The usual sort of story in the Agatha Raisin series very readable and entertaining . ( )

This is my first in the Agatha Raisin series and I found it to be a light, fun, entertaining read. I enjoyed Agatha's character and her entourage, as well as the side tales and background shenanigans. The main plot was well done although the end could have been shortened with the story stopped at the culprit's trial.
All in all, a good read. I will be tempted to read more of the series. ( )

Agatha and the Gardener
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (September 2012) of the original St. Martin's Press Minotaur hardcover (September 2012)

“I haven’t the resources of the police, so I just blunder about until something breaks.” – Agatha Raisin in Hiss & Hers

Hiss and Hers has Agatha crushing on yet another handsome man in the person of local gardener George Marston. She finds herself in competition with all the women of Carsely however and Marston is then found murdered. Agatha is on the case with no shortage of suspects.

I'm still enjoying the fun of these cozies which are always somewhat different from the TV-series which I saw first. Agatha is definitely more cranky in the books, but her human faults and foibles make us accept her nevertheless. There are some continuity errors in this one that suggest that writer Beaton wasn't being too diligent. Simon Black suddenly has parents again although he had been introduced as an orphan several books ago. The formula is pretty much set in stone now for the series. Agatha finds a new man, is jealous of ex-husband James Lacey and occasional lover/friend Charles Fraith, is jealous and meddling with Toni Gilmour's love life, helps Roy Silver out despite his publicity transgressions, gets sympathy from Mrs. Bloxby, etc.

The narration of this book #23 introduces a new narrator to the series in Davina Porter who is ok in all voices, but is definitely too restrained in comparison to series regular Penelope Keith.

Most (28 of 32) of the Agatha Raisin audiobooks are free on Audible Plus. A continuation series book Down the Hatch is yet to be released, and is expected to be published on October 26, 2021. Down the Hatch is apparently entirely written by continuation writer R.W. Green whereas #31 Hot to Trot was a collaboration with M.C. Beaton.

Trivia and Links
Hiss and Hers has not yet been adapted for the currently ongoing Agatha Raisin TV series (2016-).

At the end of Hiss & Hers, Agatha and Charles go to Stratford to see Macbeth and a friend of Charles mentions seeing a version of The Merchant of Venice set in Las Vegas which must have been this 2011 staging.

Agatha and Charles must have seen the 2011 Michael Boyd production of Macbeth, with children in the roles of the witches, which has a trailer on YouTube here. ( )

I felt like something was missing from this book. Not sure if it was the memento, character development, or what, but I just couldn't wait to get done with this book. ( )

Slight spoiler alert.
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Simon's parents were dead when Simon was introduced, like three books ago, weren't they? Snakes and bastards! ( )