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Agatha Raisin #24.5
Hell's Bells
Widowed Mary Bolton, like Miss Jean Brodie, considers herself in her prime. Not satisfied with car boot sales, dances at the bowling club and reading to the elderly, she throws herself into bellringing with gusto - much to the annoyance of her neighbours.
But when the industrious Mary is found swinging from a bell rope, Jessica Brand - who only days before had threatened to strangle Mary with the very same rope - fears she will be accused. There's nothing left to do but call in private detective Agatha Raisin to untangle the web of sex, money, deceit ... and murder.
But when the industrious Mary is found swinging from a bell rope, Jessica Brand - who only days before had threatened to strangle Mary with the very same rope - fears she will be accused. There's nothing left to do but call in private detective Agatha Raisin to untangle the web of sex, money, deceit ... and murder.
9 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
92 people are currently reading
2485 people want to read
About the author
M.C. Beaton
347 books6,060 followersLike her on Facebook!
Learn more on her website!
Marion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Marion Chesney, Charlotte Ward, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
Learn more on her website!
Marion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Marion Chesney, Charlotte Ward, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
January 31, 2021
For some reason, probably because it was a short story, I downloaded this peek into what is a long running, much loved series. Well written, it was however far too brief a look into the life and mysteries of Agatha Raisin to hook any new readers and I dare say would have been quite disappointing to fans of the character and author.
May 11, 2013
I've read all the Agatha Raisin books and enjoyed them but this one really was a waste of time. It took less than 5 minutes to read with not even a half decent storyline. It really wasn't worth downloading or reading and it would have been better to have included it at the end of a book rather than release it as a standalone. It certainly wouldn't put me off reading any more Agatha Raisin but I would stay clear of the freebie short stories in future!
January 2, 2016
Published: 13/02/2013
Author: M.C Beaton
Recommended for: fans of comedy murder mystery novels
Another brilliant Agatha Raisin book by the extrememly talented M.C Beaton. I (once again) could not figure out who had done it and when I did guess I got it wrong. It is brilliantly well written and keeps you wanting to read on to find out the ending. Would recommend to readers who have read other M.C Beaton books and who enjoy 'who done it' books. A truly brilliant read. In this book Agatha Rasin is called in to investigate when widow Mary is found hanging, during the investigation she uncovers a web of deciet, murder, sex and money.
Author: M.C Beaton
Recommended for: fans of comedy murder mystery novels
Another brilliant Agatha Raisin book by the extrememly talented M.C Beaton. I (once again) could not figure out who had done it and when I did guess I got it wrong. It is brilliantly well written and keeps you wanting to read on to find out the ending. Would recommend to readers who have read other M.C Beaton books and who enjoy 'who done it' books. A truly brilliant read. In this book Agatha Rasin is called in to investigate when widow Mary is found hanging, during the investigation she uncovers a web of deciet, murder, sex and money.
May 2, 2021
Agatha Raisin to the rescue in this very short story.
September 6, 2015
I'm not a fan of short stories and this really is short, took me less than five minutes to read it.
July 31, 2013
It was a freebie so I thought I'd give Agatha Raisin another chance. Nope, still not happening. As much as I love her Hamish Macbeth novels, I really don't like Beaton's Agatha Raisin Series. Agatha Raisin would be the one to die in a Macbeth novel and everyone would be happy about it. Usually if I like an author that much I read pretty much everything they do - unless maybe it's a different genre I don't read (like Mankell) - but with MC Beaton there is only Hamish for me. Reminds me I should really reread the whole series...
November 25, 2013
Hmm. My first Agatha Raisin and I can only give it one star. It was a freebie on Kindle so that's a bonus and it was very short. It had a very lame ending indeed. Don't bother I'd say unless it's free and you have 5 minutes to wait somewhere as it will fill the time up quickly.
April 26, 2013
First off, this only has 9 pages. I am a big Agatha Raisin fan and to me this was really pointless.
There was no depth to the book. I am glad this was a freebie and not a bought item.
There was no depth to the book. I am glad this was a freebie and not a bought item.
July 3, 2016
Not what i expected
I got this because I say Agatha raisin on TV. Was a blunt to the point piece of work. Will try another see what I think
I got this because I say Agatha raisin on TV. Was a blunt to the point piece of work. Will try another see what I think
March 18, 2017
I had high expectations for the book because the writing promised to be a nice, cosy read. I found the story to be too simple and was disappointed.
January 27, 2019
This was a VERY short book, but made me giggle. Agatha Raisin is hired to investigate the death of a village woman who had embraced the art of bell-ringing (much to the outrage of one lady in particular) and is found hanging from one of the church bells.
April 8, 2023
Short and to the point!!
November 1, 2017
Two for the price of one--humor and a good mystery. Agatha can be endearing and obnoxious at the same time. Fun, light read.
