Published: 15th April 2001 (print)/26 July 2012 (audio) 
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks/Audible
Pages: 197/5 hrs and 56 mins
Narrator: Penelope Keith
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Cosy Mystery
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars
When a fortune teller from a previous case informs Agatha Raisin that her destiny–and true love–lies in Norfolk, she promptly rents a cottage in the quaint village of Fryfam. No sooner does she arrive than strange things start happening. Random objects go missing from people’s homes, and odd little lights are seen dancing in the villagers’ gardens and yards. Stories soon begin circulating about the presence of fairies.
But when a prominent village resident is found murdered, and some suspicion falls on her and her friend Sir Charles Fraith, Agatha decides she’s had enough of this fairy nonsense and steps up her sleuthing for a human killer.
The prickly yet endearing Agatha will have fans dangling in suspense: Will she catch her crook–and a husband?
This is the story about Agatha and her desperate need for love and having someone in her life. Her own insecurities means she drops everything at the words of a fortune teller to find love in Norfolk. Thankfully the entire book isn’t about her finding love – there is a curious mystery going on and it was a fun mix of local lore and the entire village playing tricks on the newcomer.
The mysteries go from small and seemingly innocent to substantial and murderous. Of course as Agatha and Charles get embroiled in the accusations and suspicions but with their banter and comradery they make a good pair to start clearing their names and finding the truth. This is where Agatha takes off her lovesick hat and gets down to sleuthing. Even in a different village it was fun to get to know a new cast of characters, especially as they interacted with Agatha and the mystery at hand.
The mixture of real murder and magical fairies made for an interesting read and having Agatha alone by herself for a time gave us a chance to see her by herself and not performing for others. Even when she meets the villagers their interactions aren’t instantly accepting and it’s great to see this play out.
Then comes the downfall.
With a plot twist that comes from absolutely nowhere we also return once again to the story of Agatha and Why She Still Wants to be with James Lacey Because Every Single Person Thinks He Is a Terrible Human Being. I was so proud of her initially, her growth around him was making her mature and she had some grace and dignity back but Beaton tosses that aside in an instant for a relationship she herself isn’t even trying to orchestrate realistically.
I couldn’t quite see this relationship before they got together, I certainly can’t see it now, especially when Agatha appeared to be getting over her infatuation and the drama of the last time they tried this. James is cold and neglectful, he is dismissive and it frustrates me to no end because we see Agatha have a nice fun time with people like Charles Fraith, and how she is around other people but her life still will snap back to revolving around James in an instant and as much as she annoys me, she does actually deserve better. There is no cute “will they/won’t they” there is nothing riding on whether this might suddenly turn – Beaton makes it obvious they are a bad match so I don’t know why we must put up with this.
It goes beyond story because at some point you are being disrespectful of readers who can see this is unrealistic and trying to push the same failed relationship instead of letting characters move and grow into new relationships for the sake of main characters is insulting.
You can purchase Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam via the following
Lost in a Good Book 