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Hamish Macbeth #13
Death of a Dentist
A blinding toothache sends Hamish Macbeth 120 miles out of Lochdubh to the dentist Frederick Gilchrist, only to find him dead. Since everyone is pleased the dentist is deceased--patients, several harassed women, and even his wife--Macbeth faces one of the more biting challenges of his career.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1997
441 people are currently reading
1590 people want to read
About the author
M.C. Beaton
340 books6,013 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 429 reviews
December 4, 2017
This series of books about Hamish Macbeth, constable in farthest northern Scotland, can almost be considered "cozies". With eccentric continuing characters and the isolated setting in the tiny village of Lochdubh, these tales of crime (usually murder) are short easy reads that can be finished at one sitting.....nothing complex but yet not necessarily predictable. If a book about murder can be considered fun, then this series fits into that category.
An unpopular, womanizing dentist in a nearby village is found dead in his surgery, poisoned and propped up in his chair with holes drilled in all of his teeth . Looks like someone didn't like his dental skills! Hamish is on the trail and the story leads us to several individuals with possible motives for murdering this unpleasant man....... but all is not quite what it appears. Pick up this book on a rainy afternoon and enjoy!
An unpopular, womanizing dentist in a nearby village is found dead in his surgery, poisoned and propped up in his chair with holes drilled in all of his teeth . Looks like someone didn't like his dental skills! Hamish is on the trail and the story leads us to several individuals with possible motives for murdering this unpleasant man....... but all is not quite what it appears. Pick up this book on a rainy afternoon and enjoy!
June 24, 2014
M.C. Beaton redeems herself with Death of a Dentist, the 13th installment in her uneven Hamish Macbeth series. In this one, Hamish — although warned off as usual by his superior, the ever-spiteful and jealous Chief Inspector Blair — surreptitiously investigates the robbery of £250,000 in bingo prize money and the murder of a lousy but flashy dentist, Frederick Gilchrist. Both occur in the village of Braikie, located 20 miles north of Hamish’s beloved Lochdubh and an even more boring backwater.
Hamish and his love interest, the beautiful, posh ice queen Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, are on the outs, which really improves the novel. Their silly misunderstandings and miscommunications nearly doomed the previous novel, Death of a Macho Man — so much so that it was months before I picked up this volume. In contrast, Death of a Dentist provides plenty of fun, despite a few spates of moralizing on the modern nanny state, but the latter isn’t enough to ruin a pretty good read. Coming as it does after the dreadful Death of a Macho Man, Death of a Dentist makes me eager to read the next in the series, Death of a Scriptwriter.
Hamish and his love interest, the beautiful, posh ice queen Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, are on the outs, which really improves the novel. Their silly misunderstandings and miscommunications nearly doomed the previous novel, Death of a Macho Man — so much so that it was months before I picked up this volume. In contrast, Death of a Dentist provides plenty of fun, despite a few spates of moralizing on the modern nanny state, but the latter isn’t enough to ruin a pretty good read. Coming as it does after the dreadful Death of a Macho Man, Death of a Dentist makes me eager to read the next in the series, Death of a Scriptwriter.
August 26, 2022
Blurb: A blinding toothache sends Hamish Macbeth 120 miles out of Lochdubh to the dentist Frederick Gilchrist, only to find him dead. Since everyone is pleased the dentist is deceased--patients, several harassed women, and even his wife--Macbeth faces one of the more biting challenges of his career.
A noisy riot of pain as Macbeth describes it, forces him to see another dentist as an emergency, when his own dentist cannot see him in Inverness. He was so not going to survive and will for sure be dead by the end of the day. Angela Brodie says he is such a baby, but Hamish feels his time has come. This will be the end of him. Dr. Brodie 'saves' his life with an injection and some antibiotics which will see him through the night.
Fortunately, says the sadist in me, he finds the dentist expired the next morning. Finito. Well, pardon me my happiness over the person's demise, but he was truly a dentist from hell, like Orin Scrivello (played by Steve Martin), a sadistic, nitrous oxide-addicted dentist and violent abusive boyfriend to Audrey in the film adaption of the comedy-horror musical Little Shop Of Horrors.
