MY RATING GUIDE: 3.5 Stars. This series is an entertaining “quick and light” mystery interlude for me between other genres or/and more time consuming reads.

1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was Okay; 3.5= I ENJOYED THIS; 4= I liked it a lot; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).

Spring/Summer, Lochdubh, Scotland ~
MC Hamish Macbeth is an easy going Constable in his mid 30’s living and working in the rural Highlands of Lochdubh, Scotland. He has an instinct for uncovering deception (and the luck to avoid serious trouble), cares deeply for his local small community but has no ambition to climb any social or career ladders which would move him up in hierarchy and into “the big city.” This lack of career ambition has made him unpopular with his superiors, his ex-fiancé and colleagues (more ambitious than he). Since they do not understand Macbeth’s values system, they consider him lazy and/or interfering- depending on the situation.

DEATH OF AN ADDICT ~ The unexpected death of a young man lodging in Macbeth’s community causes him concern. When it is passed off as an accidental drug overdose, Macbeth decides to pursue the matter. Against his superior’s orders.

Comments ~
1) DEATH OF AN ADDICT is bk 15 in MC Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth Scottish Mystery series. ADDICT could be read out of order but certain details regarding connections with secondary characters/villagers/colleagues may be missed.
2) I felt that Hamish was more invested in the outcome of the death in ADDICT than in the previous book, even using his personal vaca time to pursue leads. Hamish continues to be clueless in finding true love, settling for infatuation and lust. (But perhaps this is his destiny in this series).
3) I like that the Macbeth Mysteries are quick listens and can be easily read/listened to between other more complicated novels or different genres - like a palate cleansers. I feel the tone is deliberately light.
4) Readers who enjoy (light) British or Scottish Cozy village mysteries may enjoy this series.
5) I purchased and listened to the audiobook wonderfully performed by Sean Grindell. He always does a nice job. The narration shifts to Graeme Malcolm in the next book, which he performs through the end.

READER CAUTIONS ~
PROFANITY - Yes. Infrequent.
VIOLENCE - Cozy murder mystery.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - Closed door scenes mentioned.

Solid Hamish…the cretin, Blair up to the usual evils, a potential love interest gone awry, the village saves the day, and Hamish, as usual, uses his wiles to solve the real mystery. I like the character so much, his simplicity & honesty at the core tho not averse to a bit of necessary Scottish conniving charms me every time.

I just wish the author could have left her dubious political and social attitudes out of her writing... otherwise a good easy read/listen.

Harsh! Although this installment contains heroic acts by locals Angela and Archie and some of Hamish's wide-eyed sweetness, Beaton has Blair reaching new levels of villainy by willfully endangering Hamish's and another officer's life and doling out a possible breast cancer diagnosis to the superior officer whom Hamish proposes to. Is Beaton punishing her for choosing career over family life in a small town with Hamish? The murder that begins the story is hastily concluded after a long story arc about Hamish going undercover as a drug baron, sending him to Amsterdam where he has an encounter with a cheerful prostitute, whom a colleague dismisses as a future junkie bound to be corrupted by a pimp. It's Old Testament Beaton and while I appreciate that Hamish is an anomaly in a modern world, this story has a dark and narrow villager mindset that left me uneasy.

3 1/2 Sterne

Boy, did Hamish ever "step in it" this time! And of course Blair's jealousy plays a role in the story too.

I have to wonder how it is that I've gotten to book 15 and this is the first time I recall seeing in any of the books how to pronounce "Hamish" (and that it's a version of the name James) and "Lochdubh". But now I know.

One of the weaker entries in the series. The main part of the book is an undercover investigation by Hamish and his partner and I'm telling you, Hamish does not a good undercover cop make. The whole investigation turns out to be almost completely divorced from the murder mystery and after it's concluded the murder is solved almost as an afterthought and in a very unrewarding manner. There is also a red herring that is quickly dropped and removing it entirely wouldn't change a thing. Plus the forced romance here doesn't work at all.

Coyer Summer Bash

This book really spiraled outwards. The main story is about a recovered addict who is later found dead of an overdose. While researching the case Hamish ends up posing as a drug kingpin. A little wacky midway through the story but well done over all

“Death of an Addict” is the 15th Hamish Macbeth murder mystery. Things are looking quiet for local bobby Hamish as there is little crime. Hamish has resorted to calling on local friends to pass his working day. One of those friends, Parry McSporran, has let one of his holiday chalets to Tommy who is a recovering drug addict.
It is not long before Hamish has work to do when Tommy turns up dead from an overdose. The book then goes off at tangent with Hamish seconded to investigate a Glasgow drug ring undercover. Much of the book follows Hamish’s exploits doing this. Only right at the very end of the book do we come back to the original story of the death of Tommy.

I was disappointed with this book. The middle of the book seemed to hold no connection to the original murder and it seemed to be that only at the very end were very clumsy connections made to the drug gang Hamish had been investigating. It felt that I had been reading two separate books.

I will be continuing with the series only because having reading previous Hamish books that they can be enjoyable. However, if this had been my first attempt at MC Beaton / Hamish I wouldn’t have read anymore.

Hamish goes international! Interesting choices for this one because the action is centered around the drug trade and not necessarily the murder. Even though the two are connected, tying up the "death of the addict" felt a little like an after-thought instead of the main event. Especially after the villagers of Lochdubh band together to save our hero. Angela Brody and Archie Maclean get their time to shine, the dialog stays sweet and funny. Narrator is perfection, keeps getting better.

The murder plot was an interesting one to follow in this book. I do get frustrated with how easily Hamish falls in love. The way Lochduhb came through for him, and the way he in turn helped out with the loch monster gave me the warm fuzzies. I do keep reading these for the characters and the interplay of the communities.

Closer to 3.5 stars...The great thing about the Hamish Macbeth series is if you need a quick read, here's your guy. MC Beaton writes rather succinctly while maintaining the charm of the lead character and keeping a decent rhythm to the plot. She also manages to convey the grand beauty of the Scottish Highlands without being mired down in too many details.
With that being said, I wasn't as attached to this "Death of.." as I was with others I had read before (perhaps because the whole story didn't take place in or around Lochdubh?). All in all, it was a decent story and introduced a love interest for Macbeth (and, no, I'm not talking about the Dutch prostitute...LOL!)