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Hamish Macbeth #7
Death of a Prankster
When it comes to murder, Constable Hamish Macbeth can't see the joke. Rich, old practical joker Andrew Trent summons his kin to remote Arrat House in the dead of winter for a deathbed farewell. But when they arrive, the old coot is in perfect health, cackling at his joke and ready to torment them with others.
But it turns out the joke's on Trent. As the saying goes, he who laughs last, kills first! And when Trent is murdered, Constable Macbeth must step in and solve the crime before the punchline of the next killing joke knocks him right into an early grave!
But it turns out the joke's on Trent. As the saying goes, he who laughs last, kills first! And when Trent is murdered, Constable Macbeth must step in and solve the crime before the punchline of the next killing joke knocks him right into an early grave!
206 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
426 people are currently reading
1601 people want to read
About the author
M.C. Beaton
340 books6,014 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 554 reviews
March 4, 2021
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. As does Triteness. I've given a very divisive book a perfect score. It took me two days to read this book.
I read a few of the 2 star ratings on Goodreads and marvelled at subjectivity. The traditional mystery is couched in a small vista, and as a result, I fell, mesmerized by the machinery of the genre.
Death of a Prankster is a book that rekindled my love for the series. It's a very solid book with the main character being not the handsome policeman, but the insecure Goth girl. You'll understand if you read the book. Five stars.
I read a few of the 2 star ratings on Goodreads and marvelled at subjectivity. The traditional mystery is couched in a small vista, and as a result, I fell, mesmerized by the machinery of the genre.
Death of a Prankster is a book that rekindled my love for the series. It's a very solid book with the main character being not the handsome policeman, but the insecure Goth girl. You'll understand if you read the book. Five stars.
September 25, 2017
Oh Hamish what a card you are! This was a miserable lot for characters/suspects but our beloved Constable Hamish ferrets out their secrets with a little help from the inimitable Miss Pricilla! This was a great manor house mystery with the requisite blizzard giving a proper backdrop. The ending had me chuckling out loud! On to book 8....
July 31, 2022
Money, or the prospect of it, makes hope spring eternal, and so that was probably the reason a small group of people were packing their bags to travel to the very north of Britain to stay with Mr Trent. Without that lure of money, it was doubtful whether any of them would have decided to go. But Mr Andrew Trent had written to his relatives to say that he did not have long to live. Mr Trent was a practical joker and, although in his eighties, age had not dimmed his zest for the apple-pie bed or the whoopee cushion. - FROM THE BLURB
Then the book opened with:
"A case that Hamish Macbeth fans will relish." Booklist.
A Hamish Macbeth Mystery by the author of "Death of a Snob."
When it comes to murder, Constable Hamish Macbeth can't see the joke. Rich, old practical joker Andrew Trent summons his kin to remote Arrat House in the dead of winter for a deathbed farewell. But when they arrive, the old coot is in perfect health, cackling at his joke and ready to torment them with others.
But it turns out the joke's on Trent. As the saying goes, he who laughs last, kills first! And when Trent is murdered, Constable Macbeth must step in and solve the crime before the punchline of the next killing joke knocks him right into an early grave! He was a widower, his wife having died some twenty years before, driven to her grave, said his relatives, by her husband’s relentless jokes. His home, Arrat House, outside the village of Arrat in Sutherland, was difficult to get to. The thought of his practical jokes made all his relatives shudder. Possibly that was the reason they all lived in the south of England, as far away from the old man as they could get. But now he said he was dying, and with all that money at stake, the long journey and the prospect of an uncomfortable and possibly humiliating stay must be faced. Of course, the old man could be joking…
Once again, a dark cozy murder mystery with a blend of satire to make it a most enjoyable experience.
The Audiobook on Youtube, narrated by by David Monteath was a delight! The novel, like most in this series, is a quick fast read at 168 pages. A truly enjoyable series.
Then the book opened with:
"A case that Hamish Macbeth fans will relish." Booklist.
