Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Agatha Raisin and The Fairies of Fryfam
Agatha Raison series #10

by M C Beaton



      In her last adventure Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden (also reviewed on this site) the witch fortold her fortune lay in Norfolk, so that is where she is bound for her tenth case. Unfortunately, it is perhaps not the best plan to hole up for the winter in a tiny village in a part of England not noted for its mild winters. It soon appears Fryfam is a rather odd place, where the local pub’s evening drinkers are exclusively male, the local squire made his pile in bathroom fittings and eerie lights dance around the gardens at night, followed by burglaries. When the "squire" is murdered, it is up to Agatha and Sir Charles Fraith to discover whodunit before the police arrest them as serial killers.

Ten books and still going strong, relocating the action to different places is a fine idea to keep the series fresh and interesting. Isolated villages with strange inhabitants are the satirical subjects this time, and this is a cheerful addition to the classic English cozy complete with quilters group and daft local constable. The plot is the most important thing in this type of fiction, and there is an entertaining one to enjoy along with the usual quota of laughs and of course the inimitable Agatha herself, one of my favorite (and most original) sleuths. All writers of overlong repetitive books ought to be made to read these stories... just long enough to satisfy, but leave the reader wanting more. Great stuff.

The Book

Constable (Constable & Robinson)
29 June 2006
Paperback
ISBN-13: 9781845293574
ISBN-10: 1845293576
Contemporary Crime - Norfolk, UK
More at Amazon.com US || UK
Excerpt
NOTE:

The Reviewer

Rachel A Hyde
Reviewed 2006
NOTE:
© 2006 MyShelf.com