M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green: Agatha Raisin - Dead Before Teatime (UK 2026)

From the Publisher:
The brand new village mystery starring Agatha Raisin!
Agatha Raisin's Cotswolds village of Carsely is in uproar when word spreads that The Red Lion pub is preparing to close. The aristocratic owner of the local brewery plans to develop the land into luxury apartments.

Taking it upon herself to lead the petition against the closure, Agatha sees a perfect opportunity to confront redeveloper Lord Ancombe when she is invited to his annual Civil War re-enactment at Ancombe Manor.

Watching men ride around on horses with replica guns is far from Agatha's favourite pastime, so she is relieved to hear there will at least be afternoon tea. But before the scones can be served, Lord Ancombe is discovered shot dead.

Suddenly Agatha has not just a pub to save, but a murder to solve. It seems her investigations are not everyone's cup of tea... Agatha has the distinct impression that someone is trying to silence her, for good

Praise for the Agatha Raisin novels:
'A Beaton novel is like The Archers on speed' -- DAILY MAIL
'The detective novels of M C Beaton have reached cult status' -- THE TIMES
'Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack-a-day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she could be living my dream life' -- ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green: Agatha Raisin - Dead Before Teatime. Constable, ISBN: 9781408721384 (October, 2026), 256 p., £20.00, eBook £11.99.

M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green: Dead Before Tea Time (USA 2026)

From the Publisher:
Beloved New York Times bestseller M. C. Beaton's cranky, crafty Agatha Raisin -- the star of her own hit T.V. series -- is back on the case again.

Agatha Raisin's Cotswolds village is in an uproar when word spreads that their beloved Red Lion pub is set to close. The brewery that owns the building has raised the rent, ousting the pub's owner so they can redevelop the space into apartments. As the villagers scramble to change the brewery's mind, Agatha and her team at Raisin Investigations begin looking into more direct ways to save the pub.

Meanwhile, Sir Charles Fraith attempts to wheedle his way back into Agatha's affection, crossing swords with James -- Agatha's other paramour -- who is determined to thwart his efforts. As the two attempt to woo Agatha at a local reenactment of a 17th-century battle, Agatha has her sights set on something else. Amidst the chaos of the battle, a body is discovered in a copse of trees just off the battleground. While many brush off the death as an accident, Agatha digs deeper after discovering the dead man had connections to the same brewery putting the Red Lion out of business.

After an attempt is made on Agatha's life during a visit to the brewery, her investigation becomes all the more urgent. Can she find the murderer before becoming their next victim? And perhaps even more importantly for the village, can she find a way to save the Red Lion at the same time?

M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green: Dead Before Tea Time. An Agatha Rasin Mystery. Minotaur Books, ISBN: 9781250378590 (October, 2026), 272 p., $27.00, eBook $13.99.