A Hamish Macbeth Mystery by the author of "Death of a Snob."
When it comes to murder, Constable Hamish Macbeth can't see the joke. Rich, old practical joker Andrew Trent summons his kin to remote Arrat House in the dead of winter for a deathbed farewell. But when they arrive, the old coot is in perfect health, cackling at his joke and ready to torment them with others.
But it turns out the joke's on Trent. As the saying goes, he who laughs last, kills first! And when Trent is murdered, Constable Macbeth must step in and solve the crime before the punchline of the next killing joke knocks him right into an early grave! He was a widower, his wife having died some twenty years before, driven to her grave, said his relatives, by her husband’s relentless jokes. His home, Arrat House, outside the village of Arrat in Sutherland, was difficult to get to. The thought of his practical jokes made all his relatives shudder. Possibly that was the reason they all lived in the south of England, as far away from the old man as they could get. But now he said he was dying, and with all that money at stake, the long journey and the prospect of an uncomfortable and possibly humiliating stay must be faced. Of course, the old man could be joking…
Once again, a dark cozy murder mystery with a blend of satire to make it a most enjoyable experience.
The Audiobook on Youtube, narrated by by David Monteath was a delight! The novel, like most in this series, is a quick fast read at 168 pages. A truly enjoyable series.
July 24, 2015
This plot reeks of one in the Agatha Raison series. A nasty person lures the relatives to his remote but opulent castle and someone murders them. The characters are pretty much despicable. Hamish is very much in the background.
February 9, 2019
Sometimes I wonder why I love these books so much. With this one in particular the writing really just isn’t great and I couldn’t wait to be done with it. I think the series is carried by character and setting, like a mediocre television mystery series you watch religiously even though the mystery part is corny and contrived but you want to spend time with the characters. I think another complaint is that we don’t really spend a lot of time with Hamish in this book and he’s mostly just being moody about Priscilla.
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August 18, 2013I recommend reading these in order of release. I really enjoyed the whole MC Beaton series of Hamish. He's like Andy Griffith of Scotland.
There's a dog and everything!
There's a dog and everything!
April 24, 2020
Life in Hamish's world is simple. He likes an easy job that includes lots of time for fishing and naps. If only people would quit killing each other.
In this book our intrepid constable is called to the house of a notorious prankster. Everyone hates him, but who hates him enough to kill him. Hamish soon finds out that most people would love to slit the guy's throat. Now to narrow it down.
A fun cozy murder mystery.
In this book our intrepid constable is called to the house of a notorious prankster. Everyone hates him, but who hates him enough to kill him. Hamish soon finds out that most people would love to slit the guy's throat. Now to narrow it down.
A fun cozy murder mystery.
February 1, 2015
I love this series. The only people who are ever knocked off heartily deserve it. Obnoxious, rude, vile people better watch out; they're going to get murdered. And in a perfect world, shouldn't that be how it is?!?
Another great installment in the series - I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Another great installment in the series - I thoroughly enjoyed it.
October 9, 2015
Enjoyable cosy mystery set in the Scottish Highlands. No.7 in the Hamish Macbeth series. Brilliant narration (as always) by Davina Porter
August 16, 2020
Another Hamish Macbeth mystery. Andrew Trent, a rich elderly man, summons his family members to his mansion because he is deathly ill. His family despises him because he is a vicious prankster who takes practical jokes way beyond anything that could imaginably appropriate.
However, he's also rich and, if he is on death's door, they want to be there to see what he left them in the will.
Family members bring husbands and girlfriends, some genuinely affectionate, others ambitious.
As soon as they get there, the jokes begin, robbing anyone the slightest resemblance to peace. And the biggest joke of all is the Andrew Trent isn't even sick.
Trent's malicious personality is inflicted on everyone, so when the inevitable murder comes, everyone is a suspect.
As Hamish investigates, darker sides to Trent's character are revealed as well as why one person would want to commit murder more than anyone else.
However, he's also rich and, if he is on death's door, they want to be there to see what he left them in the will.
Family members bring husbands and girlfriends, some genuinely affectionate, others ambitious.
As soon as they get there, the jokes begin, robbing anyone the slightest resemblance to peace. And the biggest joke of all is the Andrew Trent isn't even sick.
Trent's malicious personality is inflicted on everyone, so when the inevitable murder comes, everyone is a suspect.
As Hamish investigates, darker sides to Trent's character are revealed as well as why one person would want to commit murder more than anyone else.
October 13, 2024
4⭐️ = Good.
Paperback.
I really enjoyed this one. One of the best in this cosy series so far. It had Agatha Christie vibes to it, especially the way all the suspects were gathered at the end to hear the reveal from Hamish.
Paperback.
I really enjoyed this one. One of the best in this cosy series so far. It had Agatha Christie vibes to it, especially the way all the suspects were gathered at the end to hear the reveal from Hamish.
November 22, 2013
Scottish Highland constable Hamish Macbeth is snowed in with a family long subjected to cruel pranks by the millionaire patriarch. Someone, could be a servant or sweetheart, finally cracks, and stabs their torturer. One wife pays the servants to clean up the evidence.
Lovely Priscilla drives Hamish to Perth for background on the adopted son and search for answers. The first date of scientist Melissa and her fickle imagination, tempted by wealth, occupy overly many pages. Only silly luck leads to a confession.
This book seems weaker than others in the series, on action, deduction, and supporting characters. Amazing how many persons in series' titles "Death of Person" could be innocent bystanders, but are guilty and deserve punishment from multiple potential judges willing to mete out just sentence. We could feel sorry for the perpetrators, except they usually keep on killing. Except for Hamish's willingness to hop into the sack with the nearest cutie-pie, he is more moral than Agatha Raisin of her series, but the author has a knack for humor, eccentric characters, unexpected twists, that keep me reading all her work.
Here's a second review, after re-read, with spoilers hidden.
Millionaire Andrew Trent claims illness to lure greedy family to Scotland, hurts them with brutal jokes, is stabbed dead in wardrobe. Suspiciously, anorexic daughter-in-law Jan orders Spanish servants about their "usual duties", so they bleach body and crime scene clean before Lochdubh police Detective Hamish Macbeth, lanky redhead six-footer, arrives. Will bequeaths nothing to adopted son golden (haired) gorgeous dilettante Charles, estate proceeds to grey brother Jeffrey and physicist son Paul with co-worker date pink-haired Melissa, spinster daughters "incipient mustache" Angela and dumpy Betty (somewhat like from Marion Chesney's School for Manners series). Besides the silly stunts are amusing coincidences. Strongest humor is in depth of detail for minor characters.
Question: Melissa regrets punk hairdresser convincing her to dye (from glossy chestnut like Beaton's Agatha Raisin), yet tells inquiring waitress she herself bleached out color then used "Flamingo" shade.
Lovely Priscilla drives Hamish to Perth for background on the adopted son and search for answers. The first date of scientist Melissa and her fickle imagination, tempted by wealth, occupy overly many pages. Only silly luck leads to a confession.
This book seems weaker than others in the series, on action, deduction, and supporting characters. Amazing how many persons in series' titles "Death of Person" could be innocent bystanders, but are guilty and deserve punishment from multiple potential judges willing to mete out just sentence. We could feel sorry for the perpetrators, except they usually keep on killing. Except for Hamish's willingness to hop into the sack with the nearest cutie-pie, he is more moral than Agatha Raisin of her series, but the author has a knack for humor, eccentric characters, unexpected twists, that keep me reading all her work.
Here's a second review, after re-read, with spoilers hidden.
