Q&A with R.W. Green

“Can you share how you met M.C. Beaton and ended up agreeing to continue the Agatha Raisin series?” —Michele Triponey (via Facebook)

Hi Michele,

Thanks for your question. I understand what you mean about me ‘agreeing to continue’ Agatha Raisin, although that’s not the way I see it. If I’m honest, I would say I jumped at the chance rather than just agreeing! At first, however, I was actually a little cautious about becoming involved. Marion (M. C. Beaton), you see, was a friend, and working with a friend can easily destroy the friendship.

I first met Marion many years before we worked together. My wife, Krystyna, was Marion’s publisher and we would meet from time to time at Marion’s launch parties or literary events. We always had something to chat about, both being Scottish, both having been journalists and both being writers. Marion would inevitably be whisked away to make a speech or appear on a stage discussing crime writing with other luminaries. She was a star and always in demand, although she didn’t always enjoy being the centre of attention, which sometimes resulted in her being a little grumpy or snappy with people. Short tempered. Feisty. Remind you of anyone?

Marion had always said that she could never work with another writer. I think that was because she couldn’t contemplate sharing the ideas swirling in her imagination until she had corralled them all and committed them to paper. I can appreciate that. When you’re trying to make sense of everything that’s going on in your head, the last thing you want is some stranger tromping around in there scattering stuff all over the place. Then, when Marion became ill and was struggling to finish her latest Agatha adventure, Krystyna suggested to her that I might be able to help—not a stranger, but someone she knew and trusted. Marion agreed to give it a go.

Marion’s problem was not that she had run out of ideas—she had plenty of those—but that her illness made sitting in front of a keyboard and computer screen for hours totally exhausting. Not the ideal way promote a robust recovery. I thought that my job would be to sit with her, basically taking dictation while she fed me the story to write up. That wasn’t what Marion had in mind at all. Essentially, she thought that would be a waste of whatever skills I might have. I’d been looking forward to that first ‘work’ meeting as a bit of a learning experience. Little did I know how much learning I was about to do.

We chatted for a while, me with a notebook, digital recorder and laptop all at the ready. Then we chatted some more, had tea and biscuits, and talk turned to Agatha Raisin and her cast of supporting characters, but there was no sign of any dictation session starting.

We talked about some of the things the characters had done in previous books and things that they might do in the future. We had fun with that and laughed a lot. Marion said that was really important—‘If you don’t have fun while you’re writing a book, how can you expect anyone to have fun reading it?’

When it came time for me to leave, I said something about not having got much work done but Marion assured me the work was now about to start. She told me that she thought I understood her characters and how to progress the story and that I should go away, write a chapter and bring it back to her the following week. That was a daunting prospect and I went back to my car realising that I’d just had a job interview!

Thankfully, she liked what I came up with and that was how we went forward. She was my Obi Wan and I was her apprentice.

“I love the character of the colorful Roy Silver. We’ve known him since he was very young and started working for Agatha. He is a true “character.” My question is—will Roy ever find a partner with which to share his life and adventures?” —Marie Weigant Wiederkehr (via Facebook)

Hi Marie,

I’m so glad that you’re a Roy fan! Of all Agatha’s friends, he’s one of the most fun to write into a story. It’s difficult to include the entire cast in every book without their roles becoming too contrived. Sometimes different characters naturally take a bigger role in the plot depending on how it’s progressing. James, for example, has often been integral to the storyline but sometimes takes a back seat. Toni is Agatha’s closest colleague and they’ve been in some pretty tight scrapes together, but even she isn’t constantly by Agatha’s side in every book. Roy Silver was completely absent from some of Agatha’s adventures because it was sometimes too awkward to shoehorn him into the story. He has his own life in London, which is at least a two-hour drive away from Carsely, so he couldn’t always be on hand. In Hot to Trot, however, he developed a love of horse riding and is now a regular visitor to Tamara Montgomery’s stables near Blockley. That makes him far more accessible. Will he ever find a partner? I think he may already have someone in London, but tying him up in a relationship could create a complicated distraction and mean that he becomes less accessible again. I think he enjoys keeping his London life and his Cotswold visits quite separate, so he’s happy as he is and whatever he gets up to in London can stay in London!

