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32nd out of 103 books
—
40 voters
Death of a Snob (Hamish Macbeth #6)
by
M.C. Beaton
Facing a head cold and lonely Xmas, Highland Sergeant Hamish Macbeth accepts a holiday invite from gorgeous Jane Wetherby to her Scottish island health farm, and to learn who wants her dead. Locals threaten, fellow guests little better. Everybody hates snobbish Heather, but the verdict is accident when her neck breaks at the bottom of a cliff.
Paperback, 160 pages
Published
May 23rd 1992
by Fawcett
(first published May 23rd 1991)
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As always, a fast fun holiday. Hamish Macbeth has a nasty cold and nowhere to go for Xmas, until voluptuous Jane invites him to find which of the holidays guests at her island health farm will kill her, as predicted by one of the unfriendly locals. Often stretching outfits similar to Jane, the plump snobbish guest Heather alienates everyone. She finally ends up at the bottom of a cliff with her neck broken, wearing Jane's old yellow slicker. Fellow guest Harriet, an older cookbook writer, kind a...more
Jan 20, 2012
Tony
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction-crime-detection
DEATH OF A SNOB. (1993). M. C. Beaton. ***.
M. C. Beaton is a pen name used by Marion Chesney, a Scots writer with a prolific list of titles to her name. As “Beaton,” she wrote two different series of mysteries. One series featured “Agatha Raisin,” and consisted mostly of cozies in the style of Miss Marple. The other series featured Hamish Macbeth, a policeman in a small town in Scotland. This novel is a Macbeth episode. Macbeth is sort of an inept policeman who jumps to rather rash conclusions...more
M. C. Beaton is a pen name used by Marion Chesney, a Scots writer with a prolific list of titles to her name. As “Beaton,” she wrote two different series of mysteries. One series featured “Agatha Raisin,” and consisted mostly of cozies in the style of Miss Marple. The other series featured Hamish Macbeth, a policeman in a small town in Scotland. This novel is a Macbeth episode. Macbeth is sort of an inept policeman who jumps to rather rash conclusions...more
Death of a Snob
Category: Murder Mystery
By M.C. Beaton
If you’ve never read a Hamish Macbeth mystery you should. They are fun interesting a great take on life in the rural of Scotland. The author also writes the Agatha Raisin series which I also find amusing and captivating
In this book the sixth in the series it’s Christmas, Hamish is sick and feeling sorry for himself. His mother phones and says he can’t come home for Christmas as his aunt is visiting and she (the aunt) dislikes Hamish for some...more
Category: Murder Mystery
By M.C. Beaton
If you’ve never read a Hamish Macbeth mystery you should. They are fun interesting a great take on life in the rural of Scotland. The author also writes the Agatha Raisin series which I also find amusing and captivating
In this book the sixth in the series it’s Christmas, Hamish is sick and feeling sorry for himself. His mother phones and says he can’t come home for Christmas as his aunt is visiting and she (the aunt) dislikes Hamish for some...more
This is a quick and easy book and the plot is fairly predictable, but the characters are always good and the Scottish Highlands are always interesting. I listened to this on the new eaudiobooks from my library and found it was the perfect book to listen to while doing other things around the house.
Hamish Macbeth is the laid back constable in the village of Lochdubh. He is feeling sorry for himself because he has the flu and is alone at Christmas. Priscilla asks him to spend the holidays at a hea...more
Hamish Macbeth is the laid back constable in the village of Lochdubh. He is feeling sorry for himself because he has the flu and is alone at Christmas. Priscilla asks him to spend the holidays at a hea...more
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This was an unusual tale, with a haunting isle, a Christmas theme and new characters. I liked the reference to Agatha Christie's story, Peril at End House, and I love that Priscilla gets to know Hamish's family!