Millionaire Andrew Trent claims illness to lure greedy family to Scotland, hurts them with brutal jokes, is stabbed dead in wardrobe. Suspiciously, anorexic daughter-in-law Jan orders Spanish servants about their "usual duties", so they bleach body and crime scene clean before Lochdubh police Detective Hamish Macbeth, lanky redhead six-footer, arrives. Will bequeaths nothing to adopted son golden (haired) gorgeous dilettante Charles, estate proceeds to grey brother Jeffrey and physicist son Paul with co-worker date pink-haired Melissa, spinster daughters "incipient mustache" Angela and dumpy Betty (somewhat like from Marion Chesney's School for Manners series). Besides the silly stunts are amusing coincidences. Strongest humor is in depth of detail for minor characters.
Question: Melissa regrets punk hairdresser convincing her to dye (from glossy chestnut like Beaton's Agatha Raisin), yet tells inquiring waitress she herself bleached out color then used "Flamingo" shade.
March 3, 2021
We've read two of Beaton's more recent "Death of" set, featuring village cop, Scot Hamish Macbeth - and generally enjoy these rather charming stories with slightly more crime solving and suspense than a typical "cozy". "Prankster", one of the early novels in the series, unfortunately came up short -- short on pages (just 151), short on mystery, and maybe worst of all, short on charm. The plot is little more than a game of Clue. An old man known life-long as a practical jokester, summons the family to his estate on the pretext he's on death's door (NOT); and proceeds to involve his two daughters, his adopted son and his girlfriend, and several other family members and guests in all manner of childish pranks. A couple days of that and he turns up dead; so the remainder of the book is all about whodunit, with suspicion cast upon one person or another including the butler and maid! Even a second death along the way did little to spice things up - perhaps the only element of entertainment was the interplay between our hero and his superiors, a recurring theme as Hamish of course almost always shows them up using persistence and brainpower instead of brawn.
We don't have to have thrills and chills in every book we read, but we suspect we might stick to her newer books in this series; we obviously weren't particularly enamored with this one.
We don't have to have thrills and chills in every book we read, but we suspect we might stick to her newer books in this series; we obviously weren't particularly enamored with this one.
March 28, 2021
Macbeth and the Heirs of the Prankster
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (2013) of the St. Martin's Press hardcover original (1992)
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.
Death of a Prankster is the seventh of the series and continues the audiobook editions with the voice of Shaun Grindell in an ongoing excellent performance. Macbeth has to sort out the heirs of a unrepentant prankster who had called them all together to his highland retreat under false pretenses. One of them appears to have murdered the joker for revenge.
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (2013) of the St. Martin's Press hardcover original (1992)
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.
Death of a Prankster is the seventh of the series and continues the audiobook editions with the voice of Shaun Grindell in an ongoing excellent performance. Macbeth has to sort out the heirs of a unrepentant prankster who had called them all together to his highland retreat under false pretenses. One of them appears to have murdered the joker for revenge.
January 27, 2023
Death of a Prankster is popcorn. Like the other novels in the late MC Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth series (or for that matter the entries in her Agatha Raisin series) there is a lot of tongue in cheek humor and quirkiness at play. You can put your brain in neutral and enjoy yourself knowing you are in great hands. These books never fail to delight.
March 3, 2021
Wenn ein Witzbold stirbt, kann es am Galgenhumor liegen.
Ich feiere Hamish jedenfalls.
"Lang may yer lum reek."
Ich feiere Hamish jedenfalls.
"Lang may yer lum reek."
April 12, 2024
This is the third Hamish mystery about which I have to say that it's better than all the previous one. So much that it even earned a fourth star! Very Christie-like with some actual characters who are more than paper cut-outs and have distinct personalities. We also get quite an amusing mystery that doesn't disappoint at the end, even though I'd prefer the solution to be presented in a different way.
August 2, 2017
I love Hamish Macbeth. In this story, Andrew Trent, known for his practical jokes, is murdered. Hamish's old flame, Priscilla, tries to help out in the investigation. Hamish uses all his powers to figure out who did the crime, and catches the criminal. MC Beaton's characters are great and full of life (until they're murdered).
