Death of a Cad (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries)

Features

• Cover Type: Mass Market Paperback with 224 pages
• Published by: Grand Central Publishing July 1, 2004
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0446607142
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0446607148
• Book Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Weighs: 4.8 ounces

From Publishers Weekly
Beaton's charming Constable Hamish Macbeth returns in the sequel to Death of a Gossip, a mirthful mystery set in the Scottish Highlands. Hamish's time is taken up with investigating a death at the Halburton-Smythe castle, and with subtly wooing the daughter of the house, Priscilla, who has brought her fiance Henry Withering to meet her parents and houseguests. Among them is Peter Bartlett, loathed by almost everyone present and found dead in the morning. The constable's inept superiors declare the death an accident, but Hamish produces evidence of murder, after which he eliminates all the suspects except the guilty one. In the course of these events, Priscilla's feelings for Henry weaken and, in contrast, flourish for Hamish, which gives hints of the next entry in the delightful series.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From AudioFile
Constable Hamish Macbeth, a one-man police force in Scotland's Highlands, has a suspicious death on his hands. The victim is a cad staying at a local estate. The trouble is that everyone but Macbeth thinks it's an accident. Can he find out whodunit and woo the comely daughter of the estate? It takes Davina Porter a little time to settle into the Scottish accent of the main character. But when she does, her narration sparkles. Her voice is lyrical when it requirements to be, but low and gruff when she becomes the male characters. Not only is her narrative pacing adept, but she succinctly captures the cadence of Scottish speech. P.B.J. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Reader Reviews
This is the second book of the Hamish Macbeth series, picking up a few months after THE DEATH OF A GOSSIP. The story opens as Priscilla Halburton-Smithe is driving her new fiance home to Lochdubh for a weekend houseparty at her parents' house. Tensions soon develop at the party, including the inclusion (or intrusion depending on your point of view) of local constable Macbeth into the group. Naturally there is soon a death to investigate, one that of course confuses all but our hero. This is very much in the long tradition of cozy series mystery. The murder victim richly deserves his fate, the characters of those involved is more important than the action, and there is a large cast of recurring characters. Our hero manages to solve the crime while overcoming the incompetance of his superiors. There is even an ongoing romance. If 'cozies' are your cup of tea you will definitely enjoy this series and will want to read them all. Comment | | (Report this)