My mother-in-law and I are having a lot of fun working our way through the Hamish Macbeth Mystery series. We've read a few books here and there, but we skipped around the series, based solely on what was available at the base library. The books are short, fun reads and we love the charac...more
My mother-in-law and I are having a lot of fun working our way through the Hamish Macbeth Mystery series. We've read a few books here and there, but we skipped around the series, based solely on what was available at the base library. The books are short, fun reads and we love the charac...more
Hamish Macbeth ist nur ein kleiner Dorfpolizist in Lochdubh, Schottland. Es ist Weihnachten und das Schicksal meint es nicht gut mit ihm; eine Erkältung wirft ihn nieder und seine Familie lädt ihn aus, weil die Tante aus Amerika zu Besuch kommt und die kann Hamish überhaupt nicht leiden. Also nimmt er die Einladung von Jane Wetherby zu ihrem Wellnesshotel The Happy Wanderer auf der Hebrideninsel Eileencraig an. Jane war in den letzten Wochen einigen Anschlägen auf ihr Leben ausgesetzt und Hamish...more
May maiden dip into Hamish Macbeth-- read at Christmas time. Loved listening to the accents in my head!
From the Publisher
"Pure bliss." Atlanta Journal & Constitution
A Hamish Macbeth Mystery by the author of "Death of a Hussy."
With a cold in his head and no place to go for Christmas, Hamish snaps up the invitation of drop-dead gorgeous Jane Wetherby to spend the holiday at her Scottish island health farm — and figure out who is trying to kill her.
When Hamish arrives on the island of Eileencra...more
From the Publisher
"Pure bliss." Atlanta Journal & Constitution
A Hamish Macbeth Mystery by the author of "Death of a Hussy."
With a cold in his head and no place to go for Christmas, Hamish snaps up the invitation of drop-dead gorgeous Jane Wetherby to spend the holiday at her Scottish island health farm — and figure out who is trying to kill her.
When Hamish arrives on the island of Eileencra...more
This wasn't the best Hamish MacBeth I've read, but it was a pleasant summer's reading. Priscilla asks Hamish to talk to her friend Jane Wetherby who thinks someone is trying to murder her. Jane invites Hamish to her home on an island in northern Scotland where an odd collection of acquaintances have gathered to spend the Christmas holidays. One of the guests irritates everyone before being murdered. Hamish investigates and solves the puzzle, but not before falling for one of the other guests. I...more
Re-read, like all Beatons. Apart from her usual hobby-horse, the attack on protesters who diminish the enjoyment of landowners, Beaton rides her others as well: there are repeated diatribes about idiots who don't see how great and hard-working novelists are, esp. genre/(hist.) romance ones. As usual, her feminism is applied only to the extent she sees fit, and women who don't wear skirts and heels, shave their legs and apply just the right amount of make-up (just like they must never be fat, but...more
I love Hamish Macbeth. Not sure how many of the books I've either read or listened to on CD but these are rather homey books that always make me feel like I'm visiting an old friend. I've never been to Scotland, but have come to love this fictional little town and it's inhabitants, especially Hamish. I love that he's satisfied with his lot and sometimes fails to take credit where he should have it because he's afraid he'll be promoted out of his little village of Lochdobh. As to why I gave it 4...more
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WAnted to give this author another try, but it still didn't go up to a 4. This character is a police detective in Scotland named Hamish Macbeth. He is invited by a friend of a friend to "investigate some harrassment and possible death threats" He goes as a guest to her bed and breakfast and tries to get down to what is happening. Instead of Jane dying, another guest, Heather, dies. He investigates, even though his superiors feel it is just an accident. It 's kind of divert and do motive.
I don't know why I finished this! My Mum gave it to me, and I remember the character from the TV series. But I have read some of the Agatha Raisin books by the same author and this is very similar. I like the main character, but the plot just doesn't stack up and the characters' actions and reactions don't make sense.
I wouldn't really recommend it, but I might just read another of them. They are easy to read but very unsatisfactory!
I wouldn't really recommend it, but I might just read another of them. They are easy to read but very unsatisfactory!
This book is strictly for fun. I loved hearing about the Scottish policeman and the various areas of Scotland. It was interesting to note the various prejudices from one area of Scotland to the other. The mystery was handled nicely, as were the basic relationships. The character development was good, making this a real pleasure for a quick, pick-me-up book.
This Hamish MacBeth murder mystery found the ever-insightful copper distracted by his own prejudice. It was nice to see him off-track a bit, though of course he found his way. One would think the one step forward, two steps back relationship between Hamish and Priscilla would be infuriatingly slow, but it really isn't, as it feels as though timing will work for them someday.
