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Hamish Macbeth #9
Ränduri surm
Hamish Macbethi elu kipub kiiva kiskuma. Teda on edutatud (õudus!), tema ülemus on tainapea ja – nagu sellest veel küllalt poleks – külasse jääb oma roostes bussiloguga ankrusse üdini kahtlane isehakanud mustlane koos oma pruudiga.
Hamish haistab pahandusi ja nagu tavaliselt on tal õigus. Arstikabinetist kaob morfiin. Raha haihtub õhku. Naabrid lähevad äkitselt tülli. Hamishi suurim mure on aga hingepõhjas pesitsev hirm, et süüdi võib olla keegi tema sõpradest.
Mitte keegi ei taha vabatahtlikult välja anda killukestki kasulikku informatsiooni, nii asub rebasena kaval Hamish üksipäini delikaatsel moel naabritelt fakte välja meelitama. Selle käigus toob ta päevavalgele aga nii kummalise loo, et ei tema ise ega külaelanikud saa sellest kunagi päriselt üle...
Hamish haistab pahandusi ja nagu tavaliselt on tal õigus. Arstikabinetist kaob morfiin. Raha haihtub õhku. Naabrid lähevad äkitselt tülli. Hamishi suurim mure on aga hingepõhjas pesitsev hirm, et süüdi võib olla keegi tema sõpradest.
Mitte keegi ei taha vabatahtlikult välja anda killukestki kasulikku informatsiooni, nii asub rebasena kaval Hamish üksipäini delikaatsel moel naabritelt fakte välja meelitama. Selle käigus toob ta päevavalgele aga nii kummalise loo, et ei tema ise ega külaelanikud saa sellest kunagi päriselt üle...
181 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
389 people are currently reading
1522 people want to read
About the author
M.C. Beaton
332 books5,951 followersLike her on Facebook!
Learn more on her website!
Marion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Marion Chesney, Charlotte Ward, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
Learn more on her website!
Marion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Marion Chesney, Charlotte Ward, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 443 reviews
April 1, 2021
Once more Beaton blunders by making her villain not horrible enough. But obviously many fans of the series are satisfied with the writing.
I would have been happy with less padding of the story. There were entire Chapters dedicated to so called investigation.
I'm beginning to think that Hamish spoils the mechanism of any of his stories. He should appear sparingly. But notice how better the book gets when he is not the first person narrator.
I would have been happy with less padding of the story. There were entire Chapters dedicated to so called investigation.
I'm beginning to think that Hamish spoils the mechanism of any of his stories. He should appear sparingly. But notice how better the book gets when he is not the first person narrator.
December 6, 2010
There's something about Hamish. These books are definitely a guilty pleasure, even though I don't like the way Beaton characterizes most of the women in them- most of them are either weak and annoying or overbearing and bitchy. Also, most of the interpersonal problems (aside from the murders that drive the main plots) could be easily solved if the people involved would just TALK TO EACH OTHER ONCE IN A WHILE.
So honestly, I don't know why I enjoy these so much. But I do. :)
So honestly, I don't know why I enjoy these so much. But I do. :)
August 18, 2022
167 Pages. That's all.
Two transients (formerly known as beatniks, and later, hippies,) move into Lochdubh in an old colorful bus and park themselves on church land, with the blessings of Reverend and Mrs. Wellington. He was one of those men who were in the old days a gift from God to women, and it doesn't take long to have the village women's hormones in a viscous swirl around Sean Gourlay. His roommate, Cheryl Higgins, has a mouth like a sewer and hates coppers in various unspeakable languages.
Angela Brodie, Jessie, the twin sister of Nessie Curie, and Mrs. Wellington are in the forefront to welcome the two free-spirited young people into the community. In retrospect Police Sergeant Hamish Macbeth thought the day the Sean Gourly character arrived was also the day the devil came to town. At the time the women were rightly furious with Hamish.
Said Mrs. Wellington: These poor young people are hounded from pillar to post by bureaucratic monsters like yourself, Hamish Macbeth. These people of the road should be admired for their life-style.
Police Constable Willie Lamont has happily settled into Hamish's home, cooking and cleaning, with a serious touch of OCD. It left Hamish with the hunch that his own blood might prove to consist of three parts insecticide and one part disinfectant. Added to that was Willie's way with words, which exacerbated Hamish's regret of taking credit for the previous murder case instead of allowing Police Detective Chief Inspector Blair to take the shine as usual. The gentle Willie was proud of his study course in psychotry; had an aunt who lived in a condom in San Francisco. Hamish spent hours correcting Willie's mistakes and malapropisms in his reports. The only solution, he and Priscilla Halburton-Smythe concluded, was to find Willie a wife and get him out of Hamish's house.
