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Hamish Macbeth #12
Death of a Macho Man
When Hamish Macbeth, local constable of the Scottish village of Lochdubh, tries to break up one of the many fights involving Randy Duggan, the ruffian challenges him to a fistfight.
But on the chosen day, Duggan is found shot to death and Macbeth is rumored to be the likely suspect. Macbeth must find the murderer, clear his name, and restore his Highland paradise to its usual tranquility.
But on the chosen day, Duggan is found shot to death and Macbeth is rumored to be the likely suspect. Macbeth must find the murderer, clear his name, and restore his Highland paradise to its usual tranquility.
Audio Cassette
First published June 1, 1996
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About the author
M.C. Beaton
348 books6,028 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 400 reviews
October 15, 2009
Dear Priscilla,
If you are not dating Hamish, and he has dinner with another woman, he is not cheating on you, and you cannot call him a philanderer. Untwist your knickers.
That said, this was quite the mystery, with half the village (including Hamish) under suspicion, multiple murders, stolen identity, disguises, hostages, and sexy, sexy underwear.
Y'heard me.
If you are not dating Hamish, and he has dinner with another woman, he is not cheating on you, and you cannot call him a philanderer. Untwist your knickers.
That said, this was quite the mystery, with half the village (including Hamish) under suspicion, multiple murders, stolen identity, disguises, hostages, and sexy, sexy underwear.
Y'heard me.
August 22, 2022
Randy Duggan was called the Macho Man in the village of Lochdubh in the Scottish Highlands. A brute, a bully, a braggart. He was tolerated, because he paid for all the rounds in the bar with his big roles of banknotes. It's only retired school teacher Geordie Mackenzie who called him a braggart and liar in his face, and became instantly airborne for his efforts.
Fisherman Archie Maclean who doesn't mind to be a freeloader when it comes to whiskey, got irritated with Randy as well. When Hamish steps in to stop a possible fight, he is challenged to a fight by the big, bear of a man. But before it can happen, the big tumshie expires.
The folks begin to come out of their hiding places and rejoice in the incomer's death. But so do the skeletons. Man oh man, Lochdubh have plenty to share and then some. The Macho monster humiliated Geordie Mackenzie, Annie Ferguson, Andy Mactavish, Willie Lamont and Archie Maclean, and probably the author Rosie Draly as well. According to Hamish, it took guts NOT to kill him.
Rosy Draly is an enigma. Secretive and private. A historical romance writer. A library success - many books on library shelves, but no commercial best sellers. She needs money and decides to write a murder mystery, not her usual genre, in the hope of becoming more financially secure. But then, SHE expires too.
Blair, with his spiteful nature, perpetual hatred for Macbeth,and his biggest fear that Hamish will become his boss, is back with bigger police reinforcements because the intrigue just keeps on piling up as the investigation expands. The worst of the worst in the Lochdubh inhabitants explodes. Even good-spirited ex-cop Willie Lamont and his beautiful Italian wife, Lucia, change colors faster than chameleons can.
The cat-and-mouse-Olympic-game of love-you-love-you-not are again in full swing between Hamish and Prsicilla. Although their melodrama leaves me cold, she's back to assist Hamish in the investigation and turns out to be of monumental help. She also becomes a target, with Hamish to the rescue. What a drama it turns out to be! Heart-stopping!
This time around, Hamish is spinning off his tracks and goes way beyond his moral responsibilities to catch the real killer. He was like a wild west sheriff on a dangerous mission and becomes a criminal himself. However, Superintendent Peter Daviot has to face the Lochdubh villagers, right there in Strathburn in the street, with media coverage from far and wide... It was super clear: nobody touches their copper... Not Strathbane; not London; NOT Brussels!
Hamish becomes a national hero. Detective Chief Inspector Blair deflates like a whoopee cushion when his plans to permanently get rid of Hamish are once again thwarted.
However, some cards were on the table to reign Hamish in. One of them was WPC Hetty Morrison. She was suppose to clean Hamish's attitude up, pull him back into line, assist with his numerous reports and get back to Strathburn the very same day... HAHAHAHA.
Dream on, darlings, whomever you may be...
