Devil's Delight

LoveReading Says

Following the death of Agatha Raisin’s creator M.C. Beaton, the novels have been written by R. W. Green, who says in the foreword to Agatha Raisin: Devil's Delight, “Knowing Marion’s wicked sense of humour, I think she would have loved the idea of Agatha and her friends being involved with a bunch of nudists”. I’m also 100% certain legions of readers will love this glorious new addition to Agatha’s canon. It’s charming, thrilling and tremendous fun as it tells a twisting tale involving the village Naturist Society, witchcraft and a devilish ice cream business. Cosy crime at its most splendidly, outlandishly eccentric, if Agatha Raisin founded a cult, I’d be newly converted to worship at her perfectly-coordinated altar.

Picture this (not difficult when you read what’s coming): en route to a wedding, private detective Agatha and her assistant Toni are waved down by a naked man: “‘I know it looks a bit strange . . .’ said the young man as the window slid down. ‘Don’t be too hard on yourself,’ said Agatha. ‘It all looked perfectly fine to me’”.

Always a mistress of magnificent one-liners (Agatha continues, “I’ve been lied to by many men… and I pride myself on having learned to tell precisely when a man is lying – especially the naked ones”), it emerges that the man has found a dead body in the woods near the Naturist Society’s meeting place. Then the body vanishes, and a magnificently outrageous mystery unfolds, with Agatha’s private life also experiencing some turmoil.

Agatha’s attention to detail when it comes to detection and style is second to none (for example, “She noted with satisfaction…that the band of pink trimming on her blue umbrella matched both her jacket and her handbag”), as is her self-assurance (“I’ll have you know I look very attractive naked. Many men have admired my body and commented on how good I look in the nude!”). Put simply, I adored Devil’s Delight and look forward to relishing more glorious Raisin goodness.

Joanne Owen

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