3.5 stars. This book is like cotton candy; it's fluffy and light on substance, but enjoyable all the same. Like Hamish himself, Death of a Gossip is like a sleepy, laid-back countryside where everything moves slowly. Not for readers who like their reads fast-paced and action-filled, but it's perfect if you want a relaxing few hours.I absolutely adore Hamish. His character is so vividly described that I can practically see him wander around town languidly as I read. He's supposedly soft-spoken, simple and uninterested, but is perfectly able to give as good as he gets - usually leaving the other party frustrated and speechless. Hah! I love him. We're also introduced to Priscilla, his love interest, but I'm not sure I liked what little I saw.It's really a pity that much of the book is told from the point of view of Alice, an insipid, self-absorbed and completely delusional accountant's secretary who fancied one of her fellow travellers to be interested in her when he clearly isn't. She doesn't have a very good first impression of Hamish, and since the early events are seen through her eyes, I very nearly disliked Hamish. Good thing it switches to Hamish later!It was clear from the beginning who was going to be murdered, but it took awhile to happen. It didn't drag and I never guessed who the murderer was, but I'm not entirely sure I was satisfied at the rather convenient conclusion. Perhaps this is partly because readers are not privy to all the clues that Hamish manages to gather. As for the setting, most of the time is spent on various members of the holiday fishing class, so we don't get much of a picture of the rest of Lochdubh. The atmosphere is very much there, however, and I'm sure we'll get more of it in the following books.In summary, Hamish was what really made this book. I'm not sure I'd have liked it half as much if it wasn't for him. Hurrah for an effective and interesting hero. Onto the next installment!
A flyfishing school in the quaint village of Lochdubh is disrupted by the murder of one of its participants, an unsavoury gossip named Lady Jane. Lochdubh's slow-moving, unambitious police constable Hamish MacBeth is not a seasoned professional in murder investigations, so Detective Chief Inspector Blair swoops in from Strathbane to solve the murder and effectively bars Hamish from participating in the investigation. Hamish, however, ignores Blair (a trend in future novels) and continues to slowly uncover clues about the members of the fly fishing school, one of whom is not really who they seem.Having read two of M.C. Beaton's later novels, it was interesting to go back and read the beginning of the series. Her writing and plotting have definitely evolved over the course of the series, and Hamish MacBeth has grown as a character. In this first novel, Hamish MacBeth takes a much smaller role, and unfortunately, large chunks of the story are told from the viewpoint of Alice, a member of the fly fishing school, who is dull, flakey, naive, and from the beginning, dislikes Hamish MacBeth so doesn't view him in the best light. The mystery is a little clunky: clue-dropping is minimal and Hamish discovers the murderer's identity on a hunch that the reader isn't privy to until the big reveal. I don't read these for the thrill of the mystery though. I read them because I love Lochdubh and its quirky villagers. Hamish MacBeth, their faithful police constable, is such a likeable character, and he delivers some lines of dialogue that are truly funny. That is enough to keep me reading this pleasant, light-hearted series.
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Book BlurbScottish highland village cop Hamish Macbeth must find which target was provoked enough to strangle and drown nasty fat widowed tabloid reporter Jane Winters, who revealed many others' guilty secrets. Much is from the viewpoint of a naive secretary seduced by a blue-blood playboy. Icy blond beauty, aristocratic Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, lends a hand.CommentsIt's not the most exciting, riveting, murder mystery I have ever read, but good enough to spend a few hours with all the characters and constable Hamish MacBeth in the Scottish landscape. As a first book in the series, I might consider reading some of the others, although there are 32 in the series! Needless to say, I won't pursue them all.
—Margitte
I just love this series. Hamish is a handsome redheaded constable in a small village in Scotland. If I were single...just kidding. Poor Hamish does not have a lot of luck in love. Plenty of murders happen in and around this small village, and it is up to Hamish to get to the bottom of things. His methods are pragmatic and inspired. The results are always satisfying.I read the first Hamish somewhere in the middle of the series, but went on to read every last one of them. I choose book number one, but I can't remember the details as it has been sometime since read. However, I confidently give it five stars because I have loved every story. I'd love to read them all again, but, so many books, so little time.
—Elaine Cramer
Why have I never read any Hamish Macbeth books? They have been recommended to me several times over the years! I finally checked the first one out of the library after watching several episodes of the BBC TV show. Having just finished the first book in the series, I feel like I could dive into the series and read them all one right after the other. I can't do that since I have other books slated to be read first, but it sure would be enjoyable!Speaking just of the book, it reminded me quite a lot of an Agatha Christie mystery - including an ensemble cast of suspects who each had an equally compelling motive for killing the very annoying gossip in their midst. Because of seeing the TV show first, I had a hard time picturing Hamish Macbeth with red hair and his dog as a "large slavering guard dog of indeterminate breed." But the differences between the TV show and the book didn't diminish my enjoyment of either. After finishing the book, I felt like I'd taken a quick trip to the Scottish Highlands! I wish I could plan a trip there for real sometime soon, but I guess I'll have to settle for reading another in this series. I look forward to reading Death of a Cad sometime in the very near future.I chuckled quite a few times while reading this book. While this one didn't make me chuckle, here is a favorite quote about Hamish Macbeth: "He was not going to be frightened because it was a murder investigation. All criminals were the same whether it was a theft in the school or poaching deer on the hills. You talked, asked questions, and listened and watched and waited."
—Luann
