- "A not so merry DING-DONG!"
- ―Hell's Bells' tagline
Agatha Raisin: Hell's Bells is the second of three short stories that accompany the main Agatha Raisin series of mystery novels by M. C. Beaton. The story was published February 13, 2013.
Synopsis[]
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.
Characters[]
In order of appearance:
- Mary Bolton, the leader of her village's bell ringing group
- Jessica Brand, a former Olympic swimmer who is irritated by the local bell ringing
- Agatha Raisin, a famed private detective in the Cotswolds
- Patrick Mulligan, a detective at Agatha's agency
- John Brand, Mary's ex-husband who continues to pay alimony to her
- Tracey Forest, John's current lover
Television adaptation[]
- Main article: Hell's Bells
The events of this story were adapted as part of the first season of the Agatha Raisin television series, albeit with numerous changes.
Most notably, the character of Mary Bolton became Amanda Ballard, who now had a past connection to Jez Bloxby before either of them moved to Carsely (where the story now took place, instead of being set in the nearby Cotswold village of Weston Magna as it was in the book). John Brand, Mary's ex-husband from Mircester, became Amanda's ex-husband John Marlowe from Bristol.