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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Murder
2.5 stars. too many pointless characters but interesting relationships between hamish & the highlanders
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Fun murder mystery with slightly cringey, pseudo-romantic backstory. Easy listen. Narrator OK.
Maybe it's the sympathy of his decimated love life talking, but I'm slowly growing into Hamish Macbeth.
There were a lot of characters in this novel that I'm sure will never show their faces again in the series, but I do hope Elspeth is a recurring character. Lugs seems to like her, so I'm on board.
Also the ending was comedy gold. Poor old spinster Nessie is going to have to be let down easy.
Reread 2021: This was reminiscent of when Elspeth had a personality that didn't replicate every other love interest in the series. I'm curious to see what R. Green does with her in the 2022 release.
Reread 2022: Part of me would love to live in a small village but I'm just imagining living in a place like this where literally everyone has dated each other. No one is safe. Except for maybe the Currie sisters.
There were a lot of characters in this novel that I'm sure will never show their faces again in the series, but I do hope Elspeth is a recurring character. Lugs seems to like her, so I'm on board.
Also the ending was comedy gold. Poor old spinster Nessie is going to have to be let down easy.
Reread 2021: This was reminiscent of when Elspeth had a personality that didn't replicate every other love interest in the series. I'm curious to see what R. Green does with her in the 2022 release.
Reread 2022: Part of me would love to live in a small village but I'm just imagining living in a place like this where literally everyone has dated each other. No one is safe. Except for maybe the Currie sisters.
Macbeth and the Dueling TV Presenters
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (2015) of the Mysterious Press hardcover original (2002)
Death of a Celebrity has outsider TV presenters descending on Constable Hamish Macbeth's beloved Highland village of Lochdubh in order to mock local residents and expose their past scandals. The presenters are rivals as well and it becomes a case of murder that the reluctant Macbeth must again sort out.
After discovering M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth cozy mystery series due to the Estonia cameo in "Death of Yesterday", I started to seek out the earlier books by finding several at Toronto's Sleuth of Baker Street. I enjoyed those and found them to be an especially delightful diversion during this continuing pandemic. My next plan was to go back and read the series in order. I then discovered the rather terrific bonus that most of the books are available for free on Audible Plus, a service that I had previously been underwhelmed by (some early attempts with longer books had audio difficulties, with book narrations freezing in midstream). Beaton's shorter books (usually 4 to 5 hours on audio) seem to be perfect for this medium.
This edition on Audible Audio has narrator Graeme Malcolm in place of series regular Shaun Grindell. Malcolm does an excellent job as well.
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (2015) of the Mysterious Press hardcover original (2002)
Death of a Celebrity has outsider TV presenters descending on Constable Hamish Macbeth's beloved Highland village of Lochdubh in order to mock local residents and expose their past scandals. The presenters are rivals as well and it becomes a case of murder that the reluctant Macbeth must again sort out.
After discovering M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth cozy mystery series due to the Estonia cameo in "Death of Yesterday", I started to seek out the earlier books by finding several at Toronto's Sleuth of Baker Street. I enjoyed those and found them to be an especially delightful diversion during this continuing pandemic. My next plan was to go back and read the series in order. I then discovered the rather terrific bonus that most of the books are available for free on Audible Plus, a service that I had previously been underwhelmed by (some early attempts with longer books had audio difficulties, with book narrations freezing in midstream). Beaton's shorter books (usually 4 to 5 hours on audio) seem to be perfect for this medium.
This edition on Audible Audio has narrator Graeme Malcolm in place of series regular Shaun Grindell. Malcolm does an excellent job as well.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Death of a Celebrity is the 17th book in the mystery series featuring Hamish Macbeth by British author, M.C. Beaton. While I did read the first 3 books in the series, I've jumped around since then... availability of the books, dontcha know. (MC Beaton also writes the Agatha Raisin mystery series and also some other books)
So Hamish MacBeth is a small town police constable in the highlands of Scotland. His area of responsibility is the town of Lochdubh and surrounding locales. He comes under the Scottish CID located in Strathbane. Hamish is always getting under the skin of the head of CID, but in this case, he has been temporarily replaced by DCI Carson and they develop a not bad relationship. You see, Hamish is considered a bit of a wild card, a loose cannon by Strathbane.
Anyway, let's welcome the titled Celebrity, TV reporter Crystal French. She previously met the head of programming of Strathbane TV and after an overnight fling (he was married of course), she is offered a plum job of trying to improve ratings for the network. This involves stirring up dirt on the locals in Lochdubh and other small towns and crofts, and even including Hamish himself. This does not endear the young lady to the locals and, of course, she is found dead in her car, initially her death is considered a suicide.
Hamish doesn't buy it and after a bit, neither does CID. So we now begin the investigation. Helping Hamish along is a local beauty, and also a bit of a psychic, who writes horoscopes and other articles of local interest for the Highlands weekly paper. Hamish has just discovered that the woman he's set his heart on, has gone and gotten engaged and he finds himself 'off' women, even the lovely Elspeth (as an aside, Hamish is a foolish git)
It's all a neat investigation with lots of suspects and lots of folks trying to keep old secrets. Hamish investigates and must try not to upset his superiors, but also not get booted off the case. It's all very interesting; the locale, the local color / characters, the on / off again possible relationship with Elspeth and also we get to like Hamish's dog, Luggs. The case moves along nicely, the story is well - written and interesting and the conclusion very satisfying. Of the two mystery series, so far I prefer the Hamish MacBeth one but next in line for me is a Agatha Raisin mystery... Onward ho! (4.0 stars)
So Hamish MacBeth is a small town police constable in the highlands of Scotland. His area of responsibility is the town of Lochdubh and surrounding locales. He comes under the Scottish CID located in Strathbane. Hamish is always getting under the skin of the head of CID, but in this case, he has been temporarily replaced by DCI Carson and they develop a not bad relationship. You see, Hamish is considered a bit of a wild card, a loose cannon by Strathbane.
Anyway, let's welcome the titled Celebrity, TV reporter Crystal French. She previously met the head of programming of Strathbane TV and after an overnight fling (he was married of course), she is offered a plum job of trying to improve ratings for the network. This involves stirring up dirt on the locals in Lochdubh and other small towns and crofts, and even including Hamish himself. This does not endear the young lady to the locals and, of course, she is found dead in her car, initially her death is considered a suicide.
Hamish doesn't buy it and after a bit, neither does CID. So we now begin the investigation. Helping Hamish along is a local beauty, and also a bit of a psychic, who writes horoscopes and other articles of local interest for the Highlands weekly paper. Hamish has just discovered that the woman he's set his heart on, has gone and gotten engaged and he finds himself 'off' women, even the lovely Elspeth (as an aside, Hamish is a foolish git)
It's all a neat investigation with lots of suspects and lots of folks trying to keep old secrets. Hamish investigates and must try not to upset his superiors, but also not get booted off the case. It's all very interesting; the locale, the local color / characters, the on / off again possible relationship with Elspeth and also we get to like Hamish's dog, Luggs. The case moves along nicely, the story is well - written and interesting and the conclusion very satisfying. Of the two mystery series, so far I prefer the Hamish MacBeth one but next in line for me is a Agatha Raisin mystery... Onward ho! (4.0 stars)
medium-paced
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced