3.5 stars

In this 33rd book in the 'Agatha Raisin' series, the private detective investigates cases involving murder, theft, and drug dealing. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Private detective Agatha Raisin - a fiftyish Englishwoman with small bear-like eyes and shiny brown hair - lives in Carsley, a pretty village in the Cotswolds. To prepare for the wedding of her friends, Detective Sergeant Bill Wong and Detective Constable Alice Peters, Agatha slims down to bikini size.....and even looks good nude. This is fortuitous because Agatha gets involved with a homicide in a nudist colony.

It happens like this: Agatha and her assistant Toni Gilmour are driving to the Wong-Peters nuptials. when they're stopped by an agitated nude man running down the road. The naked fellow, named Edward Carstairs, explains he belongs to a Naturist Society (nudist colony) and says he's found a dead body on an ancient stone called the Lone Warrior. Agatha and Toni accompany Edward to the Lone Warrior, but the corpse is gone.

Agatha's nemesis, Detective Chief Inspector Wilkes, dismisses the incident as a pratical joke and refuses to make inquiries. Agatha vehemently disagrees, but goes on to Bill and Alice's wedding. A few days later Agatha is proven right when a murdered man is discovered in a nearby lake. Agatha believes the prime suspects belong to the Naturist Society, and both Toni and Agatha go nude to investigate. 🙂

Meanwhile, Agatha's detective agency takes on two more cases: The owner of Watermill Brewery believes someone is stealing property from his company and Agatha's employee Simon goes undercover to check it out. And the headmistress of Martinbrook Sixth Form College discovers drug dealing at the school, and a youthful private detective poses as a student to track down the culprit.

Meanwhile Agatha - who's always looking for a man - has a busy romantic life. The detective is toying with idea of reconciling with her ex-husband (and next-door neighbor) James Lacey; Agatha is trying to be 'just friends' with her former lover, Sir Charles Fraith, but Charles has other ideas; Agatha is drawn to Jasper Crane, the chairman of the Naturist Society; Agatha has dinner with handsome Giovanni, who's producing an opera for the church; and Agatha goes out with Inspector John Glass, who's helping her investigate the homicide.

As usual for this series, the story is infused with elements of humor and danger. The book also has interesting tidbits about British legends - involving witches, knights, and the Devil - that are associated with ancient stones, and describes the libretto for the opera 'Cavalleria Rusticana,' a tragedy about infidelity and love gone wrong.

I enjoyed the book, written by R.W. Green, who continued the series after the death of his friend M.C. Beaton. In my opnion Green does a good job capturing Beaton's voice as well as the essence of the characters.

Thanks to Netgalley, M.C. Beaton and R.W. Green, and Minotaur Books for a copy of the manuscript.

Detective Agatha Raisin and her assistant are driving through the beautiful Cotswold countryside when they are confronted with an unusual sight–a young man running frantically towards them, completely naked! When they stop to see what’s going on, he tells them a tale of a dead body, but when they follow him, the body has disappeared. It surfaces a few days later in a nearby lake, and proves to be that of the owner of a local ice cream empire.

Investigating soon gets sticky. First of all, there’s the naturalist group, with a side of occult practices. Then there’s the ice cream shop headed by the new widow, suspiciously carefree. Meanwhile, Agatha has her team investigating drug deals in the local high school and potential thefts at a local business to boot. Do any of these tie in to the murder? To complicate matters is Agatha’s personal life, complete with loves both new and old. The closer she gets to solving the case, the more in danger she finds herself. Someone is determined to make her pay for her investigation with her life!

Author MC Beaton created the character of Agatha Raisin and wrote many of the books in the series. Since her death, the series has continued under the pen of her friend RW Green. Devil’s Delight was my introduction to Agatha Raisin, so I can’t say how it compares to the other books. However, while I did enjoy it and will recommend it, there were things about the book that bothered me, although it’s hard to articulate why. It’s the same feeling I get reading the talented Sophie Hannah’s attempts to recreate Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, so I’m inclined to give this feeling weight although I freely admit it’s possible I’m being unfair. In the meantime, if you’re in the mood for the adventures of a free-spirited woman enjoying life and pursuing murderers from a thatch-eaved cottage in a charming English village, you’ll love this book!

Toni and Agatha are in for a wild ride in "Devil's Delight" by M.C. Beaton and R.W. Green. The two amateur sleuths are on their way to a wedding when they are suddenly confronted by a naked young man who has just stumbled upon a dead body in the woods. Little do they know, this is only the beginning of a thrilling adventure filled with twists and turns.

The Mircester Naturist Club is the setting for this mystery and the diverse group of club members only adds to the intrigue. From artisanal ice cream to ancient curses, this group has it all and Toni and Agatha are determined to uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearances.

Get ready for a devilishly delightful read with "Devil's Delight". M.C. Beaton and R.W. Green have expertly crafted a thrilling mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. So sit back, relax, and let the mystery unfold.

