Agatha Raisin and the Case of the Curious Curate

This may be my favorite Agatha yet. There were two lovely sections that made me bust out laughing. But even better, the pacing, the tension, and the twisty plot was great fun.

And by the way, I hope you are really, really, really over James, dear Agatha. And I hope he is not going to turn up like a bad penny in some future episode.

Agatha returns to Carsely after a long visit to London to hear of a charismatic new curate in the parish. After being introduced and experiencing his impact at a dinner in his apartment she feels there is something not quite right about him. Then the next day he is found stabbed at the rectory and her friends the Bloxley's are under suspicion. Her mystery writer neighbor John Armitage is eager to help investigate. For much of this story Agatha is her typical prickly nosy self. However, about 2/3rds through she seems to decide to drop the bristle and come to the true aid of her friends. This was a welcome change and you see why a few loyal friends remain. I wish there were more of that.

This is another enjoyable Agatha Raisin mystery. So far I can depend on this series to provide a good light mystery, always with a touch of humour. In this one, Agatha climbs into a suit of armour to avoid being caught breaking into a suspect's house through a coal chute!

This story s slightly better plot-wise than some of the others. There's a surprise at the end just when you think the story is ending.

I keep wondering when Agatha is going to get her PI licence.

Agatha and the Grifting Vicar
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (January 2013) of the original St. Martin's Press Minotaur hardcover (February 2003)

The Case of the Curious Curate finds Agatha Raisin with the other lady parishioners to be enraptured by a dashing new curate who takes over for Alf Bloxby when the latter is indisposed. She eventually figures out that he is a grifter and then sets out to solve the case when he is murdered, presumably by someone he stole from or extorted in the past. Her main investigating partner is yet another new neighbour, John Armitage, who has taken over the cottage of Agatha's husband James Lacey, who has abandoned her.

I'm continuing to enjoy the fun of these cozies which are show more somewhat different from the TV-series 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 John Armitage character doesn't appear in the TV-series at all. 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 Link
The Case of Curious Curate was adapted as Episodes 5 & 6 of Series 2 for the currently ongoing Agatha Raisin TV series (2016-). A trailer can be seen on YouTube here. show less

A better than average Agatha Raisin tale involving a new Curate at the church in Carsely. Needless to say Agatha falls for him,but her love soon turns sour.Several murders follow in quick succession,which she begins to investigate. This turns out to be a rather dangerous decision.
Slightly marred by a silly scene in which she scrambles into a suit of armour to escape being discovered after breaking into a house.

AGATHA RAISIN'S ROMANTIC HOPES COLLIDE WITH MURDER WHEN THE CHARMING CURATE SHE’S SMITTEN WITH IS FOUND DEAD, SETTING A HUMOROUS YET PUZZLING INVESTIGATION IN MOTION.

Thirteenth Agatha Raisin book in which a new man comes to down to perk up Aggie’s flagging interest. The curate sent to help out Rev. Bloxby is a nearly perfect, angelic looking man who has the locals flocking to church every Sunday. Some people can see through his guise and refer to him as “slimy” but Agatha is smitten and accepts an invitation to dinner at the home of an elderly parishioner where he’s being housed. When he turns up dead the next day, guess who’s thrown headfirst into the fray? With her usual “Watsons” Roy Silver and Sir Charles Fraith out of the picture, Agatha’s new neighbor John Armitage, the author of detective stories, helps her investigate. Enjoyable visit to Carsely, and in this one, Agatha seems show more to show her soft side a bit more. show less