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
|
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 |
|