October 25, 2018
M.C. Beaton certainly has a talent for creating characters you don't mind seeing murdered ... or suspects you hope did it because they are all unpleasant. Luckily Hamish MacBeth is likable enough to make up for all of that.
December 18, 2024
If you've read, seen, or listened to any of MC Beaton's Hamish McBeth you know the score if not start at the beginning to build a picture of the village, highlands and characters that make the whole series work.
A gathering of a family at a remote Scottish House in the winter at the behest of its owner. From all over the country, they travel as he's told them he's dying, and despite his reputation as a prankster, he's very rich, and they nearly all fear the loss of their inheritance.
He's not so much a prankster as a malevolent person taking great delight in their fear and disgust, and this latest call finds him in far too good health.
As with any family, secrets abound. Most of his relatives are a product of their upbringing mean, greedy, and self-absorbed, but some of their accompanying guests have some redeeming qualities.
The real death of the Prankster is on Hamish's temporary patch, so it falls to him to attend the house and find with little help from his Strathbane colleagues the one person amongst multiple possibilities who actually did it.
A gathering of a family at a remote Scottish House in the winter at the behest of its owner. From all over the country, they travel as he's told them he's dying, and despite his reputation as a prankster, he's very rich, and they nearly all fear the loss of their inheritance.
He's not so much a prankster as a malevolent person taking great delight in their fear and disgust, and this latest call finds him in far too good health.
As with any family, secrets abound. Most of his relatives are a product of their upbringing mean, greedy, and self-absorbed, but some of their accompanying guests have some redeeming qualities.
The real death of the Prankster is on Hamish's temporary patch, so it falls to him to attend the house and find with little help from his Strathbane colleagues the one person amongst multiple possibilities who actually did it.
August 28, 2025
This was ok.
I'm a fan of Beaton's Agatha Raisin series, so I thought I'd give some of her Hamish Macbeth series a try.
It was fine, a small town in Scotland has a police office who is way too smart to be stationed where he is. The thing is, he likes it there, it's quiet and cozy.
When a local lord, a MAJOR prankster, is murdered while his extended family are visiting Hamish Macbeth is called in to start the investigation while the Detective Inspector is on the way from the city.
It's just an "isolated location", and "closed circle of suspects" mystery.
The characters (Hamish aside) were mostly annoying, bigoted, classist, arrogant jerks.
I have a few more of these to read before I decide if I'm going to look for more.
I'm a fan of Beaton's Agatha Raisin series, so I thought I'd give some of her Hamish Macbeth series a try.
It was fine, a small town in Scotland has a police office who is way too smart to be stationed where he is. The thing is, he likes it there, it's quiet and cozy.
When a local lord, a MAJOR prankster, is murdered while his extended family are visiting Hamish Macbeth is called in to start the investigation while the Detective Inspector is on the way from the city.
It's just an "isolated location", and "closed circle of suspects" mystery.
The characters (Hamish aside) were mostly annoying, bigoted, classist, arrogant jerks.
I have a few more of these to read before I decide if I'm going to look for more.
July 29, 2021
Andrew Trent is a rotten, old prankster. He summons his relatives with claims of his impending death but when they arrive it's all just another joke. They are forced to stay and endure his horrid pranks, as none of them want to be left out of the will.
Trent's death was closer than he imagined as he ends up murdered in the midst of a prank. Hamish is called in to investigate. All the relatives had a great motive - hatred and money. They all wanted some of the will, but none of them were fond of the old fart. (He really was awful, his pranks were horrid.)
Another fun Hamish story. I love watching the progression of his and Priscilla's relationship. These mysteries are delightful!
Trent's death was closer than he imagined as he ends up murdered in the midst of a prank. Hamish is called in to investigate. All the relatives had a great motive - hatred and money. They all wanted some of the will, but none of them were fond of the old fart. (He really was awful, his pranks were horrid.)
