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13th out of 293 books
—
980 voters
Death of a Gossip (Hamish Macbeth #1)
by
M.C. Beaton
When society widow and gossip columnist Lady Jane Winters joined the fishing class, she wasted no time in ruffling the feathers -- or was it the fins? -- of those around her. Among the victims of her sharp tongue and unladylike manner was Lochdubh Constable Hamish Macbeth. Yet not even Hamish thought someone would permanently silence Lady Jane's shrills -- until her strang...more
Paperback, 192 pages
Published
February 1st 1999
by Warner Books
(first published 1984)
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When I was in Qatar, I took this book from the "free books" shelf in the gigantic warehouse me and Mo were staying at for R & R. It was as thick as a magazine, so I thought it would be a nice, quick read to keep me company on my flight back to Kuwait.
This is one book in a "Death of..." series by M.C. Beaton. I have been hooked ever since reading Death of a Gossip. Why? Mainly because it is a mindless mystery written purely for the entertainment of the reader. The dialogue is witty and clever...more
This is one book in a "Death of..." series by M.C. Beaton. I have been hooked ever since reading Death of a Gossip. Why? Mainly because it is a mindless mystery written purely for the entertainment of the reader. The dialogue is witty and clever...more
This is the first book in this lovely mystery series, full of quirky characters. I've read others in this series, so picked this up. Its funny to look back and see how Constable Hamish Macbeth has matured, or not, as a character and slueth. And Beaton's writing has gotten better too, but this effort is a quick fun read about a flyfishing school in the Highlands disrupted by a nasty gossip, and then by her murder.
It was interesting to go back and read the first Hamish Macbeth novel by M. C. Beaton. You get a look at Hamish and his early relationship with Priscilla and can already see how it will always be complicated by their jobs, families and the class differences. You also see just how people view Hamish and his acceptance of his job as a lowly constable in a small village, how they don't understand that he doesn't want a promotion to work in a big city and enjoys his life. Hamish's skirmishes with Bl...more
Set in Scotland, Hamish Macbeth is the local constable who, it appears is a) not well liked by the gentry; b) considered a moocher by the hotel owners; and c) kind to small children and petty thieves. I think I like him as a character.
I thought there was little exposition of clues that would help the reader solve the puzzle (often called "playing fair") and while there usually is an antagonistic relationship between the series detective and the "regular police" (even though Macbeth is a constabl...more
I thought there was little exposition of clues that would help the reader solve the puzzle (often called "playing fair") and while there usually is an antagonistic relationship between the series detective and the "regular police" (even though Macbeth is a constabl...more
I tried to watch an episode of Hamish Macbeth once, a year or so ago, but it was three in the morning and I was doped up on NyQuil and the Scottish accents were so far beyond me the actors could have been speaking Klingon for all I knew. (Actually, I probably would have had an easier time with the Klingon. HISlaH? HISlaH.) So I gave up on it and was left with nothing more than the impression of “Constable with reddish hair solves crimes.”
Fast forward to now, when I was informed by a tiny elderly...more
Fast forward to now, when I was informed by a tiny elderly...more
4 likes · like · see review
3.5 stars. This book is like cotton candy; it's fluffy and light on substance, but enjoyable all the same. Like Hamish himself, Death of a Gossip is like a sleepy, laid-back countryside where everything moves slowly. Not for readers who like their reads fast-paced and action-filled, but it's perfect if you want a relaxing few hours.
I absolutely adore Hamish. His character is so vividly described that I can practically see him wander around town languidly as I read. He's supposedly soft-spoken, s...more
I absolutely adore Hamish. His character is so vividly described that I can practically see him wander around town languidly as I read. He's supposedly soft-spoken, s...more
3 likes · like · see review
In this early Hamish Macbeth mystery, Inspector Blair is actually civil to Hamish Macbeth. Some locals have a fly fishing program and one of the guests is making everyone mad. As with most of these mysteries, the victim is someone you love to hate. Lady Jane offends everyone all the time and everyone has a motive to kill her, even the 12 year old of the group.
The plot is interesting and there is a lot of local color. This is one of those books that is great to listen to on an audiobook. The acce...more
The plot is interesting and there is a lot of local color. This is one of those books that is great to listen to on an audiobook. The acce...more
Author: M. C. Beaton
Published By: Grand Central Publishing
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Book Blog For: GMTA
Rating: 4
Review:
"Death of Gossip" by M. C. Beaton was a excellent fast pace mystery read. This is a first Hamish Macbeth novel in a series for this author. "Death of Gossip" was of a famous gossip columnist (Lady Jane Winters) who was a 'pompous, bulling gossip columist' has been murdered at a fishing school and it seems that no one is willing to talk but it looks like it...more
If you're looking for a gritty mystery, this ain't it! M.C. Beaton's books fall under the category of "cozy mysteries", meaning there isn't a lot of blood and gore, the language is pretty tame (for the most part), and the entire murder can be solved in less than 200 pages. Think "Murder, She Wrote" and you'll get the idea.