To top everything off, Andy Maclean sends Mrs. Maclean into a tailspin when he jumps up and down in the mud in their garden, then rushes into their super clean home, with the freshly washed floors and tells his overbearing wife exactly what he thinks of his circumstances... Oh, the pathos...when Mrs. Maclean storms off into the street and declares him crazy, after he buys himself brand new clothes at Mr. Patel's store, which will not be shrunk in any way, shape, or form, not as long as Andy lives ...Well, watch this space...
COMMENTS
A super entertaining cozy murder mystery. Atmospheric, riveting and hilarious at times.
You've got to love Lochdubh and the villagers. And of course, there's nothing whatsoever imperfect about our Hamish Macbeth ... (cough cough).
173 pages on Kindle. How I love this concept.
Fisherman Archie Maclean who doesn't mind to be a freeloader when it comes to whiskey, got irritated with Randy as well. When Hamish steps in to stop a possible fight, he is challenged to a fight by the big, bear of a man. But before it can happen, the big tumshie expires.
The folks begin to come out of their hiding places and rejoice in the incomer's death. But so do the skeletons. Man oh man, Lochdubh have plenty to share and then some. The Macho monster humiliated Geordie Mackenzie, Annie Ferguson, Andy Mactavish, Willie Lamont and Archie Maclean, and probably the author Rosie Draly as well. According to Hamish, it took guts NOT to kill him.
Rosy Draly is an enigma. Secretive and private. A historical romance writer. A library success - many books on library shelves, but no commercial best sellers. She needs money and decides to write a murder mystery, not her usual genre, in the hope of becoming more financially secure. But then, SHE expires too.
Blair, with his spiteful nature, perpetual hatred for Macbeth,and his biggest fear that Hamish will become his boss, is back with bigger police reinforcements because the intrigue just keeps on piling up as the investigation expands. The worst of the worst in the Lochdubh inhabitants explodes. Even good-spirited ex-cop Willie Lamont and his beautiful Italian wife, Lucia, change colors faster than chameleons can.
The cat-and-mouse-Olympic-game of love-you-love-you-not are again in full swing between Hamish and Prsicilla. Although their melodrama leaves me cold, she's back to assist Hamish in the investigation and turns out to be of monumental help. She also becomes a target, with Hamish to the rescue. What a drama it turns out to be! Heart-stopping!
This time around, Hamish is spinning off his tracks and goes way beyond his moral responsibilities to catch the real killer. He was like a wild west sheriff on a dangerous mission and becomes a criminal himself. However, Superintendent Peter Daviot has to face the Lochdubh villagers, right there in Strathburn in the street, with media coverage from far and wide... It was super clear: nobody touches their copper... Not Strathbane; not London; NOT Brussels!
Hamish becomes a national hero. Detective Chief Inspector Blair deflates like a whoopee cushion when his plans to permanently get rid of Hamish are once again thwarted.
However, some cards were on the table to reign Hamish in. One of them was WPC Hetty Morrison. She was suppose to clean Hamish's attitude up, pull him back into line, assist with his numerous reports and get back to Strathburn the very same day... HAHAHAHA.
Dream on, darlings, whomever you may be...
To top everything off, Andy Maclean sends Mrs. Maclean into a tailspin when he jumps up and down in the mud in their garden, then rushes into their super clean home, with the freshly washed floors and tells his overbearing wife exactly what he thinks of his circumstances... Oh, the pathos...when Mrs. Maclean storms off into the street and declares him crazy, after he buys himself brand new clothes at Mr. Patel's store, which will not be shrunk in any way, shape, or form, not as long as Andy lives ...Well, watch this space...
COMMENTS
A super entertaining cozy murder mystery. Atmospheric, riveting and hilarious at times.
You've got to love Lochdubh and the villagers. And of course, there's nothing whatsoever imperfect about our Hamish Macbeth ... (cough cough).
173 pages on Kindle. How I love this concept.
August 11, 2013
M.C. Beaton's 12th installment in her uneven Hamish Macbeth series finds the lanky, lazy Highlands constable dealing with Randy Duggan, a boastful incomer from Glasgow who begins bullying those who’ve grown tired of his narcissistic and farfetched monologues. Eventually, Duggan challenges Hamish to a boxing match at midnight with villagers as audience. When Duggan turns up dead just hours before, the entire village of Lochdubh is thrown into a tizzy.
