Agatha Raisin has always been ambivalent about holiday cheer, but her cozy little village of Carsely has long prided itself on its Christmas festivities. But, this year Mr. John Sunday, a self-important officer with the Health and Safety Board, has ruled that the traditional tree on top of the church is a public menace; that lampposts are unsafe for hanging illuminations; that May Dimwoody's homemade toys are dangerous for children...Things have reached such a desperate pass that the Carsely Ladies' Society joins forces with the ladies in the neighboring village of Odley Cruesis to try to put a stop to Mr. Sunday's meddling-only to find that someone has literally put a stop to him with a kitchen knife.
Agatha's detective agency is on the case, but when a man has made as many enemies as John Sunday, it's hard to know where to start...
"Testy Agatha, continuing her habit of falling for unsuitable men, scores again with a cunning mixture of satire and mystery."
Kirkus Reviews
"Beaton is a master of the cozy formula--there are plenty of red herrings, a large cast of suspects and an eagle-eye view of village life."
RT Book Reviews
"Beaton ... does a brilliant job of depicting Agatha's struggles with aging and keeping her detective agency afloat. Her romantic upheavals (will she ever marry close friend Sir Charles Fraith?) continue to tantalize."