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378th out of 402 books
—
271 voters
Death of a Celebrity (Hamish Macbeth #18)
by
M.C. Beaton
Murder on the Telly Lochdubh, a remote village reached only by a one-track lane, nestles serenely amid Scotland's hills...until well-known TV reporter Crystal French races into town in her bright BMW. And Constable Hamish Macbeth, dourly wed to duty instead of the fiancee who dumped him, promptly gives her a summons for reckless driving. Outraged, Crystal makes Macbeth's l...more
Mass Market Paperback, 274 pages
Published
January 1st 2003
by Warner Books
(first published January 9th 2002)
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Death of a Celebrity is the eighteenth book in Beaton's cozy mystery series featuring Constable Hamish MacBeth.
This time, a beautiful yet slutty news reporter named Crystal French is the victim. Crystal has always tried sleeping her way to the top with no luck, until she catches her lucky break as the eyes and ears behind scandal in the sleepy town of Lochdubh. To maintain the high ratings for her show, the catty Crystal drudges up old news and rumors on the village's inhabitants, which brews up...more
This time, a beautiful yet slutty news reporter named Crystal French is the victim. Crystal has always tried sleeping her way to the top with no luck, until she catches her lucky break as the eyes and ears behind scandal in the sleepy town of Lochdubh. To maintain the high ratings for her show, the catty Crystal drudges up old news and rumors on the village's inhabitants, which brews up...more
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Maybe almost four stars. I was generous last time with my rating of the Hamish Macbeth book I read, so I'll be more critical this time. I still like M.C. Beaton an awful lot. This time, Hamish's interaction with a possible new girlfriend wasn't half the fun of his interaction with fiancee Priscilla in Death of a Charming Man. So, that's an element that was missing.
Still, the writing is a joy. Samples:
1) The garden was a wilderness of weeds.
2) The detective chief inspector rang the bell. Then he...more
Still, the writing is a joy. Samples:
1) The garden was a wilderness of weeds.
2) The detective chief inspector rang the bell. Then he...more
This 17th book in the Hamish Macbeth series doesn't disappoint. Television reporter Crystal French races into a small, remote village in Scotland and is stopped and cited for reckless driving by Constable Hamish Macbeth. She is in the area to do research for a proposed new television series, "Behind the Lace Curtains" which promises to uncover and expose secrets that residents of the village would prefer to remain hidden. Panic ensures culminating in a suicide and then, not surprisingly, Crystal...more
We like to salt in one of these charming Beaton novels after six or eight of our “regular” mysteries and thrillers, as these predictable, light-hearted stories about a Scottish Highlands village, and their low-profile constable Hamish Macbeth, read quickly and rarely fail to please. “Celebrity” is no exception: when a big city TV crew starts fussing around the village for an “exposé”, and the star reporter is found dead, naturally the townsfolk are suspects, even if doubtful ones. Shortly therea...more
AUTHOR: BEATON, M. C.
TITLE: Death of a Celebrity
DATE READ: 04/01/11
RATING: 4/B
GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS: Mystery/2002/Warner Books/259 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: #18 Hamish Macbeth
TIME/PLACE: 1990's, Scotland Highlands
CHARACTERS: Hamish Macbeth/village policeman
FIRST LINES: Hamis Macbeth did not like change, although this was something he would not even admit to hemself, preferring to think of himself as a go-ahead, modern man.
COMMENTS: Always enjoy my visits to Lochdubh and all the village...more
TITLE: Death of a Celebrity
DATE READ: 04/01/11
RATING: 4/B
GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS: Mystery/2002/Warner Books/259 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: #18 Hamish Macbeth
TIME/PLACE: 1990's, Scotland Highlands
CHARACTERS: Hamish Macbeth/village policeman
FIRST LINES: Hamis Macbeth did not like change, although this was something he would not even admit to hemself, preferring to think of himself as a go-ahead, modern man.
COMMENTS: Always enjoy my visits to Lochdubh and all the village...more
The local television station in Strathbane hired a beautiful young woman to host an expose’ series about community scandals or otherwise uncomplimentary information. The show was popular but angered the citizenry. Thus, a mystery develops.
Beaton builds a comedic story with colorful characters filled with the rural charm of an isolated community. I think it helps to have lived in very small towns to appreciate their communication patterns. Beaton describes the role of gossip in setting behaviora...more
Beaton builds a comedic story with colorful characters filled with the rural charm of an isolated community. I think it helps to have lived in very small towns to appreciate their communication patterns. Beaton describes the role of gossip in setting behaviora...more
I've been in love with Hamish Macbeth for a long time but had forgotten my passion until I discovered that my library has ALL the latest in this series in Kindle editions. WOOT! This one is particularly nice - Priscilla is currently not in Lochdubh but a charming down-to-earth part-gypsy named Elspeth has moved in. The plot is good as always (villainness you love to hate) and the byplay is entertaining - Scottish villagers forming a line dance club and several typically Hamish romantic misadvent...more
#18 Hamish MacBeth mystery set in fictional Lochdubh, Scotland. A young woman, star of a local television show that has begun doing exposes of various Highland people and institutions, is killed. Hamish himself could be suspect as she was about to interview him and smear the local constabulary. A new interim Chief Inspector, Pat Carson, seems a little more keen on Hamish and his wild ideas than his old nemesis Blair was, but a couple of small foul ups leave Hamish once again banished to his own...more
Jul 13, 2011
Dolly
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Mystery fans
This is another fun and cozy mystery in the Hamish Macbeth series by M.C. Beaton. Both my mother-in-law and I love these books and we are steadily working our way through them. They are fun, quick reads and we've grown attached to the characters. This story had a few too many deaths for my taste, but overall, it was an interesting and quick read. Perfect for my summer vacation!
Hamish is quite a fun and flawed character. The interesting reserve that he feels for Elspeth, and the natural feeling of being gun-shy, mixed with the investigation of the hot shot and not so nice reporter was a fun read. The burgeoning workplace jealousy, juxataposed against what is happening to "himself" and the CID.. nice touch!
I LOVE Scotland and I loved the way she writes their manner of speaking,e.g. "I couldnae believe it" or "I was chust making a pot (of tea)". So much fun! Give one of...more
I LOVE Scotland and I loved the way she writes their manner of speaking,e.g. "I couldnae believe it" or "I was chust making a pot (of tea)". So much fun! Give one of...more
Quite an enchanting cozy set in small village in Highlands and featuring the local constable. Lots of twists and turns to this murder mystery regarding a TV show host who is going to drag up old scandals and expose them live on TV. This is by no means the first of the series, but can stand alone. I didn't feel like I needed details from previous stories. The constable is a likeable and intelligent policeman, but does have his hang-ups. Lots of humor, crazy characters, a little romance. Highly re...more
Hamish meets Elsibeth in this book, and helps him solve the murders that occur, after a TV company comes to town. The shows stir up the villagers past short comings, which angers the community. The host of the show is murdered. I do enjoy this series of books. They are easy reads, and have an element of fun. The characters give the book a sense of community and friendship.
A new TV reporter starts an investigative TV series based on people / businesses around Lochdubh and rubs a lot of people up the wrong way. When the reporter meets a sticky end another case begins for Hamish Macbeth.
A cosy murder mystery tale. Written in an easy reading style with well-developed characters. If you enjoy murder mysteries this book is worth reading.
A cosy murder mystery tale. Written in an easy reading style with well-developed characters. If you enjoy murder mysteries this book is worth reading.
This was one of the better in the series. I really liked the introduction of Elspeth Grant. She is an interesting character and adds so much to the underlying story of Hamish Macbeth's love life. It also added more credence to Hamish's desire to remain a small, local constable and pass up any chance for promotion to a rat race job in a rat race city. He continues to solve the murders and show compassion and patience with his local villagers. Fun, fun read!
This is the book that introduced Elspeth Grant (Isabel in the tv series). Since this book came after the series ended, I'm wondering if Beaton pilfered the character situation from the series....as her right since they so completely changed everything about her books. I liked her a little more in the beginning than I have in the recent books.
A television crew comes to the Scottish village of lochdubb to do reality/expose show on ths residents. When the beatiful, but evil host dies from an apparent sucide, Constable Hamish Macbeth attemts to solve it as a murder despHe is aided by local astrology reporter Elspeth Grant.tte opposition by his superios.
Love Hamish Macbeth! Can’t wait for the next book to be published. It seems M.C. Beaton aka Marion Chesney never lacks the inspiration for a good story. I even liked the BBC series although it was way too short and Robert Carlyle looked nothing like his character as described in the book.
