The Perfect Paragon (An Agatha Raisin Mystery)

by M. C. Beaton | Mystery & Thrillers |
ISBN: 0312984790 Global Overview for this book
Registered by herlibrary of Miami, Florida USA on 12/15/2006
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11 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by herlibrary from Miami, Florida USA on Friday, December 15, 2006
HERlibrary review: Oh no! Agatha is getting a bit mellow with age along with a few creaky body parts. She is still looking for love, solving mysteries in her heavy intrusive mannner, and heavens forbid she is actually giving credit where credit is due. I dont know if I can tolerate this almost nice Agatha, but the book is still a fun and easy read. Oh and look forward to the surprise at the end - no peeking.


Book Description
AGATHA RAISIN....AND THE CASE FROM HELLShe's nosed in on murder investigations, annoyed law enforcement on two continents, and been targeted by everyone from a hit man to a killer secretary. But now Agatha Raisin must take on her greatest nightmare-a divorce case. Bad enough that her struggling detective agency needs the whacking great fee pompous businessman Robert Smedley is offering to prove his wife is unfaithful; it's even worse that Mrs. Smedley is the kind of sweet, accomplished, lovely, gentle, and all-around perfectly wonderful spouse that Agatha couldn't be in a thousand years. So, when Smedley turns up poisoned, Agatha is relieved enough to help his now-desperate wife clear her name. And with the assistance of her firm's eccentric new staff, Agatha enthusiastically follows leads and a batch of suspects through the English countryside's seediest byways. But the police aren't about to let an interfering "amateur" beat them to the punch. And as Agatha hits one dead end after another, a particularly devious killer is looking forward to making sure the indomitable Agatha never has to worry about old age-or anything else.

Journal Entry 2 by herlibrary from Miami, Florida USA on Saturday, January 20, 2007
RULES OF THE BOOKRING:

1. When you receive the book please make a journal entry.

2. Read it and pass it on within 30 days. If you can't read it within 30 days, please pass on to the next person.

3. When you are finished reading it, make a journal entry giving your opinion of the book.

4. Contact the next person on the list to get their mailing address. If no response is received after two attempts, contact me and then next person on the list.

5. When you mail the book make another journal entry indicating when and to whom it was sent. The book is a paperback and weighs 9 ounces.

6. After you have actually mailed the book, PM the person you mailed the book to so they know it is on its way. If the book gets lost in the mail, please contact me.

7. Please DO NOT use controlled release, do a journal entry instead.

THE CURRENT LIST OF MEMBERS: (anyone who wish to join after the start date - must be willing to ship internationally)

1. bookczuk
South Carolina, USA - prefer to ship within the US.

2. HallieK
Texas, USA - prefer to mail US/Canada.

3. blackadder75
Pennsylvania, USA - willing to ship in the US and Canada..

4. emmagoldmanzine
Pennsylvania, USA - will ship surface internationally if needed..

5. NMReader
New Mexico, USA - prefer to ship in the USA but will ship international.

6. daughterofcokie
California, USA - willing to ship internationally

7. AnglersRest
Devon, UK - can ship ???

8. Rillaith
Hampshire, UK - Prefer UK/Eur after me, but can post anywhere

9. k2005
Oxfordshire, UK - happy to ship anywhere

10. wubbaducky
Surrey, UK - prefer UK shipping but if you're stuck, I can post abroad if surface is ok

11. Twicky
Middlesex, UK - I don't mind where I sent it to afterwards

12. herlibrary
Florida, USA -

Journal Entry 3 by herlibrary from Miami, Florida USA on Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Here we go ... book mailed to bookczuk today, Wednesday Jan, 24, 2007. happy traveling.

Journal Entry 4 by wingbookczukwing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Saturday, January 27, 2007
This fetched up in today's mail. Perfect timing as it is the weekend, I'm homebound recovering from bronchitis and I just finished my book! Thanks for starting the ring. I'm curious to see what Agatha is up to now!

Journal Entry 5 by wingbookczukwing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Monday, January 29, 2007
Hmmmm...It may have been the medicine fog I was in, but this was the first time I found myself let down by MC Beaton. I've so enjoyed discovering Agatha and her cronies, and that wonderful village in the Cotswolds. Somehow, this one came across a little formulaic (is that a word? Not sure.) I've been reading the series out of order, so I never know where Agatha will be in terms of her love life and employment opportunities. Now she's running a detective agency, still looking for love, still enraging Inspector Wilkes and still subsisting on ghastly microwaved foods. Some things never change it seems. I liked the new characters introduced via the detective agency and enjoyed meeting up with old friends such as Bill Wong, Mrs Bloxby and Hodge and Boswell.

Even though I was not as enchanted with the plot of this one, I still am happy to have spend the weekend with Agatha, and look forward to filling in the gaps in our relationship. Thank you so much, herlibrary, for sending this along. I have already contacted the next person on the list and will be mailing the book out to them in the next day or so.

Journal Entry 6 by wingbookczukwing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Monday, January 29, 2007
Look at that! I have an envelope and HallieK's address, and the time to dash out to the post office. Mailed this out today, first class (delivery confirmation number on the receipt in my wallet.) Thanks again!

PS The picture is our logo for the 2007 BookCrossing Convention which is here in Charleston this April. Hope you all can join us!

