Kissing Christmas Goodbye (Agatha Raisin 18)

Author/Guide: M.C. Beaton

Why a Booktrail?

Christmas in the Cotswolds may sound nice but Agatha Raisin is not going to have a merry time!

ISBN: 978-1849011518
Genre: Crime, Humour, Mystery

Comment

What you need to know before your trail

Agatha Raisin has always wanted a nice Christmas in her Cotswold home with friends. She grew up in a Birmingham slum and her childhood was certainly not like something from a book so she wants to try and recreate that. Something to get her ex – James Lacey back perhaps. Her detective agency in the village is thriving but she craves a more exciting case. Well, when a widow writes to her claiming that someone in her family wants her dead, and then days later she is found dead…..Agatha should be careful what she wishes for…

Locations

Reset

Travel Guide

It may be the Cotswolds but the setting is not really Christmassy. However the preparation for Agatha’s meal and her Christmas dream weaves through as the murder of the lady of the manor takes centre stage.

This mystery surrounds a village Christmas with a murder at the manor house which is located in the fictional village of Lower Tapor. Could be modelled on lower Slaughter as the characters often travel to Upper Tapor as well investigating the mysteries which is jut nearby. Mircester is also sadly fictional.

Driving along the old Evesham road becomes second nature to Agatha and her new recruit Toni. Toni is also a force to be reckoned with and is soon on the case. This is a mystery amongst family and so Agatha discusses much of the case in a ‘family’ pub setting – the Bear in Moreton in Marsh is one such pub.

Agatha takes Toni under her wing and leads her around the Cotswolds and even to Stoke in the search for the truth but it’s not long before Agatha starts to feel her age and wonders if she, like her Christmas will be out in the cold.

Booktrailer Review

Susan

Ah these books are just delightful in so many ways and this was no exception. No so much Christmas setting as a story which could take place at any time of year. Having said that a lot is to do with Agatha’s need to have the perfect Christmas and to prepare for a great dinner with friends.

Toni was a great character in this book. If you are looking for a job, then you should read what Toni does and says to get hers. If that works in the real world how good would that be! Agatha is very human and quite vulnerable – feeling the disappointment of having the perfect Christmas, trying to get her man back and trying to fight the feeling of old age compared to new, young Toni. these characters complement each other so well and I hope it’s the start of a duo with a difference!

The mystery of the hemlock/cowbane was interesting. Not your usual way of dying! But a real countryside mystery with a twist!