Review: Down the Hatch

 

• Title: Down the Hatch
• Author: M.C. Beaton (with R.W. Green)
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Minotaur Books (October 26, 2021)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250816130
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250816139

Description

Private detective Agatha Raisin, having recently taken up power-walking, is striding along a path in Mircester Park during her lunch break when she hears a cry for help. Rushing over, she finds an elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Swinburn, in the middle of the green―with the body of an old man lying at their feet.

The man, who the coroner determines died by poisoning, was known as "the Admiral," a gardener notorious for his heavy drinking, and Chief Inspector Wilkes writes the death off as an accident caused by the consumption of weed killer stored in a rum bottle. Agatha is not convinced that anyone would mistake weed killer for rum but carries on with her work at Raisin Investigations, until she receives an anonymous tip that the Admiral’s death was no accident.

Local gossip points to the Swinburns themselves as the killers, spurred by a feud at the club where they, as well as the Admiral, were members. Distraught at this accusation, they turn to Agatha to clear their name, and she takes the case―despite the warnings of Chief Inspector Wilkes.

Agatha encounters one suspicious character after another, becoming further enmeshed in the Admiral’s own dark and shady past. And when she's run off the road, narrowly escaping with her life, and then another attack occurs, it becomes clear that someone doesn’t want the case closed―and will stop at nothing to prevent Agatha from solving it.

The Good 

I fell in love with the Agatha Raisin series after seeing an episode of the TV show which was adapted from the book series. In fact, I didn't even know it was a book series until I had watched the first episode and saw that it was based on the "works of MC Beaton" as part of the rolling credits. This was in 2019. I spent the better part of the year collecting and reading all the books in the series. Then in December of that same year I discovered that MC Beaton had died and, I thought, the Agatha Raisin series as well. However, that was not the case as the publisher found a ghost rider to continue Agatha's adventures. 

The Agatha Raisin series falls into the category of a British Cozy Mystery which I explained in an earlier review. I enjoyed re-vising the Cotswolds with Agatha. What I really like about her is that though on the outside Agatha may appear to be something of a vain, rich-bitch, however,  she is a very intelligent, cunning, intuitive detective with a strong sense of justice. 

It would be so easy for her to travel the world and enjoy the hard-earned fruits of her labor after many years in the PR business but she is driven to have more meaning and purpose in her life. One line that really stuck out with me when describing Agatha was that "murder follows in her footsteps" but which was quickly corrected that it was the other way around. Agatha will not rest until she gets her man (in more ways than one). 

Speaking of which, this entry in the series featured the "core cast' as I think of them including her ex-husband James, as well as her friends Sir Charles, Mrs. Bloxby, and Bill Wong. It also featured her enemies D.C. Wilkes who thinks of her as an amateur and a meddler and Gustav, hilarious Gustav, Sir Charles's butler. However, her housekeeper Delores was curiously absent although she was mentioned.  I'd also like to add that although this story is set in the present, Covid does not seem to be a concern in this universe and that was a nice escape from reality. 

The Bad 

Down the Hatch is only the second book which the ghost writer has written. Supposedly it was planned along with Marion (MC Beaton) before her death, however, I can't help but feel that there is a little something lacking in the characterizations. Nevertheless, I cannot give you a concrete example of any individual acting out of character. This simply could be attributed to my own knowledge that MC Beaton did not wholly write this book herself even if she participated in crafting the broad strokes of the storyline. 

The Ugly 

If I had to name something ugly about this book, it would be the relationship between the Admiral and his wife. And that's all I am going to say about THAT as I don't want to spoil anything for my readers. 

My Rating 

I give this entry into the Agatha Raisin series four cigarettes and two cups of black coffee. Yes, babies, I am STILL working on my rating system.