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Hamish Macbeth #26
Death of a Chimney Sweep
In the south of Scotland, residents get their chimneys vacuum-cleaned. But in the isolated villages in the very north of Scotland, the villagers rely on the services of the itinerant sweep, Pete Ray, and his old-fashioned brushes. Pete is always able to find work in the Scottish highlands, until one day when Police Constable Hamish Macbeth notices blood dripping onto the floor of a villager's fireplace, and a dead body stuffed inside the chimney. The entire town of Lochdubh is certain Pete is the culprit, but Hamish doesn't believe that the affable chimney sweep is capable of committing murder. Then Pete's body is found on the Scottish moors, and the mystery deepens. Once again, it's up to Hamish to discover who's responsible for the dirty deed--and this time, the murderer may be closer than he realizes.
247 pages, Hardcover
First published February 25, 2011
273 people are currently reading
1666 people want to read
About the author
M.C. Beaton
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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 622 reviews
November 12, 2021
In this 26th book in the 'Hamish Macbeth' series, the Scottish policeman investigates murders linked to shady business deals. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Captain Henry Davenport and his wife Milly recently retired to a village in northern Scotland. The couple largely keep to themselves and have little to do with the townspeople.
A mysterious phone call spooks the Captain and it seems clear that he's avoiding someone.
When the Davenports' chimney needs cleaning, chimney sweep Pete Ray is hired to do the job. Afterwards, the Captain's body is found stuffed up the chimney and Pete is found dead in the hills, with items stolen from the Davenports' house.
To oafish Detective Chief Inspector Blair, it seems like case closed: Pete robbed and killed the Captain....then died from an accident.
However, Lochdubh's Constable Hamish MacBeth - always a thorn in Blair's side - doesn't buy it.
He's sure Pete was set up, and sets out to find the real killer. The constable discovers that the Captain was a con man who cheated people, and thinks one of the victims probably killed him. Hamish soon has a list of suspects who were taken in by the swindler, including some residents of Lochdubh.
Hoping the perp is an outsider, Hamish goes to great lengths to investigate the Captain's old army buddies, who are now business moguls.
To infiltrate their businessman's club, for example, Hamish dyes his hair black, borrows a toff's suit, dons his friend's Rolex - and pretends to be a Canadian looking to invest.
Meanwhile, other people also learn the Captain was a swindler and - for reasons of their own - try to track down his targets. But the killer is absolutely ruthless, and quickly gets rid of anyone who poses a threat. (For a cozy, this book has quite a high body count.)
In addition to the murders, most of the series' usual characters make an appearance, and there are a variety of subplots:
Angela Brody, the wife of Lochdubh's doctor, pens an erotic novel. In her book, the doctor's wife has a steamy affair with the village policeman. Of course everyone jumps to the obvious (wrong) conclusion. LOL
Hamish' former girlfriend, Elspeth Grant - now a TV journalist - fears her pretty underling want to usurp her job. And she's right.
Superintendent Daviot, trying to get rid of Hamish as usual, sends an Assistant Constable to spy on him.
A suspect's wife runs off to Brazil and hooks up with a hot Latin lothario.
Hamish trains for a hill-racing competition.
.....and more.
All this extraneous activity makes the plot seem random and padded, but that's business as usual with this series. Fans of Hamish MacBeth probably know what to expect.
I thought the book was okay, a mildly entertaining cozy.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
February 6, 2017
I was already judgemental of this book, expecting it to be inferior to Agatha Raisin, but I was pleasantly surprised and found it amusing, clever and sharp. MC Beaton is a great cosy mystery writer.
July 2, 2014
This book started out well enough, with a rich bastard getting his ticket punched and then his body being stuffed up his own chimney, supposedly by the local chimney sweep. But when the local police try to find the sweep he turns up dead as well, the victim of an apparent vehicle accident. All in all, a nice juicy murder mystery stage, set in Scotland and with a rogue Scottish detective in for good measure. How awesome is that?!?
Well, turns out, not very awesome at all. In fact, this book was so bad that it ended up sucking all the awesomeness out of the room. I don't think I've ever read such a mess of a book. The only saving grace it had was the character of Hamish Macbeth, the aforementioned Scotts detective. I did enjoy his brogue, his quirky character and his loyal pets. But sadly, even Hamish's prediliction for annoying his superiors was not enough to save this book. Just a few issues I had with the book:
1. As close as I can estimate from the timeline in the book, the first murder victim, Henry Davenport, is buried 2 and a half weeks after his body is found. However, between his body being found and finally being buried, his sister Philomena shows up, finds a clue, gets kidnapped and is also murdered. Yet she's buried in a mere two or three days (they are actually buried on the same day.) What the hell? Why in the name of six holy hells would you keep a body for over two weeks? Or do they just do things differently in Scotland?
2. All four main suspects and Davenport were buddies in the army. However, at the time of the story, all of them live in the same housing development, practically all right next to each other. For no discernible reason.
3. I've never seen so many tape recorders in my life. Any time it seemed convenient that someone record a conversation, somehow, suprisingly, a character is able to spontaneously produce a tape recorder. And not just any tape recorder, but a mini-tape recorder, suitable for discreetly recording a converstaion without anyone knowing about it. Remind me to take a vow of silence the next time I visit Scotland.
4. At one point the killer breaks into the house of two sisters in the village and ties up the one sister's ankles but doesn't feel the need to tie her hands. Which comes in handy when she manages to take his gun away from him. WHAT RUTHLESS KILLER OR OTHERWISE SANE INDIVIDUAL WOULD TIE SOMEONE'S ANKLES UP BUT NOT THEIR HANDS???!!!