This was my first Agatha mystery and I found that one can read this without knowing the character’s back stories. The multiple mystery cases were easy to figure out and I enjoyed the setting and the characters. A number of laughs in this story. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series. 3.5 stars

I've read all of the Agatha Raisin books and I hate to admit that I was just a bit disappointed in this one. It still has all of the characters but some of Agatha's spark seemed a bit missing. Although the book was well-written, the mystery itself was not one of my favorites.

Agatha Raisin continues to be one of my favorite female sleuths in the newest addition to the series! Her wit and charm, or rather the lack of charm that makes her so totally her is so perfect, I can't get enough of it. I love a strong female lead not afraid to speak her mind. Her never ending quest to find love is her weakness but her take no junk attitude will always come out when needed. Another read!

A great continuation of the series. Even if you are unfamiliar with the series, you can still enjoy the book. The characters are well done with a good plot that will hold your interest. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Agatha Raisin is back, with all the humor that makes the series so appealing. When a man discovers a dead body, Agatha and Toni go to investigate, but the body is gone. While pursuing other cases, a man’s body washes up and Agatha puts two and two together. There are the usual men Agatha is interested in, as well as a funny component of a nudist colony. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is my second Agatha Raisin book! I really did enjoy it. I found some parts laugh out loud funny. The mystery itself was pretty obvious, so I couldn’t justify more stars. This is a really long series and if you want a fun cozy mystery it is a good one to pick. I wish Agatha cared less about her appearance, but I know that’s part of her middle age man crazy charm. She’s smart and a strong woman which is displayed throughout the book.

This was particularly funny because the mystery involved a naturist group, so beware of nakedness ahead. Agatha is stopped by a naked man running down the road after discovering a body in the woods. Agatha has to investigate, but when he shows her the place where the body is it’s gone. Can Agatha figure out what happened when law enforcement doubts a murder took place?

I really enjoyed this latest in the Agatha Raisin series. Mr. Green really seems to be channeling Ms Beaton now. He knows the characters and their personalities and idiosyncrasies. The mystery starts out at Bill Wong’s wedding, has a few dead bodies and missing people and ends with Agatha facing death, again. I wanted to just sit and read until finished.

Agatha and her assistant, Toni, are driving to their friend Bill Wong’s long-awaited wedding, thinking of nothing more than what the beautiful bride will be wearing when a terrified young man comes running down the country lane towards them wearing…nothing at all. The encounter leads them to become embroiled with a naturist group, a disappearing corpse, fantasy games, witchcraft, an ice cream empire, intrigue and murder. In the meantime, Agatha’s hectic life swirls along at dizzying pace, her private detective agency as busy as ever and her private affairs in turmoil, with old loves to contend with and a new suitor on the scene. But when she begins to close in on a suspected murderer, she finds herself in deadly peril, as the sinister nature of the ice cream business leads her to a chilling conclusion. I am so glad that the Agatha Raisin series will continue even after the authors death. I love this character and she is surrounded by equally entertaining characters. This was a great mystery with a handful of red herrings and a fun plot. I may never look at ice cream the same again. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

Agatha Raisin is at it again! Devil’s Delight was such a fun read!! The new author is doing a great job and I really loved this book!

Interesting cases, ice cream and Agatha! So many laugh out loud moments!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur books for the digital advanced readers copy!! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Devil's Delight was a mixed bag of things I enjoyed and nitpicky bits that annoyed me. First, I am a big fan of the Agatha Raisin TV series so I was predisposed to like these characters and their quirks. Oddly, I found some of the things I enjoyed in the show to be what I didn't like in the book. Namely, Agatha's romantic relationships/flirting with various characters. It was not charming and came across as a bit selfish. Thankfully, the mystery made up for it. A solid mystery with an exciting and satisfying ending. So I am cutting this rating in half and giving it 3/5 stars.


I voluntarily read an advanced copy of Devil's Delight by M.C. Beaton; R.W. Green. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

I usually like Agatha Raisin, but I think I like the TV series more than the actual books. That said, this was OK. Agatha has a bad habit of getting involved in EVERYTHING at once, but in the end they all seem to be related and she gets them solved.

This one begins as Agatha and her assistant Toni are driving to the wedding of two police officers, both of whom are friends of the Agatha Raisin Detective Agency. Suddenly, a naked man runs out in the road right in front of them! When they finally catch up to him, he says he has just found a naked dead body on a large rock and doesn't know what to do about it. When he takes Agatha and Toni to the spot, there is no dead body, naked or not. Thus begins another adventure with many wandering paths, most of which turn out to be connected.