The blind date they organize for Willie with the new receptionist at the Tommel Castle Hotel, becomes a blueprint for Blind Date-Bombs for Dummies 3.0. Now Hamish is convinced that the only wife suitable for Willie might be a vacuum cleaner.
Not so, it turns out to be. The new Italian restaurant owner's niece from Italy was a stunner. So beautiful that the behavior of men in town inspired the Scottish-Italian owner, Mr. Ferrari, of Napoli, to have his two cousins act as bodyguards around Lucia Livia. While the two Italians were guarding the street and the restaurant entrance, Willie happily moved in at the backdoor and unleashed his OCD on the floors and stoves in the kitchen. In Lucia's eyes, a true hero is born. Willie lands up in heaven, thanks to his OCD.
In the meantime, the behavior of the three Amazons protecting the gigolo Sean Gourlay change dramatically. Money disappears. Other weird stuff start happening, including the gruesome death of God's gift to woman. The case, says Detective Anderson, will never be solved by Hamish. He just feels it in his bones. .... Well, Anderson was wrong. So wrong.
As was the conniving Blair, when he tried to frame Hamish and got his evil intentions smashed by said Hamish Macbeth. Karma also kicked in, landing Blair in hospital with liver cirrhosis.
And so was the impression Angela, Jessie, and Mrs. Wellington tried to maintain of Hamish Macbeth. He not only saved two children's lives under severe circumstances, but also put his job on the line for women who least expected it.
To top it all of, a gossip monger declared Hamish and Priscilla engaged and announced in a newspaper gossip column without the two even being aware of it. For now. Unofficially. One can say they are sort of pushed into a long-term engagement, kicking and screaming, but with smiles right around their heads.
COMMENT
This was much more than just a murder mystery. Wives in all their variations—subversive, bossy, misandrist, helpless, strong, needy, independent—as well as the changing society, including the transvestite culture, are under the spotlight. Men in all their varieties—macho, misogynistic, effeminated, subversive, bossy, needy—were on display too. Religion's impact on societies becomes a focus, and without malice, all these social influences were actively supporting the story to its feel-good denouement.
This is one of the reasons why I enjoy this series so much. There's a deeper nuance to all the stories. M.C. Beaton handles her characters, as well as her diverse reading audience with compassion and respect. She always guarantee a good ending for the reader. It's never a soppy happy-ever-after affair. But the good of mankind always triumphs. Hope and Optimism survive. This is a reason why I constantly rate the novels in the series five star.
It's on us to review these novels from within our subjective environments. It's interesting to see how only certain aspects are criticized to suit our own agendas, while ignoring the rest. Our hero is sometimes a douche bag, and other times a hero. He is the main focus, with all his eccentricities and issues. Everybody else is just colorful sidekicks, male or female. Beaton takes advantage of every single weak or strong point of human nature and she smilingly rips into us. We're constantly looking in a mirror and is confronted with our imperfect, unacceptable pimples and wrinkles. She softens us up with satire. What more can we ask for? She's the gentle alter ego of Ricky Gervais, or even the late Joan Rivers. But she has a strong streak of Hilary Mantel, which she gleefully use against us. Realism. Not Romanticism. And we love her for it. Well, I most certainly and un-apologetically, do.
Two transients (formerly known as beatniks, and later, hippies,) move into Lochdubh in an old colorful bus and park themselves on church land, with the blessings of Reverend and Mrs. Wellington. He was one of those men who were in the old days a gift from God to women, and it doesn't take long to have the village women's hormones in a viscous swirl around Sean Gourlay. His roommate, Cheryl Higgins, has a mouth like a sewer and hates coppers in various unspeakable languages.
Angela Brodie, Jessie, the twin sister of Nessie Curie, and Mrs. Wellington are in the forefront to welcome the two free-spirited young people into the community. In retrospect Police Sergeant Hamish Macbeth thought the day the Sean Gourly character arrived was also the day the devil came to town. At the time the women were rightly furious with Hamish.
Said Mrs. Wellington: These poor young people are hounded from pillar to post by bureaucratic monsters like yourself, Hamish Macbeth. These people of the road should be admired for their life-style.
Police Constable Willie Lamont has happily settled into Hamish's home, cooking and cleaning, with a serious touch of OCD. It left Hamish with the hunch that his own blood might prove to consist of three parts insecticide and one part disinfectant. Added to that was Willie's way with words, which exacerbated Hamish's regret of taking credit for the previous murder case instead of allowing Police Detective Chief Inspector Blair to take the shine as usual. The gentle Willie was proud of his study course in psychotry; had an aunt who lived in a condom in San Francisco. Hamish spent hours correcting Willie's mistakes and malapropisms in his reports. The only solution, he and Priscilla Halburton-Smythe concluded, was to find Willie a wife and get him out of Hamish's house.
