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371st out of 398 books
—
231 voters
Death of a Macho Man (Hamish Macbeth #12)
by
M.C. Beaton
When Hamish Macbeth, local constable of the Scottish village of Lochdubh, tries to break up one of the many fights involving Randy Duggan, the ruffian challenges him to a fistfight. But on the chosen day, Duggan is found shot to death and Macbeth is rumored to be the likely suspect. Macbeth must find the murderer, clear his name, and restore his Highland paradise to its us...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
August 1st 1997
by Grand Central Publishing
(first published June 1st 1996)
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We're very fond of this low-key series about a northern Scotland village policed by their wily but unambitious constable Hamish Macbeth. Most of the novels follow a pattern of a murder in town, often a newcomer or outsider, and the ensuing investigation, which usually revolves around Macbeth's common sense prevailing over the bullying tactics of his superiors. In "Macho", a newcomer who buys everybody drinks and tells tall tales is found shot to death, and soon thereafter, a single woman who has...more
Death of a Macho Man by M.C. Beaton is my 5th or 6th read in the series. The book has all the elements I love: the Scottish village of Lochdubh and its familiar inhabitants, the adorable detective Hamish Macbeth, his former love, the elegant Priscilla, Hamish's enemy Superintendent Blair. I enjoyed it all and the plot was more interesting than many of the others. There are also a couple of moments that are too priceless to describe here. They have to be read to be enjoyed and it would spoil the...more
Carsley (Agatha Raisin) and Lachdubh (Hamish Macbeth) must be awful places to live, or more appropriately, to die! There is always murder taking place in both locations and in 'Death of a Macho Man', it is no different.
A loud-mouthed, supposedly American, is killed early on and then as Hamish Macbeth attempts to discover the murderer, albeit handicapped by his chiefs from Strathblane, another, seemingly unconnected murder takes place.
After much investigation, with plenty of suspects in evidence,...more
A loud-mouthed, supposedly American, is killed early on and then as Hamish Macbeth attempts to discover the murderer, albeit handicapped by his chiefs from Strathblane, another, seemingly unconnected murder takes place.
After much investigation, with plenty of suspects in evidence,...more
Hamish stretched his long legs and put down Rosie's book with a sigh. The plot had been simple. Viscount finds girl, viscount lose girl, viscount finds girl. There was nothing in it to betray anything about Rosie's character. It was written in a mannered style, competent, literate and strangely lifeless. Hamish, on the occasions when he had been trapped in Highland hotels and boarding-houses, had, during the course of reading anything to hand, read several romances. Some were badly written but t...more
I like my British (in this case, Scottish) cozy murder mysteries but I think I reached my limit on this series. The characters are paper thin and there's only so many times I can read the same descriptions for each of them. The stories often have similar elements, such as several characters who yell "I could kill you" to the murder victim (I don't know how many people actually yell that in real life), female character(s) who get abused or are in abusive relationships (a little odd for a "cozy my...more
I have enjoyed reading M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth series and this was an entertaining story. It's a quick read and follows the fairly typical plot for this series. I think I enjoy reading about the characters as much as I do the mystery itself and I like seeing how Macbeth interacts with the villagers, especially Priscilla. I am looking forward to the next story in the series, Death of a Dentist.
new words: chiel, curlew, soughed
new words: chiel, curlew, soughed
This installment in the Hamish Macbeth series is definitely one of my favorites so far (despite the fact that every time I picked it up I had the Village People blaring in my head!). I kept thinking - I need to go to the Highlands and see if there is another charming, red-headed, hazel-eyed, clever constable living in a lovely and stormy little village and marry him! I really liked this one, because of the suspicion cast on characters who have been in the village and we have encountered before,...more
I wrote in July of 2000, "It will be hard for Ms. Beaton to top this installment of Hamish Macbeth. To date, this has been the best paced, had more diverse suspects, had more plot twists and intrigue and also left me rooting for Hamish and Priscilla. I have thus far only 'read' the installments available on audio. I do want to go back someday and read the ones I've missed. Very interesting that the word "macho" is pronounced completely different with the "a" sound like the "a" in "match". Those...more
This was my introduction to M.C. Beaton and Hamish Macbeth. The title hooked me, so silly. I've been working since then to gradually read every "Death of a..." book and there are plenty. They're little books. There's the murder that is seldom easy to figure out. There are dependable, quirky village residents you get to know. Yes, it might be formula. Hamish is a crime solving genius. But it's the consistent theme of his contentment with his life that make these such a comfort.
this is a really fun series - light, quick, and addictive. The stories are set in a small village in the Scottish Highlands, and Beaton writes so that you can hear lilting dialect. I thought the plot in this one was particularly good, with enough twists to be interesting. Most of the fun comes from the cast of memorable villagers who alternately harass and rally around the lead character, local constable Hamish MacBeth.
A loud mouthed bully establishes himself in Lochdubh. Hamish ends up agreeing to fight the bully and waits in trepidation for what he expects to be a beating, only to hear that the bully has been found dead.
As with the majority of the Hamish Macbeth mysteries the story is good, the characters amusing and the whole package is cosy / easy to read.
