Most helpful customer reviews
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Two Novels in One, April 20 2007
It's always a challenge keeping a mystery series fresh. Many times readers will react negatively to changes you put in place. In Death of Macho Man, M.C. Beaton does something few mystery writers could accomplish: She builds up enough plot complications for two mysteries and lets her characters be much more active than usual. The result is immensely satisfying for giving you more of what you like about Hamish Macbeth stories: Mysterious deaths; unexpected motives; romantic complications; prickly interactions with Priscilla Halburton-Smythe; failed attempts by Detective Chief Inspector Blair to get Hamish fired; by-play with the Lochdubh villagers; and exciting action sequences. Don't miss this book!
As usual, an outsider is causing problems in Lochdubh. Randy Duggan claims to have been a professional wrestler in America and likes to brag about his exploits. He has plenty of muscles and tattoos, but his stories don't always ring true. Duggan can usually gain an audience by buying drinks all round with his wad of cash. But after awhile, even free drinks begin to pale as Randy's need to brag nonstop in unconvincing ways becomes boring. Physical confrontations start and Hamish has to sort things out. Duggan wants a piece of Hamish and Hamish makes the mistake of agreeing to fight Duggan while Hamish is off duty. The whole area gets a bet down and arrives to watch the fun. Things turn nasty, however, when Duggan is found dead with his head blown off by a shotgun. Naturally, Hamish is the top suspect.
From that taut beginning, the story builds in intensity as Hamish works in secret to find the real killer. Priscilla Halburton-Smythe has her biggest role in many books, and all of the challenging dimensions of their relationship are put to a test (including teaching Hamish how to use a computer). The mystery deepens as Hamish begins to find out unpleasant facts about two local residents. Everything is up in the air once the pathologists realize that Duggan has had plastic surgery. What was he trying to hide?
A great subplot in the book is the attention paid to Hamish's relationships with his friends among the villagers. As the investigations continue, Hamish finds himself in trouble with the villagers as well as with the police leaders in Strathbane.
You'll also like seeing Hamish become a lot more reckless and less lazy. It shows a side of him that only occasionally is revealed in the earlier books.
Highly recommended!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
How Does MC Beaton manage to keep this series so fresh?, Dec 31 2003
This is the twelfth entry in the Hamish Macbeth series, and it's a winner! Probably my favourite so far. I just don't know how MC Beaton does manage to keep Hamish and his series so fresh and delightful. She is a superb author and characterizes like no one else in the business! In this book Hamish is up against a village bully and braggart, and then the bully turns up dead. All of the police force believe they have their killer (after all he even confessed), but only Hamish doesn't think they've got the right man. He goes out sleuthing on his own, and sets himself up against all the police brass. He is at his best in this book, and for those who haven't had the pleasure of entering Hamish's world, this book wouldn't be a bad place to start. Quite Wonderful!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A great book and a great mystery, Jun 26 2003
This is the twelfth in a series of mysteries featuring the detective work of small town, Highland Scottish detective Hamish Macbeth, P.C. A loudmouthed bruiser of a man has established himself in Lochdubh, but when he starts to bully those smaller than himself (everyone), Hamish decides that it is time to deal with him. But, when the man is found dead (drugged, tied up, and blasted with a shotgun), Hamish sets out to find out who did it and why. And when a second person is murdered, the plot continues to thicken...Being a dyed-in-the-wool Hamish Macbeth fan, I can tell you that this is another great Hamish mystery, just as good as the rest. The story was quite fascinating, and I have always enjoyed M.C. Beaton's (pseudonym of Marion Chesney) Highland setting - the characters are quite fascinating as is the environment of the Highlands themselves. Overall I thought that this was a great book, and a great mystery. If you like mysteries, or are merely interest in the Scottish Highlands, then you must get this book!
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by M.C. Beaton
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by M. C. Beaton
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