Death of a Maid [Hardcover]

 

 

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Police Constable Hamish Macbeth is happiest during the good weather when there's no crime going on. He'll see if he can mooch a free coffee or sandwich at the Tommel Castle Hotel and leave his cat, Sonsie, and his dog, Lugs, to be fed by the doctor's wife. Unattached, he seems happiest . . . even if his old girl friend Elspeth Grant accused him of being married to a cat and dog.

That tranquility is dispelled from Death of a Gossip when Elspeth sends him a spiteful letter to let Hamish know she's coming for a wee holiday at the Tommel Castle Hotel, but is not interested in pursuing him. Matters are made worse when Mrs. Gillespie arrives to clean the police station: Hamish had "won" her services at a church raffle. She seems to make more of a mess than anything else. Hamish is further annoyed to notice that Elspeth's letter has disappeared. Mrs. Gillespie has a reputation as a gossip, and Hamish doesn't want the news spread around Lochdubh. Hamish heads off to scold her . . . but is prevented from doing so when he finds she's been murdered.

Hamish has a new challenge when Detective Chief Inspector Blair decides that he'll get Hamish some publicity so that Hamish will have to accept promotion to Strathbane where Blair can keep an eye on him. Before long, the television crews are attached to Blair rather than Hamish as the investigation begins.

Hamish finds out that no one liked Mrs. Gillespie, although some swear by her cleaning . . . which is indeed suspicious. Her husband practically dances a jig when he hears the news. Her step-daughter is also pleased. The most that any cleaning customers have to say is that they'll have to hire someone else. What did she do to annoy everyone?

Hamish soon picks up clues that Mrs. Gillespie was a snoop. Could it be that she's holding something over the heads of her customers?

Tracking down the secrets turns out to be tricky. Hamish ends up in an uneasy alliance with Elspeth who promises to help with the case if Hamish will share what he finds. Hamish isn't too happy about the partnership despite Elspeth's good work: He's jealous of the hard-drinking reporter, Luke Teviot, he's joined Elspeth on her holiday. Between listening to gossip and trailing suspects, a long list of possible motives for murder develops. But the investigation itself starts to turn dangerous as revelations threaten the suspects.

For long-time Hamish Macbeth fans, this book will remind you of Death of a Gossip in terms of how threatened people are when their secrets might be exposed. The story develops in a more sophisticated way through the investigation. Ms. Beaton has improved a lot in her procedural writing since the beginning. As in many of the books in the series, the investigation shakes Hamish's complacency and the results are rewarding reading, especially for those who enjoy Hamish's problems with women.

The book has two main weaknesses. One, the clues take a little too long to be revealed. Two, the identity of the murderer isn't difficult enough to figure out.

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