Publishers Weekly
01/02/2023
In the meandering 36th Hamish Macbeth mystery (after 2022’s Death of a Green-Eyed Monster), the second collaboration between Beaton (1936–2019) and Green, Hamish, a police sergeant stationed in the village of Lockdubh but whose “beat covers a vast swathe of rural Sutherland in the far north of Scotland,” investigates when Kate Hibbert, a relative newcomer to the village, goes missing. Hamish soon discovers that Kate was not the friendly, helpful neighbor she had pretended to be. Three weeks after the woman’s disappearance, Hamish is the first policeman on the scene when her strangled body is found floating in a remote loch. Hamish spots her battered suitcase and pulls it from the water; its contents point to a range of possible suspects in her murder. Pompous, officious Detective Chief Inspector Blair, “an evil scunner” and “a bungling eejit,” as well as Hamish’s nemesis, provides an obstacle for Hamish to bump up against. The plot swerves wildly from village foibles and secrets into the world of international espionage as it marches doggedly toward its finale. This one’s for established fans only. Agent: Barbara Lowenstein, Lowenstein Assoc. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
"Longing for escape? Tired of waiting for Brigadoon to materialize? Time for a trip to Lochdubh, the scenic, if somnolent, village in the Scottish Highlands where M. C. Beaton sets her beguiling whodunits featuring Constable Hamish Macbeth."—New York Times Book Review
"Beaton, the grand dame of the cozy mystery genre, passed away in late 2019. Beaton chose her friend and fellow writer Green to continue her Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin mystery series . . . and he delivers the charge most admirably. [Death of a Green-Eyed Monster] maintains Beaton's distinctive voice and includes the usual village eccentrics, loads of Scottish lore, and the light humor that Beaton fans have loved through the years. Most important, the book ends with a teaser that seems to promise more and even wilder adventures for Hamish."—Library Journal (Starred Review)
"Pays fine tribute to Beaton . . . Beaton and Green do a superb job keeping the red herrings coming and the plot twists jumping out at you until the finale. You’ll just have to strap on your favorite kilt and visit scenic Lochdubh to find out exactly what is going on."—Bookreporter on Death of a Green-Eyed Monster
"Some terrific comic moments (reminiscent of All Creatures Great and Small) . . . Long live Macbeth, Sergeant of Scotland!"—Booklist on Death of a Green-Eyed Monster (Starred Review)
"This is R. W. Green’s first outings as the successor to Marion Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth series, and he captures [Macbeth's] charm . . . As in the previous Macbeth books, [Death of a Green-Eyed Monster] deals with human failings. Thanks to the gentle touch of R. W. Green, readers will look forward to spending more time in the future with Hamish as he protects the land and people he loves dearly."—New York Journal of Books
