The Devil’s Delight

Devil’s Delight

Creating suspense and action from the first line of this novel, we find Agatha Bacon and her assistant, Toni about to go on a dangerous collision course that will halt their original plans to attend a wedding with an unusual detour. Imagine while driving to the wedding of a policeman who’s a friend you spot an unusual sight. A young naturist ran down the middle of the road claiming he found a dead body in the woods and asking for their help. Was this true or a prank? Edward Carstairs is the young man belonging to the naturist group who saw the dead body but when Agatha and Toni came to the spot where he saw it, it was gone. Chief inspector Wilkes thought it is a prank and did not want to pursue it and the banter between him and Agatha is priceless as she lets him know that his opinion was null and void like him but in her way. 

The events lead to the naturist club and the land owned by her friend Charles who’d like to be more than a friend to Agatha as we learn from their interactions. But Edward is sure he saw a dead body, Agatha is going to investigate the murder along with Toni, but it might mean don’t join the club as the inside person. During her staff meeting, she learns about pilfering at a local brewery from Patrick and he’s going to get a job there as the inside man. She will meet with those in charge of the local college to find out who’s selling drugs to the girls in this girl’s school. 

Things heat up when the body is found, and a press conference that is quite lighting and an angry Chief Inspector. Then Agatha goes to meet her friend at the church vicarage for information about two choir members that are to the naturist group. 

As events escalate, we get to know 2 sisters that seem to have reasons for murder. The link is to an artisanal ice cream and its owner Antonio. When the victim is revealed you’ll be shocked and when Toni has herbal tea with one of the sisters the outcome was supposed to be murder. 

As Agatha joins Charles to visit Lone warrior and then realized how the victim was killed and why she learns more about his wife and the man who wants to buy and take over his business. Then Simon is arrested for breaking the brewery, where he was uncovering and the pieces start falling into place but who’s next on the killers’ list? What she determines about the cause of the murder is bone-chilling and the tour of the college, meeting the staff and giving a lecture she hoped would help solve the drug problems. 

From Jasper, the naturist to Giovanna the hit choirmaster, and John the detective plus Charles, Agatha has a plethora of men at her fingertips, and let’s not forget James but does any or anyone mean more than a casual romp? Agatha gives her talk at the school and the father of one of the students is out to take her down with threats. Then the murder of a business, his wife’s part in it and then Agatha must decide which man fits into her life but not before two men trashing her house, wanting to set it on fire would anyone come to her rescue? When the problem at the brewery is solved you won’t believe how the one at the college and who is selling class A and class B drugs to the students and where this person gets them? A simple video, a smart PI named Agatha, a friend named Charles who does her a big favor at the end, a murder that will leave you cold and frozen, an ending that is both sad, funny and yet typical Agatha as she realizes that sometimes one man might not work out, another has possibilities until still someone else comes into play. Author MC Beaton has once again changed up Agatha and made her boulder, more daring and the talk of the naturist colony I bet you can figure out why? When all the players are in one place the explosive ending will take the life of one more person who was vital part of the naturist group. Plus, the end of the drugs at Mircester, the revelation as to who was selling them and why plus the convoluted way the business of the murder victim would play out as just who inherits it you won’t believe, and you will finally get what he deserves but is this over for Agatha? Which man will take her heart and keep it? What is her next case? An ending that is shocking in three parts as we learn who is behind the drugs, who was behind the theft at the brewery, the dramatic tragedy of someone in charge of the naturist center, the wedding that started it all and finally many lessons that she might have learned about herself, shocking when she joins the naturist group for a day and then finally truth behind the murders. Let’s not forget the delicious ice cream named after the title 

Fran Lewis just reviews 

This review is dedicated to the memory of M.C. Beaton and thank you to R.W. Green for keeping the series and Agatha Alive.