The blind date they organize for Willie with the new receptionist at the Tommel Castle Hotel, becomes a blueprint for Blind Date-Bombs for Dummies 3.0. Now Hamish is convinced that the only wife suitable for Willie might be a vacuum cleaner.
Not so, it turns out to be. The new Italian restaurant owner's niece from Italy was a stunner. So beautiful that the behavior of men in town inspired the Scottish-Italian owner, Mr. Ferrari, of Napoli, to have his two cousins act as bodyguards around Lucia Livia. While the two Italians were guarding the street and the restaurant entrance, Willie happily moved in at the backdoor and unleashed his OCD on the floors and stoves in the kitchen. In Lucia's eyes, a true hero is born. Willie lands up in heaven, thanks to his OCD.
In the meantime, the behavior of the three Amazons protecting the gigolo Sean Gourlay change dramatically. Money disappears. Other weird stuff start happening, including the gruesome death of God's gift to woman. The case, says Detective Anderson, will never be solved by Hamish. He just feels it in his bones. .... Well, Anderson was wrong. So wrong.
As was the conniving Blair, when he tried to frame Hamish and got his evil intentions smashed by said Hamish Macbeth. Karma also kicked in, landing Blair in hospital with liver cirrhosis.
And so was the impression Angela, Jessie, and Mrs. Wellington tried to maintain of Hamish Macbeth. He not only saved two children's lives under severe circumstances, but also put his job on the line for women who least expected it.
To top it all of, a gossip monger declared Hamish and Priscilla engaged and announced in a newspaper gossip column without the two even being aware of it. For now. Unofficially. One can say they are sort of pushed into a long-term engagement, kicking and screaming, but with smiles right around their heads.
COMMENT
This was much more than just a murder mystery. Wives in all their variations—subversive, bossy, misandrist, helpless, strong, needy, independent—as well as the changing society, including the transvestite culture, are under the spotlight. Men in all their varieties—macho, misogynistic, effeminated, subversive, bossy, needy—were on display too. Religion's impact on societies becomes a focus, and without malice, all these social influences were actively supporting the story to its feel-good denouement.
This is one of the reasons why I enjoy this series so much. There's a deeper nuance to all the stories. M.C. Beaton handles her characters, as well as her diverse reading audience with compassion and respect. She always guarantee a good ending for the reader. It's never a soppy happy-ever-after affair. But the good of mankind always triumphs. Hope and Optimism survive. This is a reason why I constantly rate the novels in the series five star.
It's on us to review these novels from within our subjective environments. It's interesting to see how only certain aspects are criticized to suit our own agendas, while ignoring the rest. Our hero is sometimes a douche bag, and other times a hero. He is the main focus, with all his eccentricities and issues. Everybody else is just colorful sidekicks, male or female. Beaton takes advantage of every single weak or strong point of human nature and she smilingly rips into us. We're constantly looking in a mirror and is confronted with our imperfect, unacceptable pimples and wrinkles. She softens us up with satire. What more can we ask for? She's the gentle alter ego of Ricky Gervais, or even the late Joan Rivers. But she has a strong streak of Hilary Mantel, which she gleefully use against us. Realism. Not Romanticism. And we love her for it. Well, I most certainly and un-apologetically, do.
July 15, 2013
What's the best indicator of a fine read? When you can't wait to get to the library to select the next one in the series. That's definitely the case with Death of a Travelling Man.
In this novel, two transients blow into Lockdubh in a remodeled bus, and the village is turned topsy-turvy by one of them, the malevolent Sean. It's a common plot device for M.C. Beaton -- in this series as well as her Agatha Raisin series; however, Beaton is able to make it seem fresh in Death of a Travelling Man. You'll love the clever ending, too.
My one quibble with the book is with Hamish's new assistant, Police Constable Willie Lamont. The young sidekick is more of a cartoon than a true-to-life character. Beaton usually manages to make her quirky village residents remind you of people you've really met. (I hate to admit it, but the high-strung and untidy Angela Brodie reminds me of myself!) Here Lamont is a one-dimensional version of Felix Ungar, complete with ruffled apron. Ugh!
Although this is the ninth Hamish Macbeth mystery, the series hasn't grown tired. Macbeth can be petulant, mooching and unlikable, but in Death of a Travelling Man, the lanky Highland copper is likable, unselfish and industrious. Macbeth also shows more self-knowledge than usual. Don't miss this one.