Oh, Hamish! So much fun! The introduction of two possible love interests, no less, you saucy constable you! Plus a number of murders, suicides, attempted suicides, a wake, several Italian dinners, a great deal of whiskey, coffee, and tea consumed, and the general irritation of his superiors. Good times.
I choose M. C. Beaten for her witty style of characters, and the way she simplifies her writing, easy reading--to entertain you. When someone is murdered it seems to be fun than sad. Really folks there is nothing better than a cosy British mystery. That's what I like.
I love this character Hamish MacBeth. From other peoples viewpoint he comes across as being unambitious and lazy, but he is happy and content being the village constable. These stories are fun to read, and I am looking forward to number 19!
Very good one, story of Hamish meeting Elspeth. She's half gypsy and writes for the local weely Locdubh newspaper.
Murder of a TV show hack who was ruining lives for people in the small villages of Brackie and Lochdubh.
Murder of a TV show hack who was ruining lives for people in the small villages of Brackie and Lochdubh.
I didn't think I'd like it when it began - I really didn't like Crystal French. But then she got killed (is it wrong to be pleased?) and the story improved.
And by the end - Hamish's personal life was very strange.
And by the end - Hamish's personal life was very strange.
This was my first Hamish novel but won't be my last. It was full of quirky characters and was an enjoyable read. The main character has his hands full when a celebrity with an acid tongue comes to his village to do a TV show and begins slinging mud at the locals.
Reading a Hamish McBeth mystery is like eating a piece of divinity -- light, sweet, and quickly gone. This one is as enjoyable as any of the others I've read, and that is quite enjoyable indeed.
I love Hamish Macbeth murder mysteries. I really enjoyed the introduction to Elspeth and seeing Hamish trying once again to figure out who dun it. The village life, the pettiness of people, the goodness of people, it is all laid bare in M.C. Beaton's witty, humours style.
Hamish really has the world's worst luck in relationships. He never manages to say what he feels, is always getting mixed up and caught out in the silliest of ways. Just when you think he's making progress, something ridiculous...more
Hamish really has the world's worst luck in relationships. He never manages to say what he feels, is always getting mixed up and caught out in the silliest of ways. Just when you think he's making progress, something ridiculous...more
Hamish has to sort out two murders, both associated with a tv station that invades the Highlands to produce "gotcha" programs that enrage residents of his usually quiet community.
Not my usual read as I don't much care for British mysteries of this type. Read this one since she was the author of the month for my "cozy" group. An okay read, though I won't rush to read more. Better than some I've read, worse than others. Actually a solid 2.5 stars rating.
Another enjoyable romp with village bobby Hamish Macbeth - surely every woman who reads these delightful books must be a little in love with Hamish.
Death of a celebrity by M.C. Beaton
This author was recommended by a patron and I enjoyed it. The main character, Hamish Macbeth, is a constable in the small, quaint town of Lochdubh in the Scottish highlands. When a TV reporter, digging up dirt on some of the town's occupants, is murdered, Hamish begins to investigate. The pressure is on as another murder is discovered. He shows up the big-city police, partly due to his knowledge of the town folk, but also through his superior powers of observat...more
This author was recommended by a patron and I enjoyed it. The main character, Hamish Macbeth, is a constable in the small, quaint town of Lochdubh in the Scottish highlands. When a TV reporter, digging up dirt on some of the town's occupants, is murdered, Hamish begins to investigate. The pressure is on as another murder is discovered. He shows up the big-city police, partly due to his knowledge of the town folk, but also through his superior powers of observat...more
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Also writes as:
Marion Chesney (real name)
Jennie Tremaine
Sarah Chester
Helen Crampton
Ann Fairfax
Marion Gibbons
Charlotte Ward
M. C. Beaton has been hailed as "the new Queen of Crime." She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Agatha Raisin mysteries, which began with The Quiche of Death and also include As the Pig Turns and Busy Body, set in the English Cotswolds, as well as the Hamish M...more
More about M.C. Beaton...
Marion Chesney (real name)
Jennie Tremaine
Sarah Chester
Helen Crampton
Ann Fairfax
Marion Gibbons
Charlotte Ward
M. C. Beaton has been hailed as "the new Queen of Crime." She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Agatha Raisin mysteries, which began with The Quiche of Death and also include As the Pig Turns and Busy Body, set in the English Cotswolds, as well as the Hamish M...more
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