Beaton's "Death of a . . . " series follows Hamish Macbeth, constable of the small village of Lochdubh in the Scottish Highlands. Macbeth is lazy, but has a very keen mind. He...more
Beaton's "Death of a . . . " series follows Hamish Macbeth, constable of the small village of Lochdubh in the Scottish Highlands. Macbeth is lazy, but has a very keen mind. He...more
The writing just rolls along, making the book easy to read. It is a Scottish setting, the author is from Scotland, so you have to read in British, and decipher some Scottish phonetics. It is short, 166 pages in the hardcover.
One thing I like about the Mariah Steward novels is the main characters are seemingly in the background, secondary characters (until well into the her novels). I don't know if Beaton does this through her series, or she just did that for the first book of the series. I plan...more
One thing I like about the Mariah Steward novels is the main characters are seemingly in the background, secondary characters (until well into the her novels). I don't know if Beaton does this through her series, or she just did that for the first book of the series. I plan...more
The constable of a sleepy Highland village whose main claim to fame is the wonderful opportunities it offers in terms of salmon and trout fishing, Hamish MacBeth spends his time dealing with drunks and poaching to support his parents and their large family. (As the eldest son, tradition requires that he remain a bachelor and use his earnings to help his younger siblings until they can make do for themselves.) Because the village's crime rate is so low, he has a lot of free time and spends much o...more
The Cartwrights have had a fishing school for three years. This week’s class has eight members, but one of them, Lady Jane Winters keeps making barbed comments about the others, hinting at something in their past. Everyone at the school hates her, and want her to leave. No one is really surprised when they find her body, especially not the local constable Hamish Macbeth. Everyone, including the chief inspector that comes to investigate the murder thinks that Macbeth is just lazy and unintelligen...more
First in the Hamish Macbeth series and I found this an enchanting book. Enjoyed it very much.
Back Cover Blurb:
When society widow and gossip columnist Lady Jane Winters joins the local fishing club she wastes no time in ruffling the feathers - or should that be fins? - of those around her. Among the victims of her sharp tongue is Lochdubh constable Hamish Macbeth, yet not even he imagines anyone would seriously take steps to silence her ladyship's shrill voice permanently - until her body is fish...more
Back Cover Blurb:
When society widow and gossip columnist Lady Jane Winters joins the local fishing club she wastes no time in ruffling the feathers - or should that be fins? - of those around her. Among the victims of her sharp tongue is Lochdubh constable Hamish Macbeth, yet not even he imagines anyone would seriously take steps to silence her ladyship's shrill voice permanently - until her body is fish...more
I've heard a lot of good things about the Hamish MacBeth series, so I picked this up at a used bookstore. And though I didn't really care for this book in particular, I will probably try another book in the series because I really enjoyed the character of Hamish MacBeth and would like to see more of him.
However the main POV character is a young woman named Alice, who is very real and three dimensional. Unfortunately she's one of those people who are perfectly nice people that you cringe when yo...more
However the main POV character is a young woman named Alice, who is very real and three dimensional. Unfortunately she's one of those people who are perfectly nice people that you cringe when yo...more
I'm glad she did away with some of the elements from the first book that would have lead to various future crimes, including the housing estate. I like my cozy village mysteries cozy - limited sex and violence, lots of gossip and intrique and Ms. Beaton certainly delivers those in full. If you're not up for the hard-boiled detective novel, I suggest giving these a try. There are some inconsistencies through the years, including the hotel manager being either Mr. 'Johnston' or 'Johnson' and the n...more
It's hard to dislike this book. But it's hard to think of it as anything more than cotton candy. The characters are pastiche, but fun pastiche in the jolly ol' highlands of Scotland. It's the very definition of a "cozy" mystery.
Another delightful Hamish MacBeth mystery. This is the first in the series, and slightly different from the newer ones I've read. Usually, we follow Hamish around in his daily duties (visiting villagers and dealing with small crimes,)while solving the murder mystery. In Death of a Gossip, we don't see any villagers at all, with the exception of Priscilla and her family. This book centers around a group of strangers who have booked a fishing holiday in the village. The majority of the book is tol...more
My husband and I like to listen to mysteries in audio format when we take driving trips. This one was fun. It is the first of a series set in Scotland, with the main character being a policeman in a little Scottish town, Haimish McBeth. McBeth is a young red-haired bobby, apparently unambitious and soft-spoken, but he fools everyone when he provides a snappy comeback, dispenses good advice, and catches the murderer of the obnoxious Lady Jane at a local fishing school. He proves the old adage, "S...more
I really liked this book I did, however, needed some time to get into it because the main character, Hamish MacBeth, was introduced as a rather negative and unfriendly person. I took a while to warm up to him because the story is mainly told from the point of view of another character.
Although the murder didn't take place until about halfway through the book it wasn't tedious and drawn out. It was not hard to know who was going to be murdered but the way was it happened was original. I didn't gu...more
Although the murder didn't take place until about halfway through the book it wasn't tedious and drawn out. It was not hard to know who was going to be murdered but the way was it happened was original. I didn't gu...more
Death of A Gossip is the first in MC Beaton's series of Hamish MacBeth mysteries. It is a light mystery, not particularly deep, but fun. Beaton has a basic formula for her books and you can recognize the 'Agatha Christie' methodology as you read through.