In this novel, two transients blow into Lockdubh in a remodeled bus, and the village is turned topsy-turvy by one of them, the malevolent Sean. It's a common plot device for M.C. Beaton -- in this series as well as her Agatha Raisin series; however, Beaton is able to make it seem fresh in Death of a Travelling Man. You'll love the clever ending, too.
My one quibble with the book is with Hamish's new assistant, Police Constable Willie Lamont. The young sidekick is more of a cartoon than a true-to-life character. Beaton usually manages to make her quirky village residents remind you of people you've really met. (I hate to admit it, but the high-strung and untidy Angela Brodie reminds me of myself!) Here Lamont is a one-dimensional version of Felix Ungar, complete with ruffled apron. Ugh!
Although this is the ninth Hamish Macbeth mystery, the series hasn't grown tired. Macbeth can be petulant, mooching and unlikable, but in Death of a Travelling Man, the lanky Highland copper is likable, unselfish and industrious. Macbeth also shows more self-knowledge than usual. Don't miss this one.
May 25, 2025
4⭐️ = Good.
Paperback.
Another little gem in this series. These books always make me smile, despite being a little unpolitically correct at times.
This time, Hamish comes across many naughty ‘ goings on’ in the village. Who is the murderer?
Light- hearted mystery.
Paperback.
Another little gem in this series. These books always make me smile, despite being a little unpolitically correct at times.
This time, Hamish comes across many naughty ‘ goings on’ in the village. Who is the murderer?
Light- hearted mystery.
February 15, 2024
Didn't have this one figured out. That last chapter contained a surprise not related to the mystery.
April 2, 2021
Macbeth and the Gypsies
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (2013) of the St. Martin's Press hardcover original (1993)
Death of a Traveling Man finds newly promoted and reluctant Sergeant Hamish Macbeth fighting off disruptions to his usually tranquil Highland Scots life with an overly fussy live-in Constable tidying the police station/house constantly and a pair of questionable travellers squatting on the village parish lands. Of course some one is murdered along the way, and Hamish has to sort out the alibis of the villagers that were apparently caught up by the wiles of the conniving incomer. Can he get constable Willie Lamont married and out of his hair and solve the crime as well? Of course he can! This series continues to delight.
After discovering M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth cozy mystery series due to the Estonia cameo in "Death of Yesterday", I started to seek out the earlier books by finding several at Toronto's Sleuth of Baker Street. I enjoyed those and found them to be an especially delightful diversion during this continuing pandemic. My next plan was to go back and read the series in order. I then discovered the rather terrific bonus that most of the books are available for free on Audible Plus, a service that I had previously been underwhelmed by (some early attempts with longer books had audio difficulties, with book narrations freezing in midstream). Beaton's shorter books (usually 4 to 5 hours on audio) seem to be perfect for this medium.
The performance by Shaun Grindell in all voices was excellent as always.
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (2013) of the St. Martin's Press hardcover original (1993)
Death of a Traveling Man finds newly promoted and reluctant Sergeant Hamish Macbeth fighting off disruptions to his usually tranquil Highland Scots life with an overly fussy live-in Constable tidying the police station/house constantly and a pair of questionable travellers squatting on the village parish lands. Of course some one is murdered along the way, and Hamish has to sort out the alibis of the villagers that were apparently caught up by the wiles of the conniving incomer. Can he get constable Willie Lamont married and out of his hair and solve the crime as well? Of course he can! This series continues to delight.
After discovering M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth cozy mystery series due to the Estonia cameo in "Death of Yesterday", I started to seek out the earlier books by finding several at Toronto's Sleuth of Baker Street. I enjoyed those and found them to be an especially delightful diversion during this continuing pandemic. My next plan was to go back and read the series in order. I then discovered the rather terrific bonus that most of the books are available for free on Audible Plus, a service that I had previously been underwhelmed by (some early attempts with longer books had audio difficulties, with book narrations freezing in midstream). Beaton's shorter books (usually 4 to 5 hours on audio) seem to be perfect for this medium.
The performance by Shaun Grindell in all voices was excellent as always.
June 18, 2020
Un nuovo caso per Hamish Macbeth, che è stato promosso! Ora è sergente e ha a sua disposizione un agente con la mania delle pulizie e dei lavori femminili che abita assieme a lui nella centrale di polizia. Hamish non sa più come fare per sbarazzarsi di lui! La vittima è un sedicente nomade che si è trasferito - assieme alla sua fidanzata, una donna estremamente sboccata - con il suo furgone nel sagrato della chiesa di Lochdubh e sembra essere benvoluto da tutti, anche perché è un uomo molto avvenente. Ma Hamish non si fida di lui fin dal principio... e sembra avere ragione. Sul finale c'è una sorpresona.
