This is still one of my favourite series, I am glad to see it continue.
Great characters and always a well written story.
Read the books, and avoid the tv show!

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Killing Time is the latest in the Agatha Raison series. R.W. Green continues improving at finding Agatha’s voice. Green has softened her. By not making her so caustic, Green has made Agatha more like the old MC Beaton character, who was brusque without being mean.
The plot contained a subplot about an ancient mystery that had taken place in the area. I still do t understand why this was included. It didn’t add anything to the story. The side chapter, which took place in another country, was also unnecessary to the development of the plot line.
There was still a need for some editing out of the occasional “telling” but it has improved. For example, I don’t need to know that she swallowed some wine. You just told us she topped off her glass.
Because all the beloved characters were present along with the familiar setting, I enjoyed the book and will give it 4 stars.
I received a prepub of Killing Time from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This latest in MC Beaton and RW Green's Agatha Raisin series has Agatha and her team tackling many mysteries at once: did an ancient murder really happen? Who's behind a spate of local burglaries? It all turns quite serious when one shop owner is attacked during a burglary and another is murdered. And, finally, what does an antique clock have to do with it all? Add in Agatha's usually tumultuous love life, keeping up with her friends and neighbors, a fancy fund raiser -- and a side jaunt to Mallorca -- and it's a busy read.

But it's a very enjoyable read, as Agatha and her team of richly drawn supporting characters solve each mystery in turn. "Killing Time" is a wacky, fun, slightly implausible quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of "Killing Time" - the latest instalment of the Agatha Raisin series by M.C. Beaton and R.W. Green.

Agatha is on fine form once again. Between juggling an investigation into break-ins at local businesses, organising the fundraising gala to end of fundraising gala's for Sir Charles Fraith, and solving a 400 year old Costwold murder, Agatha still finds time for romance and heartbreak.

R. W. Green is doing a fine job of continuing Agatha's story. These fun and lighthearted mysteries are perfect for a lazy afternoon.

This book was kind of odd for an Agatha Raisin book. It started out with Charles telling Agatha about a mystery from the 1660. I thought maybe the reason for his was that it would somehow tie in with current mystery. A murder happens in an Antique Shop close to Agatha’s detective office. The story has Agatha being annoying and not really using her common sense. Threatening notes arrive and she gets angry at her staff for wanting to investigate them. Her car is torched and she is mainly concerned about losing her makeup bag. It seems as if she acts not as her normal self. The plot seemed weak. And at the end I still couldn’t figure out what the 1660 mystery has to do with anything.

I think sometime a year or 2 ago, I found the Agatha raisin TV show on either britbox or acorn so I was very excited to have the chance to read this arc. Being able to read about Agatha raisin and her adventures really gave me a better sense of the character and general background of that world. Loved it

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I love it every time a new Agatha Raisin book comes out. They aren’t quite the same with the new writer but I still enjoy them.
This was another good one that had a couple of different plot lines to follow.
Enjoyable to read as always.

I enjoy M. C. Beaton's mysteries series--especially the Agatha Raisin. As an older woman (and someone who once worked in public relations) I have some identification with Agatha but more to the point, I enjoy her acerbic wit, her cynical appraisal of people, places, and situations as well as her vanity and honesty about herself. The books also have a sense of humor that I enjoy.

There are several simultaneous plots spun In Killing Time, Agatha's old friend Charles comes to her with a very cold case: back in 1660, a man named William Harrison went missing. Was he abducted? If so, by whom? Agatha is at first angered--enticed with the promise of a "new" case she is presented with some historical event. Over time, throughout the book, however, she becomes increasingly intrigued and when not distracted by murders, assaults, death threats (to her) and an attempted abduction (also of her), she ponders this ancient event.

There is some interesting historical information here, especially as regards to English law in the 17th century.

However, it appears Charles' actual motive in coming to Agatha is to enlist her help as a public relations' powerhouse to organize a major event to celebrate, make known, and (last but far from least) raise money for his new venture, a winery. Agatha, after much wooing on the part of James (including much flattery about her talents as a publicist, event organizer, and generally fabulous and glamorous woman) agrees.

One of the events will be an auction. To learn about auctions, Agatha attends one. A beautiful antique clock is on offer, and Agatha bids high--mostly in a spirit of competition with two other bidders who seem desperate to own the clock. That's how Agatha runs!

Soon follow the murders, death threats and attempted abduction I wrote of above.

Question: are these related to this clock? Or to another mystery Agatha has been brought in to solve: a series of burglaries in the small village, in the course of which one woman was brutally assaulted.

And, in the middle of the story (for no particular reason), Agatha takes off to Pollensa in Mallorca to meet up with her lover, John (former police officer).. I'm not sure how necessary this trip is to the book, but I enjoyed it immensely. Beaton brings to life the beauty of the place--I felt like I also had a brief vacation which was a lot of fun!

In the course of the book, we reconnect with many of Agatha's old friends, employees, and adversaries.

