Mark Pghfan’s Comments (group member since Mar 06, 2014)

Mark Pghfan’s comments from the The Parlor PI's group.

I think the first is The killings at Badger's Drift.

I am moving along nicely as well. It is a good read!

Well, they certainly are different now, with a new cast.

I'll check out the Kindle sale item.

NicoleG: glad to have you with us. I will start part 2 (of 3) on Saturday. Catch up when you can. I am still in the midst of part 2.

I am a huge fan of Midsomer as well. The good news is that there are over 100 episodes already, and still making them!

Tina, I was pretty sure you were all over the Agatha series. Thanks for your perspective! I wish I have TV access to some of the series episodes. I need to re-evaluate my TV options--I think I'm missing out on a lot of interesting things!

I think the relationship between Paul and Agatha. He seems to match her, head to head!

Unrelated to the book, I've not seen any of the Agatha Raisin TV episodes, but I know some of you have. From the photos of it, Agatha seems much younger than she seems in the book. Any thoughts on that? Is the Agatha of the series that much like the books?

I am only to this first section as well. Other than the children, I don't see a lot of motive elsewhere. People hated her, but not to the point of death, I wouldn't think. But then it is early days in the story!

The curmudgeonly and apparently endearing Agatha Raisin is bored in her country home, surrounded by rain and foot-and-mouth disease. Her ex, James, has moved away and there is an "interesting" man now living there, Paul Chatterton. The enigmatic Paul invites Agatha to go with him to investigate the report of a haunted house nearby. It is hard to tell with Agatha what she is thinking, alternately interested in Paul and then again, not. He, too is interesting. Possibly married and possibly not.

Anyway, the haunted house is owned by a decidedly unpleasant woman, Mrs. Witherspoon, who, though 92, is pretty formidable. The first attempt at investigation does not go well, but Agatha and Paul do not give up.

Meanwhile, all the women in the village, who have been trying to catch the eye (and perhaps other parts) of Paul, unsuccessfully, are upset with Agatha, who seems to have cornered the market on him.

I've only read one previous Agatha Raisin book and that was in this group, before the Nicoles were involved. Though I'm enjoying the book, I really don't know if I am getting how Ms. Raisin is at all endearing!

Congrats! I got ductless A/C last year (the house has radiators, so that is my best option) and LOVE it!

It looks like Agatha Raisin is the choice. Let's look to start June 1st, Saturday. Chapter one through four looks like a third of the way through, so that will be our first section. Then five through eight, and finally nine to the end.

While I really like this book, I thought the bone-in-throat thing was a little far-fetched and quite unlikely to have worked.

If we choose the Agatha Raisin, I will offer to host the discussion.

I'm lucky that we have a large library system and I can request any book from any of them on-line, and have it delivered to my local library, which is literally about 2 blocks from my house!

I agree that Emma was smart enough to wonder about the doctor after two of her brothers were killed!

I agree this would will be difficult, with so many choices each time. My number one vote would be for the Agatha Raisin, Haunted House. However, if something else is chosen and it is available from the library, I would be OK with that.

Lovesmysteries: I'm not sure about the further murders, but my guess is that he probably would try, given the success he has had so far. The rational thought that he would be suspected at that point might not make him stop. (On the other hand, I wonder what Emma would have thought!)

My guess is that perhaps they were simply trying to heighten the action toward the end of the book. I see that a lot in these sorts of books--you have to put the detective in danger at the end. I can't say I particularly like this sort of thing.

I'm not sure this is a sufficient reason, but I think Quimper must have thought that Luther is likely to die naturally soon enough, and it is not worth it to him to muddy the waters by trying to kill him, given that fact.

Yep, just a little push...