Malicious letters, old scandals and romance in the Highlands

books:

	• Death of a Poison Pen (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 20) M.C. Beaton Mysterious Press, 2004 - 256 pages average customer review:based on 17 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

All's Fair in Love, Job Seeking, and Murder

Death of a Poison Pen represents a new high in the Hamish Macbeth series in terms of integrating a number of different story lines in neat and interesting fashion. Long-time fans of the series will find this book to be one of their favorites.

Jenny Ogilvie is jealous of her London colleague, Priscilla Halburton-Smythe. Priscilla is engaged to be married while Jenny has just lost her boy friend when she mentions marriage. Yet Priscilla seems obsessed with her old friend (and former unofficial fiancé) from Lochdubh, Police Constable Hamish Macbeth, and the cases they've worked on solving together. Jenny decides she would like to disturb Priscilla's cool exterior by attracting Hamish's attention. Feigning illness, she heads for Lochdubh.

Once there, Jenny is disappointed to see that Hamish doesn't fit her idea of a handsome Highlander . . . and is engaged in speaking with Elspeth Grant, a local reporter and astrologer. A lot of funny scenes follow as Jenny chases Hamish and ends up being paired instead with new reporter, Pat Mallone, who had fancied Elspeth until Jenny arrived.

But Jenny remains obsessed with the idea of solving a crime . . . even if Hamish ignores her. In the background, Jenny's London-based ideas of how to live keep getting her into trouble with the Highlanders.

Elspeth, in the meantime, finds her interest in Hamish to be dwindling as he continues to avoid becoming involved. But she recognizes Jenny as a rival and finds he competitive juices stoked.

There are also some goofy poison pen letters being received in Lochdubh and Braikie. Mrs. Wellington, the minister's wife, got one accusing her of having an affair with Hamish. Well, hardly! Hamish holds a meeting in Braikie to get copies of the notes and signatures on a petition so he can get the police in Strathbane to spend the money for a handwriting expert.

In the middle of this comedy of errors, the atmosphere turns dark when Miss Beattie, who ran the post office in Braikie, is found dead with a poison pen letter under her body. As usual, Hamish is soon disputing with Detective Chief Inspector Blair whether Miss Beattie's death is suicide . . . or murder. Before the book is over, the bodies start to pile up.

Hamish finds himself in the middle of trying to solve mysteries without earning promotion, fending off women who want him, and keeping naive people from getting into trouble. You'll enjoy the mysteries and the twists in the book.

At her best, M. C. Beaton has a fine talent to exploring irony. She draws deeply on that talent in this fine book. Enjoy!

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MC Beaton

Hamish Macbeth is one of my favorite characters. MC Beaton is always a great read!

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Malicious letters, old scandals and romance in the Highlands

As this, the 20th Hamish Macbeth mystery, begins the lovable but lazy constable of the tiny Highland village of Lochdubh is angry. Someone has been sending vicious poison pen letters to people on his beat, one even accusing his friend Angela, the doctor's wife with having a torrid affair with Hamish. To make matters worse Hamish's bosses in Strabane do not feel the matter is important enough to hire a handwriting expert even though Hamish is convinced that sooner or later the letters will cause a tragedy. When the local postmistress is found hanging it is dismissed as a suicide, sad but not really a police matter but when the matter is looked into further at Hamish's insistence the suicide is found to be a murder. Hamish is quickly on the trail of the case, aided by Elspeth, the lovely journalist who has set her sights on Hamish and a newcomer, Jenny who also was plans for the constable.

As always with this popular series of cozies the true attraction is Hamish's life and times rather than the mystery aspect of the stories so those looking for a serious puzzler should probably look elsewhere. The overall story arc in this series is quite pronounced so those new to the series will do best to begin at the beginning - DEATH OF A GOSSIP and go the series in order as much as possible. Fans of the series will not want to miss even one visit to Lochdubh and Hamish.

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A New Detective by M. C. Beaton

I have enjoyed M. C. Beaton's books on Agatha Raisin, but this is a whole different book. The star is a smart policeman that lives out in the sticks and has the gift of solving crimes. He is up for promotion from time to time, but he would have to move and leave the small town...and he can't leave. Usually M. C. Beaton doesn't develope a lot of characters, but in this book she does! We have suspects everywhere. So it is fun to read this mystery and let in unfold before you. I like this mystery!

ANOTHER RELAXING READ IN A GREAT SERIES

I must admit to being rather addicted to the "cozy mystery" genre. They are a source of relaxation for me. These, the Hamish Macbeth series by M.C. Beaton, are some of my favorites. As other reviewers have pointed out, each of the twenty or more books are much the same. Same plot, same characters, same locations, etc. etc. That is okay though. I find this rather comforting. The various characters in Beaton's stories sort of become friends as you keep reading her books and this is always nice.

In this offering, quite a number of the resident's of Hamish's village are recipients of poison pen letters, some which are wild accusations, some with a grain of truth and some, hitting quite close to home. Suddenly Officer Macbeth has two murders on his hands and an endless list of suspects to sort through. The plot though, is actually sort of secondary to this particular series. For me it is the characters, the description of the Scottish Country Side, the almost dark humor and the interaction between the many characters that make the book.

M.C. Beaton is certainly a story teller and is able to articulate her stories through her writing quite well. The humor is dry, and as I said, can be a bit dark at times, but can be hilarious at the same time. Hamish Macbeth, the rather bright and likable police officer is, throughout this work, as with the others, absolutely mystified with the females in his life, and his somewhat quaint love life. As one reviewer put it, he does not have a clue! I love the author's description of the towns, food, country side, people and of course, Hamish's relationship with his dog.

The author tells a simple story which is easy to read (no great thought is required, which is very nice) and the stories are quite fast moving. I find the author's syntax to the quite smooth and a pleasure to read. This is one series I will no doubt stick with and look forward to more. Highly recommend this one if this is your sort of cup of tea.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

Poison pen letters lead to murder in this new Hamish Macbeth mystery from M.C.Beaton. When the townspeople of Lochdubh begin receiving poison pen letters, no one takes them very seriously, even if they are full of wild accusations. But Hamish fears that they might lead to something deadly. His instincts prove correct when the town's postmistress is found hanging from a rope with a poison pen letter at her feet. Though it appears to be a suicide, Hamish suspects something more sinister. Attempting to trace the letters, the last thing Hamish needs is any distractions, but soon Jenny Ogilvie arrives in Lochdubh determined to seduce him. Realizing that she is unable to take Hamish's mind off his case, Jenny decides to do a little investigating of her own. Now, Hamish finds himself in a race to solve the mystery of the poison pen letters before someone else dies, including one likely target-Jenny.

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