The mystery itself is about a Fishing holiday at Scottish resort in the 1980's. The characters are all developed with motives and the whodunit is finally cracked by the local bobby (police officer) Hamish MacBeth.
The plot-line left something to b...more
The mystery itself is about a Fishing holiday at Scottish resort in the 1980's. The characters are all developed with motives and the whodunit is finally cracked by the local bobby (police officer) Hamish MacBeth.
The plot-line left something to b...more
Short, quick-reading books. You just have to love Hamish, who as a small village constable in the Highlands of Scotland, is exactly where he wants to be. Although Hamish, because of his natural insight into human nature, is very sharp when it comes to solving murders he really doesn't like to take the credit because it might mean a promotion. Hence, more work when he'd much rather gossip. He enjoys his little cottage with the police office in front and his living quarters in the rear, his dog To...more
We've been rading this author out loud as our new post-scriptures, pre-sleep nightly activity. I'm not totally sold on the mysteries yet. But I am still giving the benefit of the doubt to the series to see if I develop a love of the characters before I bore from the story.
Like her last book I read, either the editor is not as careful as (s)he should be, or the author likes misspellings (a la Huck Finn), or understand less about Scottish writing than I knew - but it was distracting.
I liked the ma...more
Like her last book I read, either the editor is not as careful as (s)he should be, or the author likes misspellings (a la Huck Finn), or understand less about Scottish writing than I knew - but it was distracting.
I liked the ma...more
I've had this book, the first in the Hamish Macbeth series, on my to read list for years, but I could never find it on the shelves of my local bookstores. I'm not much on ordering books - to much of an immediate gratification girl when it comes to reading - so I just kept putting it off. Then, my dad saved me the trouble and ordered it for himself. I borrowed and, maybe it is simply a case of lack increasing expectations, but I was a bit disappointed. There was a simplicity to the style that mad...more
3 STARS The Lachdubh School of Casting for fishing has one party pooper, Lady Jane Winters who is bent on making everyone miserable. As the owners try to keep the holiday light Lady Jane is just as eager to air everyone's dirty laundry. One lesson as they celebrate Lady Jane's absence they soon find her dead body floating in the water. Country detective, Hamish MacBeth soon finds that everyone hated her, including himself, and the list of suspects grow.
A perfect novel for the holidays or a rainy...more
A perfect novel for the holidays or a rainy...more
This is a typical MC Beaton lite mystery. I listened to it on audio and thought Davinia Porter did a fairly good job although her Scottish and American accents could have been better.
Hamish Macbeth seems to be the antithesis of Agatha Raisin, Beaton’s other mystery series protagonist. Macbeth is low key and thoughtful whereas Raisin is frenetic and neurotic, personally I like Raisin better-she adds color to an otherwise rather bland mystery.
I will probably listen to more of this series though s...more
Hamish Macbeth seems to be the antithesis of Agatha Raisin, Beaton’s other mystery series protagonist. Macbeth is low key and thoughtful whereas Raisin is frenetic and neurotic, personally I like Raisin better-she adds color to an otherwise rather bland mystery.
I will probably listen to more of this series though s...more
The mystery was lame and the characters all acted in ways that seemed totally unrealistic. I am a little surprised I made it all the way through this one because it took forever for the story to get started what with having to have each and every character mutter threats under their breath that seemed to be totally out of proportion to the situation. It is hard to believe this is the same author as the Agatha Raisin series.
This series, recommended by Nina Sankovitch, is quite fun. This was the first book I read in the series. I am looking forward to reading Agatha Raisin. It is a quick read mystery with hilarious dialogue. I thought the owner of the Highlands was the killer, but the identity of the real killer was a complete surprise. I am hooked. It's a book I can keep in my purse and read while I am waiting for doctors, the train, and in a long shopping line. Luckily, our library has many books in the series be...more
This is a series like the First Ladies' Detective Agency series...very easy to read, upbeat, wonderfully-quirky repeat characters, written by a Scottish author (it takes place in Scotland), and better to listen to (audiobook) because of the wonderful reader. Hamish has an interesting character, as do his friends and colleagues. You should read the first one first...and get to know the senior Curry twins, the snobby Pricilla Halburton-Smythe, Elspeth Grant, the gypsy news reporter, and so on. Try...more
This is our first introduction to Hamish Macbeth, a police constable in the small Scottish town of Lochdubh, and it is a success. Because of the low crime rate, Macbeth spends most of his time interacting with the eccentric residents of Lockdubh, and dealing with the occasional drunk or poacher. However, when gossip columnist Lady Jane Winters is murdered while attending a local fishing class, it's up to Hamish to figure out who finally snapped and killed the sharp-tongued troublemaker. A wonder...more
This is the first mystery in the Hamish MacBeth series. I loved the TV show when it was on BBC America and was delighted to find that there were books. This first one was ok. It focused a lot on fly flishing, which I find to be incredibly boring, and it seemed very, very slow to start. Hamish himself is delightful, although I did have some problems with the way he (and the female author) talk about women. Still, it was a decent, if not spectacular, cozy, and I will probably read the rest of the...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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Jan 17, 2012 07:53pm