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Another adventure in M. C. Beaton's New York Times bestselling Hamish Macbeth seriesAbout the best that can be said of wealthy Maggie Baird is that, inside her middle-aged body, there still beats the heart of a beautiful tart. So when her car catches fire with Maggie in it, there are five likely suspects right on the premises of her luxurious Highlands cottage.
Lochdubh police constable Hamish Macbeth has to question Maggie's timid niece and four former lovers, one of whom Maggie had show more intended to pick for her husband. All five are equally poor—with ample motive and opportunity to monkey with Maggie's car.
Now to find the killer, the astute policeman must apply his extraordinary Highland insight into human nature. But when the evidence appears to point to the wrong person entirely, Hamish must dig down deep to stop the real murderer's escape.
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Maggie Baird has moved into a house just outside Lochdubh with her young niece Alison, who is recovering from lung cancer. Maggie has “let herself go” recently, gaining huge amounts of weight as a result of disappointment in love, at least until she decides to take herself in hand. She disappears for a few months, during which Alison is dominated by the local housekeeper, Mrs. Todd, and when Maggie returns, she is slim and lovely again. She invites four ex-lovers to visit, with the aim of marrying one of them; she lets them know that the one who marries her will inherit her fortune and, by the way, she has a bad heart and isn’t expected to live long. When she dies of a heart attack when her car bursts into flames with her in it, show more everyone wants to call it an accident. Everyone, that is, except for local Constable Hamish Macbeth, who is convinced that it is murder…. This is a fun entry into the series, particularly because Maggie is just such an awful person that one is rooting for her death, and Alison is such a pill that one rather hopes that she did it. Hamish starts out this story having been transferred to Strathbane, but soon he is back home (breathing a sigh of relief) and the reader doesn’t have to worry that he might become ambitious after all; and Priscilla and her family face some life-changing events in the offing. Altogether, another satisfying tale; recommended. show less
I always get a little embarrassed when I write positive reviews for cozy mysteries. It's the same feeling I got when I went through a trashy romance novel phase early in my marriage. On one hand I feel that everyone should be able to enjoy the books they love without ridicule, but at the same time acknowledging that many "superior intellects" will shun me because the books do not impact society and aren't at least 500 pages in length. Not every book has to be a work of great literature, it just has to be enjoyable.
Having said that, I LOVE the Hamish Macbeth series. I'm not sure if it's the quaint village life, the way Hamish appears lazy to his peers but in reality loves the village and works hard to earn money for his family, or the show more constant cast of quirky, fun characters. I do know that I am always left smiling and most of the time surprised by the outcome of the mystery. I can't ask for anything more. show less
Having said that, I LOVE the Hamish Macbeth series. I'm not sure if it's the quaint village life, the way Hamish appears lazy to his peers but in reality loves the village and works hard to earn money for his family, or the show more constant cast of quirky, fun characters. I do know that I am always left smiling and most of the time surprised by the outcome of the mystery. I can't ask for anything more. show less
Another very enjoyable visit to Lochdubh, but it doesn't start off well for Hamish - they have shut the village Police station down and sent him to work in a nearby town. If you ever go to Lochdubh make sure you behave yourself, as anyone that is not nice gets murdered. Once again Hamish comes to the rescue in finding the murderer. An interesting ending to the book which may set it up for future books. Always feel refreshed following my all too brief visits!
Reading the Hamish Macbeth books is like eating potato chips -- I always want "just one more." At the moment I am assembling the whole series and reading them in order.
The mystery plots are OK; it's the characters, their relationships, and the community that shine in this series. The occasional bit of humor surprises and delights. And Beaton's beautiful descriptions of the scenery -- mountains, lake, sea, hills, tarns, changing weather -- make the environment yet one more enjoyable "character."
I had only one gripe with this book. Person A cannot write Person B's will. So when Person A left everything to Person B, with the qualifier that when Person B died it was to be distributed in a particular way, that did not make sense to me. The show more plot depended on that detail, though, and thus lacked credibility. But as I said, the plots aren't the reason I'm enjoying this series so much. show less
The mystery plots are OK; it's the characters, their relationships, and the community that shine in this series. The occasional bit of humor surprises and delights. And Beaton's beautiful descriptions of the scenery -- mountains, lake, sea, hills, tarns, changing weather -- make the environment yet one more enjoyable "character."
