- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Mysterious Press (Feb 23 2005)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0892967951
- ISBN-13: 978-0892967957
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 14.2 x 2.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 408 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #849,042 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From AudioFile
It is shocking how pleased one is when someone in Hamish Macbeth's Scottish village gruesomely murders the mean, pretentious, and self-obsessed writer who offered classes to the villagers and then mocked their hopes and their attempts to interrupt his song of himself. Hamish's former flame arrives to cover the murder story, her fellow reporter falls for a local school teacher, a visiting English television crew filming a script by the deceased offers multiple nutball suspects, and the new, overbearing female chief inspector is chronically drunk and sexually harassing Macbeth. What a joy. Graeme Malcolm's cool, dry chameleon voice moves from one well-thought-out choice for a character to the next, giving not just their many different lilts but also their personalities, with the deftest of touches. B.G. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to the
Audio CD
edition.
From Booklist
A Macbeth utterly lacking in ambition and a tiny village in the Scottish Highlands that is murderously hard on outsiders form the witty premise of this series. Through 20 mysteries, Hamish Macbeth, police constable of tiny Lochdubh, has retained his stout common sense and disdain for those who scramble after power. Macbeth's stolid character serves as perfect counterpoint to both the scheming, sneering higher-ups in the police and his sometimes hysterical villagers. The virus that sets off the latest fever in Lochdubh is a visiting fiction writer who promises fame and fortune for those who enroll in his writing class. Writer John Heppel, however, soon alienates everyone with his arrogance and condescension. After publicly humiliating several would-be authors in his writing circle, Heppel is found dead in his cottage, his tongue symbolically blackened. Macbeth dexterously paddles through myriad motives, a media blitz, and police power plays to find the murderer. Delightful. Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Death of an Egomaniac,
By Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (#1 HALL OF FAME)
This review is from: Death of a Bore (Mass Market Paperback)
Pardon me, but I found this title to be inapt for the book. The victim, John Heppel, is a bad writer, acts in inconsiderate ways, displays immense egotism, and is generally despicable. But I didn't find him boring . . . just obnoxious. The book, too, is anything but boring.
What distinguishes this book from the run-of-the-mill mystery is the marvelous satirical humor displayed throughout. Hamish Macbeth avoids promotion. His superiors prove to be incompetent, unhappy, and in some cases driven to drink in this book. You can quickly see why he would be skeptical of becoming more like these people. John Heppel wins prizes for his books, has a great story about his gritty beginnings and attracts the interest of those don't know writing. In reality, the man is a phony in every dimension. M.C. Beaton has fun with that point in other ways as a local villager becomes sought after for a book that will be written in Gaelic, a language few can read, but which will look impressive on coffee tables in England. Women keep setting their sights on marrying Hamish, but it doesn't take much to distract them. Hamish finds his dog to be a better companion. It's a marvelously Scottish way of looking at the world that you'll enjoy. What's the story about? Hamish is deeply concerned for writer John Heppel when Hamish notices that Heppel is offering a writing class. Doesn't Heppel know there's good telly on that night? Hamish, in turn, is astonished to find out that virtually the whole village has signed up for the class, hoping to become famous. The classes turn out to be a disappointment when Heppel displays disdain for his students. Refund is the word most often heard among the curses. In fact, many of the villagers in Lochdubh are captured on film threatening Heppel. When Heppel turns up dead, suspicion centers on Lochdubh . . . but Hamish is unconvinced. He wants to know more about a script that Heppel has written for Down in the Glen, a soap opera about Scotland. Why won't anyone show him a copy? One of the most delicious moments in the story comes when Hamish gets a lead on information about the television show but is compelled to take the source of his lead out for a drunken evening. Another delightful scene involves Hamish going clubbing with the new schoolteacher, Frida. There's also a wonderful mini-story about a haunted island that will have you chuckling. The book isn't a five-star novel, however. Why not? The murder plot is pretty silly and won't satisfy you. But the satire will keep you entertained nicely.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.1 out of 5 stars (22 customer reviews) 23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
great fun,
By tregatt - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Death of a Bore (Hardcover)
Can "Death of a Bore" truly be the twentieth Hamish Macbeth installment? Apparently so. But even though the books follow an almost strict formulae, and the regular characters don't really step out of the mold that M. C. Beaton has given them, the Hamish Macbeth mystery novels remain as fresh and as entertaining as ever, and loads of fun to read. "Death of a Bore" was no exception to the rule.
