First published 2008
Agatha Raisin has built her detective agency into such a success that she craves rest and relaxation. She decides to close on weekends, but quickly discovers she has no idea how to spend her free time. When the vicar from a neighboring village asks her to help promote their church fete, she agrees readily. The assignment becomes even more appealing when she meets George Selby, the handsome widower organizing the fair. Agatha draws impressive crowds to the event, but the celebration turns deadly when poison appears in several jam samples at the tasting booth. Two people die, transforming the innocent family gathering into a crime scene. Working alongside her young assistant Toni, whose beauty irritates her, Agatha must identify who tampered with the jam. She also needs to protect the church treasury from thieves and uncover the dark secrets hiding within the village community. Meanwhile, she finds herself attracted to George, though she suspects he may be concealing secrets of his own.
Genres: mystery, crime, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth
Vibes: cozy, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, found-family
Setting: Neighboring Village
288 pages · Hardcover · Minotaur Books