Frederick Gilchrist was kind of on the same track, abusing several women and pulling everyone's teeth, no matter what the problem was. Och, nasty stories circulates about this dentist.
The Scotsman Hotel in Braikie, reports a theft of the grand prize for the bingo evening. Two hundred and fifty thousand pounds. Hectic. Panic.
Detective Chief Inspector Blair with his crew moves in again, and with a twist of ingenuity Hamish solves the case, but not before he almost lands up in a bog, when he discovers some illegal activities on a croft that guarantee strong animosity towards him from various sources. Angus Macdonald, the Lochdubh seer, was one of those aggrieved people and will not allow Macbeth to disrupt his life.
Hamish's sleuthing partner, and ex girlfriend, Priscilla Halburton-Smyth is off in London, but a friend of hers steps in to assist Hamish in finding the murderers of, now, two people. Sarah Hudson ensures some exciting moments, and let's face it, she's bright and beautiful, but.... yep, all is not what it looks like...And Angus Macdonald had an axe to grind with this village copper. Revenge is in order as far as Angus is concerned... romance, said Angus, was not in the works for Hamish ... Hamish is back to being The Lone Ranger.
COMMENTS
There is a slight change in the usual fast-moving cozy mystery, as the author, for the first time, did a bit of word-dumping about the problems of the youth, who refuse to work and prefer to live on the dole, do drugs and sleep their lives away; their inability to do a day's hard work ... a little bit of musings by Hamish. It felt contrived to me. Not the usual style. Preachy, perhaps.
Nevertheless, it was a good read, 228 pages of entertainment in this riveting, addictive series.
A noisy riot of pain as Macbeth describes it, forces him to see another dentist as an emergency, when his own dentist cannot see him in Inverness. He was so not going to survive and will for sure be dead by the end of the day. Angela Brodie says he is such a baby, but Hamish feels his time has come. This will be the end of him. Dr. Brodie 'saves' his life with an injection and some antibiotics which will see him through the night.
Fortunately, says the sadist in me, he finds the dentist expired the next morning. Finito. Well, pardon me my happiness over the person's demise, but he was truly a dentist from hell, like Orin Scrivello (played by Steve Martin), a sadistic, nitrous oxide-addicted dentist and violent abusive boyfriend to Audrey in the film adaption of the comedy-horror musical Little Shop Of Horrors.
Frederick Gilchrist was kind of on the same track, abusing several women and pulling everyone's teeth, no matter what the problem was. Och, nasty stories circulates about this dentist.
The Scotsman Hotel in Braikie, reports a theft of the grand prize for the bingo evening. Two hundred and fifty thousand pounds. Hectic. Panic.
Detective Chief Inspector Blair with his crew moves in again, and with a twist of ingenuity Hamish solves the case, but not before he almost lands up in a bog, when he discovers some illegal activities on a croft that guarantee strong animosity towards him from various sources. Angus Macdonald, the Lochdubh seer, was one of those aggrieved people and will not allow Macbeth to disrupt his life.
Hamish's sleuthing partner, and ex girlfriend, Priscilla Halburton-Smyth is off in London, but a friend of hers steps in to assist Hamish in finding the murderers of, now, two people. Sarah Hudson ensures some exciting moments, and let's face it, she's bright and beautiful, but.... yep, all is not what it looks like...And Angus Macdonald had an axe to grind with this village copper. Revenge is in order as far as Angus is concerned... romance, said Angus, was not in the works for Hamish ... Hamish is back to being The Lone Ranger.
COMMENTS
There is a slight change in the usual fast-moving cozy mystery, as the author, for the first time, did a bit of word-dumping about the problems of the youth, who refuse to work and prefer to live on the dole, do drugs and sleep their lives away; their inability to do a day's hard work ... a little bit of musings by Hamish. It felt contrived to me. Not the usual style. Preachy, perhaps.
Nevertheless, it was a good read, 228 pages of entertainment in this riveting, addictive series.
