Customer Reviews

Agatha Raisin and the Case of the Curious Curate (Agatha Raisin Mysteries, No. 13)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is a spectacular entry in M.C. Beaton's delightful series of "cozies" featuring the deliciously imperfect Agatha Raisin. Ms. Beaton has scored a huge hit with this entry, which is a truly excellent whodunit, with the emphasis on mystery rather than Agatha's love life. Regular readers who have been frustrated with the editorial errors in prior novels will be pleased to know this entry shows substantial improvements in editing as well.

Agatha returns from another public relations project in London to find her Cotswold village of Carsley agog over the arrival of a new curate, hired to help local vicar Alf Bloxby, husband of Agatha's good friend. Tristan Delon is a stunningly beautiful young man, with the face of a voluptuous angel and more than his share of charm. Carsley's church is packed when he begins delivering sermons. Of course, our Agatha is struck all of a heap by Tristan, in spite of Mrs. Bloxby's less than enthusiastic opinion of him. Agatha is naturally delighted when Tristan invites her to his lodgings for a sumptuous dinner, but is shrewd enough to refuse his offer to manage her stock portfolio.

Murder still seems to follow our Agatha, so it's not surprising the gorgeous new curate is found murdered the morning after her dinner with him. What is surprising is that he's found dead in the vicar's study, stabbed with the vicar's paper knife, with the church donation box nearby. This, of course, puts the Bloxbys under suspicion, and this time, it is Mrs. Bloxby who implores Agatha to investigate. Eager to clear the vicar, Agatha agrees and the fun begins.

Of course, the curate was not the angelic creature he appeared to be, but a spiteful, malicious creep who enjoyed befriending the wealthy and conning them out of money, then deserting them and trying to blackmail them. Those affected by his misdeeds are scattered between London and Carsely, and Agatha energetically tracks them all. Two villagers are murdered in quick succession, and Agatha fears gossip and suspicion will destroy not only the Bloxbys, but the friendly nature of her village as well.

The solution is delicious, the clues fairly placed, and, I must confess, I was actually surprised----a first for me! Many of Beaton's novels are light on mystery, but this entry does not short the reader in any way. Beaton continues the development of her characters and moves them through their lives and relationships in the same highly entertaining manner, while constructing a tighter, faster paced mystery than usual. I was impressed by the skill with which she briefly draws the personalities of the large number of suspects in this novel. Agatha is more professional here, and although her oddly endearing abrasiveness and insecurity remain, there is evidence of Agatha's continuing personal growth as well, particularly in her decision to begin an old folks' club in Carsely.

She is assisted in this case by new neighbor John Armitage, to whom she seems oddly unattracted, given his good looks. Of course, Agatha is finally returning to her tough, coarser exterior here, perhaps in reaction to learning her beloved ex-husband James Lacey did not in fact join the monastery for which he supposedly divorced her. Adorable detective constable Bill Wong is present as usual, concerned for Agatha's safety and still having girlfriend trouble. Neither Agatha's former office boy Roy Silver nor fickle baronet Sir Charles Fraith appear in this novel, as both are occupied elsewhere. So, readers will evidently have to wait to see if Charles escapes his disastrous marriage and loses his recently acquired avoirdupois. Fans will also eagerly await the next installment to see if the next handsome new neighbor moving into the cottage next door formerly occupied by James Lacey and John Armitage will catch Agatha's eye! As usual, I can't wait for the next installment in this series!!

Agatha Raisin is pleased when the glamorous new curate asks her out for dinner, but less pleased when he snubs her afterwards. Then he is found murdered, and the Vicar, husband of Agatha's best friend, is under suspicion.

Agatha discovers that the curate had been obtaining money from people under false pretences, and that a lot of people had reason to dislike him, but which of them murdered him? Agatha is helped in her investigation by her new next-door neighbour, handsome crime novelist John Armitage.

As usual, Agatha raises hackles with her blunt manners, and as usual she is worrying about her appearance and fretting over her vanished ex-husband James Lacey. Agatha is an exasperating but oddly endearing character, always described as having 'bearlike eyes' (I'm never sure what those are), and always yearning for some man or other. This is an amusing addition to an entertaining series.

