The Dead Ringer: An Agatha Raisin Mystery

This 29th entry in the series feels like it was written for the TV show it spawned. Beaton's expertly conceived Agatha Raisin is an unusual detective. A London PR agent retired to the Cotswold village of Thirk Magna, she's jealous of almost everyone. She also once purchased her entry into the local baking contest and repeatedly turns her "bear-like little eyes" on eligible bachelors. As people in the villages keep dying, Agatha bumbles her way to a solution of each murder. The story line here is jam-packed, featuring four quick engagements, one wedding, one divorce along with three murders, and one close escape. The author also dallies with Agatha's romances as well as a series of murders in the village. And while the mystery is engaging and the love interest facile, the humor is less evident than in previous books.