Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham [Mass Market Paperback]

"She was a stocky middle-aged woman with good legs, a round face and small bearlike eyes which looked suspiciously out at the world. Her hair had always been her pride, thick and brown and glossy."

That description, which could also fit Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie, tells us almost everything we need to know about Agatha Raisin, M.C. Beaton's smartly updated Miss Marple, who does most of her amateur sleuthing amidst the glowing stone villages of England's Cotswold district. Cozy without being the least bit cute, Beaton's books about this tough little Raisin cookie are well-made and smoothly oiled entertainment machines, working unexpected changes on familiar turf.

It is indeed her prideful hair that leads Agatha onto the trail of murder in her eighth adventure, when a charming hairdresser called Mr. John repairs her disastrous home dye job, then makes what appear to be romantic overtures. Love will not blossom here though, as some time later Mr. John is discovered dead in his chair, the victim of a Christie-like rare poison. Was the hairdresser also a collector of dirty secrets? Or was his killer just having a bad hair day? Trust Agatha and Beaton to solve it all in style, complaining all the way of course.

Previous Agatha Raisin outings include Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death, Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death, Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage, and Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener. --Dick Adler --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

It doesn't take long for Agatha Raisin, the touchy heroine of the series of catty English cozies by the prolific Beaton (see Death of an Addict, above), to turn a bad hair day into a mini-crime wave. In an attempt to get rid of the gray, Agatha accidentally colors her hair purple. Soon she finds herself in the capable hands of Mr. John, a hairdresser with a devoted following in nearby Evesham. Tinting and styling aren't his only tricksAwith his deep blue eyes and sympathetic nature, he coaxes all sorts of confidences out of his clients. Even the tough Agatha half falls under his spell, although she has an excuse since she's heartsick over neighbor James Lacey, who's left her alone while he goes on holiday. But when several of Agatha's neighbors appear terrified of Mr. John, her fellow amateur sleuth Sir Charles suggestsAalmost hopefully, in his summer doldrumsAthat the hairdresser might be a blackmailer. Agatha agrees to set herself up to catch Mr. John in the act, but the suspect dies of poisoning before he can take the bait. Fearing she might be on a killer's shortlist herself, Agatha sets out to find the murderer. Beaton masterfully describes the annoyances and ego deflations suffered by the middle-aged Agatha, as well as the summertime blues caused by unusually hot weather. But the plot, which itself seems to suffer from heat exhaustion, isn't terribly plausible, and could have used a dose of the wide-eyed Detective Sergeant Bill Wong, who barely shows up here. Agatha's fans will take her any way they can get her, but they won't leave this one feeling fully satisfied.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

While her neighbor and sometime love interest James Lacey gallivants on the continent, Agatha (Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist, LJ 9/1/97) grows bored in the English village of Carsely. After witnessing the fearful reactions of several women to her choice of a talented and charismatic new hairdresser in nearby Evesham, she's ready to attach some nefarious plot to the man. With the help of friend Sir Charles, she begins nosing about, purposely leaving herself open to possible blackmail and economic exploitation. Her plans backfire when someone kills the hairdresser and torches his home. Another delightful cozy featuring Cotswolds surroundings, a bit of history, and buoyant characters, this will fit well in any collection.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Agatha Raisin, the author's self-absorbed heroine, gets trouble from all sides this time out (Agatha Raisin and The Wellspring of Death, 1998, etc.). Living now in the village of Carsely after retirement from a p.r. career in London, Agatha finds her love life in shreds. James Lacey, her neighbor and onetime suitor, has left town without a goodbye. Detective Bill Wong, her friend and sometime fellow sleuth, is on holiday and hasn't bothered to call. Even the off/on interest of Sir Charles Fraith is casual and tepid. On top of all this, Agatha discovers gray in her hair. So its off to Evesham and the salon of Mr. John, called a wizard by his customers, although some of them seem almost afraid of him. Agatha is the willing target of Mr. John's blue-eyed charisma, to the point of discussing a possible partnership with him. Then one day in his salon Mr. John collapses and diesof an exotic poison, as it turns out. Agatha grabs the chance to steal his keys and search his house, looking for clues, and barely escapes with her life when the place goes up in flames. Now Charles joins Agatha in a round of nosy interviews with Mr. John's customers, one of whom becomes a second murder victim. Agatha finally pinpoints the killer, but Sir Charles gets the credita final cruel blow. Agatha grows ever more charmless, and Beatons plotting ever more absurd. Perhaps this heroine would benefit from a long, very long vacation. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.