These books are a joy, and what makes them so for me in particular is the author's sound knowledge of the area and her splendid satire. Picturesque villages filled with cottages, wealthy retirees, sky-high prices and some hilarious descriptions of eating out have me laughing and nodding. Agatha is on fine form, suspecting James of flirting, rubbing people up the wrong way and trying to look younger, while James is still the tidy and insensitive bachelor. The plot kept me guessing in this slim volunme crammed with humor and incident, possibly the best since the first with its mixture of cozy and satire. This series is at its best when there is more of the latter than the former, and they balance out nicely here. Pour yourself a cup of tea, butter a scone and sink into a tangled tale of health spas, bogus charities, serial killing and village life. I don't think anybody does this sort of thing better.