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217th out of 660 books
—
636 voters
Love, Lies and Liquor (Agatha Raisin #17)
by
M.C. Beaton
Cotswold detective Agatha Raisin lies to herself, hoping skimpy lingerie will suit her ex's surprise holiday. He lies to himself, remembering childhood heyday of Snoth-on-Sea as sunny, now a wreck in a cold windy storm. Aggie threatens obnoxious guest Geraldine, later found strangled in Aggie's lost scarf. Aggie can try drink, but needs all her friends when bodies pile up.
Hardcover, Minotaur, 231 pages
Published
September 2006
by St Martin's
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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 set...more
Ive read all the Agatha Raisin books ... ..And although this isn't one of the best, it still, in parts for me, has some outstanding laugh out loud moments.
We see the return of the forever elusive James Lacey ..but from this a stronger Agatha evolves.
All the regulars make an appearance Mrs Bloxby even gets involved in the "case" .
Its a good entertaining light read with a murder mystery thrown in ...
This is one of those stories whereby you are taken away from the comfortable village surroundings o...more
We see the return of the forever elusive James Lacey ..but from this a stronger Agatha evolves.
All the regulars make an appearance Mrs Bloxby even gets involved in the "case" .
Its a good entertaining light read with a murder mystery thrown in ...
This is one of those stories whereby you are taken away from the comfortable village surroundings o...more
"... remember, your amateur efforts are impeding a police investigation," Says Detective Inspector Barret to Agatha Raisin when she tries to assist in finding the murderer of another guest at the hotel she is, unwillingly, staying at in the run-down resort of Snoth-on-Sea.
Later on when her friend Detective Sergeant Bill Wong, back home at their village of Carsley, was watching some television footage of Agatha at a press conference his view was "he knew of old that Agatha blundered around cases...more
Later on when her friend Detective Sergeant Bill Wong, back home at their village of Carsley, was watching some television footage of Agatha at a press conference his view was "he knew of old that Agatha blundered around cases...more
Oh my...I'm not sure where to start. The title is great. Best thing about the book actually, even though I failed to see any connection to the dreadful story starring the stout little temptress Agatha. Oh wait...no one was tempted. The entire book wasted valuable story time with Agatha and James' pathetic relationship. The relationship couldn't even really be classed as "on again/off again" because it was never turned on. Oh, and the bit about Agatha's "filmy" underwear. That was just sad. Agath...more
"New Queen of Crime" claim belongs there on back flap. She has a knack for funny characters, lines, and situations, but not lyrical prose, eccentrics of class conscious Britain, and relevant titles of true Queen, Agatha Christie. Unfortunately, like Christie plots descended into excess complexity, so deteriorates Beaton. Why add kingpin, foreign money launderers, pro assassins, multiple mixed motivations, many killers? KISS is an acronym I learned decades ago. The conclusion is unsatisfactory, e...more
It appears that Agatha has put on her big girl panties and she is no longer going to be ex-husband James Lacey’s doormat. He cannot suddenly appear in her life and on a moment’s notice assume that she is going to drop everything and follow him on a whim.
OK, well maybe after this one trip.
After seventeen books, we all know Agatha pretty well, she puts on a strong face, but deep down she is desperate for a man’s attention, even if the said man of the moment does not treat her very well. This time...more
OK, well maybe after this one trip.
After seventeen books, we all know Agatha pretty well, she puts on a strong face, but deep down she is desperate for a man’s attention, even if the said man of the moment does not treat her very well. This time...more
This was a less irritating than other books in this series as most of the time Agatha managed to resist her feelings for James - although she still manages to put herself into some dangerous situations. These are a quick read- but sometimes the story is lost to Agatha's feelings of being inadequate, which frustrate me.
Agatha Raisin thinks she's in for a treat when her ex-husband James Lacey invites her on holiday, but - horror! - his idea of an idyllic break is the small, run-down resort of Snot...more
Agatha Raisin thinks she's in for a treat when her ex-husband James Lacey invites her on holiday, but - horror! - his idea of an idyllic break is the small, run-down resort of Snot...more
Tried this series after much time away, since the main character is not really very likeable.
Unfortunately, I've found she really is not better than I expected. She is not static - she has developed, but in baby steps. It's very disappointing.
Maybe, however, this is how life really is. In reality, we all evolve, grow, expand in baby steps, and I haven't realized this yet and am taking it out on this character.
Agatha Raisin is very self-centered and selfish character. Everything revolves around...more
Unfortunately, I've found she really is not better than I expected. She is not static - she has developed, but in baby steps. It's very disappointing.
Maybe, however, this is how life really is. In reality, we all evolve, grow, expand in baby steps, and I haven't realized this yet and am taking it out on this character.
