The Blood of an Englishman

The Agatha Raisin Mysteries, Book 25

By: M. C. Beaton

Narrated by: Alison Larkin

In this irresistible new mystery from New York Times best seller M. C. Beaton, the adorably cranky Agatha Raisin investigates when a local baker is murdered while performing in a seemingly harmless pantomime.

"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 baker, playing an ogre, struts and threatens on the stage. Then a trapdoor opens…followed by a scream and then silence.

Surely, this isn't the way the scene was rehearsed? 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 Englishman is Agatha's 25th 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 Beaton's New York Times best-selling series of modern cozies, Agatha Raisin once again "manages to infuriate, amuse, and solicit our deepest sympathies as we watch her blunder her way boldly through another murder mystery". (Bookreporter.com)

©2014 M. C. Beaton (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Narration

Bring back Penelope Keith. All the characters voices sounded the same. Half the time I couldn't tell which character was speaking.

Not as enjoyable of a narrator

I much prefer the original narrator of the Agatha Raisin series, Penelope Keith. She just has all the right voices down that we're used to, and it throws me for a loop trying to figure out the character speaking with a different voice.

It’s not Penelope!

Once you get used to Penelope the characters don’t seem the same. The story was good, the narrator not so much.

Don’t eat the meat pies.

Danger and murder lurk again, this time in a local theater company.
The detective agency staff are quite likable Toni is good for Agatha and a sharp person.

Enjoyed the storyline

Excellent .

Well narrated good plot. If you love Miss Marple then Agatha Raidin is the modern day equivalent.




😊

Didn’t care for the reader at all

I have listened to over 20 Agatha Raisin books and enjoyed the other readers. I cannot say the same for Alison Larkin. And she pronounces Mircester as “mer-ses-ter”. First Agatha Raisin book I didn’t want to finish because of how it was read.

Awful narration

The narrator was awful. At times, I could not tell which character was speaking. The story, however, was great.

This Book Was Totally Off Kilter To Our Normal Agatha

This book was not bad.. just wrong footed.. after 2 dozen of these books one is very familiar with all of the nuances that makes MC Beaton’s books a hit.. I fear that someone must have stepped in while she was sick or something.. and “helped” her meet a deadline or something.. as I said earlier... not our usual offering from her...

Not a great Agatha Raisin book

I like agatha raisin, but this one was particularly rambly. Also-- it felt much more One Note, that is we just keep hearing again and again about Agatha's obsessions with very little movement forward for anyone in the story.

Listen before buying

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Being a fan of the series, I didn't listen to the sample before buying. Ouch. Different narrator of the type that overdoes everything making it a very painful listen. Hopefully narrators take note and back off. Excessive pandering and bad acting really distracts from listening to books.