Always love a good mystery by M.C. Beaton and this one didn’t disappoint! If you’re into cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out!

R.W. Green opens with a defense. In the forward to Dead on Target, number thirty-four Agatha Raisin cozy mystery series, Green reveals previous discussions he had with M.C. Beaton, the late author whose characters inherited. According to Beaton, Agatha, cantankerous with a certain lack of patience for most recreation, has no time for sport. Yet Green goes on to explain that in this title, his fourth since taking over the series, Agatha agrees to participate in a bit of archery, but it's okay—he promises he has a very good reason as to why she does it.

These early reflections are amusing, and it's great to get a glimpse of what the original author really thought about one of her most popular characters. However, this pre-story talk also left me somewhat apprehensive. If Green felt the need to justify a portion of the story, just what exactly was I about to read?

Fortunately, within the first chapter, I realized I had very little to worry about. Just like in his past three installments, Green has more than proven Agatha and the rest of the gang in the Cotswolds village of Carsely are in more than capable hands. And really—he does have a good reason for her to be taking up a bow and arrow.

During what's supposed to be a relaxing day at a village fête, Agatha agrees to be a good sport and help during an archery demonstration. All seems festive and well until she stumbles across the body of a man with an arrow in his chest in the woods. With her arch-nemesis Detective Chief Inspector Wilkes attempting to pin the man's death on her, Agatha must once again both solve a murder and clear her name.

On its face, Dead on Target feels like such a classic Agatha Raisin mystery. A quaint village celebration. Agatha regularly losing her temper. An incompetent local police force. A genuinely interesting mystery with plenty of twists and turns. It's the basic ingredients that have carried the series along for so many books.

Yet R.W. Green has made Agatha and her cadre of investigative usuals feel fresher than ever. The writing is tighter. There's a clearer vision of the case at hand, and the justification for Agatha running her own investigation is compelling. Even the subplot involving Agatha's potential relationships with the dashing men in her life has some new energy behind it. Perhaps best of all, Agatha herself has come into her own. There's more confidence in her actions and, though she still has plenty of stumbles with her sleuthing, all of her trademark humor has been amplified.

No need to be defensive—Dead on Target shows Agatha Raisin, with a few refreshing tweaks from R.W. Green, is just as fun as ever.

I really enjoy this series, and this one didn't disappoint. Agatha Raisin is such a fun character. She reminds me a bit of Jessica Fletcher and if you love Murder, She Wrote, you will enjoy these books too. I think anyone who loves a good cozy mystery will like it.

Another murder needs to be solved by Agatha and her friends! A wealthy landowner is found killed by an arrow at the local fete. Roy is in trouble with a mobster who was trying to purchase the landowner’s house. The gang tries to outsmart policeman Wilkes and solve the murder first!

*I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for my honest review.*

I am sure I will be a broken record on this review. I love Agatha Raisin! And I'm so happy that Green is continuing the series with M. C. Beaton's approval! He certainly has my approval.

Agatha is at a fete in a neighboring village and stumbles upon a dead body. Somebody that she had actually just interacted with. There are puppies and bows and arrows, but rest assured that no puppies were harmed during the bow and arrow demonstration. But Agatha finds herself in the middle of a family at war.

The characters - the regulars and the newcomers for the book - are all fantastic and Agatha does what Agatha always does. This is a great addition to the series.

My thanks for Beaton and Green for the continuation of the wonderful series!

This is Beaton's 34th Agatha Raisin book - thirty fourth. I haven't paid any attention to how long she's been utilizing the services of another author (or if, in fact Green is the person who actually wrote this book, a la the way Agatha Christie novels continue to be written*). It's got to be getting hard to come up with new story ideas, new ways to kill people off and bury the mystery of who-done-it into a book. I've noticed in the past few books that more and more characters are being introduced into Agatha's circle, giving the author(s) more to play with. And, over time, there has started to be more of a softness to Agatha. Yes, she's still incredibly self-centered and absorbed in her appearance. But we're seeing more affection for those around her.

As with any series (book or t.v.) that lasts any length of time at all, particularly those set in small town areas, it begins to stretch credulity that so many murders would occur in so small a place. Perhaps it's because the police, at some level, see so inept - maybe would-be murders have no fear of being caught? Perhaps it's because these particular areas seem to draw in people who can be murdered without much being missed.

The beauty of the Agatha Raisin books is that you never have to have read the previous books to enjoy the book; but for those who have, it's always a pleasure to get to know the characters that much better. Will it win any awards? Not likely. Do these books always make for lively entertainment, the kind of thing that it's complete froth but also clears the mind after meatier reads. I enjoyed it, as I usually do, and I'm almost certain to pick up book #35 when it appears.

*Yes, in fact, Beaton has selected Green to carry on writing Agatha's stories.

A delightful cozy mystery! I enjoyed it very much. If you enjoy mysteries or stories with an amateur sleuth, and do not need the graphic reality with descriptions of gore and violence, this is a good choice. You can follow the clues to solve the mystery without any threat of nightmares.