February 20, 2021
AROUND THE WORLD OF CRIME AND MYSTERY
My 15th Hamish adventure. (I started later in the series then backed up to the first one.) And after the disappointing "Death of a Glutton/Greedy Woman" (the only one that I've rated 1 star) I hoped to cleanse my literapallete.
CAST - 4 stars: At the end of this story, Hamish is smiling blissfully: he's definitely learned some secrets about the town citizens. He visits, apparently, his first drag bar called Jessies. (We learn that "jessie" is a Scottish term for an effeminate man and I personally have met some drag queens I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley, but I'll let that go here. After all, "Willie" is slang for penis so were does one draw the line?) His relationship with Priscilla takes a turn. And his promotion to Sergeant with an assistant, Willie, moving in with him is resolved in a surprising way. But much is made of Willie's poor vocabulary (a condo becomes a condom): how did he ever become a cop? I'd say he has a few good qualities that someone noticed, and only after being hired was it realized he's just not cop material, hence he is sent to Lochdubh to play second fiddle to Hamish, who usually has little to do but to visit neighbors and have tea and crumpets. Jessie and Nessie, the town spinsters, throw us a curve. Lochdubh's priest is losing his faith, but why? A number of other regulars appear, but then there is our Traveling Man, Sean Gourley and his 'friend?girlfriend?' Cheryl, she of orange hair and the foulest of foul mouths good for screaming poorly while on stage in a punk band. Very good cast. Oh, and Lucia is a wonderful creation.
ATMOSPHERE - 3: Less about Lochdubh but more about what lies outside that tempts then terrifies the citizens of our beloved Scottish town.
PLOT - 3: There are multiple crimes before the murder, all tied together nicely.
INVESTIGATION- 3: Hamish could very well destroy the reputation of many citizens of Lochdubh, but we know Hamish, and he does his best not to do so.
RESOLUTION - 4: I'll just say some lovely things happen toward the end of the story. Hamish is at his very best here.
SUMMARY - 3.4: For a cozy, this one ends on a very warm, humorous note. And I needed a cozy ending, not many around in the real world right now.
My 15th Hamish adventure. (I started later in the series then backed up to the first one.) And after the disappointing "Death of a Glutton/Greedy Woman" (the only one that I've rated 1 star) I hoped to cleanse my literapallete.
CAST - 4 stars: At the end of this story, Hamish is smiling blissfully: he's definitely learned some secrets about the town citizens. He visits, apparently, his first drag bar called Jessies. (We learn that "jessie" is a Scottish term for an effeminate man and I personally have met some drag queens I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley, but I'll let that go here. After all, "Willie" is slang for penis so were does one draw the line?) His relationship with Priscilla takes a turn. And his promotion to Sergeant with an assistant, Willie, moving in with him is resolved in a surprising way. But much is made of Willie's poor vocabulary (a condo becomes a condom): how did he ever become a cop? I'd say he has a few good qualities that someone noticed, and only after being hired was it realized he's just not cop material, hence he is sent to Lochdubh to play second fiddle to Hamish, who usually has little to do but to visit neighbors and have tea and crumpets. Jessie and Nessie, the town spinsters, throw us a curve. Lochdubh's priest is losing his faith, but why? A number of other regulars appear, but then there is our Traveling Man, Sean Gourley and his 'friend?girlfriend?' Cheryl, she of orange hair and the foulest of foul mouths good for screaming poorly while on stage in a punk band. Very good cast. Oh, and Lucia is a wonderful creation.
ATMOSPHERE - 3: Less about Lochdubh but more about what lies outside that tempts then terrifies the citizens of our beloved Scottish town.
PLOT - 3: There are multiple crimes before the murder, all tied together nicely.
INVESTIGATION- 3: Hamish could very well destroy the reputation of many citizens of Lochdubh, but we know Hamish, and he does his best not to do so.
RESOLUTION - 4: I'll just say some lovely things happen toward the end of the story. Hamish is at his very best here.
SUMMARY - 3.4: For a cozy, this one ends on a very warm, humorous note. And I needed a cozy ending, not many around in the real world right now.
July 29, 2021
The more I listen to this series, the more I love it. It's very relaxing for me to sink into the world of Lochdubh and solve cases with Hamish. The classic "whodunnit" is my favorite scenario and Beaton is a pro. I also love how short she keeps her stories. I often feel that authors add way too many pages without saying anything of substance.
Some strangers on a bus have arrived in town - Sean and Cheryl. Cheryl loves to scream obscenities at the police and Sean is too "charming" for his own good. All the women in town have started acting oddly. When Sean ends up dead Hamish is discouraged that he has to investigate his friends in town.
