The Perfect Paragon

Agatha and the Too Perfect Wife
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (February 2013) of the original St. Martin's Press Minotaur hardcover (August 2005)

The Perfect Paragon finds Agatha Raisin's detective agency investigating Mabel Smedley, a possible cheating wife, on behalf of her husband Robert. But Robert is soon murdered and Agatha is left without a client. Everyone views Mabel as the perfect wife, but Agatha thinks she is too good to be true. Then the murders start to pile up, but Sir Charles is there to help Agatha out as well as a few new agents at the office. A surprise return of an old flame marks the end of the book.

I'm continuing to enjoy the fun of these cozies which are somewhat different from the TV-series show more which I saw first. Sir Charles is much more of a recurring character and occasional love interest than he is in the screen adaptation and his cheap and chintzy manners are played up quite a bit. The narration by regular reader Penelope Keith is always excellent in all voices. Keith is as perfect a voice fit for the audiobooks as Ashley Jensen is to the TV role.

Most (28 of 32) of the Agatha Raisin audiobooks are free on Audible Plus. A continuation series Book 32 Down the Hatch is yet to be released, and is expected to be published in October 2021. Down the Hatch is apparently entirely written by continuation writer R.W. Green whereas #31 Hot to Trot was a collaboration with M.C. Beaton.

Trivia and No Link
The Perfect Paragon has not yet been adapted for the currently ongoing Agatha Raisin TV series (2016-). It is possibly in the running to be part of Series 4 which will probably be aired late in 2021 as they have been adapting the books roughly chronologically. show less

This is one of the last Agatha raisin mysteries I’ve read, and one of the most enjoyable. It’s like visiting friends.

I'm a big fan of M.C. Beaton's two main series of mysteries -- Agatha Raisin (a PI living in the English Cotswolds; started in 1992 when Agatha was in her early 50s) and Hamish MacBeth (a village policeman living in Lochdubh).

This book, the 16th in the Raisin series, was a bit predictable for me. I could see the twists and turns coming far ahead of when they were revealed. Yet, as I enjoy these mysteries, it was a pleasure to read.

Another in the Agatha Raisin series, and I seem to have jumped over four or five and landed on this one. By now, Agatha has her own detective agency in Carsely, the little village in the Cotswolds where Agatha originally went to retire. She's divorced from James (so I can only suppose that she finally did get to marry him -- haven't read that yet) and really doesn't want to take on a divorce case, but when she's offered a huge fee (which her struggling agency desperately needs to stay afloat) from pompous priggish businessman Robert Smedley to prove that his wife is being unfaithful, she takes the case. But Mrs. Smedley turns out to be a quiet, mousy woman with a generous heart and a sweet nature that everyone just adores. A perfect show more paragon of virtue she is, and there is no way that this quiet woman could be having an affair. The strangling death of a pretty teenager momentarily distracts Agatha, and then she learns that Mr. Smedley himself has been poisoned at work, dying after drinking coffee prepared by his loyal secretary. Agatha is then hired by Mrs. Smedley to help track down her husband's murderer. With the help of her eclectic and eccentric staff, Agatha follows leads and half a dozen suspects, hitting one dead end after another. It's not until a third body, one of the suspects in fact, is found stabbed to death in his apartment that she finds the one clue that will allow her to solve this case.

IThis book seemed to smack of "formula" and was predictable from beginning to end. I'll give this one a 3.5. A pleasant read, but nothing to brag about. show less

As always these Agatha Raisin books are easily devoured in a couple of sittings. Agatha 'so always more likable when Sir Charles is around and he wanders in & out of this episode. The detective agency continues though how Agatha employs so many people I don't understand. Nice to have a Bill a bit more involved and Mrs Bloxby is always a welcome regular.

This is a more recent entry into the Agatha Raisin series. I like her earlier stories better than her more recent ones. This one has Agatha hired by a controlling husband who thinks his wife is having an affair. The wife appears to be the perfect paragon but then nothing is as it seems.

This was an enjoyable read, and I think the fact Agatha Raisin is now running a detective agency adds to the books. If you've read the other books in the series watch out for a surprise at the end of the book. 4 stars.