Another fun Hamish story. I love watching the progression of his and Priscilla's relationship. These mysteries are delightful!
Read
December 3, 2019Sotto la copertina rossa, niente
January 4, 2025
Death of a head of a wealthy family makes Hamish realise it could be almost any family member, as no-one could stand him and they are all egocentric enough to have done it. Constable Macbeth takes a little bit of a backseat in this and it works well, another enjoyable one.
April 28, 2022
+ das Setting hat mir gut gefallen
+ die Story war echt gut
- viele Namen
- manchmal waren die Handlungen der Charaktere für mich nicht nachvollziehbar
+ die Story war echt gut
- viele Namen
- manchmal waren die Handlungen der Charaktere für mich nicht nachvollziehbar
August 12, 2023
Okej zaczełam niechcący od 7 części xd
Nie znałam backstory naszego detektywa więc dla mnie był meh. Za to cała zgadka ma vibe filmu scooby doo. Co prawda według mnie sprawca był z dupy i jakby nie czułam, że był jakkolwiek hintowany. Przyjemne
Nie znałam backstory naszego detektywa więc dla mnie był meh. Za to cała zgadka ma vibe filmu scooby doo. Co prawda według mnie sprawca był z dupy i jakby nie czułam, że był jakkolwiek hintowany. Przyjemne
November 26, 2020
Une réunion familiale qui vire à la soupe à la grimace ? Rendez-vous chez les Trent qui s'attendaient à se recueillir auprès d'un vieil homme mourant et qui réalisent trop tard avoir été les dindons de la farce. Encore une fois. Andrew Trent est en effet connu pour ses vilaines blagues, sauf qu'elles ne font rire personne. Ses proches n'en peuvent plus. Surtout qu'ils s'imaginaient assister à son trépas puis à la lecture du testament. Bref. Cette déconfiture vient plomber tous les projets.
Heureusement un meurtre va mettre un peu de piment au séjour et Hamish Macbeth va débarquer avec ses gros sabots. Celui-ci va vite se rendre compte que les membres de cette famille sont tous cinglés et détestables. Nul n'est affligé par le drame qui se joue. Lui aussi est désarçonné par ce qu'il découvre - a priori l'enquête ressemble à un huis-clos rempli d'amertume et de rancœur - mais sa présence va aussi mettre un peu d'ordre au chaos.
Tiens donc, cette chère Priscilla est dans la place et prête une oreille attentive aux spéculations de son ami. Ouf ! Le malentendu sentimental entre eux semble dissiper. Hamish a admis qu'il n'était plus amoureux d'elle. Elle a digéré la pilule mais se montre un tantinet jalouse dès qu'une péronnelle s'approche trop près. Ça va, c'est de bonne guerre - l'ensemble de la lecture ayant été salutaire et très apprécié. J'aime bien cette série écossaise, son ambiance cosy et ses intrigues criminelles habilement troussées (je n'avais rien deviné). Hamish Macbeth est un bon bougre débonnaire et très sympa comme rencart. 🤭
Heureusement un meurtre va mettre un peu de piment au séjour et Hamish Macbeth va débarquer avec ses gros sabots. Celui-ci va vite se rendre compte que les membres de cette famille sont tous cinglés et détestables. Nul n'est affligé par le drame qui se joue. Lui aussi est désarçonné par ce qu'il découvre - a priori l'enquête ressemble à un huis-clos rempli d'amertume et de rancœur - mais sa présence va aussi mettre un peu d'ordre au chaos.