On the home front things are rough too. Since his elevation to Sergeant, Hamish had a new constable foisted on him. Willie isn't exactly a great policeman, but he does adore cleaning. (The side story with him and Lucia was funny. Lucia reacting to her suitors was one of my favorite things.)
Some strangers on a bus have arrived in town - Sean and Cheryl. Cheryl loves to scream obscenities at the police and Sean is too "charming" for his own good. All the women in town have started acting oddly. When Sean ends up dead Hamish is discouraged that he has to investigate his friends in town.
On the home front things are rough too. Since his elevation to Sergeant, Hamish had a new constable foisted on him. Willie isn't exactly a great policeman, but he does adore cleaning. (The side story with him and Lucia was funny. Lucia reacting to her suitors was one of my favorite things.)
February 27, 2019
Hamish has a sixth sense about a new traveler couple that is squatting in the village. Despite the young man of the couple’s charm and good looks, Hamish feels the man emanates evil. The charm only last so long and those who thought Hamish unfair are suddenly not great fans of the young man any longer and he winds up dead. Dealing with both criminals and cops who wish Hamish to fail, he pushes ahead with the help of Patricia Halburton-Smythe.
I like M.C Beaton’s series despite the fact they are formulaic. They are fun and give a glimpse of the feel of the location and a small village. There good escapist literature. 3-5 hours of turning off your brain to entertainment. Great literature? No, but they do offer a bit of a giggle and a little time in someone else’s world.
I like M.C Beaton’s series despite the fact they are formulaic. They are fun and give a glimpse of the feel of the location and a small village. There good escapist literature. 3-5 hours of turning off your brain to entertainment. Great literature? No, but they do offer a bit of a giggle and a little time in someone else’s world.
April 27, 2022
4/24-4/26/22 - This installment in the Hamish Macbeth mysteries is both hard for me to read and also one I like the most: I hate how people disparage Hamish and take him for granted. It also feels quite realistic. Because of his personality and manner, he is ideal at his job, but also because of those characteristics, people often take him for granted or assume the worst about him, and I dislike that. But I also love this story, because his personal life progresses in an interesting way. I'll admit, his friendship with Priscilla is more interesting to me than many of the murder details. They are such great friends, but there are always other factors that complicate that friendship, and ultimately, it is a tragic friendship.
March 6, 2016
What can I say, I love Hamish Macbeth. And this one was a special treat in several ways. Not the murder case itself, as usual, but the characters, the Highlands, my favourite village bobby's life. For once I wish the fifth star said "I loved it" and not "it was amazing": Don't see this as a recommendation when you're looking for great literature. This is a book to settle down with for a lazy Sunday afternoon when the real Scotland is too far away or too expensive. Tea and scones could probably make it an even better experience- but basically, they are already built in.
December 21, 2017
As much as I love the series this episode of Hamish was not my favorite, he just didn't hit all the high notes I look forward to. But it certainly won't keep me from reading on to the next Death of....!
May 27, 2025
*****3.5****
I like this book a lot. I don’t think I’ve ever read a Hamish MacBeth book before, but I enjoyed the setting a lot and also the characters. I like the writing style, and of course the early 90s culture is always fascinating to me as someone who was a kid then and not an adult. However, the book is 3.5 stars because it’s under 200 pages long, and the mystery doesn’t really start until around page 70 and then is resolved by page 150-ish, over ten pages before the book ends. I know this is book 9 in the series and that fans will be happy to have other story lines developed and resolved, but at the same time, not even 100 pages being dedicated to the mystery is pretty crazy to me.
I wish there had been more suspense and just better pacing overall or another 100 pages added onto the book (which I barely ever say!). That being said, the mystery was interesting, despite the whodunnit not being a surprise, and again, I like the setting and characters, so I would definitely read another Hamish mystery.
As a side note, because the book is set in Scotland, there are cultural differences. One thing that I found funny and sometimes jarring is how traditional the town feels and how much a way of life lost it portrays but then how modern it is with modern vulgar language being used and references to other cultural innuendos. It’s just funny. It’s not like in Agatha Christie books from the 60s where there’s always an older character lamenting the lost way of life and being unable to understand the modern fashions and such. This is just part of life, and it’s interesting to see the juxtapositions.
I recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers.
I like this book a lot. I don’t think I’ve ever read a Hamish MacBeth book before, but I enjoyed the setting a lot and also the characters. I like the writing style, and of course the early 90s culture is always fascinating to me as someone who was a kid then and not an adult. However, the book is 3.5 stars because it’s under 200 pages long, and the mystery doesn’t really start until around page 70 and then is resolved by page 150-ish, over ten pages before the book ends. I know this is book 9 in the series and that fans will be happy to have other story lines developed and resolved, but at the same time, not even 100 pages being dedicated to the mystery is pretty crazy to me.