Death of a Macho Man should have been titled Death of a Bully or Death of a Bore (Beaton saved the latter title for the 21st book), but that’s the least of the novel's problems. Hamish’s superior, the ever-spiteful and jealous Chief Inspector Blair comes across as too stupid and choleric to ever have made rank. Beaton depicts the villagers not as colorful, but as cartoons. The mystery is cleverly plotted — Beaton’s mysteries nearly always are — but Hamish relies on his knowledge of the Lochdubh villagers and human nature and preternatural intuition, as usual, rather than the usual methods. He’s so over the top in this novel that readers will actually sympathize with Hamish’s boss’ boss, the exasperated Superintendent Peter Daviot in Strathbane, who’s tired of the shenanigans by now and just wishes Hamish gone from the police force.
The tiresome on-again, off-again relationship between Hamish and the icy English transplant Priscilla Halburton-Smythe continues fraught with avoidable misunderstandings and bouts of stubbornness and pique that serve to keep them apart. They’re both so immature that they don’t deserve to be together — or with anyone else, for that matter. Beaton clearly intends the mishaps to add comic relief from the mystery but instead just detract from the novel.
All in all, readers should only turn to Death of a Macho Man if they’re full-fledged Hamish Macbeth fans — and then only if they can get it at the public library.
Death of a Macho Man should have been titled Death of a Bully or Death of a Bore (Beaton saved the latter title for the 21st book), but that’s the least of the novel's problems. Hamish’s superior, the ever-spiteful and jealous Chief Inspector Blair comes across as too stupid and choleric to ever have made rank. Beaton depicts the villagers not as colorful, but as cartoons. The mystery is cleverly plotted — Beaton’s mysteries nearly always are — but Hamish relies on his knowledge of the Lochdubh villagers and human nature and preternatural intuition, as usual, rather than the usual methods. He’s so over the top in this novel that readers will actually sympathize with Hamish’s boss’ boss, the exasperated Superintendent Peter Daviot in Strathbane, who’s tired of the shenanigans by now and just wishes Hamish gone from the police force.
The tiresome on-again, off-again relationship between Hamish and the icy English transplant Priscilla Halburton-Smythe continues fraught with avoidable misunderstandings and bouts of stubbornness and pique that serve to keep them apart. They’re both so immature that they don’t deserve to be together — or with anyone else, for that matter. Beaton clearly intends the mishaps to add comic relief from the mystery but instead just detract from the novel.
All in all, readers should only turn to Death of a Macho Man if they’re full-fledged Hamish Macbeth fans — and then only if they can get it at the public library.
May 5, 2022
5/4-5/5/22 - Still one of my favorites! I couldn't bring myself to do anything else but find things to do while I listened. I loved Hamish's investigation in this one and his use of his intuition and his brains and skills - and disguise! And it's also very exciting and page-turner-y and aggravating that after all of this time, people still don't have faith in his insights.
8/27/09 - This installment in the Hamish Macbeth series is definitely one of my favorites so far (despite the fact that every time I picked it up I had the Village People blaring in my head!). I kept thinking - I need to go to the Highlands and see if there is another charming, red-headed, hazel-eyed, clever constable living in a lovely and stormy little village and marry him! I really liked this one, because of the suspicion cast on characters who have been in the village and we have encountered before, as well as because, while Hamish is unorthodox about solving murders, he really goes out on a limb with this one.
8/27/09 - This installment in the Hamish Macbeth series is definitely one of my favorites so far (despite the fact that every time I picked it up I had the Village People blaring in my head!). I kept thinking - I need to go to the Highlands and see if there is another charming, red-headed, hazel-eyed, clever constable living in a lovely and stormy little village and marry him! I really liked this one, because of the suspicion cast on characters who have been in the village and we have encountered before, as well as because, while Hamish is unorthodox about solving murders, he really goes out on a limb with this one.
December 3, 2017
I mostly enjoy the Hamish Macbeth series, but this one seemed to drag. I even felt tired of Hamish and his indecisive life. I listened to this audiobook to the end, but when I was finished, I wondered why I had persevered.
August 20, 2018
I really enjoyed this Highland romp, still like to pick up the next Hamish installment from time to time. Can the Pricilla romance really be over with?! She is such a useful sidekick if a bit cold and high-brow.
January 5, 2018
There was indeed an American pro-wrestler who, in the 1980s and 90s, went by the name of "Macho Man" Randy Savage. Also, at the same time, there was a wrestler named "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan. Savage was on the muscular side, Duggan was just plain big, and both put on great entertainment in the ring. Sadly, Savage passed in 2011, and Duggan I believe is still making appearances here and there, most recently in Duck Dynasty as one of that characters favorite wrestlers. Beaton beautifully combines the two into her character "Macho Man Duggan" who is simply a braggart villain and I personally can see more of Hacksaw Duggan here that Macho Savage. Unfortunately, I can also see a current and famous bully American braggart....oh never mind. I've watched two of the three seasons of the BBC show based on this series, and Robert Carlyle (of stripper fame in "The Full Monty" film) plays Hamish perfectly. Plus, Beaton offers us this great description of the town of Lochdubh: "The twin mountains...showed their peaks against the clear blue sky for the first time in weeks. Heather blazed on the hillsides, and the rowan trees were already beginning to show scarlet berries. Gorse grew in clumps [of] acid yellow, adding colour..." And Beaton, as another reviewer notes, "shakes things up" with a climactic action ending that one doesn't often find in these cozy crime murder mysteries. And, oh, the scene where Hamish and a visiting woman are caught naked in bed (Hamish's bed being in the police station, where town members frequently visit as Hamish keeps a supply of tea and coffee and of course whiskey) by half the town is priceless. And then...well, that's enough. This is one of my favorite in the series. So, as always, CHEERS to Hamish! As for Beaton, well, I'm addicted, absolutely.
July 26, 2024
This was a very good one and would make a great movie with a lot of action! It was quite the thriller and Macbeth did an amazing job of police work and getting lots of help that he needed like a flight into the wild area around Lochduh. I also loved the parade near the end to save him from getting fired for breaking so many useless rules. It is a wonder they can catch any criminal in the UK with their endless rules!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2020
Another great Hamish instalment. Read in audiobook kept me amused on journey home from work.
September 17, 2022
Something is cooking on GR. I’ve written this review somewhere in July, but like all the others just vanished.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
May 11, 2021
Macbeth and the Loudmouth Bully
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (2020) of the Mysterious Press hardcover original (1997)
Death of a Macho Man finds a new incomer intruding on the calm of Lochdubh village and its local constable Hamish Macbeth. Hamish is riled up enough to agree to a fisticuffs duel with the braggart and loudmouth Randy Duggan, but the supposed macho man is found murdered before the fight can happen. As usually, Hamish has to sort through a long list of likely suspects among all of the people that the victim had antagonized.
For whatever reason, this early Macbeth (#12) was not available on Audible but I was able to source it from the Overdrive audiobook system at my Toronto Public Library.
This edition has the excellent narration of early series regular Shaun Grindell. The later books of the series are narrated by Graeme Malcolm.
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (2020) of the Mysterious Press hardcover original (1997)
Death of a Macho Man finds a new incomer intruding on the calm of Lochdubh village and its local constable Hamish Macbeth. Hamish is riled up enough to agree to a fisticuffs duel with the braggart and loudmouth Randy Duggan, but the supposed macho man is found murdered before the fight can happen. As usually, Hamish has to sort through a long list of likely suspects among all of the people that the victim had antagonized.
For whatever reason, this early Macbeth (#12) was not available on Audible but I was able to source it from the Overdrive audiobook system at my Toronto Public Library.
This edition has the excellent narration of early series regular Shaun Grindell. The later books of the series are narrated by Graeme Malcolm.
September 20, 2021
I am just absolutely loving these Hamish Macbeth mysteries. Starting one always makes me feel like I'm coming home, which is odd because I've never read them before and I'm definitely not from a small town in Scotland. Nevertheless, that's how I feel.
No one in Lochdubh is sad when the new "macho man" is murdered. The only trouble is, it could be someone from town and Hamish isn't happy about that at all. When another local newbie is murdered, Hamish gets extra stressed.
He tracks down the woman's killer and is surprised when he confesses to killing the big wrestler dude as well. Hamish doesn't believe it for a second. Tracking down another killer leads him into some serious trouble with the force and the town.
I thought it was pretty obvious who the bad guy was in this one, but I didn't predict all the twists and turns. I thought it was funny when the whole country was on the lookout for Hamish.
Already excited to start the next one!