5. At one point Hamish rounds up the villagers, urges them to grab any guns they may have and go out to hunt the killer who is hiding somewhere on the moors around the village. Any policeman or detective who urged innocent civilians to try and bring in a man who has already killed five or six people should be shot, on sight, simply for being an impossibly large ass.
6. All four of the main suspects have an alibi for the night Davenport was murdered: they were all dining together with their wives at a local restaurant. So first we're told that the police have confirmed this alibi because dozens of restaurant patrons confirm seeing the suspects. Then one of Hamish's compatriots ventures the idea that the suspects might be covering for each other. Um, how? If dozens of restaurant patrons saw them there then the only way they could have covered for each other is if every single person in the restaurant was in on it. Then we're told that actually, the four suspects and their wives dined in a private room upstairs that they got to by using a back entrance to the restaurant. So which the hell is it? Did dozens of people see them or did only the restaurant owner see them? Gah. Gah!!
7. Towards the end of the book, the author goes on some rambling tangent about how the wife of the murderer decides to leave Brazil where they are hiding out and strike out on her own. So she gets seduced by a con man in Sao Paulo who takes off with all her money, she hunts him down, murders him, takes her money back, jets around a bit, ends up in Florida and gets eaten by a shark while she's swimming in the ocean. Yeah, you heard me. This is all fine and good except it had nothing to do with the story. No secrets died with her. No evidence ended up in the belly of the shark. Nothing. It had about as much relevance to the story as butter has to a cannon ball.
8. So apparently Hamish had a love interest in some of the previous books and somewhere around the middle of this book, she makes an appearance, for no discernible reason that I could see. There's a lot of mooning around and Hamish has a few "what if" moments whilst ruminating about how they almost tied the knot, but in the end, the entire segue fit into the book like a chainsaw into a wedding cake.
I could go on but it would get infinitely more depressing. It's been a long time such I read such a hot mess of a book and I'm a little freaked out by the fact that this is apparently the 26th Hamish Macbeth novel, mainly due to the fact that this means there are 25 other hot bubbling cauldrons of god-only-knows-what out there.
Okay so maybe not EVERY little bit was sour. There were some witty bits sprinkled in and the following passage cracked me up: "The cocktail bar of the Grand Hotel was a veritable symphony to Scottish bad taste. The walls were draped in tartan cloth and hung with plastic claymores and targes. There was a huge badly executed portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie behind the bar. The plastic tables were made to look like tree trunks and covered in tartan coasters."
Well, turns out, not very awesome at all. In fact, this book was so bad that it ended up sucking all the awesomeness out of the room. I don't think I've ever read such a mess of a book. The only saving grace it had was the character of Hamish Macbeth, the aforementioned Scotts detective. I did enjoy his brogue, his quirky character and his loyal pets. But sadly, even Hamish's prediliction for annoying his superiors was not enough to save this book. Just a few issues I had with the book:
1. As close as I can estimate from the timeline in the book, the first murder victim, Henry Davenport, is buried 2 and a half weeks after his body is found. However, between his body being found and finally being buried, his sister Philomena shows up, finds a clue, gets kidnapped and is also murdered. Yet she's buried in a mere two or three days (they are actually buried on the same day.) What the hell? Why in the name of six holy hells would you keep a body for over two weeks? Or do they just do things differently in Scotland?
2. All four main suspects and Davenport were buddies in the army. However, at the time of the story, all of them live in the same housing development, practically all right next to each other. For no discernible reason.
3. I've never seen so many tape recorders in my life. Any time it seemed convenient that someone record a conversation, somehow, suprisingly, a character is able to spontaneously produce a tape recorder. And not just any tape recorder, but a mini-tape recorder, suitable for discreetly recording a converstaion without anyone knowing about it. Remind me to take a vow of silence the next time I visit Scotland.
4. At one point the killer breaks into the house of two sisters in the village and ties up the one sister's ankles but doesn't feel the need to tie her hands. Which comes in handy when she manages to take his gun away from him. WHAT RUTHLESS KILLER OR OTHERWISE SANE INDIVIDUAL WOULD TIE SOMEONE'S ANKLES UP BUT NOT THEIR HANDS???!!!
5. At one point Hamish rounds up the villagers, urges them to grab any guns they may have and go out to hunt the killer who is hiding somewhere on the moors around the village. Any policeman or detective who urged innocent civilians to try and bring in a man who has already killed five or six people should be shot, on sight, simply for being an impossibly large ass.
6. All four of the main suspects have an alibi for the night Davenport was murdered: they were all dining together with their wives at a local restaurant. So first we're told that the police have confirmed this alibi because dozens of restaurant patrons confirm seeing the suspects. Then one of Hamish's compatriots ventures the idea that the suspects might be covering for each other. Um, how? If dozens of restaurant patrons saw them there then the only way they could have covered for each other is if every single person in the restaurant was in on it. Then we're told that actually, the four suspects and their wives dined in a private room upstairs that they got to by using a back entrance to the restaurant. So which the hell is it? Did dozens of people see them or did only the restaurant owner see them? Gah. Gah!!
7. Towards the end of the book, the author goes on some rambling tangent about how the wife of the murderer decides to leave Brazil where they are hiding out and strike out on her own. So she gets seduced by a con man in Sao Paulo who takes off with all her money, she hunts him down, murders him, takes her money back, jets around a bit, ends up in Florida and gets eaten by a shark while she's swimming in the ocean. Yeah, you heard me. This is all fine and good except it had nothing to do with the story. No secrets died with her. No evidence ended up in the belly of the shark. Nothing. It had about as much relevance to the story as butter has to a cannon ball.
8. So apparently Hamish had a love interest in some of the previous books and somewhere around the middle of this book, she makes an appearance, for no discernible reason that I could see. There's a lot of mooning around and Hamish has a few "what if" moments whilst ruminating about how they almost tied the knot, but in the end, the entire segue fit into the book like a chainsaw into a wedding cake.
I could go on but it would get infinitely more depressing. It's been a long time such I read such a hot mess of a book and I'm a little freaked out by the fact that this is apparently the 26th Hamish Macbeth novel, mainly due to the fact that this means there are 25 other hot bubbling cauldrons of god-only-knows-what out there.
Okay so maybe not EVERY little bit was sour. There were some witty bits sprinkled in and the following passage cracked me up: "The cocktail bar of the Grand Hotel was a veritable symphony to Scottish bad taste. The walls were draped in tartan cloth and hung with plastic claymores and targes. There was a huge badly executed portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie behind the bar. The plastic tables were made to look like tree trunks and covered in tartan coasters."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2011
Where is M.C. Beaton and what have you done with her? This is my 27th Hamish Macbeth but I'm not sure I should count it. Hamish co-stars in cozies. Usually he shares billing with the beauty of rural Scotland, two dedicated pets, a rotating roster of girlfriends and a village of somewhat odd but generally nice people. I go there faithfully once a year to soak up the atmosphere, check-up on old acquaintances and enjoy Hamish being forced to use his considerable brainpower to oust a murderous snake from this paradise. I could have adjusted to Hamish using a cell phone and asking headquarters to email him some information. A shock but doable. I couldn't adjust to a complex plot with bad guys all over the place, a body count that might make Clint Eastwood proud and endless story lines. The story felt choppy and although not particularly confusing, it was annoying. I'll try again next year and hope that M.C.Beaton has returned. Gimme my Hamish!
December 20, 2011
I've read all of the Hamish MacBeth mysteries and enjoyed them all. Especially how Hamish is presented and the descriptions of Scotland that made me yearn to visit. This book is DEvOID of all the elements that make this an endearing series. I thought Hamish was downright mean, churlish and irresponsible. I wonder is Ms. Beaton is tired of him? This book was so bad, I will be hesitant to read her next one. My recommendation? Go back and read the early ones. You'll enjoy Hamish and his Scottish friends greatly.
July 28, 2024
This one has a sickening ending about a septic system which was not funny to me but probably was to M. C. Beaton. I did enjoy the villainess getting eaten by a shark. She was in a rare mood with her writing in this one. I would not really rate this one as "cozy".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2022
After greatly disliking the preceding Hamish book, Death of a Valentine, I was thrilled to discover this book was back to the Hamish I know and love. In some ways even better because the detestable Blair wasn't around and there wasn't a huge focus on Hamish's animals.
A newcomer is found stuffed up his chimney and the chimney sweep dead on the side of the road. Thus begins a twisty mystery with a lot of close calls. There's also a highly amusing side story about Angela and her book. It definitely made me giggle.
And in another random turn of events, I was quite pleased with Sonsie.
I've listened to all the Hamish books on audio and they're a blast. Graeme Malcolm does a great job with the narration.
A newcomer is found stuffed up his chimney and the chimney sweep dead on the side of the road. Thus begins a twisty mystery with a lot of close calls. There's also a highly amusing side story about Angela and her book. It definitely made me giggle.
And in another random turn of events, I was quite pleased with Sonsie.
I've listened to all the Hamish books on audio and they're a blast. Graeme Malcolm does a great job with the narration.
October 17, 2020
A short and entertaining foray with Hamish. Nothing much changes with him but he's grown on me and I love the setting!
December 15, 2017
I was up for a mystery. I wanted to listen to Agatha Christie but the library I was in didn't have her in audio (unheard of!) so I picked this up. I'd never read Beaton (aka Marion Chesney) before. It's not the first dead body I've read about in a chimney, however. I wonder if this is mostly a writer's fantasy or do murderers really stuff bodies in chimneys? Sounds difficult to me!
Stats: published in 2011, print is 247 pages, audio book is 5 discs or 5' 37", narrator is Graeme Malcolm.
Blurb: In the south of Scotland, residents get their chimneys vacuum-cleaned. But in the isolated villages in the very north of Scotland, the villagers rely on the services of the itinerant sweep, Pete Ray, and his old-fashioned brushes. Pete is always able to find work in the Scottish highlands, until one day when Police Constable Hamish Macbeth notices blood dripping onto the floor of a villager's fireplace, and a dead body stuffed inside the chimney. The entire town of Lochdubh is certain Pete is the culprit, but Hamish doesn't believe that the affable chimney sweep is capable of committing murder. Then Pete's body is found on the Scottish moors, and the mystery deepens. Once again, it's up to Hamish to discover who's responsible for the dirty deed--and this time, the murderer may be closer than he realizes.
What I liked: I especially liked the narration. Malcolm does a wonderful job with the various characters so that you can almost picture them. I don't know the man, but he's got to be from England or maybe even Scotland, where the story takes place. I liked the town folk of Lochdubh (what a wonderful town name - I wonder if it's real?). Beaton/Chesney does well in playing up the local flare. The lady spinster giving the bad guy bleach with his tea was a particularly nice touch! And the Hamish character is very lovable - a practical man (gets rid of a dead body rather than have his cat implicated), smart and quirky. I'm not surprised she has more books around him.
What I didn't like: The author has an odd writing style - bouncing around from one character to another to tie up loose writing end no matter what was going on. It threw me at first but by the end, I was used to it and could just take it in stride. I wonder if all her Hamish mysteries are written this way?
Rating: 4/5 - A fun read/listen
Stats: published in 2011, print is 247 pages, audio book is 5 discs or 5' 37", narrator is Graeme Malcolm.
Blurb: In the south of Scotland, residents get their chimneys vacuum-cleaned. But in the isolated villages in the very north of Scotland, the villagers rely on the services of the itinerant sweep, Pete Ray, and his old-fashioned brushes. Pete is always able to find work in the Scottish highlands, until one day when Police Constable Hamish Macbeth notices blood dripping onto the floor of a villager's fireplace, and a dead body stuffed inside the chimney. The entire town of Lochdubh is certain Pete is the culprit, but Hamish doesn't believe that the affable chimney sweep is capable of committing murder. Then Pete's body is found on the Scottish moors, and the mystery deepens. Once again, it's up to Hamish to discover who's responsible for the dirty deed--and this time, the murderer may be closer than he realizes.
What I liked: I especially liked the narration. Malcolm does a wonderful job with the various characters so that you can almost picture them. I don't know the man, but he's got to be from England or maybe even Scotland, where the story takes place. I liked the town folk of Lochdubh (what a wonderful town name - I wonder if it's real?). Beaton/Chesney does well in playing up the local flare. The lady spinster giving the bad guy bleach with his tea was a particularly nice touch! And the Hamish character is very lovable - a practical man (gets rid of a dead body rather than have his cat implicated), smart and quirky. I'm not surprised she has more books around him.
What I didn't like: The author has an odd writing style - bouncing around from one character to another to tie up loose writing end no matter what was going on. It threw me at first but by the end, I was used to it and could just take it in stride. I wonder if all her Hamish mysteries are written this way?
Rating: 4/5 - A fun read/listen
May 6, 2011
Death Of A Chimney Sweep: A Hamish Macbeth Mystery is number 27 in the series.
In most parts of Scotland, folks have their chimney's vacuumed, however, in some of the more isolated villages, they still use the chimney sweep.
In Lochdubh, Pete Ray is that man and he is called upon to clean the chimney of Captain Henry Davenport and his wife Millie. However, before the job is done, Pete is dead and the culprit in the murder of Captain Davenport.
Hamish Macbeth has seen his fair share of crime and his tactics are his own, much to the chagrin of his supervisors. He sets out to solve the mystery surrounding the Captain and learns of the hidden plots and double dealings that the Captain has been involved with and with no murder suspect in sight, and with his boss wishing to remove him from the case, Hamish is put to the test as time is ticking away and bodies continue to turn up.
This was my first Hamish Macbeth mystery, I'd heard some great things, but I was not impressed with this book at all. I found the characters wooden, their dialogue atrocious and confusing and the story was the same old, same old. The flow of the story was seriously lacking as dialogue between the characters were not differentiated and most times you weren't sure who was talking and where in the setting of the story you were. I did like Millie and her sister-in-law Philomena, but they weren't enough to keep this reader interested. If you like the Hamish Macbeth series, then I'm sure you won't want to miss this one, however, I'd choose another title in this series if its your a first time reader, I wouldn't want you to be put off from a series of books I've only heard great things about. This was not one of them!
In most parts of Scotland, folks have their chimney's vacuumed, however, in some of the more isolated villages, they still use the chimney sweep.
In Lochdubh, Pete Ray is that man and he is called upon to clean the chimney of Captain Henry Davenport and his wife Millie. However, before the job is done, Pete is dead and the culprit in the murder of Captain Davenport.
Hamish Macbeth has seen his fair share of crime and his tactics are his own, much to the chagrin of his supervisors. He sets out to solve the mystery surrounding the Captain and learns of the hidden plots and double dealings that the Captain has been involved with and with no murder suspect in sight, and with his boss wishing to remove him from the case, Hamish is put to the test as time is ticking away and bodies continue to turn up.
This was my first Hamish Macbeth mystery, I'd heard some great things, but I was not impressed with this book at all. I found the characters wooden, their dialogue atrocious and confusing and the story was the same old, same old. The flow of the story was seriously lacking as dialogue between the characters were not differentiated and most times you weren't sure who was talking and where in the setting of the story you were. I did like Millie and her sister-in-law Philomena, but they weren't enough to keep this reader interested. If you like the Hamish Macbeth series, then I'm sure you won't want to miss this one, however, I'd choose another title in this series if its your a first time reader, I wouldn't want you to be put off from a series of books I've only heard great things about. This was not one of them!
August 16, 2011
I've been reading reviews about Beaton's Hamish Macbeth for a long time, but just now got around to reading one of this amusing series myself. There's a long list of titles to choose from but this one happened to catch my eye first.
I'm of Scottish ancestry so anything set in Scotland is bound to please me but even more so if, like in this book, the characters are memorable. Macbeth, for instance, is a constable in a village. He has bright red hair, he's single, and he has a dog named Lugs and a wild cat named Sonsie. These two animals play together like two peas in a pod. The village and the police office are right on the ocean with high hills on the other side which is a beautiful setting for any type of novel.
This story begins with the murder of a rich man whose body is shoved up the chimney in his own house, and the subsequent death by accident or murder of the chimney sweep who had been there that very day. The sweep was a beloved character in the area, and the widow of the first victim is soon friends with everyone too. Her husband had kept her isolated before.
Hamish Macbeth is a sort of maverick when it comes to crime solving, so he's always in trouble with his superiors, but he solves the crimes which makes his bosses even more upset of course. He's sort of unlucky in love, but the people of his village appreciate him and his skills.
Beaton is a witty writer. The jacket tells us that the BBC did a series of her stories, which I'm determined to find. She also writes a series starring Agatha Raisin and I want to try one of those as well. The Hamish Macbeth series is just the ticket for a summer day, or actually any time you want a light, amusing mystery with a very likeable hero.
