The vicious vet

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The vicious vet

Title:

The vicious vet

Alternate title:

Agatha Raisin and the vicious vet

Author:

Beaton, M. C, author.

Series:

Agatha Raisin ;

Series Number:

Summary:

A public relations executive in London until her recent retirement to the Cotswolds, Agatha is ready for some romance and excitement in her life. However, she gets more than she bargained for when the charming yet sinister new veterinarian in town dies of an injection meant for the horse he was about to operate on. Agatha is sure it was murder and turns to her distinguished neighbor, the retired military man James Lacey, for aid. Together, the odd couple begin to investigate Dr. Bladen's death and the curious lack of sorrow shown by his divorced wife. But will they succeed in unmasking a killer before suffering an 'accident' of their own?

General Note:

"Previously published as 'Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet.' " -- title page.

Physical Description:

213 p.

Genre:

Detective and mystery fiction.

Subject Term:

Raisin, Agatha (Fictitious character) -- Fiction

Women detectives -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

Cotswold Hills (England) -- Fiction

Publisher:

St Martin's Press,

Publication Date:

2006

1993

ISBN:

9780312939458

Publication Information:

New York : St Martin's Press, 2006, c1993.

Call Number:

BEATON

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607002844796	Adult Fiction	BEATON	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Beloved author M.C. Beaton has delighted readers and fans alike with her Agatha Raisin mysteries. Now here is the second novel in the series that started it all...The Vicious Vet.

A PURR-FECT CRIME IN THE COTSWOLDS
Former London PR agent, Agatha Raisin still hasn't adjusted to village life where the only prospect for a hot evening out is a meeting of the Ladies Society. And since her overtures toward James Lacey--the retired military man next door--have failed, Agatha jumps at the chance to visit the new vet, who's single and good-looking. Although Agatha's tabby hasn't a thing wrong with him, Hodge endures having a thermometer shoved up his bum in the name of romance. Unfortunately his sacrifice isall for naught when the vet is soon found dead next to a high-strung horse.

The police call the vet's demise a freak accident, but Agatha convinces the hard-to-get James Lacey, who's also bored in the Cotswolds, that playing amateur detective might be fun. Unfortunately, just like curiosity killed the cat, Agatha's inept snooping is soon a motivation for murder...

Author Notes

M. C. Beaton's real name is Marion Chesney. She was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1936. She has written over a hundred books under her own name and other pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Helen Crampton, Jennie Tremaine, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester. She started her writing career while working as a fiction buyer for a bookstore in Glasgow.

Working at one time or another as a theater critic, newspaper reporter, and editor, she used her British background to write a series of regency romances set in England and Scotland. Some of her regency romances include The Folly, Colonel Sandhurst to the Rescue, and Regency Gold. In 1986, she was awarded the Romantic Times Award for Outstanding Regency Series Writer.

She has also written two mystery series under the pseudonym M. C. Beaton: The Hamish Macbeth Series, which became the inspiration for a television show in England, and The Agatha Raisin Series, about a retired advertising executive. Her title His and Hers made The New York Times Best Seller List for 2012.

Marion Chesney passed away on December 31, 2019 at the age of 83.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

The author of the estimable Hamish Macbeth mysteries falters with this second story (after Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death ) to feature London PR executive Agatha Raisin, who has recently retired in the Cotswolds. When handsome veterinarian Paul Bladen dies from a drug injection intended for a horse, Agatha decides it was murder and calls on her bachelor neighbor James Lacey to help investigate. Although her friend, Detective Sgt. Bill Wong, believes the death was an accident and cautions her against overdramatizing life in their village, Agatha proceeds . She discovers an angry former client of the vet whose cat had died at his hands and claims she has information about Bladen. But when Agatha shows up for their meeting, the woman is dead; another accident, suggest the police as Agatha cries murder once more. Pursuing men and clues with abandon, Agatha finally ferrets out the murderer but loses her male quarry in the process. Stretching for charm, Beaton here unexpectedly scants characterization and plot--both of which are amply supplied in Constable Macbeth's Scottish Highland adventures. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Library Journal Review

Still on break from her Hamish Macbeth series, Beaton adds to her Agatha Raisin opus ( Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death , St. Martin, 1992). Constantly shunned by the man next door, Agatha turns her attention to the handsome new veterinarian--only to become involved in investigating his suspicious death. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Excerpts

Chapter One Agatha Raisin arrived at London's Heathrow Airport with a tan outside and a blush of shame inside. She felt an utter fool as she pushed her load of luggage towards the exit. She had just spent two weeks in the Bahamas in pursuit of her handsome neighbour, James Lacey, who had let fall that he was going to holiday there at the Nassau Beach Hotel. Agatha in pursuit of a man was as ruthless as she had been in business. She had spent a great deal of money on a fascinating wardrobe, had slimmed furiously so as to be able to sport her rejuvenated middle-aged figure in a bikini, but there had been no sign of James Lacey. She had hired a car and toured the other hotels on the island to no avail. She had even called at the British High Commission in the hope they had heard of him. A few days before she was due to return, she had put a long-distance call through to Carsely, the village in the Cotswolds in which she lived, to the vicar's wife, Mrs. Bloxby, and had finally got around to asking for the whereabouts of James Lacey. She still remembered Mrs. Bloxby's voice, strengthening and fading on a bad line, as if borne towards Agatha on the tide. "Mr. Lacey changed his plans at the very last minute. He decided to spend his vacation with a friend in Cairo. He did say he was going to the Bahamas, I remember, and Mrs. Mason said, 'What a surprise! That's where our Mrs. Raisin is going.' And the next thing we knew this friend in Egypt had invited him over." How Agatha had squirmed and was still squirming. It was plain to her that he had changed his plans simply so as not to meet her. In retrospect, her pursuit of him had been rather blatant. And there was another reason she had not enjoyed her holiday. She had put her cat, Hodge, a present from Detective Sergeant Bill Wong, into a cattery and somehow Agatha found she was worrying that the cat might have died. At the Long-Stay Car-Park, she loaded in her luggage and then set out to drive to Carsely, wondering again why she had ever retired so young--well, these days early fifties was young--and sold her business to bury herself in a country village. The cattery was outside Cirencester. She went up to the house and was greeted ungraciously by the thin rangy woman who owned the place. "Really, Mrs. Raisin," she said, "I am just going out. It would have been more considerate of you to phone." "Get my animal . . . now," said Agatha, glaring balefully, "and be quick about it." The woman stalked off, affront in every line of her body. Soon she came back with Hodge mewling in his carrying basket. Totally deaf to further recriminations, Agatha paid the fee. Copyright (c) 1993 by M. C. Beaton. All rights reserved. Excerpted from Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet by M. C. Beaton All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.