional lover, Sir Charles Fraith. Then, as a possible solution to the factory murder unfolds, her own life is thrown into deadly peril. Will Agatha get her man at last? Or will the killer get her first?

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Praise for M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin series

'Full of perfectly pitched interest, intrigue, and charm' Lee Child

'The detective novels of M C Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status' The Times

'A Beaton novel is like The Archers on speed' Daily Mail

'Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack-a-day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she could be living my dream life' Entertainment Weekly

'Agatha Raisin is sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining. . . M C Beaton has created a new national treasure... the stories zing along and are irresistible, unputdownable, a joy. If you buy one book a year, let it be this. Agatha Raisin is The Strongest Link' Anne Robinson

'M. C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem' Publishers Weekly

'Being a cranky, middle-aged female myself, I found Agatha charming!' Amazon customer review

'[Agatha] is a glorious cross between Miss Marple, Auntie Mame, and Lucille Ball, with a tad of pit bull tossed in. She's wonderful' St. Petersburg Times

'Anyone interested in . . . intelligent, amusing reading will want to make the acquaintance of Mrs. Agatha Raisin' Atlanta Journal-Constitution

'Few things in life are more satisfying than to discover a brand-new Agatha Raisin mystery' Tampa Tribune-Times

'Beaton has a winner in the irrepressible, romance-hungry Agatha' Chicago Sun-Times

• ISBN10: 1250157722
• ISBN13: 9781250157720
• Publish Date: 3 December 2019 (first published 24 October 2019)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 20 June 2023
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: St Martin's Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 256
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Beating About the Bush is the 30th (!!!) Agatha Raisin mystery by M.C.Beaton. Released 3rd Dec 2019 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 256 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

For readers familiar with the irrepressible, abrasive, deeply funny, often crass Agatha Raisin, this is more to love. For readers who are looking for a genuinely humorous cozy series with heavy doses of whimsy and sarcasm, there's a lot to love here. The mysteries, including this one, are all standalones with a central ensemble cast of Agatha's assistants, ex-husband, lovers, and loyal others, orbiting the gravity well which is Aggie herself.

This installment sees Aggie & co. involved in investigating industrial espionage. The plot is ridiculous (including a prank involving a severed leg in bramble bushes), the situations are funny, there's a miscellany of suspects, and Agatha is her own brash self. The denouement was deliciously silly and satisfying. This would make a wonderful weekend read with wine and chocolate.

Fun fun fun! Four stars. Long live Agatha Raisin!

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.