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Death of a Bore: Hamish Macbeth Murder Mystery No. 20
 
 

Death of a Bore: Hamish Macbeth Murder Mystery No. 20 [Kindle Edition]

M. C. Beaton
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

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Product Description

Product Description

Not bored to death but murder most foul . . .

Celebrated author John Heppel is known in Lochdubh as a self-important bore, prone to belittling the scribblings of the locals in his creative writing class. So when he's found dead, his mouth oozing ink, it seems a fitting fate.

But for PC Hamish Macbeth the murder is more than a disruption to idyllic village life - especially when the media arrive, trailing in their wake DCI Heather Meikle, a maneater with a taste for bachelor police constables. Hamish must rekindle an old flame to escape her clutches and pull out all the stops to find the killer.

About the Author

M C Beaton was born in Scotland. She worked for many years as a journalist on Fleet Street. As well as the bestselling Agatha Raisin series, she is the author of the acclaimed Hamish Macbeth mysteries. She divides her time between the Cotswolds, where she lives in a village very much like Agatha's beloved Carsely, and Paris.

Product details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 456 KB
  • Print Length: 268 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0892967951
  • Publisher: Robinson (20 Oct 2011)
  • Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
  • Language English
  • ASIN: B005XKWSZW
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #15,942 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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M. C. Beaton
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is the twenty-first in a series of wonderful mysteries featuring the detective work of small town, Highland Scottish detective Hamish Macbeth, P.C. In this book, Hamish's life is troubled by a new arrival in the town, a boorish writer whose truest love is himself. But, when he is suddenly found dead, suspicion falls on citizens of the town. It's a sure thing that the Strathbane detectives will not get to the bottom of this thing, so it is up to Hamish to save the day, and bring a murderer to justice.

This is another homerun for M.C. Beaton (pseudonym of Marion Chesney). This book has all of the charm of the earlier books, staying in small town Scotland, and involving all sorts of interesting and quirky characters. Overall I thought that this was a great book, and a great mystery. If you like mysteries, or are merely interest in the Scottish Highlands, then you must get this book!

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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Death of an Egomaniac 10 Nov 2006
By Donald Mitchell HALL OF FAME TOP 500 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Pardon me, but I found this title to be inapt for the book. The victim, John Heppel, is a bad writer, acts in inconsiderate ways, displays immense egotism, and is generally despicable. But I didn't find him boring . . . just obnoxious. The book, too, is anything but boring.

What distinguishes this book from the run-of-the-mill mystery is the marvelous satirical humor displayed throughout. Hamish Macbeth avoids promotion. His superiors prove to be incompetent, unhappy, and in some cases driven to drink in this book. You can quickly see why he would be skeptical of becoming more like these people. John Heppel wins prizes for his books, has a great story about his gritty beginnings and attracts the interest of those don't know writing. In reality, the man is a phony in every dimension. M.C. Beaton has fun with that point in other ways as a local villager becomes sought after for a book that will be written in Gaelic, a language few can read, but which will look impressive on coffee tables in England. Women keep setting their sights on marrying Hamish, but it doesn't take much to distract them. Hamish finds his dog to be a better companion. It's a marvelously Scottish way of looking at the world that you'll enjoy.

What's the story about? Hamish is deeply concerned for writer John Heppel when Hamish notices that Heppel is offering a writing class. Doesn't Heppel know there's good telly on that night? Hamish, in turn, is astonished to find out that virtually the whole village has signed up for the class, hoping to become famous. The classes turn out to be a disappointment when Heppel displays disdain for his students. Refund is the word most often heard among the curses. In fact, many of the villagers in Lochdubh are captured on film threatening Heppel. When Heppel turns up dead, suspicion centers on Lochdubh . . . but Hamish is unconvinced. He wants to know more about a script that Heppel has written for Down in the Glen, a soap opera about Scotland. Why won't anyone show him a copy?

One of the most delicious moments in the story comes when Hamish gets a lead on information about the television show but is compelled to take the source of his lead out for a drunken evening. Another delightful scene involves Hamish going clubbing with the new schoolteacher, Frida. There's also a wonderful mini-story about a haunted island that will have you chuckling.

The book isn't a five-star novel, however. Why not? The murder plot is pretty silly and won't satisfy you. But the satire will keep you entertained nicely.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
John Heppel - a prize winning author - moves to the area and decides to hold a writing class in Lochdubh. But the classes consist of John giving a monologue about his career and this quickly leads to discontent among the villagers and they're soon demanding their money back. This doesn't stop them continuing their writing and many computers are delivered to the village.

When John Heppel is found dead Hamish Macbeth is reluctant to suspect the villagers and tries to find other suspects especially among the staff of Strathbane Television which is making an episode of a popular soap from a script by John Heppel. Hamish's boss - the irascible Blair - is keen to pin the blame on the villagers. Hamish's former girlfriend - journalist Elspeth Grant is sent from Glasgow to cover the story.

I think this is one of my favourite Hamish Macbeth stories. There are plenty of strands to the plot and an exciting conclusion. The villagers of Lochdubh feature in the story much more than they do in some of the books and it is far from clear who has committed the murder. I liked the way Hamish was continually trying to escape from Heather - the boss who temporarily replaces Blair - when she starts to pursue him carrying a bottle of whisky. Hamish wonders whether being continually abused by Blair is preferable to such a boss.
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