Book Review: Busy Body by M. C. Beaton (2010)
Synopsis: No longer obsessed with James Lacey and determined to end another obsession, Agatha Raisin goes on vacation to avoid Christmas. The vacation is a disaster and when she returns early, she learns Health and Safety Board member John Saturday has done the job for her by banning Christmas decorations, among other things, for safety concerns.
When Saturday is murdered outside a church meeting in nearby Odley Cruesis, there are many suspects. However, the police make the wealthy widow Miriam Courtney their primary person of interest and she, in turn, hires Agatha's detective agency to clear her name. Things become even more complicated when Agatha's employer is also murdered and one of her closest friends is attacked and hospitalized.
Review: I was unimpressed with the last Agatha Raisin mystery I read but have reached a point where I'm too far into the series to just give up on it because I didn't enjoy one book. So, I ended up checking out Busy Body from my library and gave it a try.
As it turns out, it renewed my interest in the series.
The mystery in this book is a solid one. The motive behind Saturday's death is an obvious one and, since he angered so many people in multiple communities, the list of suspects was practically endless and even included people Agatha had known for years. In fact, between the motive and the way nobody seemed all that interested in figuring out who did kill him, even going as far as throwing stuff at Agatha and her other detectives, I was beginning to wonder if the book would have a Murder on the Orient Express-like twist.
Miriam's death only added to that because while it seemed related to Saturday's death at first, the clues Agatha finds bring that into question and, in turn, raise questions about why she was killed.
There was also an underlying element of danger throughout, which also added to the mystery. Agatha was still coping with the sudden death of one of her detectives and the brutal beating that left one of her friends near death and every turn seemed to put either her or someone else she cared about in harm's way. The hostility the people in Odley Cruesis had toward them as outsiders really made me wonder if Toni or someone else would wind up dead by the time they were done.
Another thing I loved about this book was how it was Agatha finding the clues that advanced the case rather than Toni or another of her detectives. It was good seeing her get some of her groove back rather than obsessing over Toni's younger age or how old she was getting. Maybe it was the decision to finally get hip surgery that did it.
The possibly budding romance between her and Sir Charles Fraith is also becoming more interesting than I expected. Their friendship which, at times has been friends with benefits, has always been entertaining, especially in contrast to her failed relationship with James Lacey. It's also kind of a fun reversal of things, with him becoming obsessed with her despite many people telling him a romantic relationship would be a bad idea. I am admittedly curious what will happen with that.
Final Opinion: It is a solid and entertaining mystery that allowed Agatha to remind readers of the intuitive talents that led to her becoming a detective in the first place. I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it.
My Grade: A
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Here are some reviews of other Agatha Raisin mysteries:
Book Review: Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden by M. C. Beaton (1999)
Book Review: Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House by M. C. Beaton (2003)
Book Review: Kissing Christmas Goodbye by M. C. Beaton (2007)
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