Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet

Agatha Raisin, Book 2

By: M. C. Beaton

Narrated by: Diana Bishop

Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

In the delightful Cotswold village of Carsely, the air is heady with romance. Agatha Raisin is convinced that the new vet has taken a shine to her. But before she can get anywhere, handsome Dr. Paul Bladen is accidentally killed while attending to Lord Pendlebury’s horse. So was it really an accident? All the evidence points that way, but the circumstances are decidedly suspicious....

©1993, 2002 M. C. Beaton (P)2012 AudioGO

Good Book, Disappointing Narrator

Agatha Raisin is back in the village of Carsely, after spending a holiday abroad. She's determined to snag the heart of neighbor, James Lacey. However when James doesn't return her advances, Agatha catches the eye of the new vet, Paul Bladen. However before a romance can truly begin, Paul Bladen, turns up dead. Despite it being ruled as an accident, Agatha is certain that it is murder, and drags James Lacey along to help investigate. Agatha hopes to not only make James fall in love with her, but solve the murder too!

Oh Agatha, how I love thee! You are spunky, speak your mind and are behaving like a boy-crazy middled aged woman! It's impossible not to like Agatha with her zest for life. This time she has romance on the mind as she chases vet, Paul Bladen, and retired Colonel, James Lacey. Of course when it doesn't go her way she stamps her feet and becomes more determined.

This series has such a great colorful cast of characters, and it was great to see many of them returning in the second book. I would have liked to have seen more of the Carsely Ladies Society, but I'm sure they will be popping up in the next book too.

This audiobook flew by in a torrent of enjoyable goings on in the village, as Agatha and James try to solve the murder. Before I knew it the murder was solved and the audio was finished, leaving me wanting to grab the next one.

The first book in this series was narrated by Penelope Keith, and this second one was narrated by Diana Bishop. I really wished they hadn't changed narrators. Where Penelope was great and expressed all the color of the characters of Carsely, Diana fell flat for me. At times I had a hard time distinguishing the voices and it was really the story that pulled me through to the end of the book, with no help from the narrator. If you are a cozy mystery fan, this is a such a great series and I intend to continue on. The next in the series is narrated by Penelope Keith, and I can't wait!

Very Entertaining

I truly enjoyed this book. Agatha is funny, brilliant and brave. I enjoyed her interactions with both Bill Wong and James Lacey. I hope to see more of this trio in the next book.

Wonderful little repast

Characters with sufficient depth, a fun story with enough turns to keep it moving. The performance is well done with well defined characters and mood.

Recommended

Always amusing

Never am I bored with Agatha Raisin!! Wonderful story to listen to. You will not be disappointed

well satisfied

This series is good. i get such a kick out of the personality of Agatha Raisin. I just wish her love life would get better ha ha

Agatha's antics make me laugh out loud!

If you love the dry, iconic English wit and dream of living in the Cotswolds and completely mixing your manners and solving whodunits (that really are good mysteries) you will have great fun with Agatha. If you don't long for anything above, I still feel you'll have a great time! My favorite light reading out of hundreds of audio books.

I'm a new fan

Would you listen to Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet again? Why?

Oh yes! This was a fun book and I loved the characters especially Agatha.

Have you listened to any of Diana Bishop’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Second one and she's great!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laugh and want to read EVERYTHING by this author with Agatha in it.

Love Aggie

It’s the characters and humor. It’s just a fun escape from the day to day

Good plot disappointing ending

The plot was good and the characters interesting, but I wish more had worked out for the star
,

Earns 5+/5 Scratching Posts...Clever, Engaging Fun

I am an eager fan of the Agatha Raisin Mysteries starring Ashley Jensen, but I have concluded, despite the book being used as the basis for an episode, I should never pass up an opportunity to read (or listen in this case) the original work by M.C. Beaton. Book two, “The Vicious Vet,” is narrated by Diana Bishop, different from book one, and her talent portraying various British dialects, tone and emotions, and age and gender kept me totally engaged...It’s a great way to actually enjoy daily chores! Plug in and go. Beaton has Agatha Raisin returning from her holiday in the Bahamas ruminating the revelation that James Lacey chose to change his holiday plans, it seems, when learning she might be following him. She returns home, picks up her fur companion, Hodge, from the cattery, and learns of the new very handsome veterinarian making the gossip rounds. One sure way to forget James is with a replacement...Paul Bladen! The problem is the whole of Carsley’s female population seems to have the same sort of idea, but James’s indifference, an escape to London, entertaining leaving the countryside...again, and a disappointing date with the vet is nothing compared to the death of said vet! Beaton’s clever mystery entangles Agatha and ironically ensnares James Lacey, too. With some incidents, surprises, and characters only in the book, and Diana Bishop’s pleasant voice of various British dialects portraying age, gender, tone, and emotions, I was so entertained! I am again hooked on M.C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin!