Hamish Macbeth i śmierć scenarzysty

Hamish Macbeth #14

by M.C. Beaton

Pewna stacja telewizyjna chce zekranizować powieść Patricii Martyn-Bryod, emerytowanej autorki kryminałów. Kiedy pisarka odkrywa, że jej główna bohaterka zostaje przedstawiona w scenariuszu jako hipiska i miłośniczka marihuany, wpada we wściekłość. Dowiaduje się, że za tym pomysłem stoi ekscentryczny scenarzysta, a w bohaterkę ma wcielić się ordynarna aktorka. Gdy więc oboje zostają zamordowani, podejrzenie pana na pannę Martyn-Bryod. Ta zwraca się o pomoc do Hamisha Macbetha...

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Crime, Scotland, Cozy

Audiobook

First published June 1, 1998

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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.

Reviews

[Bobby Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death of a Scriptwriter proved a very nice surprise even for a Hamish Macbeth fan such as myself. I've come to relish time spent in the Highlands with the quirky villagers of Lochdubh. I was a late-comer to this fun mystery series, and ended up reading them in quite haphazard fashion, completely out of order. I'm delighted to say it did not lessen my enjoyment of the series whatsoever. It has given me an appreciation for how charming the series truly is; and sadly was, now that the author has passed.

This older Hamish mystery has poignancy and depth, augmenting the well-plotted mystery. The trademark humor fans have come to enjoy is rife throughout, but this one has that special something which makes it stand out as one of the finest in the long-running series from M.C. Beaton. I would even say the character of Patricia Martyn-Broyd, a mystery writer whose better days are behind her, is actually quite memorable.

But before you begin to get the idea that Death of a Scriptwriter is too serious in tone, be reassured that everything we love about our favorite constable and those quirky Lochdubh villagers whom Hamish mooches food from while solving the mystery is here in abundance. When a television crew wants to film a local mystery writer's book, everyone wants to be a star. But Lady Harriet Vere has been changed in ways which doesn't please everyone. There are so many despicable souls running around the Highlands, in fact, the reader isn't sure who will be murdered, much less who will do the dirty deed.

As usual, Hamish has his nasty boss Blair with which to contend in the initial stages. But when Blair finds himself in hot water, Hamish discovers his replacement is even worse! Attempting to get over his breakup with Priscilla by catching the eye of a lovely lass who happens to be a suspect, Hamish will be confronted by quite a bit of violence before the case is solved.

Dark comedy and a good village mystery, supplemented by characters who've grown on us, make Death of a Scriptwriter a deceptively complex and poignant mystery. While this series is always entertaining, often grandly so, this one has some bite to it. I highly recommend picking this one up if you somehow missed it. Hamish's wild cat, Sonsie, and his dog Lugs are not around yet, but you'll have so much fun in Lochdubh, you'll barely notice. A terrific read.

[Donna Radcliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to chuckle over this one....it would have been written during the time that Beaton's own Hamish Macbeth was made into a tv series for BBC Scotland (1995-1998). That real life series, as with the one in the mystery, bore no resemblence to the stories they were based on, except for the name of the title characters. I have a feeling the scriptwriter in the book got exactly what Beaton would have liked to have done to the scriptwriter on her series. She poked fun at directors, producers, actors, and herself.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars.
Good story, interesting characters.

[Jill H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hamish Macbeth books are great ones to keep by the bedside for "before you go to sleep" reads. They are certainly not mystery classics but are short, rather clever, and have some funny continuing characters.

Constable Hamish Macbeth lives in a tiny village in cold, and isolated Northern Scotland where nothing ever happens.......except for murders galore! He is a smart fellow but just wants to stay as a Constable since he enjoys that life and has turned down promotions time after time. During this adventure, a television film crew has moved into a neighboring village to adapt a story written by a rather unknown author whose books are dated and boring. But the director intends to turn this book into a rather pornographic program which throws the village into a furor. It so happens that the author of these books has a cottage nearby and comes to Hamish complaining and asking for advice. Ever helpful, Hamish becomes involved and then the murders begin.

Of course, the plot is totally off-the wall but that is what makes these little books so entertaining. And the ending comes as somewhat as a surprise. Pure fun for late night reading.

[~☆~Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quickly read. Poor Hamish as he has a bad time in this one.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 4 out of 5]

The titular character of Death of a Screenwriter, the 14th Hamish Macbeth mystery, is Jamie Gallagher, a boozy, incompetent whose ego is only exceeded by the dreadfulness of his prose. To no one’s surprise — especially not his fellow co-workers — Jamie ends up with his head bashed on Constable Hamish Macbeth’s patch while filming a mystery series on location. The novel is amusing without getting too cynical or preachy — both pitfalls that can beset the author M.C. Beaton — and it’s a pleasure to try to determine who from amongst the crew of Strathclyde Television or the villagers from dreadful Drim loathed Jamie Gallagher enough to bash his head in with a rock. Needless to say, Hamish will discover who did it — and much more.

Hamish is finding himself rekindling his love of the beautiful but cold Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, but, luckily for us, they never seem to get together in this novel. Whenever Hamish and Priscilla are together, the novel suffers from all their immature longings and bickering, which really takes away from the mystery. While we dodged the bullet in Death of a Scriptwriter, I fear she may be back in the next novel, Death of an Addict. I can only hope that the course of true love — or, more likely, misbegotten lust — keeps not running smoothly. The mystery novel will be better for it.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whenever I want to read a light entertaining humorous cozy mystery, I select a M.C. Beaton book. There are many synopsis of this book so I will say what I enjoyed. First of all, there is Hamish a constable in the Scottish Highlands. He is perfectly happy with his position and the town he lives in. He is very good at solving crimes and he often gives credit to others as he does not want to be promoted. Of course, his boss has it out for Hamish but Hamish always prevails at the end. He has his quirks which the reader comes to know and they endear him to me as a reader.

His love life is always up and down. He has had many short relationships but his love relationship with Priscilla who he was engaged to is no longer active. Hamish does care for her but she tried to change his life and habits. I thought the mystery was quite good. There were many suspects and I did not have the mystery solved until the author chose to let the reader in on "who" was the murderer.

I like this series because it is fun and relaxing. It is always good to go back and revisit Hamish.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like these short mysteries.

[Filip · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was quite nice. I mean, listen Priscilla, I like you, but stories without you and the relationship drama are just better. We had a nice cast of suspects her, multiple murders, some cheeky critique of how some stories are warped into something unrecognizable when adapted for TV... the ending and the solution were somewhat disappointing, however.

[Grey853 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Patricia Martyn-Broyd is an aging mystery writer with most of her books out-of-print. When a studio calls and wants to make a TV series based on her most successful novel, she's thrilled. Having fired her agent, she handles the deal herself. Unfortunately, she discovers too late that instead of having a proper mystery based on her story, it's been rehashed into a tawdry sex romp. After the scriptwriter and actress are killed, she becomes the prime suspect. But the two victims had plenty of enemies, so Hamish works to discover the truth.

Sadly, this is not one of my favorite in the series. There are too many point of view shifts and too many very unlikeable people. Hamish isn't in it nearly enough and there's just not much of his personal life to keep it that interesting. The lovely Highland atmosphere is lost.

[BeccaJBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good entry into the Hamish Macbeth series.

The last MC Beaton that I read was really disappointing, so I'm really glad this one was back to the usual standard.

https://thebeautifulbookbreak.com

[Alan (the Lone Librarian rides again) Teder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Macbeth and the TV People
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (2020) of the Mysterious Press hardcover original (1998)

Death of a Scriptwriter has Lochdubh village constable Hamish Macbeth dealing with the filming of a Strathbane TV series in the Highlands. The scriptwriter and some of the actors & production people are the apparent targets of either a vengeful local or one of their own. The original novel writer is on hand and is irate about the adaptation of her book. Perhaps this is author M.C. Beaton winking at the audience over the adaptation of her own books into the Hamish Macbeth TV series which also wasn't faithful to the books, but was at least charming in its own way.

This edition on Audible Audio has the excellent narration of series regular Shaun Grindell.

[Dee Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audible.com 6 hour 38 min. Narrated by Shaaun Grindell (A).

These stories seem to be getting more taudry and salacious. If the next continues in this directioon, it will be my last.

[Jenn Mattson · Rating 4 out of 5]

5/7/22 - Re-read: anyone who has had a favorite book adapted for television or movie will appreciate the agonies of seeing a beloved story...totally trashed. The experience that the author goes through here, seeing her beloved creation warped out of all recognition feels a little...personal. I did like all the twists and turns, but the murderer here is too obvious ;).

[Julie Durnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite in the Hamish series, actually found it a bit boring.

[Margitte · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the author of the Agatha Raisin television series...DEATH OF A SCRIPTWRITER: A Hamish Macbeth Mystery HOLLYWOOD IN THE HIGHLANDS

With the lovely Priscilla Halburton-Smythe away in London, Lochdubh Constable Hamish Macbeth pines for company during the long Scottish winter. He gets his wish -- and more -- when a troupe of flashy, urbane filmmakers clamors into the nearby town of Drim. Before long bedlam erupts around their make-believe mystery ...and culminates in the sudden appearance of one very real corpse.

The initial suspect in the killing is one Patricia Martyn-Broyd, the aging mystery writer furious that her musty old cozies are getting a risque face-lift in their TV reincarnation. Yet, going behind the scenes, Hamish soon finds a town full of locals bitten by the movie bug and a cast of quarreling show business types, all harboring their own secrets, lies, and hidden agendas. And as the culprit strikes again, Hamish must quickly find the right killer -- or script the wrong finale to a show gone murderously awry.

198 pages

COMMENTS

In a skillful way, M C Beaton is telling the tale of how her own books became a television series and how the gross adaptation of her own work disturbed and annoyed her.

Hamish Macbeth is his own unmotivated, contented, unambitious self, when he is tasked by the author in the story, to find the killer(s) of the members of the television crew.

We will have to see what lies ahead in the next novels, since the tone of this one was slightly different than before. I love the author's presence in all her books. She disguises herself in the characters with often comical results.

If her books were found dull previously, I currently don't experience them as such at all. Perhaps this novel is a warning that her work will now be different: more risque, more spicy, to suit the television masters. The old style of wit and honest earthiness of the Scottish Highlanders will be gone.

She warns "What you need to do is take framework of the plot, all those tides and things," said Fiona, "and then add some spice."

Well, her novels, obviously will also be spiced up, as this one indicated.

We will have to see, right? Looking forward to the next one.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Hamish's territory in Northern Scotland, lives a writer of mysteries who does not mix with the other villages because they are beneath her. But to be honest her books are not very good and have gone out of print. So when a tv company contacts her to make a series out of her books, she jumps at the chance. Little does she know that they will change the herione a lot and make the series x rated.

When looking for a place to film the series, based on Hamish's suggestion they pick a local castle. The local minister is appalled, the actresses husband is fighting mad, and the the authoress is adamant that they not change the book.

When the scriptwriter ends up dead, Hamish must determine who did it. But he is just a village bobby and no one wants him involved in headquarters.

Just a bit shy of the normal Hamish Macbeth story. Hamish is on the outs with Priscilla and the story is not a fun because of it I think. A good story for all that.

[Louise Gibbs · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t think I’ve ever given a book a rating lower than 3 before. The only reason I didn’t give it 1 star is because I finished the book and didn’t completely hate it. It was an easy book to read, perfect for my holiday in Scotland, but I won’t be picking up another Hamid Macbeth book. The only reason I finished the book was because I wanted to find out whodunnit.

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 3 out of 5]

RATING: 2.5 STARS

Another fun predictable read in the Hamish Macbeth series.