Agatha Raisin is very self-centered and selfish character. Everything revolves around...more
M.C. Beaton has written another series about a murder solving policeman, Hamish Macbeth, that I have enjoyed so I tried Agatha Raisin. I didn't enjoy it as much. Agatha seems to just hang around and get captured by the bad guys who try to kill her, she escapes and solves the murder. She is so passive. Also her relationship with men is rather odd. She chases after one in particular that don't treat her very well. I did find the descriptions of the boorish, self-centered behavior of the men around...more
Okay, but not great. There is a struggle between Agatha and her ex. She doesn't want to acknowledge that it is over. So when he invites her on a vacation, she says yes. It turns out to be a horrible vacation. He was trying to recapture a childhood experience. But the town is now run down, a druggie place and became very bad luck for Agatha and James. A murder happens to someone in the hotel, a person whom Agatha has publicly argued with the night before. She is arrested for the murder. To prove...more
This was a light, comforting familiar read, as is always the case with A R books. I didn't however think it as good as some of the earlier books. This is number 17 in the series, and some of Agatha's familiar mishaps start to get a tiny bit wearisome. Agatha is still running her detective agency - I think I preferred her as a bumbling amateur - although she is still quite bumbling. It was good to have both Charles and James around in this one - although they too began to grate on my nerves. I wa...more
The man-chasing Agatha of old is a thing of the past. Suddenly mature enough to realize James is nothing but grief, she spends most of the novel convincing herself she doesn’t need him; while James is trying everything in his power to ensnare her once again. The plot is solid, with a few too many narrow escapes to be entirely believable, and there is the usual plethora of goofy characters. I’ve followed this series from the beginning and I was charmed to see the previously friendless Agatha now...more
Love, Lies and Liquor
Agatha Raisin Mystery Series Book Seventeen
By M.C. Beaton
Agatha Raisin decides to go on a holiday with her ex-husband but when he takes her to his favorite childhood retreat and finds the town has become dilapidated and crude they soon decide to venture elsewhere. Until a woman is found strangled on the beach by Agatha’s scarf and Agatha becomes determined to find out who killed this woman.
I have recently fallen in love with Cozy Mysteries, a subgenre of crime fiction where...more
Agatha Raisin Mystery Series Book Seventeen
By M.C. Beaton
Agatha Raisin decides to go on a holiday with her ex-husband but when he takes her to his favorite childhood retreat and finds the town has become dilapidated and crude they soon decide to venture elsewhere. Until a woman is found strangled on the beach by Agatha’s scarf and Agatha becomes determined to find out who killed this woman.
I have recently fallen in love with Cozy Mysteries, a subgenre of crime fiction where...more
Agatha Raisin is off on another murder investigation this one occurs while she goes on holiday with James to Brighton. These continue be easy read mysteries that are not gruesome. Agatha is still bossy and pushy but seems to have mellowed a little. She also has more friends than in the beginning of the series. Mrs. Bloxby, the wife of the minister always gets in a good line or two. Agatha isn't the greatest sleuth but she has dogged determination and eventually you know she will stumble upon the...more
A fun read, partly because Agatha is cranky and hard to get along with.
Cotswold detective Agatha Raisin lies to herself, hoping skimpy lingerie will suit her ex's surprise holiday. He lies to himself, remembering childhood heyday of Snoth-on-Sea as sunny, now a wreck in a cold windy storm. Aggie threatens obnoxious guest Geraldine, later found strangled in Aggie's lost scarf. Aggie can try drink, but needs all her friends when bodies pile up.
Cotswold detective Agatha Raisin lies to herself, hoping skimpy lingerie will suit her ex's surprise holiday. He lies to himself, remembering childhood heyday of Snoth-on-Sea as sunny, now a wreck in a cold windy storm. Aggie threatens obnoxious guest Geraldine, later found strangled in Aggie's lost scarf. Aggie can try drink, but needs all her friends when bodies pile up.
This book was just ok. I really enjoy the Hamish MacBeth series of Beaton's books so I thought I'd try Agatha Raisin and see if this series would be enjoyable too.
Beaton's crime-solving lead is portrayed as a weak, unlikable woman and I can't fathom why Beaton would choose to portray a female lead in such light. I prefer my heroines to be strong and confident rather than treated as a fool by men. The negative vibes written as asides in this book detracted too much for me to enjoy the "mystery"....more
Beaton's crime-solving lead is portrayed as a weak, unlikable woman and I can't fathom why Beaton would choose to portray a female lead in such light. I prefer my heroines to be strong and confident rather than treated as a fool by men. The negative vibes written as asides in this book detracted too much for me to enjoy the "mystery"....more
Agatha Raisin is at it again, finding herself tangled up in murder, when all she really wants is to sort out her complicated relationship with her once and future (?) husband, James Lacey. No big shockers here, except that I do enjoy Beaton's ability to let Agatha grow over the course of the series. The murder plot, as always, is neatly worked out,challenging , but not insoluble. And, surprisingly, Agatha's relationship with James Lacey is still unresolved by the end:)
Agatha is a female PI running her own agency, living next door to her ex whom she still pines for (James). Set in England. When he invites her on a get-away vacation she gladly accepts, only to find herself miserably trapped in the desolate remains of what was once a beautiful seaside resort. To make matters worse, Agatha becomes the prime murder suspect after cross words are exchanged in the dining room.
