The Vicious Vet

They were excellent. I was very pleased.

This is the second in the Agatha Raisin series and my personal favorite so far. In the Quiche of Death we met Raisin and followed her around the Cotswold's as she moved into her new home in the country. We immediately are confronted with a haggy old dame who has retired and now plans on wrecking havoc on her poor neighbors. What makes 'Vicious Vet' work on an even grander scale than 'Quiche of Death' is Beaton's willingness to further expand upon the characters and Raisins interactions with them. This is not at all a mystery. One does take place in these pages, but it is very much secondary to the town folk. So even though Beaton references Marples in every book, this is not an engrossing mystery online with Agatha Christies work. Instead I would recommend that you think of this as a romp on par with Wallace and Grommit. If you are looking for something similar to this, I would recommend that you pick up the Kate Shugak novel 'Break Up,' by Dana Stabenow. Another good author that slightly reminds me of Beaton is Connie Willis, and I would recommend her work, 'To Say Nothing of the Dog.'

I'm so happy that I discovered this series! This second book in the series is just as enjoyable as the first. Agatha Raisin is such a wonderful character in her own right, but in this book we are introduced to her neighbour James Lacey, and the book becomes twice as much fun. It has been a long time since I have laughed out loud while reading a book, but this book made me do just that! I will only say that the part where Agatha visits a washroom in a neighbouring village's pub is absolutely hilarious. Also, in this book we see Agatha adopt a second cat - so that in itself is enough to keep my interest. I can't wait to read number three.

In the first book about Agatha, AR and the Quiche of Death, Agatha was struggeling to find her place in the countryside village she moved to when leaving London. AR and the Vicious Vet is the second book about the colorful woman detective Agatha Raisin. Still not quite sure if the countryside is her cup of tea she feels more settled now, one of the reasons for that is her fliration with her distinguished neighbour, James Lacey. As always she is overdoing, and frightens her poor neighbour again and again. In this book the village has got a new vet, a handsome man in his fourties, and apparently he is living by his own. All the women suddenly are in need for a vet for their cats, and of course Agatha is among them. She is thrilled when the vet asks her out for dinner, and Mr. James Lacey is more confused than ever when Agatha starts passing his house without paying attension. Agatha has her date with Dr. Paul Bladen, but the next day the poor vet dies under suspicious circumstances. At least suspicious for Agatha - and to her great pleasure to Mr. James Lacey as well. Agatha throws herself in a whirlwind of happenings, and she lets us readers take part in them all. This book has been just as big a pleasue to read as the first one, and I know as soon Agatha starts making her cottage garden I will follow her out into my garden to make it just as beautiful as the one her good friend Bill Wong in the village police has.

It is hard to think a mystery would be enjoyable but the Agatha Raisin books I have read are. They don't scare you to death but they are fun to follow and see how they come out. Agatha is a funny, funny woman. The local Vet dies, is it an accident or murder? The police say accident but Agatha and her neighbor, James Lacey, think it is murder. They start asking questions and find the Vet. has gotten money from several different women, all of whom he promised to build a new clinic and name it after them. Could the murderer be, Mrs. Parr, Mrs. Mason, Freda, Miss Webster, Miss Simms or someone else??? The ending is very good as Agatha ends up in trouble. A nice easy, quick read.