No one in Lochdubh is sad when the new "macho man" is murdered. The only trouble is, it could be someone from town and Hamish isn't happy about that at all. When another local newbie is murdered, Hamish gets extra stressed.
He tracks down the woman's killer and is surprised when he confesses to killing the big wrestler dude as well. Hamish doesn't believe it for a second. Tracking down another killer leads him into some serious trouble with the force and the town.
I thought it was pretty obvious who the bad guy was in this one, but I didn't predict all the twists and turns. I thought it was funny when the whole country was on the lookout for Hamish.
Already excited to start the next one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2016
What started off as another round of interrogate the villagers suddenly became terribly exciting.
The murder of a local braggart brings everyone's bad behaviour to light - including Hamish's. For a quiet spot where everyone is as gossipy as can be, it turns out that there are still plenty of secrets kept in Lochdubh. Hamish is not as in-the-know as he likes to think.
Though he still has an odd reputation as the laziest copper ever, Hamish goes to great lengths in this volume to discover the truth. It culminates in a tense and frightening mad dash to apprehend the real killer - before he can take out one of our own.
The latter half of the book more than made up for a slow start, showcasing Hamish's intuition and courage as well as the determined loyalty of the batty villagers.
The murder of a local braggart brings everyone's bad behaviour to light - including Hamish's. For a quiet spot where everyone is as gossipy as can be, it turns out that there are still plenty of secrets kept in Lochdubh. Hamish is not as in-the-know as he likes to think.
Though he still has an odd reputation as the laziest copper ever, Hamish goes to great lengths in this volume to discover the truth. It culminates in a tense and frightening mad dash to apprehend the real killer - before he can take out one of our own.
The latter half of the book more than made up for a slow start, showcasing Hamish's intuition and courage as well as the determined loyalty of the batty villagers.
January 13, 2016
Rounded up from 3-1/2 stars. It's nice to have Hamish front and center, and Shaun Grindell's narration continues to delight! This story was a bit too convoluted - not that it was hard to follow - just that Beaton seems to have dumped everything into one book.
December 26, 2018
Good ole Hamish! I just love him. This series is fun, light and refreshing. On to the next!
August 22, 2019
Another easy to read Hamish MacBeth story.
January 23, 2022
A Lochdubh ne succedono davvero troppe. Probabilmente dipende dal fatto che lassù, sulle Highlands, tutti si rifugiano quando vogliono nascondere qualcosa. Ogni volta che arriva qualcuno di nuovo, sicuramente o è un assassino, o è destinato a morire in fretta. È il caso del macho del titolo, un fanfarone odioso, che però offre da bere a tutti pur di avere un pubblico per le sue storie, non lasciando più spazio agli altri per parlare. In molti vorrebbero vedere morto Randy Duggan (e già il nome è un programma, visto che randy vuol dire "arrapato"), presunto americano che ha fatto torti a un po' tutti a Lochdubh. Persino il mansueto agente di polizia locale, Hamish Macbeth, che, addirittura, lo sfida a duello. Un duello a cui il macho non si presenta perché... è morto. Hamish diventa uno dei primi sospettati e viene sospeso dal servizio, anche se, dopo l'omicidio della scrittrice Rosie Draly, saranno le sue indagini a portare sulla pista giusta, e per ben due volte, anche a rischio della vita di Hamish!
Insomma, Hamish all'inizio mi piaceva più di Agatha Raisin, ma alla fine anche nelle Highlands le cose cominciano a essere troppo ripetitive come nei Cotswolds.
Insomma, Hamish all'inizio mi piaceva più di Agatha Raisin, ma alla fine anche nelle Highlands le cose cominciano a essere troppo ripetitive come nei Cotswolds.
July 6, 2024
The Hamish MacBeth series is such a hoot! The murder mysteries are convoluted and take Hamish's Highland knowledge to solve. He knows his people and he embarasses his superiors by seeing the clues they miss. In this book, there are several bad people and a bigger criminal element at work. The story slops over into Glasgow and rural areas. Hamish's love life is equally convoluted but he is less successful in that arena. The books are fun and Hamish is his usual unambitious and scheming self. I will read them all.
August 19, 2024
Ah, Priscilla is back and with her relationship drama. I think she might be the only character in fiction that I like but I hope not to see her in a book. The story wasn't of the type of a whodunnit that I like most, but it wasn't bad by all means, even if some things were way too obvious. The ending also didn't entirely fit a typical Hamish novel, but I actually didn't mind and found it refreshing.