Tiens donc, cette chère Priscilla est dans la place et prête une oreille attentive aux spéculations de son ami. Ouf ! Le malentendu sentimental entre eux semble dissiper. Hamish a admis qu'il n'était plus amoureux d'elle. Elle a digéré la pilule mais se montre un tantinet jalouse dès qu'une péronnelle s'approche trop près. Ça va, c'est de bonne guerre - l'ensemble de la lecture ayant été salutaire et très apprécié. J'aime bien cette série écossaise, son ambiance cosy et ses intrigues criminelles habilement troussées (je n'avais rien deviné). Hamish Macbeth est un bon bougre débonnaire et très sympa comme rencart. 🤭
December 17, 2016
"What a cheeky writer is Beaton" Austin Powers would no doubt say. When Beaton gives us a bloody murder, she serves us a dinner of lamb chops with red currant jelly. While Macbeth's heavy Scottish accent gives us "verra" instead of "very", Beaton types "saracasm" instead of "sarcasm". And as an ode to Dame Agatha Christie, the master of the "cozy country house murder mystery", Beaton places us in a 14th century manor house, then she snows us in and cuts the phone lines (careless of the fact that at least one of her characters would be carrying a smart phone) then promptly lays a "body in the library" which is the title of one of Christie's books. Beaton even puts us directly into the board game, Clue, with a twist: it's Mr. Trent in the wardrobe with a knife, even though this knife is buried deep into Trent's chest. Or is it just a dummy, a trick? This is a one-sit read and there is really no need to ponder "who-did-it" because, at the heart of this book, we have our beloved Hamish, we have the beauty of the Scottish highlands, we have a grinning dog, several love interests, and all ends happily ever after except for a victim or two. This is my favorite beatin'... whoops, a Freudian slip there...Beaton out of the 11 Hamish novels I've read. So I highly recommend you grab this book firmly and head to bed for a day-ending delight, or in my case a Saturday morning stay-in-bed blast.
May 16, 2016
*3.5*
Another death of someone we can't possibly be sad for. Another chancey Gather the Suspects in the Library reveal from Hamish.
I sincerely hope Hamish comes to his senses and doesn't use such dramatics again in confronting the murderer. It's one thing when he has proof. It's another when he's working off of a theory (strong as it may be). Staging the confrontation seems far too theatrical for our sensible Hamish - though I can give him a little leniency when Blair's treatment of him is taken into consideration.
One issue I have with Beaton is her all-too-frequent portrayal of people being swayed by wealth. In the Agatha Raisin series, the titular character constantly finds herself pursued by heartless, gold-digging men. In this series, we're frequent witnesses to the thoughts of women made loopy by the prospect of money. I'm sure some of it is the ingrained difference between American and British class systems, but for almost every tale to be motivated by greed? For so many people to go to insane lengths for money? Does no one have a sense of self any more?
Another death of someone we can't possibly be sad for. Another chancey Gather the Suspects in the Library reveal from Hamish.
I sincerely hope Hamish comes to his senses and doesn't use such dramatics again in confronting the murderer. It's one thing when he has proof. It's another when he's working off of a theory (strong as it may be). Staging the confrontation seems far too theatrical for our sensible Hamish - though I can give him a little leniency when Blair's treatment of him is taken into consideration.
One issue I have with Beaton is her all-too-frequent portrayal of people being swayed by wealth. In the Agatha Raisin series, the titular character constantly finds herself pursued by heartless, gold-digging men. In this series, we're frequent witnesses to the thoughts of women made loopy by the prospect of money. I'm sure some of it is the ingrained difference between American and British class systems, but for almost every tale to be motivated by greed? For so many people to go to insane lengths for money? Does no one have a sense of self any more?
June 13, 2023
"He emanated a sort of sane kindness", our Hamish. Another story of positively repellant people who you end up wishing all could get murdered. 2020 reread (audio): Shaun Grindell's rendition of Blair makes me actually warm up to that pillock ("There's damn suspects coming out of the woodwork!"). I'm sure I've seen this story used in the TV version. When the TV version comes in, I hope Beaton does not lose her descriptive writing and make it all like screenwriting. I like how she evokes the Highland winter in this one, having Priscilla slip off a wool coat "which cracked with electricity from the frosty air".
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