Another delightful Hamish Macbeth mystery! I love all of these audiobooks!

I always enjoy a good Hamish Macbeth story and this one didn't disappoint. Along with the crimes being investigated, Hamish has two women that are "fighting" over him - Priscilla and Elsbith. I kind of hope Elsbith wins (not sure if I'm spelling her name right or not), because he and Priscilla have already had too many close calls.

Still 13 left in the series. Yay!

Read this via B &N Readouts, 1/2 a chapter a day. Never read any of the other books in this series but I might pick up another. It was an easy, quick read, and although mysteries aren't usually my "thing," this one was engaging but fluffy. I can see how people would love Hamish Mabcth.

I am loving this series of mysteries set in Scotland and the bumbling redheaded Detective Hamis MacBeth. I love the setting of this book and the interesting characters that populate village life here in the North of Scotland and the sexual tension that abounds between Elspeth and him.
In this Mystery someone is sending poison pen letters causing people to die and Hamish must find out who and why along the way fighting off the advances of Jenny.
In Beatons description of the North of Scotland you learn a lot about this area and the people and customs of this part of the U.K.

It's amazing how increasingly complicated these stories get. What starts as an irritating case of poison pen letters ends with multiple shocking deaths in the village of Braikie.

Hamish's investigations are helped and hindered by two women. Though both have an interest in him, their motivations are muddled. Jenny, a visitor with a jealous streak, is mostly eager to put Priscilla's nose out of joint. Elspeth, the local reporter, is genuinely attracted to the man but is also very keen to find a story.

On the balance, I like Elspeth. But I think both she and Hamish are not completely themselves with each another. I find myself hoping they won't become a proper item. Still, her presence in the story gives Hamish someone clever and invested to discuss ideas with - someone more down-to-earth than Perfect Priscilla.

Both this book and the last make particular use of the ferocity of the Highland weather. Beaton often emphasizes the dangers of not giving nature its due respect, but here and in Death of a Village, the consequences are striking. Her description of violent waves battering houses, cars, and people is frightening. It reminded me of why I've never loved driving along coast roads in Ireland.

After lots of death and scandal, it's only fair that Beaton wrap everything up with a bit of humor. I find any time the villagers of Lochdubh all get together for a gossip or on a mission, hilarity is soon to follow. The final scenes do not disappoint. Ah, Hamish. How the locals do despair of you and love you all at once.

Audiobook

Blurb:n  When the residents of Lochdubh begin receiving poison pen letters, no one takes them seriously. But Constable Hamish Macbeth fears them, and his instincts prove correct when the postmistress is found hanging from a rope with a vicious poison pen letter at her feet.n

Jenny Ogilvie was jealous of Priscilla Halburton-Smythe. Priscilla had it all. A successful fiancé, beauty, breeding, and gracefulness. Why then was she constantly talking about the village constable, as though he was the most important person in her life. So, Jenny decided to take a holiday in Lochdubh and overhaul Priscilla's happiness a bit ... well, claim some of it for herself ...

An atmosphere of threat and suspicion was hanging over Braikie town's residents ever since the letters were being delivered to homes in which the people's darkest secrets were implied. Some reacted with fear, and others with anger, and Hamish knew something seriously bad was going to happen. And then it did. With an adult insouciance, teenager Penny Roberts, the pet pupil of Miss McAndrew, the school principal, led Hamish onto a path nobody ever envisioned, which rocked the village. Macbeth is determined to prove that a suicide was in fact a murder. It opened up a Pandora's box of secrets and heartaches, but in the process more than one murder was finally solved. There were as much sorrow as joy in the unraveling of the residents' personal histories. Finding the author of all those nasty letters, was just the beginning...

This was a riveting tale, with many characters, and a fast-moving plot. A quick, cozy, compelling drama in 227 pages.

So, with the Hamish Macbeth series, my review is the same. Good, cozy read with some great extra detail. These mysteries are not going to break your brain, but they provide a nice break from heavier reading and a fun, predictable storyline. I only like cozy mysteries, so I am biased. If you like a deeper, more psychological thriller, this is definitely not it. Overall, I'm happy with this series and can truly reccomend for someone with similar tastes.

No surprises here. Someone in or around Loch Dubh dies in a peculiar manner. Hamish deduces that it's murder. Currie sisters show up to act as Greek Chorus? Check. Angela Brodie takes care of the dog? Check. Elspeth or Priscilla help Hamish on the case? Check. Blair give Hamish a hard time? Check. Lots of driving around the sometimes gorgeous, sometimes dismal landscape? Check. This one was either written before the wild cat came to live with Hamish or she has been disposed of and I missed the book where that happened.

This had the added attraction of Priscilla's frenemy "Jennie" showing up to try and make time with Hamish in order to irritate Priscilla. Jennie gets in the way of an investigation into the murder of the local post mistress and then the retired head mistress of a local school. Someone with a poison pen is writing nasty letters to the locals, accusing them of things that aren't true. When the bodies begin to pile up, Hamish and Elspeth investigate with some help from the flirtatious Jennie.

I really rather wish Hamish (and the author) would make up their mind about the detective's on again/off again romances with both Priscilla and Elspeth. Yes, it's generally death to settle a series' on going romantic issues, but Hamish (and the reader) aren't getting any younger, though Hamish ages more slowly than the reader does. (He was probably 35 when the series began and is now maybe 37, despite going from NO technology of any kind to every sort of tech invented in the last year alone.)

My first Scotland series. I have read books 1 - 21. The premise is interesting specifically how the protagonist refuses to give up his pleasant lifestyle to raise up in the ranks and live in a place that does not being him joy and would significantly decrease his love of life. The protagonist is negatively judged because he prefers the simple, lovely life, rather than raise through the ranks.

The story lines and the characters are generally interesting. In some of the books, the lovesickness of both the protagonist and his on and off love interest can get very tiresome. However, it may have been more tiresome because I read the stories back to back. I have taken a break from reading more of the books, but do look forward to getting back to them in a few months.

Still loving this series! Hamish is successful once again in solving two murders, preventing a promotion, and evading Blair's revenge. He also manages some romantic success in this one, at least for the moment!