Killing Time is the most recent in the Agatha Raisin series (#35) and was co-written wit Ron Green. I found this a little confusing since Marion Chesney (M. C. Beaton's real name) died in December 2019 (aged 83). From what I understood, she and Green had discussed future books and he based the books on these discusions.

It is certainly best to read the series in order for maximum enjoyment, There are many recurring characters and their relationships with Agatha are usually complicated. However, I think it is possible to read this as a stand-alone.

My only complaints are that after a strong opening, the story slowed down for a bit. It picked up again for me a little less than the half-way mark and remained consistently strong after that. My other issue is that I found the plot/s very complicated and I had difficulty keeping them all straight. At the end, I had to go back through the book in order to understand the various solutions.

On the whole, however, a very satisfying read.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first Agatha book, but it definitely won’t be my last. I’ve never heard of these before, but I’ll definitely be checking my library for others.

Having read absolutely every book in this series, Agatha and I have a relationship that dates back 32 years. As such, I anticipate every Agatha Raisin book like I do the change of seasons, happily awaiting each with the comfort and familiarity with which they offer, delighting in what feels like catching up with old friends. The latest (35th) in this successful series, Killing Time, from the mind of M.C. Beaton, brought to life by R.W Green, did not disappoint. Green, it would seem, has settled quite nicely into his role of picking up where the late Beaton left off, allowing us to revisit characters that we have grown to love.

Simultaneously dealing with break-ins, personal death threats, solving an antiques dealer’s murder, mysterious letters in block print, unraveling the mystery surrounding a purchase at auction, and helping the dishy Sir Charles Fraith with a Barfield House bash, our heroine has barely the time to heat up a ready meal.

Our Agatha is a busy girl in this latest installment, one of the best I’ve read in a while. There is action from beginning to end, with all of the beloved characters present and accounted for, each playing a rather significant role, which is exactly the way I like it. I’ve always had a little bit of a crush on Sir Charles Fraith, so when in the story opened on his patch with him proposing Agatha help organize a blockbuster event, I knew he would have a nice presence in this book. Naturally Roy had to come down from London to lend a hand, and a kinder, gentler James has turned into a wonderful friend to Agatha, even providing her with a dinner of delicious cottage pie. Amidst all these mysteries, Aggie jets off to visit her latest love and dance partner, John Glass aboard the Ocean Palace Splendour heading for Puerto Pollensa. Just describing this book leaves me breathless. With the Raisin Detective Agency working like a well-oiled machine, every puzzled was solved in typical Agatha fashion.

I must say that this stands out as one of the best books in recent Raisin history. R.W. Green has well adapted to his role as successor to M.C. Beaton. I look forward to many more books to come.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and R.W. Green for providing me with a digital copy of this book and exchange for an honest review.

A spate of shop burglaries, an antique clock, and a centuries-old mystery have Agatha Raisin back on the case.

A series of burglaries targeting the village's shops turns personal when Agatha Raisin's friend, an antiques shop owner, is murdered and Agatha's newly-purchased antique clock is stolen. While solving these interconnected crimes, Agatha puzzles over the seventeenth-century disappearance of a local man that led to the unjust convictions and deaths of three others. Agatha's theory on this historical mystery was very plausible, and I enjoyed the subplot. Agatha's love life is, of course, lovably in flux, and I'll let readers explore these latest events on their own. It does, however, involve a fun side trip to Mallorca. Oh, and did I mention there is a glamorous party at Barfield House?

As a longtime fan who has read every book in this series, I was happy to receive an advance reader copy of the latest Agatha Raisin adventure. All of the elements of earlier books are here: a seemingly unlikeable heroine who gets under your skin until you adore her; a rotating cast of colorful supporting characters who add dimension and humor to the plot (Roy, James, Mrs. Bloxby, Bill, and Sir Charles are all back, and we even get to spend some time with two of my personal favorites, Mrs. Tassy and Gustav!); and a mystery that sends the unflappable Agatha from one clue and entertaining mishap to another until she solves the case.

Thank you to NetGalley, author R.W. Green, and Minotaur Books for an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I appreciate that R.W. Green is continuing these mysteries after M.C. Beaton's death because they are fun and fast to read. This book had more than one mystery to it, and the historical mystery was an interesting side story. I miss some of the village drama that was central to the earlier mysteries in this series, and I must say that I like Agatha less and less with each passing book.
I would recommend this to readers of cozy mysteries.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

I’ve remained an avid reader of Agatha Raisin mysteries ever since her first in the series about the “quiche of death”. How wonderful that she met the excellent ghostwriter R. W. Green and had him pick up future novels after her passing. He’s doing a good job of incorporating all the elements of M.C. Beaton’s cozy mysteries. Every visit with Agatha and the Cotswolds is a treasure to this reader.

Author stayed true to the style of MCBeaton. An easy fun and engaging read. Would definitely recommend to bookclubs and patrons.

I am a faithful Agatha Raisin fan but this one was disappointing. The lengthy opening with the historical mystery as well as its presence in the narrative was tedious. Sincerely hope the next in the series gets back to the spirit of earlier titles.