I had only one gripe with this book. Person A cannot write Person B's will. So when Person A left everything to Person B, with the qualifier that when Person B died it was to be distributed in a particular way, that did not make sense to me. The show more plot depended on that detail, though, and thus lacked credibility. But as I said, the plots aren't the reason I'm enjoying this series so much. show less
Macbeth and the Suitors
Review of the Ballantine paperback edition (1991) of the Constable & Robinson hardcover original (1990)
After reading and enjoying "Death of Yesterday" due to its Estonia connection I started to search out some earlier Hamish Macbeth mysteries and Marian at my favourite Toronto independent book shop Sleuth of Baker Street had several (some used) in stock.
This sort of old-fashioned cozy was exactly the remedy to wash away the taste of the overly complex and somewhat depressing "The Thursday Murder Club" (2020). Macbeth goes about with his usual manner and solves the case despite being underestimated by others around him. i did make a reasonable guess at the solution this time and was proved correct. A little show more flattery of the reader by the author never hurts.
i think i've found my antidote to help ride out the rest of the pandemic with M.C. Beaton. show less
Review of the Ballantine paperback edition (1991) of the Constable & Robinson hardcover original (1990)
After reading and enjoying "Death of Yesterday" due to its Estonia connection I started to search out some earlier Hamish Macbeth mysteries and Marian at my favourite Toronto independent book shop Sleuth of Baker Street had several (some used) in stock.
This sort of old-fashioned cozy was exactly the remedy to wash away the taste of the overly complex and somewhat depressing "The Thursday Murder Club" (2020). Macbeth goes about with his usual manner and solves the case despite being underestimated by others around him. i did make a reasonable guess at the solution this time and was proved correct. A little show more flattery of the reader by the author never hurts.
i think i've found my antidote to help ride out the rest of the pandemic with M.C. Beaton. show less
I normally don't read multiple books in a series close together but I needed a short audio book for the new days before a new book I'd preordered was available. This series is always short and mostly entertaining so I queued it up.
This won't go down in history as one of my favorites in the Hamish Macbeth series. I think that's partly because so much of it focused on an utterly unlikeable character. There seemed to be less Hamish in this Hamish book.
M.C. Beaton writes some seriously awful female characters. This time around the new to town (and therefore likely victim and perpetrator in any cozy mystery series) people were completely unlikeable from the get go. The death didn't happen until nearly halfway through the book and by that show more time I was glad the victim was dead.
Anyway it was an OK listen. I do enjoy Shaun Grindell's narration. I just hope the next book has more Hamish in it. I did manage to guess the murderer this time. show less
This won't go down in history as one of my favorites in the Hamish Macbeth series. I think that's partly because so much of it focused on an utterly unlikeable character. There seemed to be less Hamish in this Hamish book.
M.C. Beaton writes some seriously awful female characters. This time around the new to town (and therefore likely victim and perpetrator in any cozy mystery series) people were completely unlikeable from the get go. The death didn't happen until nearly halfway through the book and by that show more time I was glad the victim was dead.
Anyway it was an OK listen. I do enjoy Shaun Grindell's narration. I just hope the next book has more Hamish in it. I did manage to guess the murderer this time. show less
My love affair with M.C. Beaton - only figuratively speaking, that goes without saying - is most likely over. I've been reading her two big series side by side. Well, now I've decided to ditch the Agatha Raisin series. I've been as prompt in the past. I've almost always abandoned a well liked series due to a one star rating. It was the case with the Inspector Rebus series and also that of Inspector Rutledge series,and the Gabriel Allon one. I think I persevered only with Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen series where I've rated 7 of her books one star.
Despite the 3 star rating for Death of A Hussy, I have contained in my mind, only the negatives from the book which weighed on me. Stuff that faded as the story progressed. I'll enumerate show more them. Firstly, Hamish Macbeth's searing - or is that 'seering'? - ability to guess when he's being lied to. How easy would it to solve any case with such a knack. The book does well to gloss over the times Hamish is being lied to by the murderer. So this ability comes and goes, unless one dredges up arguments that do and can sound plausible. This is where I differ from any possible fans of the books. I judge the books on their effect on my brain and the level of hedonistic impact on me as a reader.
I must also say that Hamish's hateful relationship with Blair now has a touch of the farcical in it. It's an abusive relationship, of the likes people like Hamish would recognize and clear off it soon. But I was irked by the revisionism and the fact that Hamish pined for Blair's return. That was totally uncalled for.
