Wretched after being dumped by her husband, bored with pottering about Carsely, and wishing every man would sod off, including her neighbor John Armitage, Agatha Raisin is unmoved by news of the captivating new curate. But when she meets the golden-haired, blue-eyed Tristan Delon, she is swept off her feet...along with nearly every other female in the village. Wrapped in brightly coloured dreams of the curate (never mind that he's a tad odd), Agatha is as ecstatic as a girl when he invites her to dine. But his cold body is found the next day, and Carsely is whisked from time-warp monotony to a hotbed of murder and intrigue-and a clear-headed Agatha Raisin is back on track, this time with John. As the corpses multiply, ever-obstinate Agatha trails clues from Lilac Lane to London, unmindful that someone wicked is arranging that Mrs. Raisin's cats never again hear their mistress' footfall on the path...

""Anyone interested in a few hours' worth of intelligent, amusing reading will want to make the acquaintance of Mrs. Agatha Raisin."" -Atlanta Journal Constitution

""The Miss Marple-like Raisin is refreshingly sensible and wonderfully eccentric.""-Buffalo News

""Beaton's Agatha Raisin series...just about defines the British cozy.""-Booklist

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

""[Agatha] is a glorious cross between Miss Marple, Auntie Mame, and Lucille Ball, with a tad of pit bull tossed in. She's wonderful.""-St. Petersburg Times

""The Raisin series brings the cozy tradition back to life. God bless the Queen!""-Tulsa World

""[Beaton's] imperfect heroine is an absolute gem!""-Publishers Weekly