Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No 27
M. C. Beaton
Grand Central Publishing
Feb 12, 2012 / ISBN: 0446547360
Cozy Mystery / Scotland / Village Police
Reviewed
by Brenda Weeaks
I look forward to visiting the Highlands and Hamish
McBeth whenever a new mystery is published. I've read ninety-eight
percent of the Macbeth series and never found it dull. The mysteries
are just the right size for a quick entertaining read (This one
256 pages). The series has a perfect combination of mystery and
unique characters ready get you hooked on Hamish, the Scottish Highlands,
its villages and villagers.
In this mystery the village of Braikie renames the
Buchan's Wood, The Fairy Glen. Mary, the attractive local tourist
director came up with the idea. Just when the village looks like
it's thriving, someone starts sabotaging The Fairy Glen. First a
family of birds (kingfishers) is killed followed up by a human victim.
Someone wants to put a stop to this unique village moneymaker. In
the midst of it all is the rich Mrs. Colchester looking after her
grandchildren - she's callous and they're downright wicked. Mrs.
Colchester believes in Fairies; so do others who put things outside
at night to appease them. Sergeant Hamish spends a lot of time on
the road trying to solve this one. Good thing he has a new constable
named Dick Fraser to take care of the pets. Of course MacBeth is
just as prejudiced about him as he was with the others. Dick likes
to sit outside and gossip with the locals, but MacBeth is about
to discover Dick has a unique gift. And back to assist MacBeth in
this case are Elspeth and Priscilla; both gladly give their two-cents
on the case as does the local tourist director, Mary (sounds like
they're jealous).
Beaton offers enough twists to keep us intrigued
and a never-ending range of secondary characters to play off Hamish
and the villagers. I think readers will appreciate the conclusion.
It's interesting how fate, karma, whatever you want to call it,
has the final say at the end of these mysteries - it's almost therapeutic.
Reviews of other titles in this series
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