Dishing The Dirt An Agatha Raisin Mystery #26
By M C Beaton
Published 2015 by Macmillan
294 pages, 11 chapters and epilogue
In this mystery Agatha finds that she is being investigated--but not by the police--which wouldn't be unusual, given her propensity for "helping" them solve crimes in Carsley and surrounding Cotswold villages. No, she is under investigation by a local therapist called Jill Davent because she thought Agatha was lying about her background which she had related when she went to see her because of her jealousy concerning her ex husband James Lacey. Needless to say, Agatha is not amused. She marches into the therapist's office and threatens to kill her--unfortunate, because Jill is later found dead, discovered by Mrs. Bloxby, the vicar's wife, and Agatha's best friend. Agatha is now the police's number one suspect.
When Agatha goes to talk to the detective at his office she finds it ransacked and Clive Tremund has disappeared. Agatha finds herself a suspect again. She hires lawyer Sir David Herythe whom she met at a London party. He was also a friend of Sir Charles Fraith, a sometime fling of Agatha's.
As Agatha, James, and Charles, along with Agatha's detective agency staff, continue to investigate, leads continue to die until a surprising piece of knowledge leads to a surprising discovery and the solution to the case.
I enjoyed this book, like I have the others in the series. Being British I love the nuances of speech and character that bring the people to life. There are more twists and turns in the plot than in others in the series, and while I would not classify it as a suspense thriller, which would set it apart from the cozy genre, it is an exciting read. My favorite part was the celebration of Mrs. Bloxby's birthday beginning on page 201.
I can identify most closely with Agatha in her pursuit of the perfect man she could spend the rest of her life with. She dreams about being with almost every man she meets, which, unlike my situation, can get her in more trouble than enough, creating more enjoyment and maybe some laughter for us, the readers.
I would recommend "Dishing The Dirt" by M.C. Beaton put near the top of the reading list of all cozy readers.
