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Death of a Gentle Lady
A Hamish Macbeth Murder Mystery Book 24

by M C Beaton



      UK readers can rejoice, for Constable and Robinson are reprinting all the Hamish Macbeth series. While you wait for the next few to come out in August, you can enjoy the hardcover edition of the latest in the series - if you have read that far, that is. Even if you haven’t and are tempted to sneak a peek, not too much has changed, which shows that Ms Beaton is sensible enough to know that if you have a winning recipe for literary success, you don’t change it. Her character, Mrs Gentle, is a kindly old lady who lives in a 19th century mock castle, and everybody thinks that she is wonderful. But Hamish isn’t so sure; he has seen a nastier side to her. Then Mrs Gentle is found dead in strange circumstances, and Hamish the sleuth is back on the case.

These books slide down like a wee dram of single malt and are just as addictive. Not to spoil a plot, Hamish has some startling adventures with a member of the opposite sex as well as plenty of detecting to do. These are commendably concise novels, packed with incident, all of which is relevant to the main story, along with plenty of humor. A very great number of novels opt for a dull protagonist and some fascinating villains, but in these books nobody outshines the protagonist. Hamish manages to be quirky, slightly dodgy, but eminently sensible and adept at solving crimes and keeping the peace. Long may he continue to do so.

Reviews of other titles in this series

Death of a Gossip #1
Death of a Cad #2
Death of an Outsider #3
Death of a Macho Man #12
Death of a Dentist #13
Death of a Scriptwriter #14
Death of an Addict #15
A Highland Christmas #15.5
Death of a Dustman #16  [review 1] [review 2]
Death of a Celebrity #17  [review 1] [review 2]
Death of a Village #18
Death of a Poison Pen #19
Death of a Bore #20  [review 1] [review 2]
Death of a Dreamer #21 [audio] [book 1 ] [book 2]
Death of a Maid #22  [review 1] [uk review 2]
Death of a Gentle Lady #23  [review 1] [review 2]
Death of a Witch #24  [review 1] [review 2]
Death of a Valentine #25  [review 1] [review 2]
Death of a Chimney Sweep #26  [review 1] [review 2]
Death of a Kingfisher #27  [review 1] [review 2]
Death of Yesterday #28  [audio] [ book]
Death of a Policeman #29  [audio] [book]
Death of a Liar #30  [audio] [book]
Death of a Nurse #31  [audio] [book]
Death of a Ghost #32 [audio] [book]

Death of an Honest Man #33 [audio] [book]

 

The Book

Constable (Constable and Robinson)
12 May 2008
Hardback
1845296486 / 9781845296483
Mystery
More at Amazon.com US || UK
NOTE: US edition is same ISBN but from Grand Central Publishing

The Reviewer

Rachel A Hyde
Reviewed 2008
© 2008 MyShelf.com