'A potent cocktail of satire, mystery and adventure that will
leave you wanting more.'

Can the feisty Agatha cut it as a private investigator? She soon learns that running her own detective agency in the Cotswolds is not quite like starring in a Raymond Chandler movie. But then walks in wealthy divorcee Catherine Laggat-Brown, and Agatha is given her first real case. Death threats, blackmail and physical attack soon follow, and once again Agatha is off scouring the Cotswolds for clues and showing friends and enemies alike what Raisin Investigations can do!

2007-09-25 Agatha Opens a Detective Agency

Deadly Dance marks a great improvement in the Agatha Raisin series as she opens a detective agency in Mircester. Now, Agatha can be involved in more cases, increase the number of continuing characters in her investigations, and overcome the focus on finding an attractive man that dominated so many earlier books in the series. The main flaw in this book is that Agatha is very grumpy as the book opens, and it's not until she gets over her anger that the story becomes fully appealing. So stick with it, and you'll be well rewarded by this virtual satire of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

Agatha decides to go to Paris alone, but her good time is spoiled when a thief on the Metro snatches her money. The French police are even more annoying when they condescend to her when she claims to be an amateur detective. Agatha returns to set up her detective agency. Her first hire turns out well when new next-door neighbor, sixty-seven-year-old Emma Comfrey, turns out to be a whiz at finding cats, getting clients to pay premium prices, and asking the right questions. Agatha is most excited, however, when Sir Charles Fraith sends a friend, Mrs. Laggat-Brown, along whose daughter, Cassandra, has received a death threat related to her forthcoming marriage to Jason Peterson, whose father has a shady past. Accompanied by Emma, the two attend Cassandra's engagement party where Agatha as usual makes a big splash.

Puzzled by who is after Cassandra, Agatha soon beefs up the detective agency with her friend, Miss Simms, a retired police officer, and various freelancers who can help track and photograph cheating spouses. Sir Charles eventually shows up and wants to join the action, as does her friend Roy Silver.

Before the book ends, you'll read about as many crimes as normally occur in three Agatha Raisin stories . . . and you'll enjoy every minute of it.

But with Agatha so busy solving cases, who will take care of her cats? And will she have time for her old friends?

I especially enjoyed this reading of the book by Donada Peters who has done well with the whole Agatha Raisin series.