I'm of Scottish ancestry so anything set in Scotland is bound to please me but even more so if, like in this book, the characters are memorable. Macbeth, for instance, is a constable in a village. He has bright red hair, he's single, and he has a dog named Lugs and a wild cat named Sonsie. These two animals play together like two peas in a pod. The village and the police office are right on the ocean with high hills on the other side which is a beautiful setting for any type of novel.
This story begins with the murder of a rich man whose body is shoved up the chimney in his own house, and the subsequent death by accident or murder of the chimney sweep who had been there that very day. The sweep was a beloved character in the area, and the widow of the first victim is soon friends with everyone too. Her husband had kept her isolated before.
Hamish Macbeth is a sort of maverick when it comes to crime solving, so he's always in trouble with his superiors, but he solves the crimes which makes his bosses even more upset of course. He's sort of unlucky in love, but the people of his village appreciate him and his skills.
Beaton is a witty writer. The jacket tells us that the BBC did a series of her stories, which I'm determined to find. She also writes a series starring Agatha Raisin and I want to try one of those as well. The Hamish Macbeth series is just the ticket for a summer day, or actually any time you want a light, amusing mystery with a very likeable hero.
May 25, 2011
The earlier books in the series were so charming; this was a big disappointment. Back when the books in this series were mostly about the local people, their quirks and personalities, I really enjoyed them. But somewhere along the line, the author had the local bobby get involved in international intrigue, traveling to foreign countries in search of evidence. It didn't work the first time she tried it, and it's even worse here.
If you haven't read any of the books in this series, don't start with this one.
If you haven't read any of the books in this series, don't start with this one.
May 1, 2011
It's probably time for me to give Beaton a rest; the charm is wearing thin with the over-reliance on an incredible concatenation of coincidence and lucky breaks and less of the local color which was the real appeal. The good is that at least there was more going on in this than in some of the recent Macbeth efforts. But! I counted three instances of a concealed tape recorder being used to get the goods. Seriously, a tape recorder? And three times?
March 4, 2019
Filled with action, travel, and relational interest, this Hamish Macbeth most enjoyably kept my attention. Impressive narration by Graeme Malcolm, capably defining the cast of characters with unique and authentic accents.
Definitely a Fav.
Definitely a Fav.
May 16, 2021
Macbeth and the Conman Captain
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (2011) of the original Grand Central Publishing hardcover edition (2011)
Hamish Macbeth ends up with several murders on his hands and the title's chimney sweep is only a sad collateral victim. This one gets immensely complex with an international conspiracy angle with a gang of criminals. It felt somewhat overly elaborate for the series with its wild diversions into American hideaways by the gang. There seems to be a general trend in the series towards more outside mayhem in these later books. M.C. Beaton was probably forced to involve elements beyond the cozy comforts of the Scottish Highlands in order to keep her plots from becoming too predictable. I am still in for the long run though as the full regular cast puts in their stock appearances and the Highland humour is always ready in reserve.
I've exhausted the availability of free audiobooks for the series from the Audible Plus option so I'm now seeking out the rest of the series from the Toronto Public Library. I'm still hoping to read them in order as much as possible. Fortunately, the Library also offers the books in their audiobook formats as there is always an extra pleasure to hear the dialogue read in a Scottish accent. This one was read by Graeme Malcolm is the regular narrator for the last half of the series.
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (2011) of the original Grand Central Publishing hardcover edition (2011)
Hamish Macbeth ends up with several murders on his hands and the title's chimney sweep is only a sad collateral victim. This one gets immensely complex with an international conspiracy angle with a gang of criminals. It felt somewhat overly elaborate for the series with its wild diversions into American hideaways by the gang. There seems to be a general trend in the series towards more outside mayhem in these later books. M.C. Beaton was probably forced to involve elements beyond the cozy comforts of the Scottish Highlands in order to keep her plots from becoming too predictable. I am still in for the long run though as the full regular cast puts in their stock appearances and the Highland humour is always ready in reserve.
I've exhausted the availability of free audiobooks for the series from the Audible Plus option so I'm now seeking out the rest of the series from the Toronto Public Library. I'm still hoping to read them in order as much as possible. Fortunately, the Library also offers the books in their audiobook formats as there is always an extra pleasure to hear the dialogue read in a Scottish accent. This one was read by Graeme Malcolm is the regular narrator for the last half of the series.
March 31, 2025
This one was fun, but a bit all over the place. Especially the long Epilogue felt a bit like a dumping ground of ideas and happenings have complicated and almost matter-of-fact, detached setups and are then simply knocked out one by one.
May 27, 2022
This one was a lot of fun. Many despicable characters meeting their timely ends.
November 3, 2011
"Sweep" is one of the most recent in what is currently (and somewhat amazingly) a 28-book series, featuring Hamish Macbeth, police sergeant of a small Scottish village. These light-hearted novels typically feature a murder or two, a dogged hunt for the bad guys by our hero, with all the while the higher-ups disdaining our protagonist's best efforts. This one follows a similar pattern when a chimney sweep and his employer, an ex-Captain, are suddenly murdered with few if any clues in sight. The hapless wife Milly offers no clues, but the police finally determine that her husband was a financial swindler with four especially disconcerted investors all candidates seeking revenge.
The plot was a bit more complicated than usual, and our author also used Milly as an excuse to talk a little about females previously dominated by strong-willed males. It was also interesting to see how Hamish, who after all usually does solve the crimes himself, despite the pessimism of his superiors, resolved the conclusion of this affair, choosing to, shall we say, implement his own sense of justice with regard to both the villains and the previously downtrodden Milly. All in all, another light but entertaining entry in this long running set.
The plot was a bit more complicated than usual, and our author also used Milly as an excuse to talk a little about females previously dominated by strong-willed males. It was also interesting to see how Hamish, who after all usually does solve the crimes himself, despite the pessimism of his superiors, resolved the conclusion of this affair, choosing to, shall we say, implement his own sense of justice with regard to both the villains and the previously downtrodden Milly. All in all, another light but entertaining entry in this long running set.
