Agatha Raisin and Kissing Christmas Goodbye

Agatha is dreaming of a white Christmas with mulled wine, roasting chestnuts and an open fire - but who will be joining her under the mistletoe?

In the grey of early October Agatha is obsessed by two things - Christmas and her ex, James Lacey. Although she claims to feel nothing for James now, secretly she dreams that if she can recreate the perfect Dickensian Christmas for all her friends it will somehow reawaken the old love affair.

Even a murder - the sudden demise of Mrs Tamworthy, poisoned with hemlock at the local manor house - finds Agatha reluctant to take a break from organising her yuletide celebrations. Yet poor Mrs Tamworthy had actually confided in Agatha that someone wanted to see her dead. So feeling a little guilty, Agatha sets out to solve the case with the help of young Toni Gilmour. Toni is just seventeen and alongside her, Agatha does feel decidely old and weary.

But as the 25th comes closer, Agatha's efforts are redoubled to catch the murderer - nothing can be allowed to interfere with her perfect Christmas Day!

Be careful what you wish for

Agatha Raisin is bored. Her detective agency in the Cotswolds is thriving, but she'll scream if she has to deal with another missing cat or dog. Only two things seem to offer potential excitement: Christmas, and her ex, James Lacey. This year Agatha's sure that if she invites James to a splendid Christmas dinner, their love will rekindle like a warm Yule log but that fantasy will have to wait for now. A wealthy widow who sent Agatha a letter before her death saying one of her family intended to kill her has been found dead. Now Agatha must set out to find the murderer, even though, in her heart, she's still dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones she and James used to know .

"Beaton has a winner in the irrepressible, romance-hungry Agatha." Chicago Sun-Times

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