Poor Agatha Raisin. She is not nice in the conventional sense and she has none of the homemaking qualities one associates with good village women. And yet there is something about her insecurities, her imperfect pitch in the hum of relationships, and her dazzling self-involvement (coupled with almost no self-awareness) that makes her a wonderful protagonist in the perfect-picture setting of these novels.

M.C. Beaton again develops a believable and funny cast of characters, some of whom are quite disposable, and sets in motion a plot with more twists than your average village ramble. It may be the best book yet in this enjoyable series, with the finger of accusation pointing at... well, it would not do to tell. My only complaint is that Agatha Raisin is always "high carb" reading; the book ends while I am still craving more, more...

What I want to know is, How does M C Beaton do it? She turns out two books a year -- one in each series -- and each offers a fresh plot and a new twist to old characters.

As other reviewers have noted, a beautiful new curate comes to Agatha's village in the Cotswolds. Agatha is flattered when he asks her to dinner, but soon realizes he has shown a general interest in wealthy women.
When the curate is murdered, suspicion falls on the
vicar, who had been displaced in his flock's affections by the charismatic young man. And Agatha can't resist taking off to solve the mystery.

I have to agree that in some ways, this book does not sparkle as earlier volumes did -- but partly that's because we've gotten to know the character. She's really settled into her cottage with her cats and there aren't too many facets of her character left for us to understand.

The author needs to bring in some new characters who can be foils for Agatha Raisin's unique personality. Her on-and-off romance with James Lacey worked because Lacey was, in his way, an interesting character. Here she teams up with a detective story writer who moved next door and he just isn't sharp enough to share the stage.

That being said, I loved this book, as i've enjoyed every single one in the series. I think it's time for Agatha to embark on something totally different. Perhaps a distant relative could send her a child or teenager to look after for awhile. Perhaps she could undertake psychoanalysis or a religious retreat. She's tough and domineering and she needs a worthy opponent to keep sharp.

I agree that this is the best yet of the Agatha Raisin series.

In the Case of the Curious Curate, the mystery takes a much more central position in the book than in previous episodes. The investigation is fun and John Armitage is an excellent investigative partner, being inquisitive and determined. Unlike the last two books, in which the murder seemed to serve as little more than a backdrop to Agatha's problems with James, this is a story a mystery lover can really get their teeth into.

Which isn't to say that Agatha's life is any less the hilarious soap opera! In and out of disaster and anguish as usual, Agatha actually seems to develop a bit more confidence in this book, starting a community project on her own initiative and taking more interest in other people. And yet she remains the same entertaining bundle of neurosis as ever! And the supporting cast of characters are as colorful and distinctive as ever.

Anyone who's rooted for the abrasive Agatha through her previous adventures won't want to miss this one!

This outing finds Agatha once again battling depression. She doesn't like getting old. She sometimes finds her retirement boring. And, she just never seems to find the right man to spend her time with.

The pretty boy new curate is murdered very early in the book, and Agatha spends the remaining chapters trying to clear the name of her good friend Mrs. Bloxby's husband. Everyone in Carsely thinks the Vicar done it, because the curate was more popular.

Once again, Agatha is sleuthing with her neighbor, the mystery writer, and once again the two of them are constantly sending each other missed signals.

Agatha may never find romantic happiness, but she's a good friend, and a terrific fundraiser. If she ever learns to recognize contentedness, it may be the end of her detecting. Lucky for us, she remains obtuse.

In this 13th book in the Agatha Raisin series, Agatha is unlucky in love again. She returns from another P.R. project in London only to find that the village church has a new curate, Tristian. It seems he is there to help the vicar, Alf Bloxsby (husband of Agatha's friend, Mrs. Bloxsby), who is not at all sure that he is actually "helping" him at all. All of the Carsley ladies are soon taken with this handsome curate, and even Agatha succumbs to his charms. After having dinner with him, Agatha soon learns that the playboy curate is found dead, and there are plenty of suspects in his death. Did Agatha kill him because he was nasty to her at dinner? Did Alf Bloxsby kill him for taking over his parish? Or was he killed by one of his supposed admirers?