March 23, 2019
I always enjoy a Hamish Macbeth story. In this one, a dentist is murdered and Hamish is on the case to find the killer. On the way, he deals with Blaire, Jimmy and Patricia Hallburton-Smythe. I love all the characters of this small Scottish town and wish I could visit there!
July 8, 2018
Beaton can’t be beaten. First read this one soon after published, to great delight, in cold New England weather that resonates in the Scottish snowstorms. Crofter cottages, illegal stills of course for Scotch, fishermen and the loch, salmon-poaching from streams of the great shooting estates, the barren city vs rich country, the seer firmly grounded in gossip: these populate the Hamish MacBeth novels. Especially the gossip, which “would have been running rife all over the Highlands. At first people would be discreet because the man was so recently dead, but…tongues would begin to wag”(68).
Beaton writes with wit, Hamish himself often also witty, and with irony:
“As he took the long road to Inverness, putting on the police siren so he could
exceed the speed limit, he reflected that it would be nice to be one of those private
eyes in fiction before whose wisdom the whole of Scotland Yard bowed”(35)
Ironically, Hamish is exactly this, a detective in fiction before whom the Scotland Police
bow—the smartest ones, anyways, but not his boss, the drunken loudmouth DCI Blair.
Under Blair is Jimmy Anderson, who looks to MacBeth for insights into suspects, and who over the course of the next few novels becomes a sidekick. He technically outranks MacBeth, but that’s because Hamish hates the bigger, barren city and refuses or avoids promotion, even crediting Jimmy with his own discoveries.
Both Beaton and her avatar Hamish show irony, say about the great police-criminal divide. Researching where the deceased lived in a pretentiously named Culloden House, suggesting a country villa at least—and not what’s now called a villa, of condo’s—Hamish’s companion suggests,
“ ‘You could say you were investigating a break-in.’
‘So I could,” with one brisk blow he smashed the glass…leaned in and unfastened the latch. ‘So there’s the break-in, and here am I investigating it.’”(126)
Beaton ironically includes American icons, like a picture of Billy Graham on a single lady’s wall, or this exchange between a young pub flirt and Hamish’s boss Blair:
“Kylie, who was fed on a steady diet of American movies, plead the First Amendment.
‘This is Scotland,’ growled Blair, ‘and no’ Chicago’ (193).
Although this is a failed love story, where MacBeth gains one night with a tourist, but also her hacking skills that make up for Blair’s not telling him a thing about the case, and she abandons him sans farewell, she did save his life by telling his city superiors his intent to visit the illegal whiskey distillery brothers, who turn out to have a large trade and no qualms.
MacBeth satirizes the locale he loves. When people wonder what England was like in the thirties, he says, “Try the Scottish Highlands. Bad teeth, stodgy food, and the last corner of Britain where women’s lib had not found a foothold.”(81) (Astonishing to think that the Humpster-President’s party in the US is as backward as the Highlands about women.)
PS Beaton also authored Agatha Raisin, now a TV series as well.
Beaton writes with wit, Hamish himself often also witty, and with irony:
“As he took the long road to Inverness, putting on the police siren so he could
exceed the speed limit, he reflected that it would be nice to be one of those private
eyes in fiction before whose wisdom the whole of Scotland Yard bowed”(35)
Ironically, Hamish is exactly this, a detective in fiction before whom the Scotland Police
bow—the smartest ones, anyways, but not his boss, the drunken loudmouth DCI Blair.
Under Blair is Jimmy Anderson, who looks to MacBeth for insights into suspects, and who over the course of the next few novels becomes a sidekick. He technically outranks MacBeth, but that’s because Hamish hates the bigger, barren city and refuses or avoids promotion, even crediting Jimmy with his own discoveries.
Both Beaton and her avatar Hamish show irony, say about the great police-criminal divide. Researching where the deceased lived in a pretentiously named Culloden House, suggesting a country villa at least—and not what’s now called a villa, of condo’s—Hamish’s companion suggests,
“ ‘You could say you were investigating a break-in.’
‘So I could,” with one brisk blow he smashed the glass…leaned in and unfastened the latch. ‘So there’s the break-in, and here am I investigating it.’”(126)
Beaton ironically includes American icons, like a picture of Billy Graham on a single lady’s wall, or this exchange between a young pub flirt and Hamish’s boss Blair:
“Kylie, who was fed on a steady diet of American movies, plead the First Amendment.
‘This is Scotland,’ growled Blair, ‘and no’ Chicago’ (193).
Although this is a failed love story, where MacBeth gains one night with a tourist, but also her hacking skills that make up for Blair’s not telling him a thing about the case, and she abandons him sans farewell, she did save his life by telling his city superiors his intent to visit the illegal whiskey distillery brothers, who turn out to have a large trade and no qualms.
MacBeth satirizes the locale he loves. When people wonder what England was like in the thirties, he says, “Try the Scottish Highlands. Bad teeth, stodgy food, and the last corner of Britain where women’s lib had not found a foothold.”(81) (Astonishing to think that the Humpster-President’s party in the US is as backward as the Highlands about women.)
PS Beaton also authored Agatha Raisin, now a TV series as well.
September 18, 2023
This was a fairly good one, probably a 3.5 or 4 in relation to the entire series which I've just about completed (over 30 of them by the original author). The characters, the descriptions of the landscape and daily life and even the weather are what I enjoy the most about these mysteries. I especially like the subtle humor with the eccentric characters and occasional witty remarks. The plot/mystery itself isn't as important to me. I've never been able to even guess at solving the mystery because M.C. Beaton never seems to give any clues. Sometime the murders can be gruesome and/or bizarre, but such descriptions are a very small part of the whole, so it most likely would be considered a "cozy".
This is the only Hamish MacBeth story where Hamish does not have a pet dog or cat with him. They are important and likable sidekicks in all the others in the series. And the way he cares for them is what I like about Hamish the most, and also the way he checks up on the lonely and the elderly in his extended territory.
Throughout the series, Hamish has on and off romantic involvements with various females, two of them are more long term. Elspeth is my favorite of his interests but she doesn't appear here. Priscilla, his #1 ideal woman throughout the series makes a cameo appearance here. In this one he meets a new woman who becomes quite helpful in this story. I use this series as a way to relax. I don't usually describe plot in my reviews, since there are many good GR reviewers, who already do this so well.
This is the only Hamish MacBeth story where Hamish does not have a pet dog or cat with him. They are important and likable sidekicks in all the others in the series. And the way he cares for them is what I like about Hamish the most, and also the way he checks up on the lonely and the elderly in his extended territory.
Throughout the series, Hamish has on and off romantic involvements with various females, two of them are more long term. Elspeth is my favorite of his interests but she doesn't appear here. Priscilla, his #1 ideal woman throughout the series makes a cameo appearance here. In this one he meets a new woman who becomes quite helpful in this story. I use this series as a way to relax. I don't usually describe plot in my reviews, since there are many good GR reviewers, who already do this so well.
August 1, 2010
It has been awhile since I have read an M.C. Beaton Hamish Macbeth story. I will not wait so long to read another. I always end up laughing somewhere along the way and remembering characters from the other stories.
This mystery takes place in a small North Highland town of Lochdubh, with a local easy going copper Hamish Macbeth. Being a local himself, he knows how towns folk are set in their unusual ways.
Hamish, suffering from tooth pain, seeks out the local dentist that is known for pulling teeth instead of fixing them, and finds him dead. As always, he is pushed off the case by his boss and told to stay out of the way. Hamish begins to investigate on his own with the help of Sarah, one of Priscilla Halburton-Smyth's friends visiting on a hiking get-away.
As Macbeth works to solve this mystery we get to experience what goes on inside the lives of highland town folk, but in the background, Hamish struggles with the pull on his heart for the girl Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, which still brings him a little pain.
