Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley

This book really doesn’t need much introduction what haven’t I told you already about the author and there background?! Needless to say this is the fourth in the Agatha series published in 1995. For my reviews of previous instalments please check out the links below:

Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death
Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet
Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener

After this I still have seventeen more instalments of the feisty Agatha, and after all that I could also move on to Beaton’s other crime series following this time a sleuth by the name of Hamish Macbeth, so almost a lifetime supply of cosy crime.

Agatha Raisin a stylish, successful and independent fifty something woman has thrown in the cut throat business world to live her childhood dream of dwelling in a little stone cottage in the blissful Cotswold’s countryside. However the transition from PR manager of her own company in London to retirement in a country village is anything but blissful for our Agatha. After having no luck with gardening or love Agatha spends six months back in the big smog in her old role of PR but if the time working again teaches her anything it is how much she really does love her new village life. On her return Agatha does receive the welcome she has imagined from her dashing neighbour James Lacey, in fact he is rather distant. To try to win his attention back Agatha joins the rambling group that James is a member of. Meanwhile another walking group in Dembley are causing an uproar with the local landowners with their militant views of rights of way, especially their controlling leader Jessica, such a nuisance someone found her that they smacked her round the head with a shovel and buried her in one of her precious rights of way! Agatha sees this as the perfect way to relight her friendship with James, may be in even more as they pose as a couple to infiltrate the Dembley walkers.

Again another little slice of coziness! I spent a horribly cold afternoon curled up in an armchair with a cup of tea rested between my tummy and this book, and managed to finish it in time to pop the tee (dinner to southerners) on for my Dad’s arrival home from work. Perfect! But enough about that let’s actually get on to the book itself. I enjoyed the mood change that Agatha has gone through in between this book and the book before, you can tell straight away that she has hated being back at work and it was nice to see her coming back to little Carseley and it’s inhabitants, and for once she appreciated it all! Of course that doesn’t last for long and she is soon back to her usual grumbling ways but you love her a little bit more for it. The victim this time was unfortunately called Jessica (is it sad that I get excited when my name is in a book?!) and unlike me hopefully, this Jessica I found to be an absolutely vile person. So in turn I was not at all upset when she popped her clogs, then again nor was anyone in the book either which meant that the suspect list for Agatha was the longest yet! This was the best so far for the simple fact that there were so many suspects that it took most of the book discussing them all and then the true killer was dramatically revealed right at the end!

So again I highly recommend this book whether you’re an Agatha virgin or if you are stalwart fan. Agatha Raisin is even better this time of year, especially if you have been snowed in like I have, I think she might be the best hibernation book. However for me no more Agatha till the new year now!

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