Death of a Cad

Rating:
Summary: Out of print? How curious; should be back.
Review: First Beaton i've ever read. A good introduction; certainly i shall read some more of the Hamish Macbeth series. The characters are mostly well done, more especially those to the forefront of the picture ~ Macbeth, the local copper, Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, daughter of the local landowners, Henry, her fiancé, and Captain Peter Bartlett, the cad whose death causes the mystery. Oddly, i felt the level of writing was high all the way through, until the last half dozen pages, as Macbeth revealed the solution to the mystery. At that point, or perhaps as the murderer stopped denying it and suddenly gloated in the denoument, the quality fell precipitously. Still, six out of two hundred pages isn't a bad per centage of lower quality.

Rating:
Summary: Out of print? How curious; should be back.
Review: First Beaton i've ever read. A good introduction; certainly i shall read some more of the Hamish Macbeth series. The characters are mostly well done, more especially those to the forefront of the picture ~ Macbeth, the local copper, Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, daughter of the local landowners, Henry, her fiancé, and Captain Peter Bartlett, the cad whose death causes the mystery. Oddly, i felt the level of writing was high all the way through, until the last half dozen pages, as Macbeth revealed the solution to the mystery. At that point, or perhaps as the murderer stopped denying it and suddenly gloated in the denoument, the quality fell precipitously. Still, six out of two hundred pages isn't a bad per centage of lower quality.

Rating:
Summary: Bring on More Hamish Macbeth.
Review: M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth series is wonderful! I think I even enjoy him more than Agatha Raisin. He's funny, charming and smart. In this book Hamish gets drawn into a murder that happens in the house of his ladylove, Priscilla. Priscilla comes back to Lochdubh from a job in London with a new fiance in tow. Hamish has to stay on the sidelines and watch his beloved with another man. He handles even this appalling situation with grace and humour. But then a death occurs and Hamish is sure it's murder. He sets out to find the killer, but before he does another murder happens. But, never fear, he does solve the murder in the end, and it was a surprise to me.

Rating:
Summary: Bring on More Hamish Macbeth.
Review: M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth series is wonderful! I think I even enjoy him more than Agatha Raisin. He's funny, charming and smart. In this book Hamish gets drawn into a murder that happens in the house of his ladylove, Priscilla. Priscilla comes back to Lochdubh from a job in London with a new fiance in tow. Hamish has to stay on the sidelines and watch his beloved with another man. He handles even this appalling situation with grace and humour. But then a death occurs and Hamish is sure it's murder. He sets out to find the killer, but before he does another murder happens. But, never fear, he does solve the murder in the end, and it was a surprise to me.

Rating:
Summary: Mortality Rates in Lochdubh Rival Those of Cabot Cove
Review: Mortality Rates in the Highland village of Lochdubh are off the charts, as we once again snuggle into a cozy with the every delightful and exasperating Hamish MacBeth. Priscilla Halburton-Smythe arrives home with a new fiance and two very delighted parents. But the engagement party stumbles and falls, and ultimately become murderous for the terrible womanizing, lying, cheating, trouble making cad. Chief Inspector Blair makes his appearance, but Hamish cleverly dances around the plodding and bullying of headquarters until the mystery is solved. Will Hamish get credit for this one? Can Hamish work through his feelings about Priscilla's engagement? Can Priscilla stand up to her parents? Did the cad truly deserve to die?

Rating:
Summary: Mortality Rates in Lochdubh Rival Those of Cabot Cove
Review: Mortality Rates in the Highland village of Lochdubh are off the charts, as we once again snuggle into a cozy with the every delightful and exasperating Hamish MacBeth. Priscilla Halburton-Smythe arrives home with a new fiance and two very delighted parents. But the engagement party stumbles and falls, and ultimately become murderous for the terrible womanizing, lying, cheating, trouble making cad. Chief Inspector Blair makes his appearance, but Hamish cleverly dances around the plodding and bullying of headquarters until the mystery is solved. Will Hamish get credit for this one? Can Hamish work through his feelings about Priscilla's engagement? Can Priscilla stand up to her parents? Did the cad truly deserve to die?

Rating:
Summary: Death of a cad
Review: The Hamish Macbeth books are wonderful. I only came to discover the Hamish books after reading the thoroughly enjoyable Agatha Raisin series written also by M.C. Beaton. In Hamish's village of Lochdubh, curious characters abound and this helps keep the true killer's identity hidden to the very end. I have now read all of the Hamish books and I highly recommend "Death of a Cad" and "Death of a prankster" as two of the best. There is a television series loosely based on the books. It is very amusing but completely different (not mysteries at all); more an "All creatures great and small" without the livestock. I encourage everyone to give Hamish a try. The books are light yet clever. I can't wait for the next one!