When novelist and soap opera writer John Heppel moves to Cnothan (a village neighbouring Lochdubh), he advertises to teach a seminar on how to become a famous and published writer. Hamish Macbeth smells a disaster in the making, but even he is unprepared for how disastrously everything goes. For John Heppel is a total bore, more interested in talking about himself and promoting his talents than in actually teaching and helping anyone who has signed up for his classes. And it isn't too long before the arrogant man angers everyone by insulting their efforts and putting them down brutally. Angry, the villagers vow revenge. And when Heppel is found dead in his cottage, the entire village of Lochdubh ends up on the suspect list. Hamish immediately discounts the very notion that one of his people could have murdered Heppel, and is sure that someone Heppel knew in the soap opera world murdered the tiresome man. But at the back of his mind, he cannot help but fear that his famous instincts may have blinded him in this instance, and that someone he knows and cares about may be a killer after all... Rich in wit and dark humour, "Death of a Bore" was a joy to read from start to finish. The story is a little formulaic, with few surprises, but the joy of this series lies in all the eccentric and taking characters that people this series. And then of course, there is Hamish's romantic entanglements, as well as his run-ins with fellow officers and superior officers who are jealous of his talents and suspicious of his lack of ambition. Add to this Beaton's vivid, romantic yet realistic depiction of the Highlands; throw in a nice little cozy mystery, and a sardonic prose style, and you have a book that is guaranteed to give you a few hours of reading joy. I thoroughly enjoyed "Death of a Bore" from beginning to end, and would recommend it as a delightful read 19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Walk in the Highlands,
By SundayMorning "J" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Death of a Bore (Hardcover)
I wholeheartedly agree with a fellow reviewer: It is hard to believe this is the 20th book in the Hamish Macbeth mystery series. It is hard to believe because M.C. Beaton's writing remains crisp and engaging throughout the entire series. In fact, her writing is so compeling that before you know it, you find yourself wanting to jump in the Range Rover alongside Hamish to drive to Cnothan to protect to the angry group of Highlanders from the tomfoolery of Hamish's superior officers.
In "Death of a Bore", just as in "Death of a Scriptwriter", M.C. Beaton gives the reader a wickedly real view of the artifical lives of the employees in the television industry. There are times when reading the book is like having a good gossip with a close friend over tea and toast. The images are so vivid that one cannot help but wonder whether M.C. Beaton, herself, is not writing from experience and her own desires to kill off scriptwriters after she worked with the entertainment industry in the making of the Hamish Macbeth television series for the BBC. Like other books in the series, Beaton's "Death of a Bore" is filled with humor, especially when the village ladies, led by the vicar's wife, Mrs. Wellington, once again attempt to get Hamish married off. All in all, the book is a good read. It teases your intellect with a mystery. It delights your sensitivities with satire as Hamish observes the world outside his beloved Highland village. The book tickles your funny bone when the village ladies are intent upon managing Hamish's life when he believes he is safely at home. 5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It is certainly too long between Hamish Macbeth mysteries!,
By S. Schwartz "romonko" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Death of a Bore (Hardcover)
This is a truly wonderful series, and it remains fresh time after time. It always seems too long between books for me. Hamish is definitely my favourite copper, maverick though he may be. In this book we have a published writer who wants to hold a writing class in Lochdubh. Much to Macbeth's surprise a lot of villagers want to take this course. Macbeth goes to the first meeting to see what all the fuss is about, and finds out that the writer is an insufferable bore. Not only that, he gives Macbeth a bad feeling. Sure enough Macbeth's intuition is right, and the boring author is found murdered in his cottage. Macbeth has to wonder if any of his village friends was responisble for it. But he uses his not insubstanial brain cells, and manages to solve the crime. What a wonderful treat these books are! Ms. Beaton is truly the queen of the "Black Comedic murder". Now I can't wait until the next Hamish Macbeth mystery.
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