Rating: Four stars

An amazing venture into the placid Highlands where life is scenic, simple and saturated with locals who understand what's-what, and outsiders who become lost, dazed and confused. This cozy mystery with its easy-going--and often underestimated--village constable, Hamish Macbeth, offers an interesting roster of supporting characters and tons of scenic ingenuity.

An unexpected treat was the additional short at the conclusion of this audio book. Looking forward to exploring more of this novel.

My husband and I recently watched the Hamish Macbeth series produced by BBC Scotland and starring Robert Carlyle as Hamish. We loved the quirky characters, the delightful humor, and the gorgeous setting of the fictional town of Lochdubh and the Scottish scenery that surrounds it. I was disappointed that this first novel had none of the characters from the series save Hamish, and it also lacked the humor of the show. Perhaps that develops later on, as M.C. Beaton wrote 33 books in the series and another author has continued with an additional four after her death. I didn't find any of the suspects to be more than character sketches, and I thought the author wrapped everything up a little too quickly, with a hasty revelation of the murderer's background and motivations at the end; there weren't enough clues along the way, but somehow Hamish figured it out. I may read another one just to see if the series improves, but I wasn't especially thrilled with the quality of the writing. 2 1/2 stars rounded up to 3.

I was able to get this book free from the Audible catalog thank goodness!
I listened twice and I still don’t quite think I understand the full story here.
We are introduced to a local Scottish constable Hamish MacBeth who will be the main character in this book and many more to come. I am guessing it was written originally in the 90’s per references in the book.
If you do not like Salmon or Trout fishing and all things that have to do with it, such as flies, lines, knots, and schools for these things then this is not the book for you!
It was not the book for me as I personally don’t and never have enjoyed that particular sport. It was very long winded about the lectures and teaching.
It is almost like a Christie novel in the sense there are a bunch of characters at a fishing school for a fishing holiday- ( I would never!) One dies and someone in the group did it. MacBeth succeeded in sussing this out over an extremely boring book in my opinion. I struggled for that third star. The writing is good the rest was not.
Personally I won’t be continuing on with this series by this author who has another series I adore.

Wobbly 3 stars.

I’m fond of Beaton’s mysteries but this is the first I’ve read in this series. It didn’t win me over but I’ll continue a little further.

As a puzzle the plot is fairly satisfying. But I found the characters generally irritating or contrived, and I didn’t feel I had enough time with the sleuth to get to know him. It has some promise as a series, and I hope I warm up to it.

One of my first Cozy reads. The lead character, Scottish village cop Hamish Macbeth.
There are not many characters to track which makes it nice. Some “Fishing” topics came back ....casting, fly fishing, game fishing....

(images below)

The main theme - 7 days, 8 tourists, at Northern Scotland, on the “Lochdubh School : Salmon and Trout Fishing” the schooner is sailed by John & Heather Cartwright (instructors).

Traveling in Lochdubh School’s fishing boat is a rude upper-class “Lady” newspaper woman killed. Detective Hamish enters & has he found the right person with difficult & encumbering facts? hindering photos? inhibiting right to kill?

Some “Fishing” images from references from above ....

Fly fishing in a river picture

The “fly fishing” the weight of the line carries the hook through the air, “spin or bait” the weight of the lure or sinker at the end of the line gives casting distance.


The “hook, line and shaker” phrase in use since the mid 19th century.

Another easy-reading Hamish Macbeth mystery. Others may not mind the infrequent swearing, but it irritated me as it was not necessary. I don’t know if this is common in this series so I’ll read one or two more and then decide if I’ll go on.

I LOVE the Regency Romances of Marion Chesney, so imagine my great surprise and delight to be told recently that I had completely missed her delightful Scottish murder mysteries!! I love unambitious Police Constable Hamish Macbeth with his flaming red hair and lovely way of speaking (I love how everyone says, "It is yourself" when encountering one another in the lovely Scottish Highlands). This is the first book in the series (I guess, they're a little hard to place), but my favorite one - so far - is "Death of a Dentist."

4/10/22 - I've started to listen to the entire series in order on audiobook and LOVED the reader for the first two books and - actually they are pretty distracting, because I have to keep listening.

Book Blurb
Scottish highland village cop Hamish Macbeth must find which target was provoked enough to strangle and drown nasty fat widowed tabloid reporter Jane Winters, who revealed many others' guilty secrets.

Much is from the viewpoint of a naive secretary seduced by a blue-blood playboy. Icy blond beauty, aristocratic Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, lends a hand.

Comments

My 2022 edit: I've read several of the novels in this serious now and decided to reread the first one, to recapture the genesis of one of the most enjoyable cozy mystery series I have come across.

After reading the others, I laughed out loud for the introduction of Police Constable Harmish Macbeth as our main focus.

Heather and John Cartwright are the owners of the popular Lochdubh hotel, where their fishing courses are highly sought-after. They introduce Hamish Macbeth to the reader:
... he’s got to do all day is mooch around the village getting under everyone’s feet. Jimmy, the water bailiff, told me the other day he thinks Hamish Macbeth poaches.”

“I doubt it,” said Heather. “He’s too lazy. He ought to get married. He must be all of thirty-five at least. Most of the girls in the village have broken their hearts over him at one time or another. I can’t see the attraction.”

Clearly, Heather Cartwright did not feel any affinity for the copper as she observed him coming down the street.

Hamish, Lochdubh’s village constable, was strolling along the pier that lay outside the hotel, his hat pushed on the back of his head, and his hands in his pockets. He was very tall and thin and gawky. His uniform hung on his lanky frame, showing an expanse of bony wrist where the sleeves did not reach far enough and a length of woolly Argyll sock above large regulation boots. He removed his peaked hat and scratched his fiery red hair. Then he reached inside his tunic and thoughtfully scratched one armpit.

Their latest fishing-students were arriving that day, and ever since three years before, when they started the fishing school, they never had any complaints of any kind. However, it was clear from the minute the new group stepped into the hotel, that it wouldn't be the same this time.

One of the students, Lady Jane Winters, must have had a need for an assisted suicide, since she wasted no time to start intimidating the other members of the group with tidbits of information from their pasts which instantly created an animosity towards her. It did not take long for each of them to express the wish that she should be killed. Apart from including the hotel owners in her threats, she even did her homework on Macbeth.

In her high and loud voice with a peculiarly grating edge, she said:

"Were I not aware of the impoverished circumstances of your family," said Lady Jane, "I would stop you from scrounging coffee. Six little brothers and sisters to support, eh? And your aged parents in Ross and Cromarty? So improvident to have children when one is middle-aged. They can turn out retarded, you know.”

Unlike the others cringing in discomfort and silent hatred, Hamish had no intention of standing back for her bullying: Better they turn out retarded—although they’re not—than grow up into a silly, fat, middle-aged, barren bitch like yourself,” said Hamish with a sweet smile.

He instantly became the hero of more than just the new group of students. Even John and Heather changed their minds. It became clear why the village loved their copper and would help him wherever they could. He was also not a man who could easily be intimidated or scared off anything.

It turned out that Hamish took care of his family. As in many Celtic families, it was taken for granted that the eldest son would remain a bachelor until such time as the next in line were able to support themselves. Hamish had deliberately chosen the unambitious career of village constable because it enabled him to send most of his pay home.

When the worst happened, the next important characters in the series are introduced: brutish, demanding, bully, Police Chief Detective Blair—He called Hamish lazy, half-witted, and useless;

Decent hardworking Detectives Jimmy Anderson and Harry McNab.

Community members:
Angus MacGregor—a layabout who lived on the other side of the village;
Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, daughter of class-conscious and snobbish Colonel James Halburton-Smythe. Their new beau as possible husband material for their precious daughter is John Harrington, son of Lord Harrington.

But something was stirring between Priscilla and the so not suitable Hamish.

Some of the characters earned the badge of being a FEB - F..cking English Bastard.

The mix is on and in this 179-page, fast-paced, political incorrect, satirical saga, we discover the brilliance of Hamish Macbeth, and the mystical beauty and magic of the village of Lochdubh, in the Sutherland country of the north-eastern Highlands of Scotland.

I have no pity or sympathy for Alice. The girl is an idiot.

Like a cozy, slightly murderous warm blanket, I've headed back to M.C. Beaton. They move along quickly and I'm doing them as audiobooks from the public library, they take about 4 hours and you can set the speed fast to hoozle them along. They are great company. The reader is wonderful and the Scottish list is charming indeed.

Thousands have reviewed these over the years, people way more erudite than me, so I'm just going to leave it by saying the following. If you like cosy mysteries, set in the Scottish Highlands, with a lovelorn policeman who pines gently for a classy girl he comes alluringly close to but never quite manages to get with, then these are for you.

Quite good mystery novell with main character, constable Hamish Mcbeth , set in a small willage in Scotland Highlands.
It's a type of who did it mystery where all characters are suspects and with final peak t the end when all suspects are gathered and one by one are cleared of guilt until one of then is murderer. Type of Agatha Christie's Poirot or Miss. Marple type of mystery.
It's a entertaining mystery novel for passing time.

I'd never read a book by Beaton before and decided to give it a go!

I loved the whodunnit setup and the setting could not be better. Who doesn't love a good Scottish landscape?

A group of tourists have settled in to attend a Scottish fishing school run by John and Heather Cartwright. Everyone is happy to be there except for one big thorn - Lady Jane. She's a nasty, rude, snob and a tabloid reporter to boot. She makes her living hunting down secrets and revealing them to the world. She's basically making life miserable for everyone so no one especially cares when she ends up strangled.

Unfortunately, the police don't have the option of not caring, and it's up to Hamish Macbeth to solve the mystery, even if those big city cops don't seem to think he's capable.

Personally, I was absolutely thrilled when Lady Jane died. She was the worst. I also kind of wanted to strangle Alice. She was nuts with her crazy mad crush on Jeremy.



I loved getting to know the characters. They were funny and amusing. I can see myself liking Hamish more and more. I loved his nonchalance and chill snark.

The first book, narrated by Antony Ferguson, is free to Audible members. It was great! I'm excited for book 2.