M.C. Beaton: The Blood of an Englishman (USA 2015)

From the Publisher:
"Fee, fie, fo, fum.
I smell the blood of an Englishman..."
Even though Agatha Raisin loathes amateur dramatics, her friend Mrs. Bloxby has persuaded her to support the local pantomime. Stifling a yawn at the production of Babes in the Woods, Agatha watches as the ogre, played by Bert, the town's baker, struts and threatens on the stage until a trapdoor opens and he disappears in an impressive puff of smoke. But Bert never reappears at final curtain. When it turns out that the popular baker has been murdered, Agatha puts her team of private detectives on the case. They soon discover more feuds and temperamental behavior in amateur theatrics than in a professional stage show -- and face more and more danger as the team gets too close to the killer...

"M.C. Beaton has a foolproof plot for the village mystery." -- The New York Times Book Review
"Beaton has a winner in the irrepressible, romance-hungry Agatha." -- Chicago Sun-Times
"Another rollicking mixture of clever mystery-making and love gone wrong." -- Kirkus Reviews

M.C. Beaton: The Blood of an Englishman. Murder is always a production. An Agatha Raisin Mystery. St. Martin's Paperbacks, ISBN: 9781250057891 (July, 2015), 313 p., $7.99.

M.C. Beaton: Agatha Raisin and the Blood of an Englishman (UK 2015)

From the Publisher:
He's behind you, Agatha!
Even though Agatha Raisin detests Christmas panto. her friend Mrs Bloxby, the vicar's wife, has persuaded her to support the local amateur dramatic society in their festive offering. Stifling a yawn at the production of Babes in the Wood, Agatha watches the local baker, playing the ogre, strut and threaten on stage until a trapdoor opens... followed by a scream and silence!

Surely this wasn't the way the scene was rehearsed? And when it turns out the baker has been murdered most horribly, Agatha puts her team of detectives on the case. They very soon discover more feuds and temperamental behaviour in amateur dramatics than in a professional stage show - and face more danger as they get too close to the killer...

Praise for M.C. Beaton:
'Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack-a-day habit and major man lust. In fact. I think she could be living my dream life' -- Entertainment Weekly
'I'm not sure I wouldn't back Agatha against Jack Reacher in a fight. She has the ruthlessness. The cunning. And 'he poisoned quiche' -- Daily Telegraph

M.C. Beaton: Agatha Raisin and the Blood of an Englishman. Queen of the Village Mystery. Constable, ISBN: 9781849019774 (April, 2015), 310 p., £7.99.

M.C. Beaton: Agatha Raisin and the Blood of an Englishman (UK 2014)

From the Publisher:
Fee, fie, fo, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!
Even though Agatha Raisin detests Christmas panto, her friend Mrs Bloxby, the vicar's wife, has persuaded her to support the local amateur dramatic society in their festive offering. Stifling a yawn at the production of Babes in the Wood, Agatha watches the local baker, playing the ogre, strut and threaten on stage until a trapdoor opens... followed by a scream and silence!

Surely this wasn't the way the scene was rehearsed? And when it turns out the baker has been murdered most horribly, Agatha puts her team of detectives on the case. They very soon discover more feuds and temperamental behaviour in amateur dramatics than in a professional stage show - and face more danger as they get too close to the killer...

M.C. Beaton: Agatha Raisin and the Blood of an Englishman. He's behind you... Includes Short Story Christmas Crumble. Constable, ISBN: 9781849019767 (October, 2014), 232 p., £14.99.

M.C. Beaton: The Blood of an Englishman (USA 2014)

From the Publisher:
Fee, fie, fo, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!
Even though Agatha Raisin loathes amateur dramatics, her friend Mrs. Bloxby, the vicar's wife, has persuaded her to support the local pantomime. Stifling a yawn at the production of Babes in the Woods, Agatha watches as the ogre, played by Bert, the local baker, struts and threatens on the stage, until a trapdoor opens and he disappears in an impressive puff of smoke.

But Bert never reappears at final curtain. When it turns out the popular baker has been murdered, Agatha puts her team of private detectives on the case. They soon discover more feuds and temperamental behavior in amateur theatrics than in a professional stage show-and face more and more danger as the team gets too close to the killer.

The Blood of an Engiishman is Agatha's twenty-fifth adventure, and you'd think she would have learned by now not to keep making the same mistakes. Alas, no -- yet Agatha's flaws only make her more endearing in this sparkling new entry in We M.C. Beaton's New York Times bestselling series of modern cozies.

M.C. Beaton: The Blood of an Englishman. An Agatha Raisin Mystery. Minotaur Books, ISBN: 9780312616267 (September, 2014), 294 p., $24.99.