Journal Entry 7 by HallieK from Austin, Texas USA on Saturday, February 3, 2007
Got this in the mail today and can't wait to get started. I'm nearly finished with the book I'm reading now, so this will be next. Thanks!

Journal Entry 8 by HallieK from Austin, Texas USA on Friday, February 16, 2007
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I should have read these in order, though, because there were some references to past characters and it would have been nice to know the backstory. But, that gives me something to look for at the library! Thanks for sharing. I have the next address and will mail the book off this weekend

Journal Entry 9 by blackadder75 from Lebanon, Pennsylvania USA on Tuesday, February 20, 2007
I got this book in today's mail. I will be reading it this weekend.

Journal Entry 10 by blackadder75 from Lebanon, Pennsylvania USA on Thursday, February 22, 2007
I really enjoyed this mystery. I didn't think it was MC Beaton's best but it still had good things in it. I was a little shocked by who showed up at the end. Thanks for sharing this book herlibrary! I have emmagoldmanzine's address and will be shipping it out tomorrow.

Journal Entry 11 by emmagoldmanzine from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Monday, March 12, 2007
The book has arrived. I have one book ahead of it (but it's short) and I'm moving this week, so I'm hoping to get to this by next weekend.

Journal Entry 12 by emmagoldmanzine from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Well I read this whole book on my trip back and forth between Philly and NYC (It's amazing what you can do with a few hours on a train and no one year old!). I enjoyed it. It was somewhat predicatble, but I found the characters to be fun and it was the perfect thing to read on my journey. I did want to read the previous nobels as I read this one though since I wanted to know a little more background into some of the characters as well as Agatha's journey into super sleuthdome.

Journal Entry 13 by NMReader from Herndon, Virginia USA on Friday, April 6, 2007
Received today. I am traveling next week but hopefully I will be able to read.

Journal Entry 14 by NMReader from Herndon, Virginia USA on Monday, April 16, 2007
I enjoyed the book and read it rather quickly - Started on Sat and finished today at lunch.

It isn't the best mystery I have read but it is far from the worst.

This is my fist Agatha Raisin mystery. I liked the characters and as the others ring members have said I think I will have to go look for other books to fill in my history of this character.

I very much liked Harry and that despite his initial appearance he was intelligent and resourceful. I was surprised with who called on Agatha at the end of the book. I suspect in the long run that MC Beaton has plans for Charles and Agatha but I could be very wrong.

daughterofcokie is next on the list and I have her mail address ready. I will mail tomorrow over my lunch.

Journal Entry 15 by daughterofcokie from Chula Vista, California USA on Friday, May 11, 2007
I am so sorry I haven't journaled. It is not like me to forget something like this. I will PM the next person and send it on its way.

Journal Entry 16 by daughterofcokie at -- Controlled Release in Chula Vista, California USA on Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Released 16 yrs ago (5/22/2007 UTC) at -- Controlled Release in Chula Vista, California USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

sent it off to the next person in the bookring this morning (I apologize profuesly for taking so long)

Journal Entry 17 by AnglersRest from Teignmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Monday, June 4, 2007
Arrived last week, while I had no internet access. I zipped through this in about a day. Another wonderful read in the life of Agatha, with her friend Charles and all the usual village friends. Agatha is pining for James Lacey,is getting on with her detective business, but is she keeping out of trouble?!!

Have PMed the next person and should get this moving this week.

Journal Entry 18 by AnglersRest from Teignmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Sunday, June 10, 2007
Rillaith hasn't answered my two PMs so I have PMed k2005 for an address.

Journal Entry 19 by AnglersRest from Teignmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Thursday, June 14, 2007
I now have k2005's address, so in the post between now and Monday!

Journal Entry 20 by k2005 from Oxford, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Thursday, June 21, 2007
received the book yesterday morning, just in time to read a couple of chapters during breakfast!! kelly.

Journal Entry 21 by wubbaducky from not specified, not specified not specified on Friday, July 6, 2007
Arrived safe and sound - just reading another ring ahead of it but will get to it asap. Many thanks!

Journal Entry 22 by wubbaducky from not specified, not specified not specified on Thursday, July 12, 2007
I liked it as I've liked all the Agatha Raisins I've read but I did find it somewhat predictable in places - apart from the very last couple of sentences :)

Will hand this over to Twicky when he gets back from holiday on the weekend

Journal Entry 23 by Twicky from Twickenham, Greater London United Kingdom on Monday, September 17, 2007
With me safely, sorry this one snuck under the wire and I forgot to journal it when Wubbaducky gave it to me. But I will read it soon and pass it on... Thansk a lot, Twicky

Journal Entry 24 by Twicky from Twickenham, Greater London United Kingdom on Thursday, September 20, 2007
Well I tried to redeem myself by reading it quickly:) Funny in places although some of it seemed to fall into place a little too easily (I suppose you have to do this with Agatha Raisan) - when you get three murders in a sleepy area of the countryside you have to wonder if that's not just a little over the top!

Journal Entry 25 by herlibrary from Miami, Florida USA on Saturday, October 27, 2007
I am back home again after a long journey meeting new friends. I will take a rest then be on way again. Thanks to all the lovely folks I have met on my journey who took such great care of me and welcomed me into their homes. May eternal peace and joy be with you all.

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