September 25, 2022
Hamish Macbeth is once again all over the place, hunting down murderers, helping his fellow residents of Lochdubh to regain self respect, or swindled money, or their dignity.
Hamish becomes a criminal himself in trying to protect his cat. Elspeth and Priscilla is still fueling the readers' need for love and romance (that's not happening), and the villains responsible for all the murders, are spreading out internationally.
The author, through the character of Angela Brody, mildly messes with the literary world, the fight for fame, and the pretentiousness of the idea. Tongue-in-cheek funny. Her writing is not selling Angela's book as much as the publicity she manages to win around it. Which is often the case. fortunately Angela gets fed-up and disillusioned and finally understand why Hamish despises ambition.
It's a messy plot with many sub plots, becoming tedious to finish. It is as though the author is now openly more sick and tired of the series that is moving nowhere, apart from turning Hamish into a criminal himself.
The earlier novels are entertaining, riveting reads, but the presence of dead bodies all over this one, just did not convince me that is was a cozy read.
In the end none of the characters were likable either, but that's not new. Blair should really retire now, he is as exciting as a colonoscopy, and Jimmy Anderson with his constant whiskey-craze has over-stayed his welcome as well. Yawn. Actually, it counts for both Elspeth and Priscilla too.
In the previous novel, Mr. Patel's little boy called Priscilla an ice queen, which Hamish also said before. I don't want to be present when her lack of interest in intimacy is finally revealed—probably in the 1000th novel. Why the author's family and publishers want to continue with a series after the author's passing (novel #33 in the series), is beyond me.
A lot of the original atmosphere and ambiance of the community are absent now. I will continue until no. #33, which was the last novel before the author's passing. And that's it.
So yeah, meh it was. Sorry. 2 Stars means --- it was ok.
Hamish becomes a criminal himself in trying to protect his cat. Elspeth and Priscilla is still fueling the readers' need for love and romance (that's not happening), and the villains responsible for all the murders, are spreading out internationally.
The author, through the character of Angela Brody, mildly messes with the literary world, the fight for fame, and the pretentiousness of the idea. Tongue-in-cheek funny. Her writing is not selling Angela's book as much as the publicity she manages to win around it. Which is often the case. fortunately Angela gets fed-up and disillusioned and finally understand why Hamish despises ambition.
It's a messy plot with many sub plots, becoming tedious to finish. It is as though the author is now openly more sick and tired of the series that is moving nowhere, apart from turning Hamish into a criminal himself.
The earlier novels are entertaining, riveting reads, but the presence of dead bodies all over this one, just did not convince me that is was a cozy read.
In the end none of the characters were likable either, but that's not new. Blair should really retire now, he is as exciting as a colonoscopy, and Jimmy Anderson with his constant whiskey-craze has over-stayed his welcome as well. Yawn. Actually, it counts for both Elspeth and Priscilla too.
In the previous novel, Mr. Patel's little boy called Priscilla an ice queen, which Hamish also said before. I don't want to be present when her lack of interest in intimacy is finally revealed—probably in the 1000th novel. Why the author's family and publishers want to continue with a series after the author's passing (novel #33 in the series), is beyond me.
A lot of the original atmosphere and ambiance of the community are absent now. I will continue until no. #33, which was the last novel before the author's passing. And that's it.
So yeah, meh it was. Sorry. 2 Stars means --- it was ok.
November 2, 2024
Once again Beaton keeps my interest in our beloved Hamish MacBethand his little Scottish community. A shorter than usual book but a good solid 3* read that will keep you guessing who done it.
June 26, 2021
I enjoyed this one more than some of the recent entries. The criminal had more menace than is typical for this series.
July 7, 2012
I have been in an abusive relationship with M.C. Beaton. Despite the fact that her books continue to leave me battered and fuming, I kept coming back for more.
Well, not after this. After this awful book, I am ending my relationship with M.C. Beaton.
The characters in this book are unsympathetic, idiotic louts who do incredibly stupid things. From the main character, Macbeth, whose Highland instincts let him 'sense evil' to Millie Davenport, the milksop-of-a-wife of Captain Henry Davenport, if these were real people I would recommend they be marooned on an island somewhere to expire. They are that irritating.
The story is set in Lochdubh, perhaps meant to be portrayed as a quaint and isolated Scottish village, full of quirky characters. Instead, they come across as nosy, holier-than-thou busybodies who vaccilate between forgiving to outraged from one section of the book to another. These are not quaint, colorful characters; they are a bunch of nutters who need to be medicated.
As for the villain of the piece? Well, let's just say we are told again and again why they are doing what they do. They are a vain psychopath. This opinion, expressed by Hamish Macbeth, is driven into our heads again and again like a railroad spike.
However, I feel that the greatest sin Beaton commits is lazy storytelling. When I read a mystery, I want to have a chance to play detective, to try and figure out who the villain is from the clues provided. I don't think that's much to ask. Do you?
Unfortunately, Mrs. Beaton doesn't provide us any clues. Revelations are made by Hamish Macbeth in the most boring fashion possible. We never get the chance, as readers, to work out the mystery for ourselves. Beaton spoon-feeds us the villain between uninteresting subplots involving tedious secondary characters.
Overall, I found this book about as engaging as a bowl of plain oatmeal. The only reason I finished it was because I kept hoping something interesting would happen. Unfortunately, that never occurred.
This book is so awful, I am not going to take it to the used bookstore for credit, like I would normally do. Instead, I am going to throw it in the garbage. If that doesn't tell you how much I hated this work, I don't think anything else will.
