Agatha is back in the Cotswolds (with frequent sorties to London) for this story, but as ever village life hasn’t stood still, and there are new characters to meet as well as murders to solve. As ever, Agatha herself continues to delight and be a satirical but convincing character, and James is now truly out of the picture. This is a good thing, as he almost outstayed his welcome, and the fact that new people move in and others move out of Carsely only makes it seem more realistic. This is an amusing and teasing mélange of mystery, satire and village life as Agatha organizes a duck race, entertains Bill’s latest girlfriend and tries to get a man. The fact that she fails to see her true strengths and constantly falls prey to her weaknesses (particularly in the shape of unsuitable men), adds to the appeal of these books. They aren’t chicklit (or I wouldn’t be reading them), but with their witty observations on love, marriage, age and sexuality, they might well have a wider appeal than just mystery fans. May this series continue to change and grow with each book - I can’t wait to see what happens next!