Agatha Raisin books in order

Complete reading order for M.C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin cozy mystery series, featuring the retired PR executive turned amateur detective in the Cotswolds.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 The Quiche of Death 1992 Marion Chesney Buy
2 The Vicious Vet 1993 Marion Chesney Buy
3 The Potted Gardener 1994 Marion Chesney Buy
4 The Walkers of Dembley 1995 Marion Chesney Buy
5 The Murderous Marriage 1996 Marion Chesney Buy
6 The Terrible Tourist 1997 Marion Chesney Buy
7 The Wellspring of Death 1998 Marion Chesney Buy
8 The Witch of Wyckhadden 1999 Marion Chesney Buy
9 The Wizard of Evesham 1999 Marion Chesney Buy
10 The Fairies of Fryfam 2000 Marion Chesney Buy
11 The Love from Hell 2001 Marion Chesney Buy
12 The Day the Floods Came 2002 Marion Chesney Buy
13 The Case of the Curious Curate 2003 Marion Chesney Buy
14 The Haunted House 2003 Marion Chesney Buy
15 The Deadly Dance 2004 Marion Chesney Buy
16 The Perfect Paragon 2005 Marion Chesney Buy
17 Love, Lies and Liquor 2006 Marion Chesney Buy
18 Kissing Christmas Goodbye 2007 Marion Chesney Buy
19 A Spoonful of Poison 2008 Marion Chesney Buy
20 There Goes the Bride 2009 Marion Chesney Buy
21 Busy Body 2010 Marion Chesney Buy
22 As The Pig Turns 2011 Marion Chesney Buy
23 Christmas Crumble 2012 Marion Chesney Buy
24 Hiss and Hers 2012 Marion Chesney Buy
25 Hell’s Bells 2013 Marion Chesney Buy
26 Something Borrowed, Someone Dead 2013 Marion Chesney Buy
27 The Blood of an Englishman 2014 Marion Chesney Buy
28 Agatha’s First Case 2015 Marion Chesney Buy
29 Dishing the Dirt 2015 Marion Chesney Buy
30 Pushing up Daisies 2016 Marion Chesney Buy
31 The Witches’ Tree 2017 Marion Chesney Buy
32 The Dead Ringer 2018 Marion Chesney Buy
33 Beating about the Bush 2019 Marion Chesney Buy
34 Hot to Trot 2020 Marion Chesney Buy
35 Down the Hatch 2021 Marion Chesney Buy
36 Devil’s Delight 2022 Marion Chesney Buy
37 Dead on Target 2023 Marion Chesney Buy

The Agatha Raisin series follows a London PR executive who takes early retirement and moves to the Cotswold village of Carsely, where she discovers a talent for solving murders. Created by M.C. Beaton (the pen name of Marion Chesney), the series began in 1992 with The Quiche of Death, in which Agatha enters a quiche competition only to have the judge die after eating her entry.

Agatha is an unusual cozy mystery protagonist - abrasive, vain, and socially awkward, she relies on determination rather than charm to crack cases. The series follows her romantic misadventures with neighbor James Lacey and her eventual establishment of a detective agency. Beaton’s sharp wit and affection for English village life made the books bestsellers on both sides of the Atlantic.

After Beaton’s death in 2019, the series has continued with author R.W. Green writing new entries based on her notes. The books have sold millions of copies worldwide and spawned a successful television adaptation starring Ashley Jensen.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Agatha Raisin books are there?

There are 37 Agatha Raisin novels. M.C. Beaton (pen name of Marion Chesney) began the series with The Quiche of Death in 1992 and continued writing until her death in 2019. The series has been continued by R.W. Green using Beaton’s notes and outlines.

What order should I read the Agatha Raisin books?

Read the books in publication order starting with The Quiche of Death. While each mystery can stand alone, reading in order lets you follow Agatha’s personal development, her on-again-off-again relationship with James Lacey, and her transition from amateur sleuth to private detective agency owner.

Is there an Agatha Raisin TV series?

Yes, Agatha Raisin was adapted into a television series starring Ashley Jensen that premiered in 2014 on Sky1. The show ran for four seasons and follows Agatha as she solves murders in the fictional Cotswold village of Carsely. The series takes some liberties with the books but captures the cozy mystery atmosphere.

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