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  • Agatha Raisin and the Busy Body

  • Agatha Raisin, Book 21
  • By: M. C. Beaton
  • Narrated by: Penelope Keith
  • Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (740 ratings)
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Agatha Raisin and the Busy Body cover art

Agatha Raisin and the Busy Body

By: M. C. Beaton
Narrated by: Penelope Keith
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Summary

Penelope Keith - who starred as Agatha Raisin in the popular BBC Radio 4 series – reads M. C. Beaton’s eagerly-awaited murder mystery.

Agatha Raisin has never been one for enforced holiday cheer, but her friendly little village of Carsely has always prided itself on its traditional Christmas festivities. However, this year Mr John Sunday, an officer with the Cotswold Health and Safety Board, has chosen Christmas as the time to crack down on what he sees as gross misconduct by everyone. But when Mr Sunday goes too far, he is soon found lying face down in the petunias, very much dead. Agatha is on the case, but with so many people having threatened the life of the victim, it’s hard to know where to start....

©2010 M C Beaton (P)2015 Audible, Inc

What listeners say about Agatha Raisin and the Busy Body

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Agatha Raisin and the Busy Body

This book was a good choice for me, for straight after the holiday. I enjoyed the fast moving story that had lots of different characters, I found them easy to visualise. The descriptions were good, and not 'too wordy' the story had a few twists and turns too. Everything that M C Beaton writes is worth reading, in my opinion. Penelope Keith is superb as a narrator of this genre. Recommended!

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Worth the money!

Thoroughly enjoyed the story brilliantly read by Penelope Keith. If you are looking for something more than a straightforward whodunnit but not so grand as a classic, this is a good choice.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

No 21 - and still fun

I enjoy this series as a light and easy read - and find it very amusing.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Ludicrous

I used to enjoy these stories but the authors reactionary attitude makes this book rather tedious , however I am sure members of the Brexit Party will lap it up. Be warned though the final third of the story is simply ridiculous

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Entertaining

As always it keeps you wanting just a bit more. The narration by Penelope Keith is wonderful and in my mind when listening can just imagine she is agatha

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing!!

I had hoped for a cozy Christmas mystery narrated by a quality actor. The story is disappointing, the narration was skilled - except for the the accents which are are remarkably appalling! I only finished listening to the book as I wanted to find out who had done it. I won't be listening to any more in the series.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Good Yarn

Another hilarious tale of detectives in the Cotswolds. I have enjoyed listening to this very much.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

enjoyable

good story but I find that thee later Agatha Raisin books are marred slightly by the old fashioned phrases and sayings the author gives her young characters, and of course the constant reappearance if the boring James Lacey.
but as always beautiful read.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful Agatha

I love listening to the Agatha Raisin books. Penelope Keith IS Agatha. I enjoyed the whodunnit element of the book, but Agatha’s love life always makes me laugh. Easy listening.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Not my cup of tea

Apparantly there are a lot of books about Agatha Raisin, but this was my first. I did finish the book, but listened on double speed because I found it quite dull.

Agatha Raisin is a woman detective with quite a lot of issues. I prefer Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot.

Quite a straightforward book, and nice if you like the genre. But it was not for me.

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1 person found this helpful