November 19, 2018
I so enjoy Hamish's "deaths" and his policework problem solving; which he usually hands the credit off to his superior and nemesis Inspector Blair, preventing his promotion and departure from the laidback town of Lochdubh. There were a lot of red-herring threads to this mystery of the murder of a dentist in a nearby town so I hadn't figured the culprit by books end.
January 3, 2014
One of the earlier books with more conflict that is resolved at a credible pace. Nice attitude toward seniors.
September 23, 2025
I love Hamish Macbeth! These books are the perfect quick little pick-me-up. And I love them on audio.
I actually thought the mystery in this one had a very good twist! I had no idea whodunnit until the reveal.
I actually thought the mystery in this one had a very good twist! I had no idea whodunnit until the reveal.
June 4, 2011
If you like cozy mysteries of the Agatha Christie-variety set in the present (but in a world that seems so Victoria that the use of the Internet is a constant shock), you can't do better than M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth series, set in the fictional town of Lochdubh, Scotland, a small town where the cast of characters becomes as familiar and comforting (and at times annoying) as your own family.
In Death of a Dentist, poor Hamish is suffering with a terrible toothache and in his quest for relief, stumbles over the murder of a nearby town's terrible (but cheap) dentist-a small-time Lothario whose ordinary looks and poor dental skills belie his great talent to arouse passion-both sexual and murderous (in Hamish's world, the two often seem to go together).
Hamish goes his usual slow-but-dogged way of investigating the crime, against which no criminal stands a chance, treating us to time spent in a picturesque world from another era where crime is somewhat genteel and always punished.
Or is it?
Every book that I have read so far in the series (4 or 5 at least by now) is a complete delight, a mix of comedy and, if not tragedy, the poignancy that always accompanies us humans as we try to make sense of our lives and connect with others.
I strongly recommend this book-and the entire series-to fans of the cozy sub-genre of mysteries. They are elegantly written, interestingly plotted and a satisfying vacation from our own ordinary lives.
In Death of a Dentist, poor Hamish is suffering with a terrible toothache and in his quest for relief, stumbles over the murder of a nearby town's terrible (but cheap) dentist-a small-time Lothario whose ordinary looks and poor dental skills belie his great talent to arouse passion-both sexual and murderous (in Hamish's world, the two often seem to go together).
Hamish goes his usual slow-but-dogged way of investigating the crime, against which no criminal stands a chance, treating us to time spent in a picturesque world from another era where crime is somewhat genteel and always punished.
Or is it?
Every book that I have read so far in the series (4 or 5 at least by now) is a complete delight, a mix of comedy and, if not tragedy, the poignancy that always accompanies us humans as we try to make sense of our lives and connect with others.
I strongly recommend this book-and the entire series-to fans of the cozy sub-genre of mysteries. They are elegantly written, interestingly plotted and a satisfying vacation from our own ordinary lives.
April 12, 2021
Macbeth and the Tooth Puller
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (2014) of the Mysterious Press hardcover original (1997)
Death of a Dentist finds Lochdubh village constable Hamish Macbeth having to solve the murder of a dentist whose speciality was cheap rates and tooth pulling instead of repair. The suspects are numerous but Macbeth is up to the task as usual.
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.
This edition on Audible Audio has the excellent narration of series regular Shaun Grindell.
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (2014) of the Mysterious Press hardcover original (1997)
Death of a Dentist finds Lochdubh village constable Hamish Macbeth having to solve the murder of a dentist whose speciality was cheap rates and tooth pulling instead of repair. The suspects are numerous but Macbeth is up to the task as usual.
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.
This edition on Audible Audio has the excellent narration of series regular Shaun Grindell.
November 10, 2020
Another fun mystery with the likeable Hamish MacBeth.
MacBeth goes to get his tooth checked out by a dentist only to find him dead and all his teeth drilled with holes. the secretary knows nothing because she went out for an hour lunch break and some shopping.
Thus begins MacBeth's investigation. Who had an appointment that day and also carries a vicious, murderous grudge against the dentist.
As we learn more about the dentist and all people who was involved with his life, professionally and personally, we slowly get a picture of who he was and who might want to kill him.
MacBeth goes to get his tooth checked out by a dentist only to find him dead and all his teeth drilled with holes. the secretary knows nothing because she went out for an hour lunch break and some shopping.
Thus begins MacBeth's investigation. Who had an appointment that day and also carries a vicious, murderous grudge against the dentist.
As we learn more about the dentist and all people who was involved with his life, professionally and personally, we slowly get a picture of who he was and who might want to kill him.
May 13, 2022
5/6/22 - re-read: I was looking at books at the Kings English Bookshop and the fabulous Ann Cannon recommended this, and got me hooked on one of the best mystery series ever - set in the Scottish Highlands, which I love, and featuring a rogue police constable whom I adore from the top of his flaming red hair to the soles of his broken down police issue boots, this was the first book I read in the series and have loved reading and re-reading them ever since.
My favorite of the series (so far). This is a fantastic mystery series.
My favorite of the series (so far). This is a fantastic mystery series.
June 4, 2023
Krimis, ob nun Thriller oder cosy lese ich gern so zwischendurch, sie lesen sich ja auch schnell weg. Ich habe favorisierte Autoren, wobei es oft Serien sind mit Protagonisten, die ich besonders mag.
Einer davon ist Hamish Macbeth.
Bisher mochte ich jeden Band aus dieser Reihe und auch diesmal habe ich das Buch innerhalb von 2 Tagen gelesen, doch diesmal wollte sich die Freude nicht so recht einstellen. Zuviel hin und her und völlig absurde Aktionen…
Ich hoffe auf den nächsten „Hamish……“
Einer davon ist Hamish Macbeth.
Bisher mochte ich jeden Band aus dieser Reihe und auch diesmal habe ich das Buch innerhalb von 2 Tagen gelesen, doch diesmal wollte sich die Freude nicht so recht einstellen. Zuviel hin und her und völlig absurde Aktionen…
Ich hoffe auf den nächsten „Hamish……“
January 14, 2022
RATING: 3 STARS
I had a bit of hard time keeping my attention with this story. I look forward to the next the book, but am going to take a little break for a maybe a few months.
I had a bit of hard time keeping my attention with this story. I look forward to the next the book, but am going to take a little break for a maybe a few months.
October 28, 2011
According to this site, this is the 13th of 28 village constable Hamish Macbeth mysteries, which tend to be somewhat formulaic, but nonetheless amusing -- and at times, even moderately suspenseful! There's usually a murder somewhat early on, and then our humble hero quietly goes about solving the crime using little but dogged common sense, invariably beating his dismissive superiors to the punch! Along the way, despite a long confirmed bachelor status, Hamish is likely to either pine for his somewhat regular girlfriends, or somebody else's wife, or maybe even just the new girl in town. So we get a dollop of romance, intrigue, and good humor to elevate these books in our estimation slightly above the level of a "cozy."
"Dentist" mostly follows this pattern: when Hamish is suffering from a horrid abscess, he decides to forego his regular dentist for one that's closer by who has the reputation of being a womanizer and a tooth-puller! Surprisingly, Macbeth finds him dead in his own chair; shortly after a robbery of a bingo parlor has hauled off an incredible sum. Suspecting these events are linked (no matter what the higher-ups think), Hamish just doesn't rest until he resolves both cases. Along the way, Sarah, a hiker vacationing in town, gets plenty of amorous attention from our protagonist until she typically returns home to her former beau, putting yet another scratch on Hamish's heart (and bedpost!)...
As usual, Beaton's "Dentist" story is pleasant, short, and good for a couple of hours of mild entertainment.
"Dentist" mostly follows this pattern: when Hamish is suffering from a horrid abscess, he decides to forego his regular dentist for one that's closer by who has the reputation of being a womanizer and a tooth-puller! Surprisingly, Macbeth finds him dead in his own chair; shortly after a robbery of a bingo parlor has hauled off an incredible sum. Suspecting these events are linked (no matter what the higher-ups think), Hamish just doesn't rest until he resolves both cases. Along the way, Sarah, a hiker vacationing in town, gets plenty of amorous attention from our protagonist until she typically returns home to her former beau, putting yet another scratch on Hamish's heart (and bedpost!)...
