From the author of the Agatha Raisin television series…DEATH OF A CAD: A Hamish Macbeth MysteryWhen Priscilla Halburton-Smythe brings her London playwright fiance home to Lochdubh, everybody in town is delighted . . . except for love-smitten Constable Hamish Macbeth. Yet his affairs of the heart will have to wait. Vile, boorish Captain Bartlett, one of the guests at Priscilla’s engagement … engagement party, has just been found murdered-shot while on a grouse hunt. Now with many titled party guests as the prime suspects, each with a reason for snuffing out the despicable captain, Hamish must smooth ruffled feathers as he investigates the case. When the hidden culprit strikes again, Hamish will find himself trying to save Priscilla from a miserable marriage-and catch a killer before he flies the coop.
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n this second book in the Hamish Macbeth series, we get to know Hamish better. He’s a richly drawn, red-headed, anti-hero with a humble view of the world and his own sense of justice. Who wouldn’t love Hamish? He sends all his money to his family, deeply cares for people, and serves his community. For all of this, he wants no credit. When he helped a boy on a train, I thought my heart would break. Most people would not notice the boy or his abuse, but Hamish sees it and takes care of him.
The other characters in the story are also richly drawn. In as little as one sentence Beaton creates a total image, “Mrs. Halburton-Smythe was a faded blonde woman with quick, timid movements.” She usually writes at least a paragraph to describe each new character, but I was never bored. They are entertaining vignettes on their own.
Beaton also brings the expansive Scottish Highland setting to life. When I’m reading her books I feel as if I’m breathing the damp air and swatting the flies, as I look down on the loch.
The book is a cozy masterpiece, the story of a cad meeting his end. The pace is fast, the story seductive and the writing exemplary. I’m in awe.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy cozy mysteries, stories where bad guys get their due and/or the austere Scottish landscape.
“Death of a Cad” earns 5/5 Highland Hijinx…Engaging, Entertaining Favorite!
One of my top ten favorite British authors is M.C. Beaton and one of my top ten British television series is Hamish Macbeth…I believe that’s two birds with one stone! I’ve also learned that enjoying the television or movie adaptation does not preclude reading the book since often more background and connections are explored along with additional characters and incidents. Case in point: “Death of a Cad” by M.C. Beaton. I chose to enjoy Beaton’s book two in the Hamish Macbeth series with the audio version expertly narrated by Antony Ferguson whose use of various accents (a superb Scottish brogue), tone of the personalities, dramatic emotions, and a good effort at portraying female voices made for an enjoyable experience. Priscilla Halburton-Smythe has arrived in Lochdubh with her London playwright fiancé to the surprise and disappointment of Constable Hamish Macbeth, but seeing Priscilla with the hoity-toity, if not demanding, Henry Withering is the least of his worries. Captain Peter Bartlett, entitled “Cad” and guest of Pricilla’s family, is found shot during a grouse hunt, and it doesn’t look like an accident. The guests, now suspects, are far above Macbeth’s status, but he’s not intimidated discovering they all seem to have motive, opportunity, and means! Even I would have been tempted! Beaton’s story was brilliantly clever, totally engaging and karmic in its justice. I see in my mind’s eye the actors from the television series adding to her rich characters and making this a favorite series. Big thumbs up! And one of the best ways to enjoy this mystery is with Ferguson’s entertaining narration. Love it!
I listened to the audio version of this book. The narrator did a great job. It’s getting easier to understand some of the local slang/dialect. During this story, I began to like or dislike some of the characters. As the story proceeded, I found it a little creepy (or by design) that the one’s I liked the least, seemed to be being murdered. And finally the one I liked the least, turned out to be the culprit.
Good story.
I love every one of M.C. Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth mysteries. Always a fun, entertaining read.
I never get enough Hamish Mcbeth
It’s been a long time since I’ve read this book and I’ve read quite a few in this Hamish MacBeth series so I don’t remember the details. But I know I enjoyed it, if nothing else than because there hasn’t been a book in this series that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed.