Kissing Christmas Goodbye

An Agatha Raisin Mystery

By: M. C. Beaton

Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon

Unlike quite a number of people, Agatha has not given up on Christmas. To have the perfect Christmas had been a childhood dream while surviving a rough upbringing in a Birmingham slum. Holly berries glistened, snow fell gently outside, and inside, all was Dickensian jollity. And in her dreams, James Lacey kissed her under the mistletoe, and like a middle-aged sleeping beauty, she would awake to passion once more....

Agatha Raisin is bored. Her detective agency in the Cotswolds is thriving, but she'll scream if she has to deal with another missing cat or dog. Only two things seem to offer potential excitement: Christmas and her ex, James Lacey. This year Agatha is sure that if she invites James to a splendid Christmas dinner, their love will rekindle like a warm Yule log. But that fantasy will have to wait for now. A wealthy widow - who had sent Agatha a letter saying a member of her family intended to kill her - has been found dead. Now Agatha must set out to find the murderer, even though, in her heart, she's still dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones she and James used to know.

©2015 M.C. Beaton (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Can't go wrong with these mysteries!

Loved it!
Highly recommend this book.
Wanda McCaddon has a pleasant voice and easy to follow along with.

love agate as usual

7i8u
kjustblet me reresdvportions off the food, much like moo
re james I missed him although row was entertaining am
nd lived chsrkesvofvcouse,

A visit to Agatha is always fun... but..

This series always makes me laugh: Beaton has drawn a lead character that isn't always sympathetic
but she makes me laugh. This episode starts with a bang: a new addition to her detective agency?
It proceeds along well, but it goes off the rails when the author introduces the witchcraft thread,
which makes little sense. But it was fun nonetheless.

Agatha Raisin delights

I enjoyed the story, but not the narration. I believe I have become accustomed the previous narrator's reading style and various voices of key characters. Hearing this new narrator took me out of the story somewhat.

All Things Must Change

Alas, the change in narrator is a distraction. The previous narrator, Penelope Keith, was fantastic. I always knew exactly which character was speaking. Now, not so much anymore. I guess I will just have to put up with it though if I want to continue to hear about Agatha Raisin's adventures.

stopped 5 min in after disparaging fat remarks

The opening didn't grab me, I didn't care much for the narrator so once the author described applicants in a disparaging way because of their weight / appearance I decided it wasn't worth my time. Life's too short to listen to bad books when there is such a huge amount available.

Great story, horrible narrator

I love the Agatha Raisin stories! They are well written, and I love to see what Agatha gets into. This narrator is not as good as Penelope.

Poor Narration

The narrator was poorly cast. Her voice and manner would be much better suited to a Miss Marple novel. After listening to the last 20 or so books read by the engaging and talented Penelope Keith it was disappointing to have a new narrator. Ms Keith, a consummate actress, delighted and surprised me with her ability to give each character a distinctly recognizable voice. She was spot on with her performance of the droll Sir Charles, the no nonsense but romantically challenged Agatha and the uptight slightly pompous James. Every character had a voice. Her ability to give each character the appropriate accent and tone made listening to the stories enjoyable and engaging. With Ms Keith narrating you knew immediately who was “talking” and it made the entire book come to to life. The narration of this book was adequate at best. While I listened eagerly to the past books and couldn’t wait to download the next, I doubt I will even bother to listen to the rest of the series. I will buy the book, read it myself and “do my own voices” in my head.

The new narrator takes some getting used to

I saw the review that says the same before I started listening and was not prepared for how VERY different the new narrator sounds. It seems to be a bit young of a voice for Agatha and most of the characters, but I quite like the new addition to the agency, Tony and I hope she stays on.

Wishes do come true

Agatha wishes for an old fashioned Christmas with snow and her ex, James Lacey. Murder interrupts her planning when she responds to a letter, where a matriarch insists that someone in her family is out to kill her. Agatha checks it out and gets invited back as a guess at an upcoming family gathering. When she arrives for dinner with Sir Charles Fraith at the manor, her client expires at the dinner table via a salad laced with hemlock. Helping Agatha this time is a new member of her staff, a bright, intelligent young girl named Toni. All kinds of antics take place in this one and there's never a dull moment. I really enjoy this series. I am re-reading the entire series and re-visiting favorite moments is pure pleasure.