Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death

Did anyone else watch Hamish Macbeth in the old days of the late 1990s? If you did, you may or may not know that the author of the books that series was based on is M.C. Beaton (I wonder what those initials stand for?) Anyway, I have just discovered a series of books she has written - 18 in total according to the inside of my book cover - about a public relations star, Agatha Raisin, who has taken early retirement and moved into a picture -perfect Cotswold village.

To improve her standing with the locals (who don't like newcomers) she decides to enter a local quiche baking competition. Only thing is, she doesn't know how to bake and so purchases her quiche at her favourite London deli. When she doesn't win, being a mite competitive our Agatha, she goes off in a strop leaving her quiche behind. That evening one of the competition's judges dies after eating her leftover quiche - it is revealed as a poisoning. Agatha becomes a murder suspect and must confess the quiche's source to the village. Then, to clear her name she sets out to find the real murderer, becoming a much improved individual along the way.

Mistress of the Art of Death

I had read about the Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin on a book blog. I read quite a few in my down time at work and I don’t know which one this was on. Anyway, I saw it for $7 at QBD books and decided to give it a go.

Mistress of the Art of Death is set in medieval Cambridge. Several Christian children have been killed and the Jews of the city are being blamed. The King recruits a doctor who specialises in dead people from the School of Medicine in Salerno (relying on a favour from his friend, the King of Sicily). She (in the 12th century?) travels to the city and slowly deduces that (WARNING-possible spoiler) the killer must have been a crusader - and hence solves the mystery. I have mixed feelings about this book. The plot was interesting but it was too bloody in its descriptions for my liking. I like ‘clean murders’ where the emphasis is on the mystery rather than the death.

Agatha Christie

I have read two Agatha Christie's in the last few weeks, in addition to listening to several on CD. My Mum introduced me to the CD versions, when I went back to Perth a couple of weeks ago, and I must say that she has got me hooked!

The two I have read are The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and The Clocks. I preferred the former, though both were fun. I don't think there is much point posting on the actual plots as I imagine most people would have a fair idea of what the stories are about. Still, I should point out that both are Hercule Poirot stories, I have yet to read any Miss Marple's - though I have seen them on TV.

I end this post with a query - am I particularly dense because I can never pick who the murderer is? I have been told that it is very easy to work out the culprits in Agatha Christie novels, but I never even have an inkling. The end of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd particularly flawed me. Any comments?

Oh, and a disclaimer about the pictures above - these are not what my copies look like; I just liked the covers!

Past Caring

Wow, it is close to a month since I last posted! I have been slack. I have read quite a few books in that time so I have a fair number of posts to do this weekend. As my husband is off doing military stuff this week I have no excuse for not spending little time on my laptop updating this blog!

I read Robert Goddard’s Past Caring as part of the Cosy September Mystery Challenge. I really enjoyed this, though I struggled with the size of the print. Vast chunks of the novel are the journal entries of an early 20th century politician (Strafford) and are in italicised font - I had to find really good light to be able to read at my usual speed!

The plot is interesting, with lots of references to the politics of the Edwardian period. Churchill, Asquith and Lloyd George all make an appearance. There are two main characters in the novel; Martin – a disgraced former history teacher, and Strafford – the politician. Martin is charged with investigating why Edwin Strafford’s unexpectedly resigned from politics at the height of his career. And, why his fiancée, the young suffragette Elizabeth Couchman, broke off their engagement. Edwin himself certainly never knew. The circumstances of the past prove to be so explosive that investigating them puts Martin’s own life (in the 1970s) in danger.

I don’t want to give anything away so I shan’t say much more, but I think anyone who has an interest in history and likes a mystery/suspense novel would enjoy this.