Agatha Raisin And The Potted Gardener (Agatha Raisin Mysteries, No. 3)

Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener (Agatha Raisin Mysteries, No. 3)

From BooklistThat intrepid British sleuth-by-default Agatha Raisin returns in a third adventure that's even more cozy, charming, and witty than her previous two. With a name like Agatha Raisin and a tendency toward pugnacious pudginess, Agatha may not seem a likely sort of detective, but when a crime is committed in her adopted village of Carseley, she's first on the scene. Mary Fortune, an attractive divorce newly arrived in Carseley, has raised local eyebrows with her on-again, off-again friendliness, nasty remarks, sharp tongue, and--worst of all--her very public affair with the love of Agatha's life, James Lacey. When several local gardens are destroyed, the villagers believe Mary is involved--until she's found murdered in a particularly nasty manner. The local coppers move too slowly for Agatha's taste, so she dons her detective hat and, through a combination of tenaciousness and curiosity, discovers the identity of the killer. Beaton captures perfectly the tenor of life in a quiet, quaint English village; the Miss Marple-like Raisin is a refreshingly sensible, wonderfully eccentric, thoroughly likable heroine; and the latest Raisin escapade is lively, funny, and entertaining. A must for cozy fans. Emily MeltonTo impress her neighbor, James Lacey, Agatha Raisin takes up gardening and plans to enter the prestigious Carsely Horticultural Contest, but the competition is soon threatened by sabotage and murder.From Publishers WeeklyStocky, middle-aged Agatha Raisin returns from a long vacation abroad to find the other residents of her Cotswolds village dazzled by a beautiful newcomer. The divorced Mary Fortune has particularly captivated Agatha's neighbor and love interest, James Lacey, sharing, it seems, his passion for gardening. Not to be outdone, Agatha takes up a trowel and, in her determined fashion, wastes no time in buying seedlings while digging for information about Mary. Against Mary's advice, Agatha plants too early; a late frost leaves her with no prospects for the upcoming garden show. A former associate in her London PR firm, desperate to have her back, promises to have her garden secretly replanted if she'll agree to return to work for six months in the fall. As the time for the garden show approaches, malicious pranks wreck the gardens of neighbors who have had run-ins with Mary. Then Agatha finds the newcomer strung up by her heels, her head "planted" in a large pot, and she and James are plunged into another murder investigation. Beaton's dry sense of humor and her unflattering but affectionate portrait of gruff, often adolescent-acting Agatha, make this third tale, following Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet , a bloom worth plucking.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.From Library JournalAgatha (Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet, LJ 7/93) returns to quiet Carsely after a lengthy tour to find that a newcomer has supplanted her in the affections of James Lacey, her sleuthing partner and next-door neighbor. This newcomer, a very attractive woman of means, has wriggled her way into the good graces of the villagers. But an upcoming gardening competition reveals hidden animosities and leads to the woman's murder. A simple plot embellished with horticultural manipulations provides the perfect background for the lovelorn Agatha and her unique brand of humor. For series fans and others.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.From Kirkus ReviewsBeaton, author of the Hamish MacBeth stories, offers another anemic adventure for second-string sleuth Agatha Raisin. Agatha, a retired PR whiz, has opted to live in the tiny Cotswold village of Carsely. Returning to her cats and cottage after some extensive (and lonely) travel, she finds most of the villagers, including her eligible neighbor, James Lacey, enthralled with newcomer Mary Fortune--a beautiful blonde divorce who's also a super organizer, gardener, and cook. Agatha, besieged by her massive insecurities, arran