Hamish Macbeth Series – Book XXVI
M C Beaton
Constable (Constable and
Robinson)
24 February 2011/ ISBN 9781849010214
Mystery / Contemporary Scottish Highlands
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Reviewed
by Rachel A Hyde
Hamish Macbeth is summoned to the dour village of Drim when a body
is found stuffed up a chimney. The body belongs to bullying husband
and ex-military man Captain Henry Davenport, and the main suspect
is the sweep, Peter Ray, who was sweeping the chimney at the time.
When Pete’s body is found on the moors the police conclude
that he must have done the deed and driven away in a rush, crashing
his car. Hamish thinks otherwise, and sets into motion a tale that
will take some of the people involved to a variety of other countries.
This is perhaps wrongly classed as a “mystery” as you
don’t have to wait long to discover whodunit. The fun lies
in how long they will get away with it before Hamish runs them to
earth, and of course in reading the latest entry in a very long-running
series. By now we know many of the Lochdubh inhabitants and it is
as much about them as the actual crime, although this being the
work of an experienced author everything does have a bearing on
the case. It is certainly a tortuous tale, taking place not only
in the Highlands but also in London, Brazil, Florida and various
other locations and of course it is a lot of fun. Nobody does this
sort of thing quite like Ms Beaton, and by now any similarities
with a certain TV series or even the earlier books seems far away
and what is left is perhaps in a sub-genre all of its own. If you
like this series, you will enjoy this exuberant frothy romp of a
story.
Reviews of other titles in this series
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