As with the majority of the Hamish Macbeth mysteries the story is good, the characters amusing and the whole package is cosy / easy to read.
Another fun Hamish Macbeth outing. With another murder in his village of Lochdubh, and his superior Blair eager to pin the murder on Hamish, he must get to the bottom of things himself. The Hamish Macbeth series has become one of my favorites. I have read the series completely out of order, reading the new ones when they are released, and picking up the older ones in whatever order I find them in. This was a delightful read, as always.
Not my favorite of the series, probably because I was disgusted with MacBeth's immoral behavior. I cannot truly understand how anyone can be so "casual" about intimacy. I liked his interaction with Priscilla, however, and her ability to bring out his best and be an asset for him. I enjoy the locals of Lochdubh--fun characters!
12/02/07
TITLE/AUTHOR: DEATH OF A MACHO Man by M.C. Beaton
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Mystery/1996/314 LP pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: #12 in Hamish Macbeth series
TIME/PLACE: 1990's Lochdubh, Scotland
CHARACTERS: Hamish Macbeth/police constable
FIRST LINES: Randy Duggan was called the Macho Man in the village of Lochdubh in the Scottish Highlands & he seemed to live up to his nickname.
COMMENTS: library book. Another fine entry in the Hamish Macbeth series! There's a newcomer who is domina...more
TITLE/AUTHOR: DEATH OF A MACHO Man by M.C. Beaton
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Mystery/1996/314 LP pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: #12 in Hamish Macbeth series
TIME/PLACE: 1990's Lochdubh, Scotland
CHARACTERS: Hamish Macbeth/police constable
FIRST LINES: Randy Duggan was called the Macho Man in the village of Lochdubh in the Scottish Highlands & he seemed to live up to his nickname.
COMMENTS: library book. Another fine entry in the Hamish Macbeth series! There's a newcomer who is domina...more
I really enjoyed this book. Hamish solves two murders. He questions many of his friends, who are suspects, making many of the villagers angry at him. He wants to believe the murderer is someone outside the village, and not a friend. In the end the villagers all stand up for Hamish once again, and save his job.
I was a little bored by it as I have become bored with the formula. I've read 3 or 4 of this series and enjoyed them all, but I am finding that the general outline isn't changing enough to keep it interesting. Light mystery reading with Highland charm. This was my least liked of the series so far.
I've been listening to this series on audiobooks I downloaded from the St. John's Library and have enjoyed them thoroughly. The reader's accent adds to the scenes created by the author and it saves me trying to figure out how some of the Scottish names are pronounced. It also gives me a better picture of Hamish Macbeth. While I have enjoyed the BBC version of the stories, their Hamish is a far cry from the descriptions in the books.
Macho Man is on par with the rest of M. C. Beaton's book. The ch...more
Macho Man is on par with the rest of M. C. Beaton's book. The ch...more
About a 3 and 3/4 rating. I read it because it takes place in Sutherland, Scotland, home of my Scottish ancestors. Not a terribly sophisticated mystery but I enjoyed the village characters and the main detective, Hamish MacBeth. A good quick read when you want an escape to the Scottish highlands.
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.
This one had more twists thana slinky. Every time I thought the story was wrapped up, something else was thrown in. I guess I could have looked at how many pages I had to go and realized it couldn't be finished. At any rate, it's a good mystery and a nice bit of Hamish and Priscilla.
Sep 25, 2010
Beth Appel
added it
A good book to read when you aren't feeling well.
Beaton's character Hamish MacBeth is fairly one-dimensional, and her stories are pretty predictable, and yet, I keep coming back. I think they are just an easy read - and great when you don't want to exercise your brain too much.
Beaton's character Hamish MacBeth is fairly one-dimensional, and her stories are pretty predictable, and yet, I keep coming back. I think they are just an easy read - and great when you don't want to exercise your brain too much.
This was the second book I read in this series. It was ok. Nothing really to speak of. Even though the book was short it dragged a bit. The storyline with the "macho man Randy" was rather silly. I do not think I will waste anymore time on this series.
Another enjoyable romp through Lochdubh with Constable Hamish MacBeth intent on solving the latest murders and of course succeeding. With all the usual wonderful characters and amazingly another believable plot.
This great installation in the Hamish Macbeth series was probably Hamish's most dramatic murder solving to date. Despite the continued ping-ponging of his and Priscilla's relationship, this was one of my favorites yet.
First time I read Hamish Macbeth Mystery. Maybe I gave it too many stars - but it was exactly what I was in the mood for. Very easy, even easier because I listened to it and the reader was great with all the accents.
I still wonder at myself for reading this series, but read them I do. This one was a little far fetched, but the mystery was good. This author does good characters. You can picture them.
Hamish Macbeth again investigates the murder of a person who seemed to have no friends, and lots of enemies. The constable narrows the field of suspects until he finds the killer.
Hamish is such a sweetheart and it is always comforting to know he will figure out who-dun-it. Plus, Davina Porter's performance is hard to beat. Lovely, just lovely
Fun to sort of "rest" in a Hamish Macbeth mystery. Even better than the stories are the vivid descriptions of people and the Scottish isles.
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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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