Scottish mystery with Hamish Macbeth as a Highland copper. I like him as a character because he operates on gut instinct and sometimes misses clues, but is doggedly determined because of his gut instinct. I listened to it on audio and the Scottish accent is challenging at times. But it was fun and a relief from The Pale Blue Eye and Fatal Symmetry.
Actual Rating: ***1/2
Once again, Hamish leaves the comfort of Lochdubh--this time at Christmas to Eileencraig and The Happy Wanderer health farm. There, murder ensues with a resolution that involves romance novels, no less. Interesting addition to the series. I'm enjoy the revelation of Hamish's character bit by bit in each of the installments of this series.
Once again, Hamish leaves the comfort of Lochdubh--this time at Christmas to Eileencraig and The Happy Wanderer health farm. There, murder ensues with a resolution that involves romance novels, no less. Interesting addition to the series. I'm enjoy the revelation of Hamish's character bit by bit in each of the installments of this series.
If you've never read any of the Hamish MacBeth books, what are you waiting for? The characters are wonderfully quirky (how quirky? this installment features a truck trying to kill its owner... but Himself will behave for Hamish). There is usually a pretty good mystery thrown in there too. The books never fail to make me smile.
Always enjoy the adventures of Hamish Macbeth! There certainly are some interesting characters in this one as he spends Christmas at a "health" resort owned by a friend who believes someone is trying to kill her. Not exactly a fun Christmas, but naturally everything gets worked out and Hamish solves the mystery. These are fun to read!
Listened to the audio version...It is not the first time I have listened to this one, but I guess I forgot to record the reading the first time. I almost always enjoy spending time with Hamish in his world, although like most of M. C. Beaton's protagonists, he is not perfect and often makes decisions I wish I could shake him for.
"The trouble with Christmas...is that everyone somehow wants to recapture the glitter and magic of childhood and it never happens if you look for it.... The Americans have the best festival--Thanksgiving. No stupid presents, just a good dinner and thanks to God. That's the way Christmas should be." I loved that philosophy on Christmas. This book wasn't quite as much fun as some of the others in the series. PC Macbeth goes to a nearby island to solve the murder, so none of the local village regul...more
Hamish Macbeth is footloose for Christmas. His mother has asked him not to come home as a aunt who despises him is visiting from American. He accepts an invitation to a health farm to help protect its owner feels that her life is in danger. When a snobbish female guest is murdered, Hamish is forced into the investigation.
This was an enjoyable mystery. A few quirky characters on a clannish Scottish island health resort along with a Scottish policeman who has a few preconceived ideas about women and an eye for a murder case made for a fairly entertaining tale. And M.C. Beaton always adds a dash of humor for good reading! :)
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.
Hamish is invited to spend Christmas at a health resort on the island of Eileencraig, where, of course, someone is eventually murdered. I was not impressed with this story – did not hold together well. It also lacked some of the usual humor of Beaton’s usual books.
Another of the Kindle Deal of the Day books. Thoroughly enjoyed it, even though it comes earlier in the series than the last one I read. I may go back and start at the beginning now. But it will be a while because i have a massive pile of books to read in the meantime.
Enjoyable read. I read this in the kindle version and found the scanning errors very annoying. I do think e-books should be checked and edited much more carefully than they are. This book was particularly full of errors.
Not bad for a book that had been tossed. I would probably read others in the series if they were put before me but probably won't go out of my way to seek them out. Hamish Macbeth is a likeable character and wears his 'Highland' well.
Another romp through the Highlands with the village bobby. Fun,fast--love these Hamish Macbeths recorded by Davina Porter--she brings the characters to life! Especially loved Geordie the fisherman who was being stalked by his Fiat truck!
I didn't figure this one out until Hamish did!
I love the descriptions of Scotland and its inhabitants.
I love the relationship between Hamish and Priscilla - it has more ups and downs than the stock market.
I love the descriptions of Scotland and its inhabitants.
I love the relationship between Hamish and Priscilla - it has more ups and downs than the stock market.
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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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