Another excellent Agatha Raisin mystery to enjoy! As with all the other books in this series you will not want to put it down! A stray arrow or murder? What will Agatha do when she becomes the suspect? An all-around entertaining read that I enjoyed from cover to cover!

Thank you St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for accepting my request to read and review Dead on Target on NetGalley.

A fun cozy where the main character actually is a private investigator with her own business. Agatha reminded me of a modern day snarky Margaret Rutherford Miss. Marple.

This is book #34 in the series and my first read. Early on I enjoyed the change of pace and could see myself picking up another when I had few choices. While fun, there wasn't a magnet draw for me.

It was clean with no foul language. I would gift this.

The latest installment in the Agatha Raisin series is just as unique and hilarious as the previous mysteries. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I can't begin to tell you how much I love this series! I was concerned that the voice of Agnes would change with the loss of M. C. Beaton, but R. W. Green has captured her beautifully.
In this story, Agnes must find the murderer before she is arrested for the crime herself. Meanwhile she solves a few more cases and juggles romances.
Excellent story!

This was another adorable Agatha Raisin read. I loved how spunky she is. Now that I've seen the show, I have he actor in my mind whenever I read these and it really adds to the fun. This mystery was well done. I like that it starts with the puppies helping find it and, from there, Agatha is off racing. I thought the police were a little silly, almost too bumbling, but I loved Agatha's word-sparring with them and the fun of the interview room. I did like the twists. I had guesses on what was going on and I enjoyed the adventure of it. Another fun read! I highly recommend it as an audio, the narrator was great!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This was a fun read. I’ve watched the Agatha Raisin television show, but I’ve never read any of the books. It was fun diving into a familiar setting where I knew most of the characters, although I was surprised Agatha wasn’t intended to be a blonde!

TV or book, Agatha has once again found herself in hot water. Her private investigation firm is up and running. She attends yet another village festival. This time she has the opportunity to try her hand at archery and unfortunately also finds the body of a man with an arrow piercing his chest. She becomes the top suspect and must clear her own name and solve the crime.

Great read for anyone who loves British cozies.

I received this Advanced Reader Copy of Dead on Target from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think R.W. Green has done a great job taking over the Agatha Raisin franchise. She has changed a little bit, but in understandable ways - she's still very feisty, but I don't get nearly as frustrated with her. This was a good entry in the series (and a fine stand alone) story - when Agatha finds a body that has been killed by an arrow, she is compelled (of course) to investigate. The mystery is ok, but to me the favorite part of these books has always been the interplay of characters.

This was a quick read. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. I appreciate the ability to breeze through the story and there were parts that were exciting and wondering who murdered Sir Godfrey Pride. The main character Agatha Raisin has her own PI agency and she seems to be quite the character between her style of dress and presence in a room. There are times throughout the story that I was engaged and others I was losing focus but was determined to see who the killer was.

Agatha cannot be ready to leave in 10 minutes; this is just one of many things that R.W. Green, the new writer of the series, will never understand about her. The plotting has potential, but Mr. Green fails to grasp the essence of Agatha.

I don't recall the reasoning behind James' hospitalization being previously mentioned. It was either a new invention, or my memory failed me, but it should have stood out.

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy reading about Agatha's adventures, but the books aren't the same since Marion's passing and the new author taking over.

This was my first time reading an Agatha Raisn cozy mystery. While it is part of a series, I do feel this can be read as a stand alone novel, as the author does a good job of giving enough background on the characters so the reader is not confused.

Agatha is a middle-aged woman running a detective agency. She does come off as a bit brash to a new reader, so that took some time getting used to. While I appreciate a strong woman, she both yelled at someone for calling her a "fiesty little filly", and then in the same chapter had to eat her saugage roll behind a tent so people wouldn't see her getting crumbs on herself. It sort of seems hard to imagine it being the same person.

That said, the mystery was great! Agatha finds the body of a man in the woods. When the police are brought in, she doesn't have the best relationship with the lead investigator. Now she needs to find the killer to clear her name. The book is a great cozy mystery!

Another Agatha Raisin classic! "Dead on Target" is a great addition to the series, with creative twists throughout. I love that you can pick it up and read it even if you haven't read others in the story and still get a sense of all the characters.

I've been a loyal Agatha (never Aggie) fan from the beginning. Following her ups and downs, it seems she may finally find happiness and a measure of contentment. In Dead on Target, the 34th in the Agatha Raisin series, we are treated to archery, Morris dancers, and murder at the local fête, with Agatha in the middle as usual. Our victim is a very unlikable sort, but still, murder is wrong and the perps are eventually brought to justice. R.W. Green has done a great job of continuing the story for those of us that can never get enough. The only down side in this installment is that, while I'm happy to see things looking up for Agatha and friends, it seems like the tying up of loose ends, perhaps signaling the end of an era. I hope not. Thanks to Netgalley and/or the publisher for the chance to read this title in exchange for an honest review.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* I love the Agatha raisin series so i was thriller to get this audiobook! Another great mystery (though i know its a different author now) it still has her attitude and i loved it!