I wish there had been more suspense and just better pacing overall or another 100 pages added onto the book (which I barely ever say!). That being said, the mystery was interesting, despite the whodunnit not being a surprise, and again, I like the setting and characters, so I would definitely read another Hamish mystery.
As a side note, because the book is set in Scotland, there are cultural differences. One thing that I found funny and sometimes jarring is how traditional the town feels and how much a way of life lost it portrays but then how modern it is with modern vulgar language being used and references to other cultural innuendos. It’s just funny. It’s not like in Agatha Christie books from the 60s where there’s always an older character lamenting the lost way of life and being unable to understand the modern fashions and such. This is just part of life, and it’s interesting to see the juxtapositions.
I recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers.
May 20, 2021
Herrlich schottisch
March 10, 2014
Start at the beginning. Here is the chronological order:
1. Death of a Gossip (1985)
2. Death of a Cad (1987)
3. Death of an Outsider (1988)
4. Death of a Perfect Wife (1989)
5. Death of a Hussy (1990)
6. Death of a Snob (1992 )
7. Death of a Prankster (1992)
8. Death of a Glutton (1993) Also published under the title "Death of a Greedy Woman"
9. Death of a Travelling Man (1993)
10. Death of a Charming Man (1994)
11. Death of a Nag (1995)
12. Death of a Macho Man (1996)
13. Death of a Dentist (1997)
14. Death of a Scriptwriter (1998)
15. Death of an Addict (1999)
16. A Highland Christmas (1999)
17. Death of a Dustman (2001)
18. Death of a Celebrity (2002)
19. Death of a Village (2003)
20. Death of a Poison Pen (2004)
21. Death of a Bore (2005)
22. Death of a Dreamer (2006)
23. Death of a Maid (2007)
24. Death of a Gentle Lady (2008)
25. Death of a Witch (2009)
26. Death of a Valentine (2010)
27. Death of a Chimney Sweep (2011) Also published under the title "Death of a Sweep"
28. Death of a Greedy Woman (2011) (note re-issue of No. 8, Death of a Glutton, from 1993)
29. Death of a Kingfisher (2012)
30. Death of Yesterday (2013)
It is not always easy to find the proper order of a series, which one would think would be on the frontispiece of the book. Rarely so, these days.
So, here we are with Police Constable Hamish Macbeth in Book #9. Much to his dismay, Hamish has been promoted. His rocky relationship with the woman of his dreams continues to yoyo. And a traveller pulls into the small town of Lochdubh, a man in a van and a foul mouthed woman.
Hamish Macbeth smells trouble but finds little to prove. The town doctor is missing drugs, a steadfast woman loses money, tensions simmer along the familiar streets.
Read on and enjoy this engaging mystery series. Even when I stray to other books, I am wanting to return to Hamish and his exploits.
1. Death of a Gossip (1985)
2. Death of a Cad (1987)
3. Death of an Outsider (1988)
4. Death of a Perfect Wife (1989)
5. Death of a Hussy (1990)
6. Death of a Snob (1992 )
7. Death of a Prankster (1992)
8. Death of a Glutton (1993) Also published under the title "Death of a Greedy Woman"
9. Death of a Travelling Man (1993)
10. Death of a Charming Man (1994)
11. Death of a Nag (1995)
12. Death of a Macho Man (1996)
13. Death of a Dentist (1997)
14. Death of a Scriptwriter (1998)
15. Death of an Addict (1999)
16. A Highland Christmas (1999)
17. Death of a Dustman (2001)
18. Death of a Celebrity (2002)
19. Death of a Village (2003)
20. Death of a Poison Pen (2004)
21. Death of a Bore (2005)
22. Death of a Dreamer (2006)
23. Death of a Maid (2007)
24. Death of a Gentle Lady (2008)
25. Death of a Witch (2009)
26. Death of a Valentine (2010)
27. Death of a Chimney Sweep (2011) Also published under the title "Death of a Sweep"
28. Death of a Greedy Woman (2011) (note re-issue of No. 8, Death of a Glutton, from 1993)
29. Death of a Kingfisher (2012)
30. Death of Yesterday (2013)
It is not always easy to find the proper order of a series, which one would think would be on the frontispiece of the book. Rarely so, these days.
So, here we are with Police Constable Hamish Macbeth in Book #9. Much to his dismay, Hamish has been promoted. His rocky relationship with the woman of his dreams continues to yoyo. And a traveller pulls into the small town of Lochdubh, a man in a van and a foul mouthed woman.