August 22, 2025
This was quite a good story. I also like the background that shows the attitude and mentality of Scottish people from the mountains. There are also the same villagers in the book so we get to know them more and more. The mystery wasn't obvious as the people were disguised and we had no idea who they were. I'm rather sorry for Priscilla who cannot really decide what she wants from life.
May 14, 2023
This was a good one. Hamish is getting through the broken engagement to Priscilla and dealing with all the awkwardness that comes with it. Between jealousy, nosy villagers and pompous tourists he has his hands full, now two murders and his odious Sgt. poor Hamish.
June 11, 2024
4 stars.
Taking one star off only because Hamish in this book behaved a bit silly lol
Taking one star off only because Hamish in this book behaved a bit silly lol
December 22, 2017
Another one of the Hamish Macbeth series. Always an entertaining read, at times totally preposterous but holds my attention. I do wish I could meet Hamish:-)
December 29, 2017
Light reading for the holidays. I love the character of Hamish Macbeth.
March 24, 2019
In this book Hamish comes close to losing his job
May 20, 2019
Good mysteries with a fun bunch of characters.
September 18, 2022
Death of a Macho Man by M.C. Beaton
Blurb
When Hamish Macbeth, local constable of the Scottish village of Lochdubh, tries to break up one of the many fights involving Randy Duggan, the ruffian challenges him to a fistfight. But on the chosen day, Duggan is found shot to death and Macbeth is rumored to be the likely suspect. Macbeth must find the murderer, clear his name, and restore his Highland paradise to its usual tranquility.
My Opinion
This is the 12th book in the series and I am working my way through them quite quickly. So far, this is one of my favourites. This is a light-hearted series and so far all have been entertaining reads. As they are all relatively short, they make for quick afternoon reads.
Rating 4/5
Blurb
When Hamish Macbeth, local constable of the Scottish village of Lochdubh, tries to break up one of the many fights involving Randy Duggan, the ruffian challenges him to a fistfight. But on the chosen day, Duggan is found shot to death and Macbeth is rumored to be the likely suspect. Macbeth must find the murderer, clear his name, and restore his Highland paradise to its usual tranquility.
My Opinion
This is the 12th book in the series and I am working my way through them quite quickly. So far, this is one of my favourites. This is a light-hearted series and so far all have been entertaining reads. As they are all relatively short, they make for quick afternoon reads.
Rating 4/5
January 23, 2025
Started listening to this as an audiobook on my way back from work. First time I’ve properly listened to an audiobook and I enjoyed !
A Scottish village murder mystery, a relaxing listen whilst you are doing other things. I think reading the one off in the series meant that I wasn’t as interested in the characters, but was fun nonetheless.
Pacing wise I struggled, but that could’ve been listening to the book, rather than reading. I think my main reason for dislike was that Hamish used his intuition for everything, rather than actual investigation. He’d just ask a probing question or “know” something wasn’t right, which I find hard to get involved with. A cleverly written mystery, but I felt like I could t work it out so didn’t encite much intrigue into the plot.
Would recommend as an easy audiobook to have on in the background, but I’m not sure I’ll be reading anymore of the series.
A Scottish village murder mystery, a relaxing listen whilst you are doing other things. I think reading the one off in the series meant that I wasn’t as interested in the characters, but was fun nonetheless.
Pacing wise I struggled, but that could’ve been listening to the book, rather than reading. I think my main reason for dislike was that Hamish used his intuition for everything, rather than actual investigation. He’d just ask a probing question or “know” something wasn’t right, which I find hard to get involved with. A cleverly written mystery, but I felt like I could t work it out so didn’t encite much intrigue into the plot.
Would recommend as an easy audiobook to have on in the background, but I’m not sure I’ll be reading anymore of the series.
October 13, 2023
I enjoyed this book. I like Hamish and as usual he keeps getting himself in trouble with his superiors. The village characters are interesting. I gave it 4 stars because of the characters and the story always develops with a few twists and turns. It makes a light hearted mystery read.
February 5, 2025
i mean, I know what to expect from this series and that’s fun more than literary greatness or seminal storytelling. Even so, this one was too much on the beaten path, both the mystery and the continuing story were just treading water.
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