Death of a Nag [Mass Market Paperback]

 

 

Create your own review

Poor Constable Hamish Macbeth, as if it were not bad enough that he has been demoted, his engagement to the coolly beautiful Priscilla Halburton-Smythe is over, and the villagers of Lochdubh all blame him for the break-up. In hopes of putting some distance between himself and the villagers' hostility, Hamish decides to go on a holiday to the northern seaside village of Skag.

Hamish decides to stay at the Friendly boarding house, which is anything but that. There, Hamish endures unpleasant hosts who serve inedible food, as well as a motley crew of fellow guests. Of course, this would not be a mystery if someone were not murdered. So, it is no surprise when one of his fellow vacationers, an unpleasant fellow who delights in berating his fellow man, is the one to meet his maker. Unfortunately, Hamish becomes the number one suspect, given the fact that just prior to the victim's death, Hamish had an altercation with him.

This is the eleventh book in a series of cozy mysteries featuring lovable Highlander, Hamish Macbeth. The book is also laced with sly humor throughout that is engaging, keeping the mood of the book light and highly enjoyable. As with all cozy mysteries, it is not so much the mystery that is of import but the characters that revolve around the mystery. While the mysteries are intriguing, they are the framework around which the characters evolve. With the oddly endearing Hamish Macbeth, the author has created a character that keeps his many fans looking forward to the next book in the series.

This is the 11th Hamish Macbeth mystery. At the end of Death of a Charming Man, Hamish breaks his unofficial engagement with Priscilla. It wasn't just that she tried to run his life; she was too good at it! Also, Priscilla couldn't warm up to him at male-female level which left him feeling bereft. Naturally, the sturdy citizens of Lockdubh and his police colleagues think that Hamish must have lost his mind. He gets full blame for the breakup. Hamish is also demoted back to police constable for his mistake at the end of Death of a Charming Man. Feeling pretty bad, he decides he needs a wee holiday. Finding a low-priced boarding house in Skag, Hamish heads off with Towser.

Arriving in Skag, Hamish finds that he's jumped out of the pot into the fire. The boarding house (so-called Friendly House) serves inedible food that seems spoiled, and the owners are openly hostile. Not only that, someone has been into his things. His next-door neighbors never stop arguing, and the husband is always nagging his wife about something or the other. The only respite comes when Hamish slugs the nag in self-defense and threatens to kill him if he doesn't stop on his wife. Naturally, the husband calls in the local constabulary. Hamish is saved from jail by the wife's willingness to defend him. After that contretemps, Hamish tries to organize outings with the more amiable of the fellow guests and starts to have a good time . . . when he suddenly spots the nag's body in the water. Naturally, Hamish is suspect number one . . . until a retired teacher gives him an unexpected alibi.

Hamish finds himself drawn into the investigation, but he's got a tagalong, police constable Maggie Donald, who wants to use her female wiles to get ahead. Through some pretty unusual detective methods, Hamish begins to uncover the secrets of his fellow boarders . . . and plenty of motives for murder.

Before the book is done, Hamish has suffered another great loss. The book concludes on a sad note that strikes against optimism about love conquering all.

In many ways, this story has better development than most of ten books that preceded it. But the book lacks charm and appeal. Frankly, it's a bit of a downer.

But for a continuing series, this story fits nicely and lays the groundwork for further series developments that I'm sure will reward readers in the future.

But if you don't feel like you need to read every book in the series, you could skip this one.

I usually devour one the Hamish Macbeth books at one sitting. In this case, I found myself going very slowly. It was just such a downer. I give Ms. Beaton great credit for being able to capture that mood and transmit it to me.

Ultimately, the story's weakness is that the characters aren't very attractive. Even the ones you don't like in a normal Hamish Macbeth story are interesting enough that you want to know more about them. In this case, I didn't find any of the new characters to be particularly interesting.

This is the eleventh in a series of mysteries featuring the detective work of small town, Highland Scottish detective Hamish Macbeth, P.C. In this story, Hamish sets out for a quiet (and cheap) vacation at the North Sea resort town of Skag. However, when he discovers the body of one of his fellow vacationers (a loud-mouthed nag of a husband), Hamish suddenly finds himself the prime suspect in a murder investigation. And so, with his faithful dog Towser in tow, Macbeth sets out to find out who caused the death of a nag.

My wife has been a big Hamish Macbeth fan for years, and she has now brought me into the fold. This was not my favorite Hamish Macbeth novel, in particular I found the ending sadly cynical, but I did enjoy reading it. I liked the setting and the characters, and think that M.C. Beaton is an excellent. So, if you are interested in a story set in modern Scotland, or just a good mystery, then I highly recommend this book to you.

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 11 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

 

3.0 out of 5 stars Great plot but not my favorite MacBeth
As with all of this series, it was a good, entertaining read. Because of something that happens within the story that wouldn't be fair to share to those who haven't read the... Read more

Published on Nov 3 2002 by Kimber Smith-Fidler

5.0 out of 5 stars Hamish even finds murder on vacation
Hamish and Priscilla have broken up. Priscilla has gone to stay with friends, so naturally the whole village blames Hamish and ostracise him. Read more

Published on Sep 2 2002 by Moe811

5.0 out of 5 stars The best MacBeth mystery of the series.
I have enjoyed all of the Hamish MacBeth novels, but this one is my favorite. First, Hamish has to deal with the ending of his long relationship with Priscilla and then he has to... Read more

Published on Jun 8 2001 by A. Gaston

4.0 out of 5 stars Beaton Triumphs Again!
In "Death of a Nag," M.C. Beaton returns with her eleventh Hamish Macbeth mystery, and he is continuing to keep Lochdubh safe and sound. Read more

Published on Jan 19 2001 by Billy J. Hobbs

4.0 out of 5 stars Quintessential Cozy
If you're looking for a "cozy" in the Agatha Christie tradition, MC Beaton's Hamish series ought to fit the bill. Read more

Published on Nov 27 2000 by Stefanie N

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic "who done it" plot with well drawn characters
This the first book I've read of the series and found it an enjoyable read...reminded me of the various British detective stories we see on TV like Inspector Morse, Jane Tennison,... Read more

Published on Nov 10 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars Endearing, Exciting Escape
Hamish MacBeth escapes the gossip of Lochdubh for a bit of a seaside vacation in Skay at the "Friendly House" - which is anything but. Read more

Published on May 9 2000 by Mamalinde

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes, yes, yes
Okay, I only picked up Death of a Glutton because I was caught out of the house without a book and had some wait time on my hands. Read more

Published on April 12 2000

Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

› See all 11 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Search Listmania!