Then there's the most important character of the book to talk about...Alison Kerr. She's the one I wanted murdered, yet when push came to shove, I wanted her to escape death. This is what I'd call a well written character. It would have blown my mind if she'd died. Hamish finds it loathsome to be the object of Alison's lust (and also escapes the brief advances of that lady cop, Mary Graham). I have a minor gripe with Hamish's orientation in his love life. His ghostly romance with Priscilla should lead to nowhere. Since that possibility imploded, Hamish has met one or two suitors, and I hope not too many pages are dedicated to his shambolic and illogical love life. I need the author to focus on the murder investigations. Police cases, when stripped of their trappings, are simply triggers for adventure. As long as the pustular aspects of the Hamishverse are kept at bay I'm happy. Else, he goes the same way as Agatha Raisin. show less
Despite the 3 star rating for Death of A Hussy, I have contained in my mind, only the negatives from the book which weighed on me. Stuff that faded as the story progressed. I'll enumerate show more them. Firstly, Hamish Macbeth's searing - or is that 'seering'? - ability to guess when he's being lied to. How easy would it to solve any case with such a knack. The book does well to gloss over the times Hamish is being lied to by the murderer. So this ability comes and goes, unless one dredges up arguments that do and can sound plausible. This is where I differ from any possible fans of the books. I judge the books on their effect on my brain and the level of hedonistic impact on me as a reader.
I must also say that Hamish's hateful relationship with Blair now has a touch of the farcical in it. It's an abusive relationship, of the likes people like Hamish would recognize and clear off it soon. But I was irked by the revisionism and the fact that Hamish pined for Blair's return. That was totally uncalled for.
Then there's the most important character of the book to talk about...Alison Kerr. She's the one I wanted murdered, yet when push came to shove, I wanted her to escape death. This is what I'd call a well written character. It would have blown my mind if she'd died. Hamish finds it loathsome to be the object of Alison's lust (and also escapes the brief advances of that lady cop, Mary Graham). I have a minor gripe with Hamish's orientation in his love life. His ghostly romance with Priscilla should lead to nowhere. Since that possibility imploded, Hamish has met one or two suitors, and I hope not too many pages are dedicated to his shambolic and illogical love life. I need the author to focus on the murder investigations. Police cases, when stripped of their trappings, are simply triggers for adventure. As long as the pustular aspects of the Hamishverse are kept at bay I'm happy. Else, he goes the same way as Agatha Raisin. show less
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278+ Works 59,971 Members
M. C. Beaton's real name is Marion Chesney. She was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1936. She has written over a hundred books under her own name and other pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Helen Crampton, Jennie Tremaine, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester. She started her writing career while working as a fiction buyer for a bookstore in Glasgow. Working at show more one time or another as a theater critic, newspaper reporter, and editor, she used her British background to write a series of regency romances set in England and Scotland. Some of her regency romances include The Folly, Colonel Sandhurst to the Rescue, and Regency Gold. In 1986, she was awarded the Romantic Times Award for Outstanding Regency Series Writer. She has also written two mystery series under the pseudonym M. C. Beaton: The Hamish Macbeth Series, which became the inspiration for a television show in England, and The Agatha Raisin Series, about a retired advertising executive. Her title His and Hers made The New York Times Best Seller List for 2012. Marion Chesney passed away on December 31, 2019 at the age of 83. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Death of a Hussy
- Original title
- Death of a Hussy
- Original publication date
- 1990
- People/Characters
- Hamish Macbeth; Priscilla Haliburton-Smythe
- Important places
- Lochdubh, Highland, Scotland, UK (fictional)
- Epigraph
- In the Highlands in the country places
Where the old plain men have rosy faces,
and the young fair maidens
Quiet Eyes.
R. L. Stevenson - Dedication
- The author wishes to thank Hugh Johnston, owner and manager of Golspie Motors Ltd, of Golspie, Sutherland, his service manager, John Mackay, and his mechanic, Bill Brown, for their expert advice, and dedicates this book with ... (show all)gratitude to these three excellent and patient gentlemen of the Scottish Highlands.
- First words
- 'You might have known people really do dress up for dinner in the Highlands.'
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)'Times are changing, Towser,' said Hamish Macbeth as he drove through the heathery twilight.
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- Members
- 889
- Popularity
- 30,183
- Reviews
- 28
- Rating
- (3.67)
- Languages
- 6 — English, Estonian, French, German, Hungarian, Italian
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 42
- UPCs
- 1
- ASINs
- 13
