Oh Agatha!

Agatha Raisin is at it again. By "it" I mean of course chasing after unsuitable men, daydreaming about romance, sticking her nose in everyone's business, and dealing with "the press." Along the way, she does manage to stumble over several dead bodies, but not to worry, she always finds the guilty party in the end. The evildoers get their comeuppance, the cats are let out into the garden, and Mrs. Bloxby is waiting in the wings with a cup of tea. What more could anyone ask for?

In M.C. Beaton's latest Agatha Raisin novel A Spoonful of Poison, we are once again transported to the charming Cotswolds village of Carsley. Agatha has arranged the publicity for a local church fete, and is on hand when several elderly ladies, apparently under the influence of drugs, die. It soon transpired that someone has spiked the jams in the tasting tent with LSD (as criminals are wont to do).

There is no shortage of suspects. In attempting to sort through them all, Agatha allows herself to be drawn into a pursuit of George Selby, whose wife died in a mysterious fall down some stairs. Since then, it appears that there have been no shortage of women in George's life. Agatha also has a few problems at her detective agency, with young Toni Gilmour stealing all the male attention and a newly hired detective engaging in some sinister behavior. Along the way, Agatha's two mostly platonic male friends Roy Silver and Sir Charles Fraith wander in and out of the story without seeming to do much.

Since the Agatha Raisin series is one of many that M.C. Beaton writes, it's no wonder that the story is a bit slap-dash at times. Still, Agatha gets into enough humorous scrapes to keep everyone wondering what she'll do next. Her hair extension experience alone makes this book worth reading! Film version please!
Final Verdict for A Spoonful of Poison: Four Gherkins, for being a reliably enjoyable visit with old friends