As usual, Beaton's "Dentist" story is pleasant, short, and good for a couple of hours of mild entertainment.
May 21, 2016
A very puzzling mystery. Hamish has to wade through a startling number of suspects - and several crimes - before he can find the truth of what's connected and what's coincidence.
Tensions run high at times due to some villainous characters - an interesting change from the usual reluctant, yet innocent, villagers. There's also a romantic interest to liven things up and keep Hamish feeling alternately elated and distressed.
As always, our PC has some less-than-sensible moments, but the story doesn't rely heavily on those. Though he's referred to here as the Lone Ranger because of his "cowboy tactics," his colleagues are surprised to find the final wrap-up is handled in a rather mundane way.
Still, there's nothing mundane about Hamish Macbeth. His perseverance and odd ways make each book entertaining.
Tensions run high at times due to some villainous characters - an interesting change from the usual reluctant, yet innocent, villagers. There's also a romantic interest to liven things up and keep Hamish feeling alternately elated and distressed.
As always, our PC has some less-than-sensible moments, but the story doesn't rely heavily on those. Though he's referred to here as the Lone Ranger because of his "cowboy tactics," his colleagues are surprised to find the final wrap-up is handled in a rather mundane way.
Still, there's nothing mundane about Hamish Macbeth. His perseverance and odd ways make each book entertaining.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2012
Dentists may be plagued with a higher than average suicide rate, but this particular dentist is cursed with a higher than average rate of being hated by those who know him. With so many people who had a motive to murder, Hamish has his hands full in trying to narrow down the list of suspects. In this 13th installment of the Hamish Macbeth series, you will cheer on his sleuthing abilities even while you sympathize with his lack of social skills with the opposite sex. This series is not a page turner but it is still an entertaining way to spend a few hours.
August 3, 2016
I really enjoyed this installment! Hamish has a toothache which leads him in desperation to a hated dentist - who happens to be dead when Hamish arrives. As usual, Hamish solves the crime despite the obstacles his supervisor throws in his path, and as usual, Hamish allows another detective to take credit for the solution. As Hamish says, he's a thoroughly unambitious man. He knows himself well and understands that he's where he wants to be.
April 3, 2023
Francamente comincio a trovare la serie ancor più monotona e ripetitiva di quella di Agatha Raisin, anche se sembra di stare davvero nelle Highlands. Però, un caso all'anno ci sta anche, soprattutto perché mi serviva una professione nel titolo, quindi...
Qui un dentista, o meglio, un cavadenti dongiovanni - anche se non certo un Adone - viene ritrovato ucciso sulla sua stessa sedia proprio da Hamish, che era andato a farsi curare un ascesso... sperando di non dover dire addio al proprio molare. Intanto il nostro poliziotto scozzese continua a pensare a Priscilla Halburton-Smythe - che però è fuori - e si mette a corteggiare la sua amica Sarah Hudson. E adesso, caro Hamish, ci vediamo l'anno prossimo.
Qui un dentista, o meglio, un cavadenti dongiovanni - anche se non certo un Adone - viene ritrovato ucciso sulla sua stessa sedia proprio da Hamish, che era andato a farsi curare un ascesso... sperando di non dover dire addio al proprio molare. Intanto il nostro poliziotto scozzese continua a pensare a Priscilla Halburton-Smythe - che però è fuori - e si mette a corteggiare la sua amica Sarah Hudson. E adesso, caro Hamish, ci vediamo l'anno prossimo.
August 19, 2024
An improvement over the previous volume, giving us a nice and quirky cast of characters and an interesting way in which two cases overlapped. The story and mystery itself also was quite interesting, with a nice and clever ending. Definitely one of better Hamish novels.
The romantic arc was very weak though (as most Hamish romantic subplots are).
The romantic arc was very weak though (as most Hamish romantic subplots are).
October 22, 2025
This time it was serious and Hamish was imprisoned, his life was at risk. A lot was happening at the end although half of the book was just wandering around the same clues. I was a bit disappointed there wasn't much of Priscilla and I hope she reappears soon. The story about tainted whisky was funny as everyone was getting a headache for which the medicine was a shot of good quality alcohol. Typical old-time medicine.
December 24, 2024
Easy read and a good detective romp in the Highlands.
September 26, 2021
I absolutely adore Hamish. I'm brand new to this series but whenever I start one it always feels like "coming home." Every part of me instantly relaxes as soon as I turn on a Hamish audiobook. I love the setting and the town folk who like to lecture Hamish about his indolent ways but are up in arms if the higher-ups try to take him away. The mysteries are always delightful. Whodunnits are my favorite and Beaton is a genius at introducing all the players in short time and keeping it fun and light.
Hamish wakes up one morning with a hideous toothache. He's desperate enough that he's even considering seeing the butcher a couple towns over who is notorious for just ripping teeth right out. He's warned away from that but the whole sitch has got him thinking about this rotten dentist. Especially when his name comes up in relation to a robbery. Hamish is on full alert when said dentist ends up dead.
Usually Macbeth's mysteries introduce the murder victim and give us a chance to thoroughly hate him or her but this one didn't. That was a bit different. I don't think it makes much of a difference either way. I like how Beaton always kills off the least likable character.
As usual Blaire is running around grumping at everyone while Hamish gets down to business to solve the case. He's led to the women in the dentist's life and the many affairs he had, including some younger ladies. Why did all these women fall for this guy?
So great! I'm already halfway through book 14.
Hamish wakes up one morning with a hideous toothache. He's desperate enough that he's even considering seeing the butcher a couple towns over who is notorious for just ripping teeth right out. He's warned away from that but the whole sitch has got him thinking about this rotten dentist. Especially when his name comes up in relation to a robbery. Hamish is on full alert when said dentist ends up dead.
Usually Macbeth's mysteries introduce the murder victim and give us a chance to thoroughly hate him or her but this one didn't. That was a bit different. I don't think it makes much of a difference either way. I like how Beaton always kills off the least likable character.
As usual Blaire is running around grumping at everyone while Hamish gets down to business to solve the case. He's led to the women in the dentist's life and the many affairs he had, including some younger ladies. Why did all these women fall for this guy?
So great! I'm already halfway through book 14.
November 4, 2011
AND another great Hamish MacBeth mystery. I've toyed with the idea of taking a break from reading these, but I can't seem to do it! LOL I've hurt my leg and need to keep it elevated so it gives me more time to read! WHOO HOO! On to No. 14 Death of a ScriptWriter. BTW I've noticed the surname changed in this book from Archie Maclean to Archie McLeod (the Lochdubh fisherman who is mentioned in every book) Why does this error bug me?? I'm sure if I weren't reading these one right after the other, I'd not have noticed, but I DID! Oh well! Doesn't take anything away from the story... maybe she wanted to see if anyone would notice? lol WELL I DID!
August 30, 2013
I was in the library looking at the to be shelved books and saw this and thought I needed a break from the serious books I've read recently, and Hamish MacBeth was the perfect solution. I like M.C. Beaton. She is very clever and entertaining.
THIS MAKES BY 100th BOOK SO FAR THIS YEAR!!! Yea!!!!
THIS MAKES BY 100th BOOK SO FAR THIS YEAR!!! Yea!!!!
May 30, 2015
This is my first Hamish Macbeth Mystery and I must say I've enjoyed it thoroughly! I'm just not sure how I'll take to the other voices cause not all of the Hamish Macbeth mysteries are read by Davina Porter.
January 16, 2017
Quite a batch of crimes in this one all interconnected. Priscilla is pretty well absent which is a good thing because the thing with her and Hamish is getting quite annoying. But why the author has to have him keep falling for strangers is beyond me!
September 14, 2018
A fascinating mystery story! I loved the audiobook, with the British & Scottish accents being done well. My copy of the audiobook was missing several parts, so I didn't get the ending, but I loved the work of this author, and will read more!
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