[Marion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hamish ermittelt wieder in den Highlands…. Auf seine unnachahmliche Art.
Alte und neue Figuren und für mich diesmal wieder eine unterhaltsame Geschichte, die ich in einem Rutsch durchgelesen habe

[The Badger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have an affinity for cozy mysteries. They generally aren't written in pursuit of a spot on the bestseller list; rather, cozies are written to give the reader a sense of comfort and calm (ironically, by way of murder).

My mom read cozies to escape her three eccentric young daughters and grumpy husband: one daughter, the artist, painted five-foot tall green flowers on the side of the freshly painted rental when she was four; the adventurous daughter asked which way north was, and was found by neighbors five hours later walking up the beach, wearing a backpack, in pursuit of Santa in the North Pole (we lived on an island--she wasn't the brightest of the three of us); and the oldest daughter (that would be I) caused her first-year kindergarten teacher to quit by demanding that all classroom toy soldiers and toy weapons be removed from the classroom so that her classmates would not become violent adults, and that the teacher immediately stop smoking on her breaks because she would surely die of lung cancer. As to my mother's husband, he had some strange notion that feeding 40 stray cats, a stray goat, a duck, and 4 turtles (not stray) out of a 2-bedroom apartment was odd. He also became irrationally upset when the cat gave birth in his shoe. So you see, for my mother, it was either read a cozy or drink (or possibly dispose of the children and husband).

Years later, when my grandmother came to live with us (bigger house, different country, revolving pet door, dad retired and usually lost in Best Buy, girls now goth, theater geek, and raver) we slowly replaced her true crime books with cozies in order to keep her from roaming the house at night after taking her pain pills, looking for the Son of Sam whilst armed with a shoe horn.

And all this is how I came to read cozies myself, because they were always there to help me escape my crazy family, you could carry on a screaming match with a sibling and not miss much in the book, and thanks to grandma's Dahmer intervention, there were always a shitload in the house. (Serious reading was done away from the insane people.)

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

2015 Review:
What better way to start the new year than by spending a little time with a man who knows what he wants out of life and is content with what he has? Hamish Macbeth once again has a mystery on his hands in the village of Drim when a scriptwriter who has made a sexy drug romp out of a stodgy period cozy winds up dead. He finds that there is a worse detective to work with than Blair. And he is once again disappointed in love.

2022 Review:
I picked up a whole stack of books in this series and when I was looking for something to read on a red eye flight, this one was on top. Initially, I could not remember if I had read it before, because it seemed familiar, although that familiarity is part of the charm of the series. When I saw that I had read it before, I continued anyway because it was nice fluff after some heavier/more intense reading and because I could not remember whodunit. I once again find myself in complete sympathy with Hamish Macbeth and his desire for a little subsistence job and a simple life in the village he loves. I would happily take that kind of life if it were available to me.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be given another Hamish Macbeth novel, the next in the sequence, every one has been a joy to read. This novel, is about the author, Patricia Martyn Broyd, who sells the rights to her book to a television company, who then turn it into something very different from Patricia's novel. The screenwriter has taken liberties with her work.

Before long a murder has taken place and Patricia looks to Hamish Macbeth to help her. Hamish, meantime, has fallen in love again (no not with Patricia!) He's an enjoyable character, not a typical village policeman, (if there is any such thing) and he manages to solve the case, whilst enjoying and enduring adventures along the way.

I am an M C Beaton and Hamish Macbeth fan. I can recommend this book as a very good read, entertaining, enjoyable, with interest added, trying to guess who committed the dastardly deed. As always, I could never have guessed who the culprit/culprits was/were.

[writer... · Rating 1 out of 5]

Written by: M.C. Beaton
Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
Format: Unabridged

Off to a good start with Macbeth . .
Unfortunately for this one, 1/2 way through, but I couldn't finish -
vulgar language was ongoing and disruptive to any listening enjoyment
disappointed to have encountered this in the series ...