Well, not after this. After this awful book, I am ending my relationship with M.C. Beaton.
The characters in this book are unsympathetic, idiotic louts who do incredibly stupid things. From the main character, Macbeth, whose Highland instincts let him 'sense evil' to Millie Davenport, the milksop-of-a-wife of Captain Henry Davenport, if these were real people I would recommend they be marooned on an island somewhere to expire. They are that irritating.
The story is set in Lochdubh, perhaps meant to be portrayed as a quaint and isolated Scottish village, full of quirky characters. Instead, they come across as nosy, holier-than-thou busybodies who vaccilate between forgiving to outraged from one section of the book to another. These are not quaint, colorful characters; they are a bunch of nutters who need to be medicated.
As for the villain of the piece? Well, let's just say we are told again and again why they are doing what they do. They are a vain psychopath. This opinion, expressed by Hamish Macbeth, is driven into our heads again and again like a railroad spike.
However, I feel that the greatest sin Beaton commits is lazy storytelling. When I read a mystery, I want to have a chance to play detective, to try and figure out who the villain is from the clues provided. I don't think that's much to ask. Do you?
Unfortunately, Mrs. Beaton doesn't provide us any clues. Revelations are made by Hamish Macbeth in the most boring fashion possible. We never get the chance, as readers, to work out the mystery for ourselves. Beaton spoon-feeds us the villain between uninteresting subplots involving tedious secondary characters.
Overall, I found this book about as engaging as a bowl of plain oatmeal. The only reason I finished it was because I kept hoping something interesting would happen. Unfortunately, that never occurred.
This book is so awful, I am not going to take it to the used bookstore for credit, like I would normally do. Instead, I am going to throw it in the garbage. If that doesn't tell you how much I hated this work, I don't think anything else will.
October 7, 2013
It's interesting that this book involves a shark, because the series has jumped one.
Surely this #27 is a joke, or written by an apprentice. Or Beaton phoned it in while running a marathon or something. Or it's a pastiche written by a nasty rival. Terry Pratchett and others have shown that it is possible to write a series with 20+ books, but Beaton has fallen at this jump.
It's sloppy. Others have pointed out glaring inconsistencies. I'll add that Macbeth removes his disguise twice in two pages without having put it back on in between.
The ubiquitous and implausibly powerful, accurate and easy-to-use tape recorders? Pfui. Unworthy.
I'm really tired of the cat and dog, who for most of the book appear to be there solely to pad the page count. And when they do have a role later, it's beyond ludicrous.
The ridiculously overdrawn characters? Milquetoast Milly, Bully Philomena, sot Tam, sot Jimmy, and the beyond-caricature Blair? Pfui again.
Pfui.
The ridiculous body count of this book. Pfui.
The end of Sandra? Ha! That's what made me think we're being teased. Then we got to what happened to Prosser, the deadly ex-soldier. Oh, puh-leeze. This isn't teasing, this is thumbing your nose at your readers, possibly even spitting at them.
And in the end we are supposed to smile indulgently at what happens to Milly's money. Silly.
Hamish ends up a little short, and gets a chance to earn a quick pound or two; guess what happens? I checked and the real-world Loch Lomond games at Balloch have a 3200-metre race, and a TOTAL prize pool of £15000 - across many events. The event in the book is highly unlikely and way too convenient. Not far short of a letter from a solicitor announcing that a previously-unknown great-aunt has died and left him a fortune. Pfui, pfui.
I won't read any more Beaton, and if I had the power I would unread this steaming heap. I'll try to limit my memory to the previous Hamish book I read, which was not bad.
Surely this #27 is a joke, or written by an apprentice. Or Beaton phoned it in while running a marathon or something. Or it's a pastiche written by a nasty rival. Terry Pratchett and others have shown that it is possible to write a series with 20+ books, but Beaton has fallen at this jump.
It's sloppy. Others have pointed out glaring inconsistencies. I'll add that Macbeth removes his disguise twice in two pages without having put it back on in between.
The ubiquitous and implausibly powerful, accurate and easy-to-use tape recorders? Pfui. Unworthy.
I'm really tired of the cat and dog, who for most of the book appear to be there solely to pad the page count. And when they do have a role later, it's beyond ludicrous.
The ridiculously overdrawn characters? Milquetoast Milly, Bully Philomena, sot Tam, sot Jimmy, and the beyond-caricature Blair? Pfui again.
Pfui.
The ridiculous body count of this book. Pfui.
The end of Sandra? Ha! That's what made me think we're being teased. Then we got to what happened to Prosser, the deadly ex-soldier. Oh, puh-leeze. This isn't teasing, this is thumbing your nose at your readers, possibly even spitting at them.
And in the end we are supposed to smile indulgently at what happens to Milly's money. Silly.
Hamish ends up a little short, and gets a chance to earn a quick pound or two; guess what happens? I checked and the real-world Loch Lomond games at Balloch have a 3200-metre race, and a TOTAL prize pool of £15000 - across many events. The event in the book is highly unlikely and way too convenient. Not far short of a letter from a solicitor announcing that a previously-unknown great-aunt has died and left him a fortune. Pfui, pfui.
I won't read any more Beaton, and if I had the power I would unread this steaming heap. I'll try to limit my memory to the previous Hamish book I read, which was not bad.
April 24, 2011
Death of a Chimney Sweep by M. C. Beaton is the twenty-seventh cozy mystery featuring Police Constable Hamish Macbeth. In Death of a Chimney Sweep, Captain Henry Davenport and his wife, Milly, have recently moved to the village of Drim. Davenport orders Milly to get the chimney cleaned and then goes for a walk. He and the chimney sweep end up dead. While it appears the chimney sweep is the culprit, Hamish Macbeth realizes that a more sinister killer is on the loose.