Hamish Macbeth smells trouble but finds little to prove. The town doctor is missing drugs, a steadfast woman loses money, tensions simmer along the familiar streets.
Read on and enjoy this engaging mystery series. Even when I stray to other books, I am wanting to return to Hamish and his exploits.
May 29, 2015
What!? Oh yeah, and Hamish solves another murder, but he learns some very troubling things about the women of Lochdubh in the process.
January 6, 2017
Entertaining but average.
June 14, 2024
This was a part showing how two-faced people can be, especially the ones that pretend to be saint. Unfortunately, this time it regarded only women but it can go both ways, of course. The case itself was quite long and there was a lot of beating around the bush but the outcome was pretty entertaining. Also the personal development was a surprise, however, I expected it sooner or later after watching the series.
May 22, 2024
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous ones as it seemed to be about the devil and extreme evil that he spread in the little village. I was glad when someone finally killed him but it was too puzzling.
March 19, 2019
Funny funny.
January 13, 2018
So good! 😍😍😍
October 25, 2022
This is the last one of the series for me...
July 7, 2025
Six-word Review: Hamish stumbles around, solves a murder.
Reading a Hamish Macbeth novel is like spending time with an old friend. Even though this was a new story to me, the plot and the characters are totally familiar.
In this case, a nomad shows up in Lochdubh in an old caravan, raising Hamish's suspicions. The "traveling man," Sean Gourlay, is a very handsome, smooth-talking layabout who charms some of the village women, even though he has a girlfriend, Cheryl. Hamish, meanwhile, is struggling to adjust to having an assistant, Willie, whose only interest is in cleaning and cooking.
There is the usual interaction between Hamish and the villagers as Hamish tries to do his job. As the book title suggests, Sean is murdered, and Hamish spends the next weeks trying to solve the crime. His interaction with Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, whom he is in love with, even though he pretends not to be, is a major thread in the story.
Eventually, all the loose ends are tied up, and Hamish gets almost everything he wants. Only, I'm sure, to run into difficulties in subsequent volumes.
I love these books as they usually run to less than 200 pages and fit nicely in my back pocket. I have a dozen more to read, and I am looking forward to all of them.
Reading a Hamish Macbeth novel is like spending time with an old friend. Even though this was a new story to me, the plot and the characters are totally familiar.
In this case, a nomad shows up in Lochdubh in an old caravan, raising Hamish's suspicions. The "traveling man," Sean Gourlay, is a very handsome, smooth-talking layabout who charms some of the village women, even though he has a girlfriend, Cheryl. Hamish, meanwhile, is struggling to adjust to having an assistant, Willie, whose only interest is in cleaning and cooking.
There is the usual interaction between Hamish and the villagers as Hamish tries to do his job. As the book title suggests, Sean is murdered, and Hamish spends the next weeks trying to solve the crime. His interaction with Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, whom he is in love with, even though he pretends not to be, is a major thread in the story.
Eventually, all the loose ends are tied up, and Hamish gets almost everything he wants. Only, I'm sure, to run into difficulties in subsequent volumes.
I love these books as they usually run to less than 200 pages and fit nicely in my back pocket. I have a dozen more to read, and I am looking forward to all of them.
May 5, 2017
I picked this up to expand my knowledge of cozy mysteries. The audiobook features fun accents and a light story.
Why only two stars?
Why only two stars?
March 31, 2016
I love revisiting Lochdubh and the over the top characters there. Hamish Macbeth grows on me more and more. There is quite the scandal in this sleepy little town and it was interesting to follow the story. I love the way MC Beaton spends a good amount of time building the character of the soon-to-be murdered so we can get a real idea of the character before his/her demise. Then Macbeth goes against the rules to find out the true murderer....sometimes it seems like he is the only one who really cares about finding the truth. Typical Blare sabotage attempt for humor/drama. I also appreciate how much Macbeth cares about the people in his village and will do anything to protect them if he can; even the annoying people.
March 12, 2016
Another one I missed earlier. Lots of red herrings, several villagers getting up to things that are "out of character" (seriously, they do this every book, does Hamish really know these people?). This one filled in some of the personal life stuff that I missed regarding Hamish, Priscilla, Willy, and Lucia.
February 27, 2017
Another delightful visit with Hamish Macbeth in the fictitious village of Lochdubh in the Highlands of Scotland. Hamish has to work hard in this one to solve the intricate murder of a Travelling Man - especially when so many wanted him dead. Quite complex events occurring in this remote location. Do enjoy this series!
March 16, 2017
This seems a bit heavy handed. Perhaps I've read too much of Hamish these days, but the plotting begins to feel overly contrived after too many coincidences. It feels too pat.
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