What I'm Reading - M C Beaton

When I'm all of a dither as to what to read next or need a filler book or a palate cleanser I turn to M C Beaton. I began on the Hamish MacBeth books back when Murder One was in Denmark Street. I picked them up as I was going through a regency romance phase and I enjoyed the works of Marion Chesney, aka M C Beaton. It took me ages to start on the Agatha Raisin books as I'd heard a few discouraging remarks but eventually I did and enjoyed them. Agatha Raisin is a former PR executive who sold her firm and took early retirement in the Cotswolds. She and her on-off-on boyfriend/neighbour James solve the many murders that occur in their mostly genteel village of Carsely. For me the Agatha-James relationship began to pall after a few books but I'm pleased to say the one I'm reading now, the 11th - 'Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell' - is a return to form. It's set in Carsely - a plus point, and there's not much of James - another plus point (in my opinion :-)). I've found the books set out of Carsely to be less interesting. The cover on the left is the US cover and it's from my enormous to be read pile. The cover on the right is from the Constable and Robinson UK version published on 24th August. This series is now extremely popular with library patrons, at least where I work :-) .