Agatha, meanwhile, continues to pursue the perfect man, or at least the perfect romance and finds several new possibilities. Her life is also threatened at least twice, but in the end it all works out

Thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity to review a new Agatha Raisin mystery. It's been some time since I visited Mrs. Raisin and her life in the Cotswolds. Author M.C. Beaton died in 2019. Like other legendary characters and series, a new writer was tasked to carry on Beaton's voice and bring new adventures to Agatha Raisin. In this case, R.W. Green has delivered us a perfectly Agatha style tale for book number 33, Devil's Delight.

Devil's Delight starts with a bang—not of a gun, but of shock. A naked man running towards Agatha and her employee Toni who are driving near a naturist club. The naked man, Edward, reports that he's found a corpse. And things only get weirder from there.

R.W. Green takes his time bringing readers up to speed which allows newcomers to pop into this book without having read any of the series prior. Agatha runs Raisin Investigations and has a reputation around the small town of Carsely where she lives on the charming Lilac Lane next to her ex, James. Agatha's background as a business owner of a public relations firm from London comes up now and then. Readers get to know Agatha well. She's often considered unlikeable, difficult, nosy, and cold. Based on the descriptions of how often she judges her own appearance and that others, you could call her high maintenance.

Agatha faces a huge inner challenge in Devil's Delight because of her obsessive need to always be put-together, have her hair perfect, and lipstick applied after every cup of coffee or glass of wine. The mystery embedded in the culture of the Mircester Naturist Society eventually dares Agatha to strip out of her clothes (she still needs her makeup and styled bob in place though). First, she sends Toni to do the undercover naked work; but later Agatha decides to go for it herself as the climax approaches and the murderers are about to kill again.

There is also a B plot about drug dealing in a local all-girls school which ends up tied to the murders/disappearances Raisin Investigations is looking into. The agency places a twenty-something woman undercover since she can pass for a teenager. The reveal about the cocaine and weed distribution to the girls comes out as one of the antagonists continues to threaten Agatha for poking around.

These investigations land Agatha in life-threatening peril where a new man in her life, a police detective named John, comes to her rescue repeatedly. John is but one of several men courting Agatha in this story. She has choices of men. Something she didn't think was possible knowing how other people talk about her personality. There's the noble rich British man, Charles, who can't find satisfaction with only one woman; the sexy, worldly, Italian musician with women falling all over him, Giovanni; John the police officer becomes more than a passing acquaintance; and the once love of her life James is mostly away from home during this story, but she still carries a flame for him even though they come off as all wrong for each other.

Agatha's sexuality comes through as honest. Each encounter with a man leads her through authentic self-doubt not to mention the gossip that weeds its way through the church choir, the pub regulars at the Red Lion, and her employees.

Comic relief is also readily available as per the usual with Agatha Raisin. The naturist setting makes it even easier to find silliness, but Agatha comes around to find that she enjoys skinny dipping in the pool despite so many other naked people around her.

I believe R.W. Green is Rod Green, an author with a solid CV. Though my preference would have been for another talented female writer to take over for Marion C. Beaton, I think he does a great job with Agatha Raisin and her complicated life in a tiny village.

Summary:

Agatha Raisin and her employee Toni get into all kinds of unexpected trouble when they realize that their suspect pool is more than one person because there is more than one crime to solve. The story is perfectly set for shenanigans providing welcome comedy to the tense situations. Kudos also to R.W. Green for normalizing not only being naked, but also LARPing (live action role playing) with people acting as sorcerers, witches, devotees, and so on. There's a lot of escapism available that Agatha didn't know was right in the next town.

Agatha and Toni are going to Bills wedding when they encounter a male nudist running down the road,Agatha stops and picks him up and he tells them that he found a dead body,They go back but the body is gone,Agatha and Toni take on the job of investigating the disappearance of the man,Toni and Agatha join the nudist club where they find a few quirky characters, of course Agatha finds a couple of love interests,This book has so funny parts in it I recommend this book for a nice weekend read,

A classic m.c. Beaton book even if it’s not written by her. Mr. Green does a great job carrying on her legacy. The story was fresh, interesting and dare I say that Agatha has matured a little bit. The gang is all accounted for in the book and the story is truly a delight. The ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for my review.

“Devil’s Delight” by M.C. Beaton is the 33rd book in the Agatha Raisin series written about a spirited, energetic, and well-dressed (most of the time) main character who owns her own detective agency.

This is the first Agatha Raisin novel I've read, and I wish I had started the series with a different book. I felt like I missed a lot of the character details. It was entertaining, but only up to a certain point. The plot was unbelievable and very predictable, so I figured out the mystery early on.

If you’re interested in the Agatha Raisin series or have read others in the series, then yes, read this. But I can’t say that I would recommend starting with this one.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It made me laugh out loud several times. Agatha was always in some kind of pickle and I never knew what was going to happen next.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Agatha Raisin is at it again with a body that disappears. And of course she gets mad at the men in her life.
I love this series and I wondered if R.W. Green would live up to standard of M.C. Beaton but he definitely did in this book. It was the same old Agatha and her adventures.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and to the publisher Minotaur Books.