“How are you able to keep the essence of Agatha Raisin so close to M.C. Beaton’s version of Agatha and her friends? By the way, thank you for keeping these books going, they mean so much to me, and you’re doing a fabulous job!!!” —Alisa Guttadauro (via Facebook)

Hi Alisa,

I’m blushing—such flattery! I’m very happy that you’re continuing to enjoy Agatha’s adventures. The characters invented by Marion are what have made this such a successful, long-running series. I had many conversations with her about things certain characters say, their background and how they might react in different situations. I made lots of notes. Marion thought that was funny. She had never made those kind of notes. Having invented them in the first place, she knew them all intimately, knew all their traits, all their little foibles. That doesn’t mean she didn’t allow them to change. Sir Charles Fraith had always been on the brink of bankruptcy, forever short of cash. When I suggested that we might allow him to come into a fortune and have lots of money, Marion said that was a good idea, ‘but we might not let him keep it for long…’ James Lacey’s character also grew and developed. He went from being what Margaret Bloxby described as ‘a rather cold, self-contained man’ to being Agatha’s husband, then ex-husband, then one of her closest confidantes. I’ve tried to make sure that the characters stay true to their accepted form because that’s often what drives the story forward, but the things that happen to them, such as James’s illness, inevitably mean that they will change a little from time to time. Understanding the characters is the only way I can keep that ‘essence’ you asked about.

“What is your favourite Agatha book and Hamish book?” —Michelle Corcoran (via Facebook)

Hi Michelle,

Michelle, that’s such an unfair question! It’s not quite as bad as asking a parent to choose a favourite child, but it’s close! Good question, though. Made me think about it.

The truth is, with so many books to choose from I can’t honestly say I have just one favourite from each series. As far as Agatha’s concerned, the first book I read—same as most fans—was the very first in the series, Quiche of Death, so that has to be a favourite because it introduced me to her. Having said that, I’m also really pleased with Killing Time, partly because it’s the most recent one I’ve written, but I’m also excited about the next one that I’m working on now. Can you see how difficult it is to choose?

It’s a little easier with Hamish. Death of a Smuggler will be published in Spring 2025 and I’m proud of the way that one works, but I also have lots of ideas for his next adventure, so that will probably take over once I’m properly ‘in the zone’! Overall favourite, however, simply because it’s special to me, has to be Death of a Green-Eyed Monster. Marion had the beginning of a dark idea about a wedding day for Hamish but, sadly, died before she could develop the plot. I had the privilege of taking it forward – my first experience of working with Hamish. For that reason, it will always be favourite.

“Will Hamish ever find the right woman and get married?” —Mary Morton Crawford (via Facebook)

Hi Mary,

Poor Hamish seems doomed to be unlucky in love, doesn’t he? I’d say he’s already found the right woman at least twice. He was engaged to Priscilla, of course, but I think we all know she wasn’t the right woman for him and he broke off the engagement. He was also engaged to Elspeth and she, surely, was right for him, wasn’t she? Between them, however, they managed to scupper their relationship, although they have grown close again since. Maybe she could turn out to be the right woman for him after all—who knows what the future might hold? Maybe Elspeth. She has the gift of second sight, after all. Then, of course, there was Dorothy. Had tragic circumstances not overtaken them, Hamish and Dorothy would be married. He certainly thought she was the right woman for him and, despite her dodgy past, we all came to love her, too, didn’t we? It took Hamish a while to move on from Dorothy, but now he has the lovely Claire. They seem very close and everyone in Lochdubh thinks they make a grand couple but is she truly the right woman for him? Will he ever commit himself to popping the question? I really don’t know. At the moment, I’m in the same boat as everyone else—we’re all just going to have to wait and see!

Get the latest book in the Agatha Raisin series, Killing Time, now!