I have loved each of the installments in this series, and this book did not disappoint. Agatha is as sharp as ever (in both wit and in tongue) and I enjoyed the fact that Mrs. Bloxsby played a larger role in this case. I was happy to see that Agatha's former love interest, James Lacey, did not take a large role in this book, and I look forward to a new romance for her in future books. If you like cozy mysteries, than this book (and the entire series) is for you.

The first book in this series is "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death". Enjoy!

A Cozy Lover

As a devoted fan of Agatha Raisin, I have suppressed my slight disappointment with a couple of recent entries into the series, but applaud this latest one as perhaps the best yet. There are several reasons this book is so outstanding. One, the mystery takes center stage as Agatha unravels clues that would make another more famous Agatha proud. Second, even though Agatha maintains her unlovable ways that endear her to readers, she begins to develop the first seeds of altruistic kindness. Her innate goodness in befriending a chess-playing senior citizen and starting a project for the village's elderly give Agatha a softer side to balance her abrasive side. Third, James Lacey barely gets a mention. The egotistical former husband is mentioned merely in passing and Agatha appears well on her way to a James-less life and better for it.

Naturally, there is a love interest. Agatha is quite taken with the beautiful new curate, Tristan Delon. Flattered when he invites her to dinner, Agatha daydreams of romance before getting a first-hand taste of his malicious ways. When the curate is found murdered, rumors fly. The chief rumor appears to be that the murderer is none other than Vicar Bloxby who had good cause to be jealous of the young curate's popularity. Agatha's best friend, Mrs. Bloxby, implores Agatha to clear the Vicar's good name by finding the real murderer. Agatha teams up with next door neighbor John Armitage and together they track down numerous leads. Although Armitage's character fails to develop as anything substantial, the mystery itself is riveting and takes a few twists before the surprise ending. This reader has no regrets about Armitage's decision to move back to London, but hopes the new neighbor, a Mr. Paul Chatterton, will finally be someone who is worthy of the irrepressible Agatha Raisin.

For me, the actual murder in the Agatha Raisin books is secondary to the ongoing of the characters involved. With each book you pick up, Agatha finds herself embroiled in another domestic situation, with it being either her missing almost ex-husband James, the new neighbor - which is always an attractive man, Bill Wong - her favorite policeman, or my favorite Mrs. Bloxby. A perfect counterbalance to Agatha, who always keeps things in perspective and possesses the perfect words of wisdom that Agatha needs to hear even if she does not want to.

Since all the Agatha books involve a murder, The Case of the Curious Curate begins with the arrival of a very attractive man - the golden haired Curate Tristan Delon. Though initially beguiled, Agatha starts to wonder if the young man is too good to be true, that is until he is found dead in the Vicar's study and Agatha must unsnarl the goings on to help her friends the Bloxby's.

At first blush you would not think that the village of Carsely would be capable to such evildoings, but as the bodies start to pile up. Not only does Agatha needs to dig deeper into this murder to find the killer, but also to prevent further wrong doings and to make sure that the right person is behind bars.

I truly enjoy this series, Agatha to grow on you. She can be the pushiest most annoying character that you run across, but deep down the woman cares for those around her, she just has a harsh and pushy way of showing it.

Start at the beginning and watch Agatha grow as a woman but also as a friend. Under all the gruffness, she is very charming.

Agatha Raisin is certainly no Miss Marple. This amateur sleuth is full of sexual innuendos while Miss Marple is a true lady in all of her series created by the late Agatha Christie. Regretfully, Agatha Raisin's persona annoys me. There is too many feminine intuitive in one small book. Beaton incorporated more than three vicious and spiteful female characters (including the main role) in a short mystery. This could result in quite a headache and it did for me. The murder mystery itself is clear-cut. Apologetically, it is a quick read of a soap opera on paper.