This delightful cozy set in Scotland is a simple police procedural and a quick read. While there are several murders, they are all carried out precipitously, and, along with some humor, Beaton includes enough plot twists and turns to keep any mystery fan interested. Obviously Death of a Chimney Sweep will greatly appeal to cozy mystery fans, especially those following the series.
Actually, this was my first Hamish Macbeth book. Even though I don't have a long history with the series and the characters, it was quite easy to read and character's were very accessible. No, the writing is not demanding and simple sentences abound, but Death of a Chimney Sweep follows the tried and true format of a cozy. Cozy mysteries are: always easy to read; set in a village or small town; the murders are quick and not detailed; there is no gritty language; and there is always an element of humor. In this case, Beaton's short, simple sentences and quick pace made this the perfect book to read at the end of a busy week.
Highly Recommended for fans of cozy mysteries; http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
This delightful cozy set in Scotland is a simple police procedural and a quick read. While there are several murders, they are all carried out precipitously, and, along with some humor, Beaton includes enough plot twists and turns to keep any mystery fan interested. Obviously Death of a Chimney Sweep will greatly appeal to cozy mystery fans, especially those following the series.
Actually, this was my first Hamish Macbeth book. Even though I don't have a long history with the series and the characters, it was quite easy to read and character's were very accessible. No, the writing is not demanding and simple sentences abound, but Death of a Chimney Sweep follows the tried and true format of a cozy. Cozy mysteries are: always easy to read; set in a village or small town; the murders are quick and not detailed; there is no gritty language; and there is always an element of humor. In this case, Beaton's short, simple sentences and quick pace made this the perfect book to read at the end of a busy week.
Highly Recommended for fans of cozy mysteries; http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
June 13, 2022
06/07/22 - Lovely, crazy, convoluted murder investigations with all of my favorites!
03/19/11 - Oh, Hamish Macbeth, how I love thee! I hate finishing a new installment in the series, because that means it will be that much longer until I again see what my favorite Scottish Highland constable is up to. While there are certain elements that tend to always repeat in each of the murder mysteries in this series, there are many more fresh and inventive elements to the story, that either keep you guessing as to the murderer, or, if the murderer is known, keep you guessing as to how they will be caught, and how Hamish will get himself out of the numerous scrapes he gets himself into by being an intelligent officer with no ambitions, but incurable curiosity and drive to always see a case through to its resolution. Hamish certainly isn't perfect, and with his romantic entanglements and tensions with his superiors, he is a very real creation. I usually have to obsessively read one of these books without putting it down, anyway, but this one was particularly a page-turner for me for some reason.
03/19/11 - Oh, Hamish Macbeth, how I love thee! I hate finishing a new installment in the series, because that means it will be that much longer until I again see what my favorite Scottish Highland constable is up to. While there are certain elements that tend to always repeat in each of the murder mysteries in this series, there are many more fresh and inventive elements to the story, that either keep you guessing as to the murderer, or, if the murderer is known, keep you guessing as to how they will be caught, and how Hamish will get himself out of the numerous scrapes he gets himself into by being an intelligent officer with no ambitions, but incurable curiosity and drive to always see a case through to its resolution. Hamish certainly isn't perfect, and with his romantic entanglements and tensions with his superiors, he is a very real creation. I usually have to obsessively read one of these books without putting it down, anyway, but this one was particularly a page-turner for me for some reason.
April 8, 2012
I love M.C.Beaton for an easy and fun read. The Hamish Macbeth mystery series is about a small Scottish village constable who has NO ambition to move up the law enforcement ladder. The village is filled with repeat characters...all who are really quirky and fun. The mysteries are certainly much less important than the fun story itself. If you've read Alexander McCall Smith's First Lady's Detective Agency series, it is similar in story quality and light heartedness. Beaton has written quite a few in his series and all titles start with "Murder of a ......". I thoroughly enjoy listening to the audiobooks as the reader has a lovely Scot accent. I often read them after a "heavy-duty" book as a reprieve!
May 31, 2013
Over the past year I've read every Hamish Macbeth mystery in chronological order up through this one and I find it very hard to believe MC Beaton wrote this book. It's nothing like the others in this series in either tone or style. With all the inane dialogue it reads more like a badly written television script. Please, whoever is responsible for this monstrosity, find someone who can copy her style and who is familiar with the rest of this series or stop publishing these books and save some trees.
September 13, 2020
Totally enjoyed this journey of thrill, mystery and suspense. It starts with a snotty retired military officer that disappears after leaving his manor to run an errand while his wife hires a chimney sweep to clean their fire place chimney. I had no idea the hills and valleys that were before me with this story. I absolutely loved the ride with my favorite Highland townspeople! You won't be disappointed with the townspeople, underworld thugs, upper crust tonies and various other characters. And of course Hamish's pets!
March 3, 2012
I'm not sure what's going on with the author, but the charm and endearing elements that drew me to this series years ago have gone. I still love Hamish and his quirky personality and devotion to his now quite strange pets, but the plots have become dismally choppy and all over the place. The lovely details of the Scottish countryside and character development are missing. I'll continue to read both Hamish and Agatha out of loyalty to the author, but it's become a chore.
October 2, 2017
Really great read. The plot became more exciting and involved the more I read, and I'm definitely going to track down and read all the other books in the series.
I really like the main character, Hamish Macbeth.
A well written book, with the body count high, and the murders unusual and sometimes unexpected, which kept the book going at a good pace.
I recommend this for a fun read
I really like the main character, Hamish Macbeth.
A well written book, with the body count high, and the murders unusual and sometimes unexpected, which kept the book going at a good pace.
I recommend this for a fun read
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