Grindell's narration is seamless and descriptive in voicing characters .
Unfortunately dialogue direction wasn't conducive to any listening enjoyment.
I anticipate an audiobook will be entertainment. This one wasn't.

Blackstone's recording was clear and even in volume, as expected.
Sadly, for this reader, the content is what was unexpected...

[Anne Hawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another in the Hamish Macbeth books. The Scottish constable is left to sort out the deaths of an obnoxious scriptwriter and another member of the TV crew while trying to keep out of Inspector Blair's reach. Part of the plot centers around the TV production of a mystery book. The TV program so distorts the original book as to create many potential suspects. Since this is one of my pet peeves, it was a vicarious pleasure to read about someone wrecking havoc on the kind of people who perpetrate these abominations.

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Hamish Macbeth series are set in the Highlands of Scotland and are traditional police stories about the village policeman, the locals and their life. This one was about a film crew filming a tv show in the village when 2 murders happen and Hamish goes about finding the murderer even though he has been taken off the case. This was an enjoyable story, easy to read but very basic. Probably not suited to everyone's taste as they are very tame - but myself, loving everything Scottish find them very entertaining.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This makes me wonder if Beaton had a bad experience with her books being turned into a tv series. The scriptwriter who is turning a staid, old-fashioned cozy murder mystery into a garish, sexy series is murdered, and everyone involved in the production, the author, and half the village are suspects.

Good fun, a snarky look at the tv business, as well as the ego of writers in general. Hamish gets stood up for dates, repeatedly, by three different women.

[Badseedgirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this episode, a television company comes to Drimm, causing hostility and back-biting among the residents, and two murders.

At this point I think I should say something about Shaun Grindell who has been the narrator for this series of audiobooks. He makes the novels and the characters in it come alive. When I listen to the novels Mr. Grindell’s narration adds to the enjoyment.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, fine. Kind of dull. I miss Priscilla. Why am I still reading these.....?

[Sana · Rating 1 out of 5]

نه نه نه و نه!
من گول نمره‌ی بالای کتاب رو نمیخورم و بهش یک ستاره بیشتر نمیدم. دو هفته اس که از مرینگ میرم سالزبورگ و این کتابو با خودم میارم تا تمومش کنم ولی امروز دیگه واقعا از دستش کلافه شدم.
من عادت دارم کتاب‌های سری رو شلخته بخونم. این بهم کمک میکنه که یک، از تخیل خودم کمک بگیرم و جاهای خالی رو پر کنم، دو، نشون میده که نویسنده چقدر تبحر داره که داستانشو برام تعریف کنه.
تا الان این روش کتابخونیم هیچ وقت ناامیدم نکرده بود تا این دفعه! هرچند مطمئن نیستم که مشکل از کتاب باشه. مطمئنم که از هر کدومش شروع میکردم احتمالا همین آش بوده و همین کاسه!
من هری پاتر، پوآرو، شرلوک هلمز و حتی مونتالبانوی عزیزمو همین طوری خوندم.
و حالا این کتاب…
من دوست دارم کتاب جنایی همون فصل اول تکلیفشو روشن کنه. ولی این کتابه ۲۰۰ صفحه‌ای تا حدودای صفحه‌ی ۷۰ حرفی از قتل نمیزنه.
کتاب پر از جزییات مسخره‌اس که ما میتونستیم همین جزییات رو با پلیس متوجه بشیم و نیازی نبود نویسنده پرچونگی کنه.
اگه الان به من بگن برو دانشگاه آکسفورد و در مورد مونتالبانو لکچر بده با کمال میل اینکارو میکنم. ولی در مقابل میتونم بگم هیچ شناختی از همیش مکبث ندارم.
نویسنده حتی زحمت نکشید ما رو با قهرمان کتابش آشنا کنه.
درنهایت، به نظرم پاتریشیا دقیقا خود نویسنده است، کتابی پر از جزییات خسته کننده.
حیف که دستم بستس و کتاب دیگه‌ای با خودم نیوردم. ؛(