Dead Before Tea Time: R.W.Green

Dead Before Tea Time
A Cotswolds village sits at the heart of this murder mystery. Agatha Raisin is with her ex-husband, James, when they encounter Doris and her husband. Usually cheerful, Doris is distraught over the impending closure of the Red Lion pub. The brewery that owns the building is forcing it shut, prompting Agatha and James to talk to Shana, the bartender, to learn what is behind the decision. Gathering the patrons’ attention, Agatha and James explain that a petition will not save the pub. The company plans to shut down nearly 400 unprofitable bars, while Lord Ancombe cites a local housing shortage to fast-track a planning application for new homes.
Joined by the vicar’s wife, the group decides to target the brewery and Lord Ancombe directly by studying their opposition’s strengths and weaknesses. To boost morale, Agatha buys a round of drinks for the house.
As the team investigates how corrupt the developers are, Lord Ancombe pressures local figures like Francis and expects the local council to play along with his profit-driven goals. Meanwhile, at Agatha’s detective agency, she briefs her staff—Toni, Patrick, and Simon—on a series of new assignments. Simon looks into stolen vintage cars for the Mircester Insurance Company, Patrick serves legal papers, and Mrs. Tweedy brings in a case regarding her husband. Agatha also enlists help from Edward Carstairs of the Mircester Naturalist Society and her friend Sir Charles Fraith. While Lord Ancombe intimidates a debtor named Harry into signing over money at gunpoint, Agatha visits an antique shop owner named Mr. Tinker.
Mr. Tinker shows Agatha a porcelain plaque replicating Pisanello’s famous painting, The Vision of St. Eustace. Though not a forgery, the plaque has no documented provenance and is worth over 50,000 pounds. A mysterious visitor brought it in for assessment, and Agatha photographs the piece front and back to check with insurance companies.
Soon after, Lord Henry Ancombe unexpectedly summons Agatha to his estate, though his assistant Gustav and Agatha remain wary of his motives. During a local battle reenactment, the conflict takes a deadly turn when Lord Ancombe is found shot dead on the forest floor.
Police detective Bill Wong leads the investigation alongside the unhelpful Detective Wilkes, who absurdly suspects Agatha since she discovered the body. Agatha offers her condolences to Lady Ancombe and learns from Toni that the Lord was widely despised. While Lord Ancombe’s associate, Francis, insists that business will continue as usual, Shana hopes the pub might now be spared.
Although Wilkes quickly declares the case closed—blaming a man named Mr. Atwell—Lady Ancombe remains convinced there is more to her husband’s murder and hires Agatha to find the truth. The investigation grows increasingly dangerous: Patrick is injured on the job, a suspicious security chief named Stephen enters the picture, and Agatha is kidnapped and held captive.
As the plot thickens, another victim, Beanie, is found dead, and Thomas Cutler allegedly commits suicide. Agatha clashes with Wilkes, insisting he has arrested the wrong person. After receiving a burner-phone message from Gustav designed to lure her and Charles into a trap, Agatha uncovers another body. Tracing the clues back to Mrs. Warner, Mr. Tinker’s antique shop, and the mysterious porcelain plaque, Agatha pieces the puzzle together. In a shocking confrontation during a local celebration, she exposes the true killer.
The epilogue brings welcome news for Agatha, Mr. Tinker, and a wonderful surprise for Mrs. Warner, leaving readers to see whether the Red Lion is finally saved. Author R.W. Green delivers a brilliant continuation as Agatha Raisin takes center stage—even if Agatha Christie remains number one. CT
Fran Lewis, MJ Network Restream