Audiobook Review: Agatha's First Case by M.C. Beaton

At age 26 Agatha Raisin has already come a long way. She has clawed her way up since leaving the Birmingham slum where she was born. She's lost her Birmingham accent, run away from her drunken husband, and found a job at a public relations office as a secretary. Then her boss asks Agatha to go to the home of Sir Bryce Teller to tell him that he is soon to be arrested for the murder of his wife and that the agency no longer wants to represent him.

Teller, impressed with the pugnacious Agatha, asks her to handle PR for him and even offers her an office and tells her she can hire a staff. Certainly the best thing Agatha can do for her first client is to find out who really murdered his wife and clear his name. And with her wits and gumption, Agatha sets out to do just that.[summary via Audible]

I've been reading the Agatha Raisin mysteries for the last few years and I've loved every one of them. Agatha is big on spirit and determination and regardless of your age she sure is a great model for the strong, confident woman with a "can-do" attitude! When I heard M.C. Beaton was writing a story about her first case, I was excited. I wanted to know what Agatha was like in her 20s!

In this story we get to meet Agatha when she is 26. She is just starting out at a ad agency as a general "dogsbody" and has quite made it yet. She gets thrust in the middle of a murder case, and alike to her cases later on, she bumbles around and gets everything right. She's hesitant to begin with, but her strong passion to make something of herself shines through and she starts to show the Agatha Raisin spirit that we all love!

Agatha Raisin is my all time favorite sleuth and I simply loved her first story. I'm hoping maybe one day M.C. Beaton will write more stories of her younger days, as this one was a delight.

If you're a new fan to the Agatha Raisin mysteries this would be the perfect place to start.

I enjoyed Alison Larkin's narration. Penelope Keith is my all-time favorite narrator of this series but Alison's narration was quite good too.

Definitely a A+ listen and I can't wait for the new book, Dishing the Dirt!

Review by Anna.