July 30, 2015
Quite possibly the worst book I have ever read.
A quick read that was not quick enough and I am not sure how it made it into publication in the first place.
I don't normally give bad reviews as I admire the efforts authors put into their work but this was a really poor book and I have read better stories written by my children when they were young.
A quick read that was not quick enough and I am not sure how it made it into publication in the first place.
I don't normally give bad reviews as I admire the efforts authors put into their work but this was a really poor book and I have read better stories written by my children when they were young.
May 19, 2018
A very quick read of just a few minutes really but a lovely little story.
When a lady of a bullying and dictatorial nature is found hung in a belfry after annoying her neighbours and the villagers with her domineering ways and her persistent bell ringing suspicion automatically falls on the lady who challenged her to cut down bell ringing rehearsal and who threatened to kill her if she didn't but is the case as cut and dried as it seems?
When a lady of a bullying and dictatorial nature is found hung in a belfry after annoying her neighbours and the villagers with her domineering ways and her persistent bell ringing suspicion automatically falls on the lady who challenged her to cut down bell ringing rehearsal and who threatened to kill her if she didn't but is the case as cut and dried as it seems?
August 11, 2018
This wasn't even a short story, its more like 3 pages had been taken from a larger novel - one each from the introduction, middle and conclusion - and then stuck together to make this. There was no plot, no real deduction, no character building. In fact, I think my review may be longer than the actual book. I really enjoy M.C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin series, but I think I'm going to give up on her short stories. This is even worse than Christmas Crumble.
December 4, 2018
Oh dear...
I love the Agatha Raisin series, but this short story was such a disappointment. As other reviews state, it's ridiculously short, just a few minutes to read. Worse than that, it has absolutely no depth to the story whatsoever and completely lacks in the character you come to expect from the series. To be honest it reads like a basic plot outline that was accidentally published.
I love the Agatha Raisin series, but this short story was such a disappointment. As other reviews state, it's ridiculously short, just a few minutes to read. Worse than that, it has absolutely no depth to the story whatsoever and completely lacks in the character you come to expect from the series. To be honest it reads like a basic plot outline that was accidentally published.
August 30, 2018
Short Taster
Having read a good few of these books in the past I was disappointed at the shortness of this one and the lack of plot. If this was the first one of this series that I had read I would not be bothered to want to read more. The series is a LOT better and more amusing. It was free but I feel the author has done herself no favours
Having read a good few of these books in the past I was disappointed at the shortness of this one and the lack of plot. If this was the first one of this series that I had read I would not be bothered to want to read more. The series is a LOT better and more amusing. It was free but I feel the author has done herself no favours
February 17, 2018
Okay for a free download
A disappointing story, way too short to develop any interest in the characters. I couldn’t believe it when it was wrapped up far too quickly and conveniently. I am a big fan, but this is not one of her best.
A disappointing story, way too short to develop any interest in the characters. I couldn’t believe it when it was wrapped up far too quickly and conveniently. I am a big fan, but this is not one of her best.
September 17, 2019
I rather enjoyed this book. It i traduced a character I have known about in succeeding books. It was an interesting story AND having begun to study the effects of dysfunctional parents onto children this was fairly spot on as a subplot!
January 1, 2020
I wanted to start 2020 by reading a short, cute book, but this one was WAY shorter than I imagined, though.
But I still enjoyed it, it's a very typical Agatha Raisin story (albeit a super brief one) and the last sentence made me giggle.
But I still enjoyed it, it's a very typical Agatha Raisin story (albeit a super brief one) and the last sentence made me giggle.
February 4, 2018
Fabulous
April 12, 2018
Too Short.
The story ended before it had hardly begun. The interest was beginning to be whetted when the story ended! A let down 😕
The story ended before it had hardly begun. The interest was beginning to be whetted when the story ended! A let down 😕
October 2, 2018
Ringing the church bells end in murder when Agatha Raisin is around.
December 28, 2018
Short and sweet
A good AR storyline but far too condensed. I would have enjoyed the same story woven into a longer plot.
A good AR storyline but far too condensed. I would have enjoyed the same story woven into a longer plot.
August 9, 2019
Troppo corto per riuscire a entrare nelle atmosfere tipicamente Raisiniane...
December 17, 2019
Brief hardly describes it. More of a sketch for a book. Disappointed
May 6, 2020
I know this was a short story but there was maintenance to it at all.
June 19, 2020
This was a one page Agatha Raisin case. Not much to it. Kind of disappointed.
August 7, 2020
Don't waste your money
I love Agatha Raisin books, so it pains me to write a one star review but I really can't see how any one can charge for this? It's not even 10 pages long!!
I love Agatha Raisin books, so it pains me to write a one star review but I really can't see how any one can charge for this? It's not even 10 pages long!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews