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Agatha Raisin and the Dead Ringer

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Agatha Raisin and the Dead Ringer

By: M.C. Beaton
Narrated by: Penelope Keith
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'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 latest Agatha Raisin mystery from bestselling author M. C. Beaton

The team of bells at St. Ethelred church is the pride and glory of the idyllic Cotswolds village of Thirk Magna, together with the most dedicated bell ringers in the whole of England: the twins Mavis and Millicent Dupin.

As the village gets ready for the Bishop's visit, the twins get overly-excited at the prospect of ringing the special peal of bells created for the occasion and start bullying the other bell ringers, forcing them to rehearse and rehearse . . . so much so that Joseph Kennell, a retired lawyer, yells at the sisters that he 'felt like killing them'!

When the twins' home is broken into one night and Millicent is found dead, struck from a hammer blow, suspicion falls onto the lawyer.

Will Agatha unmask the real killer and clear Joseph's name?

*

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 have reached cult status' The Times

'Irresistible, unputdownable, a joy' Anne Robinson

'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

'I've read all the Agatha Raisin series. There are plenty of twists and turns in a short read that means you're always on your toes. If you're like me, you'll have deep affection for Agatha' Woman's Way©2018 M.C. Beaton Cosy Detective Mystery Private Investigators Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Fiction Amish Suspense
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Critic reviews

The detective novels of M C Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status
A Beaton novel is like The Archers on speed
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
All stars
Most relevant
I usually love the AR series but found this story a bit irritating with a focus on soppy story lines and losing the murder plot in the tangles. Ok but not one of the best.

Bit muddled

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Another classic by M C Beaton, the ups and downs of Agatha Raisin and her life as a detective in the Cotswolds, murder, dispersing women, love and a few laughs along the way.

Agatha Raisin and the Dead Ringer

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I've waited in anticipation for this the latest in the Agatha Raisin mysteries... but I'm disappointed. The tone of M.C.'s writing and the tone of Penelope Kieth's narration have changed in this lastest adventure. And not for the better. There's more vitriol from the characters than ever: and gone are the glimpses of Agatha's nature which makes us soften our attitude to her overtly brittle personality. The voice characterisations of Mrs. Bloxby the vicars wife: in some novels called 'Sarah' and in others appears to be called 'Margaret: and of Sir Charles Fraith, Roy Silver and Agatha herself don't match those of the previous dramatisations. They're off kilter. Because of M.C. Beaton's seniority Agatha might soon be permenantly retired, therefore I'm hoping that with repeated listenings I'll get to like this title more than I do after the first listen.

Ringing the changes

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Always a twist in the story keeps you interested the main characters have been developed since the first books

Very familiar but very entertaining

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Having read and/or listened to the 28 previous adventures of Agatha Raisin, I found this story to be quite a disappointment. As other reviewers have commented, this storyline seemed to jump all over the place & was sillier than usual - Agatha’s “affair with Terry” only seemed to be one evening with him but she was ‘really in love for the first time’; her rushing off to Thailand & Bulgaria. Even Penelope Keith’s usually excellent narrating couldn’t quite save this story.

I hope the final 2 books in the Agatha Raisin series are an improvement.

Rather disappointed - Spoilers

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