Agatha Raisin
Remember THIS post?
Well it’s here. Agatha Raisin has come to American PBS (check your local listings). The other evening, nursing a hurt back, and with a mild pain reliever, I tuned into the first two in this series.
As always, when transferring my brain from book to the screen — there are adjustments to be made. The story lines have been condensed to fit into 60 minute segments, so you can’t be too tied to the books. But, I’m happy to report that, all in all, this is a very good adaptation.
Just like Jessica Fletcher in the Murder, She Wrote series, death and disaster follow Agatha into the small Cotswold village where she has chosen to retire from her public relations business. And, what a village — the cottages are postcard pretty and while Agatha has moved into the perfect cottage she’s decorated it with ultra modern London furnishings.
Agatha doesn’t fare well in her new fictional village of Carsley. She wears heels and tight skirts around the village, she steals her neighbor’s cleaning woman, tries to wheedle tips on the perfect quiche from the baking competition judge, who then propositions her when his wife steps away. Agatha’s perfect cottage is robbed, she enters a quiche purchased in London for the village baking competition, and while her quiche doesn’t win — it does kill someone…(no spoilers here).
As her friend and former employee Roy sums it up for her, “Look at it positively, Aggie, you’ve already cheated, been burgled, killed someone, and you’ve been wanted by the police. It’s plain sailing from here.”
The casting of the series is excellent, especially Agatha and DC Bill Wong. The village residents are, as in the books, completely taken aback by Agatha and her bumbling attempts to fit into village life. “You could give me a few hints on how to do the things that people do when they do things around here,” she pleads with a fellow village resident.
Just as the written series, the TV adaption is light, funny, and serious mental powers are not required — in fact it actually helps to be in a silly mood (or, as in my case, on pain meds).
So pop some popcorn and take a lovely break from day-to-day reality — go visit the Cotswolds with the delightful Agatha Raisin.
NetGalley Professional Reader
NetGalley Approved Reviewer
Independent Bookstore Supporter
Follow me on instagram
