Meet Agatha Raisin, high-flying public relations boss turned village sleuth. After Agatha's many stressful years of bullying and cajoling others her early retirement to a picture-perfect village in the Costwolds is a dream come true. And how better to start making friends than by entering the village quiche-making competition? However, Agatha is not used to being an also-ran, so to ensure first prize, she buys her entry from a London delicatessen. Alas, Agatha's perfect product is soon exposed - as not only store-bought but poisoned! The contest judge, rumoured to be connoisseur of women as well as food, succumbs soon after eating it, and with him go Agatha's chances of rural bliss - unless she can expose the real murderer...