I didn't think this book was anything special, and I never really felt drawn in by the chara...more
I didn't think this book was anything special, and I never really felt drawn in by the chara...more
As the wife of a minister, Mrs. Bloxby is my hero. M.C. Beaton just doesn't get any better than this. Agatha Raisin finally seems to get past her unrealitic imaginings about her ex, James Lacey. But the story is broader, deeper, and so much fun.... with new characters and and some of the best humor prose ever, anywhere. Rivals J.K. Rowling's writings about the Weasley Twins' enchanted fireworks at Hogwartz.
Oct 26, 2009
Fluffychick
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
agatha-raisin-books,
books-read-in-2009
The further I get through the series, the less I'm enjoying them...maybe it's just that it's all too familiar. James is still a rat and Agatha is still blindingly stupid about him...Charles remains a complete flake and the murders always invovle some horrible person and a neat solution. I've stuck with them so far and only have one more to go, but maybe the series should have been wound up earlier?
This was different. From the title to a subdued Agatha, to the violence of the plat, this was a bit unlike the others. After being tired of Agatha, I find I miss her jauntiness. Also: there was a glitch in the story line (about cell phones) that I was surprised that it hasn't been fixed. Still too many typos, but an enjoyable, comforting read on my sick days.
I listened to this on a road trip with my mother, and neither of us were very big fans. The mystery was fairly shallow, none of the characters were very likable, and all in all, it just wasn't a great read. I also listened to the first in the series, and thought it was okay, so maybe this was just a bad one. But I think I've given up on Agatha Raisin.
A light and easy read, along the same lines as an Agatha Christie. The protagonist is quite a character, although you get the idea that she's not really a good detective. No Hercule Poirot, certainly, but an entertainer all the same.
But I don't know if I'd want to be her friend: like Jessica Fletcher, murderous things sort of happen in her company!
But I don't know if I'd want to be her friend: like Jessica Fletcher, murderous things sort of happen in her company!
This book in the Agatha Raisin detective series saw the return of the wayward James Lacey. Agatha juggles him, Sir Charles, Roy and her agency staff as she attempts to solve the murder of a pretty horrible person. With many attempts on her life and danger seemingly everywhere, this mystery puts Agatha's bravery to the test. As always, a short and entertaining read.
I think Beaton either wrote this one very quickly or had difficulty getting in finished. It needed a bit more editing -- clumsy sentences, problems with modifiers, etc. She normally writes zany stories that are lots of fun but this one had a bit of slapstick in it. At any rate, it was fun and I will read more of her books.
I enjoy reading the Agatha Raisin mysteries--I'm sure it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I have to agree with the review by "Patricia": "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..."
Agatha Raisin and Love, Lies and Liquor by M.C. Beaton
I love the Agatha Raisin series and this one is no exception. They're great easy reads with brilliant characters, especially the titular Agatha Raisin. The plots are excellent and I never normally work out who the culprit is.
I love the Agatha Raisin series and this one is no exception. They're great easy reads with brilliant characters, especially the titular Agatha Raisin. The plots are excellent and I never normally work out who the culprit is.
Dec 13, 2009
Pamelastebbins
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Heidi and Karen
Recommended to Pamelastebbins by:
Mom
The book is a light read which develops in a small quaint village in England. The main charactor is a private detective who solves cases more by bumbling in at the right time. Few days to read and I couldn't figure out the ending till the last few pages.
I have read other M. C. Beaton mysteries: Hamish Macbeth and really liked them. This was the first of the Agatha Raisin series I have read. It wasn't as good as the Hamish ones but I did want to read more so I am now reading the first of the Agatha series.
Feb 20, 2009
Lynne
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
cosy-curl-up-with-coffee-and-chocol
I love Agatha Raisin books! Totally addictive and fun to read - they always have the knack of making me laugh, and sometimes this is exactly what's needed. An Agatha Raisin book a cup of coffee and some chocolate...or maybe a glass of wine!
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Also writes as:
Marion Chesney (real name)
Jennie Tremaine
Sarah Chester
Helen Crampton
Ann Fairfax
Marion Gibbons
Charlotte Ward
M. C. Beaton has been hailed as "the new Queen of Crime." She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Agatha Raisin mysteries, which began with The Quiche of Death and also include As the Pig Turns and Busy Body, set in the English Cotswolds, as well as the Hamish M...more
More about M.C. Beaton...
Marion Chesney (real name)
Jennie Tremaine
Sarah Chester
Helen Crampton
Ann Fairfax
Marion Gibbons
Charlotte Ward
M. C. Beaton has been hailed as "the new Queen of Crime." She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Agatha Raisin mysteries, which began with The Quiche of Death and also include As the Pig Turns and Busy Body, set in the English Cotswolds, as well as the Hamish M...more
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“Ah, when love dies, women lose two and a half inches in height.”
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