Tea Time with Truffles: Blood of an Englishman by M.C. Beaton Review & Giveaway

Hey everybody, it's Truffles! Mommy and I were invited to participate in the Tea, Scones, and Murder Blogger Party, hosted by Minotaur Books and Stash Tea, to celebrate the release of M.C. Beaton's 25th adventure in the Agatha Raisin series, Blood of an Englishman. We received an advance reading copy of the book, a couple boxes of delicious Stash Tea, and a recipe card for M.C.’s favorite teatime scones (purchased at the local bakery, of course!)

As part of this fun event we were asked to "host and post" a tea party, so after reading this delightful mystery I'm just taking a little nap before my guests arrive ;)

Would you care to join us?

"Fee, fie, fo, fum. I smell the blood of an Englishman..."

Even though Agatha Raisin loathes amateur dramatics, her friend Mrs. Bloxby, the vicar’s wife, has persuaded her to support the local pantomime. Stifling a yawn at the production of "Babes in the Woods," Agatha watches the baker playing an ogre strut and threaten on the stage, until a trapdoor opens and the Ogre disappears in an impressive puff of smoke. Only he doesn't re-appear at final curtain.

Surely this isn't the way the scene was rehearsed? When it turns out the popular baker has been murdered, Agatha puts her team of private detectives on the case. They soon discover more feuds and temperamental behavior in amateur theatrics than in a professional stage show—and face more and more danger as the team gets too close to the killer.The Blood of an Englishman is Agatha's 25th adventure, and you'd think she would have learned by now not to keep making the same mistakes. Alas, no—yet Agatha's flaws only make her more endearing.

Tortie Shorties

Book reviews that are short and sweet...just like Truffles!

After reading Blood of an Englishman, the 25th entry in M.C. Beaton's classic cozy series, I realized it had been way too long since since I enjoyed one of Agatha Raisin's madcap adventures. I have the entire series in my book collection, but with so many new mysteries being released each and every month I have fallen hopelessly behind in many of the longer running series. I really need to take the time to catch up, though. These aren't mysteries that you read for intricate plots and deep characters, they are simply pure, unadulterated fun.

In this book Agatha is drawn into the cutthroat world of amateur theater. She is as irreverent, cranky, and saucy as ever, and over the course of a fast-paced 300 pages she falls in love (or her version of love, anyways) and faces death more than once. She's also called upon to solve a number of murders, the last of which is gruesome yet deliciously wicked.

Visiting England, particularly the Cotswolds, is high up on my bucket list. Until the day comes that I can travel there in person, a visit to Agatha Raisin's Cotswolds is always a pure delight.

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