[.ca] Death of a Poison Pen (ISBN 0446614890)

Oh That Wonderful Hamish!:
Hamish Macbeth is a wonderful character. He always seems to bumble his way to a solution in the many murders that seem to occur in his area, but underneath that shambling exterior is a mind that is as sharp as a whip. The Hamish Macbeth series is one of my very favourite series, and even though Ms. Beaton has about 20 entries in the series it just never seems to get stale. The characters that we meet with every book (the wonderful, eccentric citizens of Lochdubh), plus the new ones that she introduces each time are what make this series so special. I am sad that I've now caught up to Ms. Beaton, and now I am relegated to waiting (very impatiently I might add) for the next book. I have enjoyed every minute that I've spent with Hamish in wonderful Lochdubh. In this book, Hamish has been bothered with a vicious poison pen writer in the neighbouring village of Braike. He is worried because he fears that this letter campaign is going to lead to murder, and sure enough that's what happens. He and his wonderful "lady friend" Elspeth work together to try to trap the writer and to find the murderer. It turns out that they're not one and the same. Hamish also gains the help of another young lady that is visiting Lochdubh. She said it was for a holiday, but actually her intent was to try to ensare Hamish as a form of "getting back" at her uppity friend Priscilla, who even though she is engaged to be married, still seems to carry a torch for Hamish. This series is superb entertainment, and I can give no higher accolade than that.

Hurray for Hamish Macbeth--witty to the end:
I can't get enough of M.C. Beaton's Highlands. I look forward every year to the next installment to the Hamish Macbeth series. This one did not disappoint complete with the vintage quirkiness and touch of noir that characterize all of Beaton's series'. The mystery kept me guessing until the end but the real entertainment lies in watching the unorthodox but lovable Hamish Macbeth interact with his similarly offbeat villagers. I'll continue to wait with anticipation for more Hamish Macbeth--hoping for his success in love and wondering what other calamity can possibly befall the tiny hamlet of Lochdubh.

Hamish at his best!:
This installment of the Hamish McBeth series was one of the best. I enjoyed my visit to Lochdubh immensely and catching up with old friends. I loved how the town showed how much they respected and cared for their unorthodox policeman. The mystery itself wasn't a strong one but the characters and setting more than made up for it. Hamish and company is a delightful way to spend an afternoon. I cannot wait for the next one!

All's Fair in Love, Job Seeking, and Murder:
Death of a Poison Pen represents a new high in the Hamish Macbeth series in terms of integrating a number of different story lines in neat and interesting fashion. Long-time fans of the series will find this book to be one of their favorites. Jenny Ogilvie is jealous of her London colleague, Priscilla Halburton-Smythe. Priscilla is engaged to be married while Jenny has just lost her boy friend when she mentions marriage. Yet Priscilla seems obsessed with her old friend (and former unofficial fiancé) from Lochdubh, Police Constable Hamish Macbeth, and the cases they've worked on solving together. Jenny decides she would like to disturb Priscilla's cool exterior by attracting Hamish's attention. Feigning illness, she heads for Lochdubh. Once there, Jenny is disappointed to see that Hamish doesn't fit her idea of a handsome Highlander . . . and is engaged in speaking with Elspeth Grant, a local reporter and astrologer. A lot of funny scenes follow as Jenny chases Hamish and ends up being paired instead with new reporter, Pat Mallone, who had fancied Elspeth until Jenny arrived. But Jenny remains obsessed with the idea of solving a crime . . . even if Hamish ignores her. In the background, Jenny's London-based ideas of how to live keep getting her into trouble with the Highlanders. Elspeth, in the meantime, finds her interest in Hamish to be dwindling as he continues to avoid becoming involved. But she recognizes Jenny as a rival and finds he competitive juices stoked. There are also some goofy poison pen letters being received in Lochdubh and Braikie. Mrs. Wellington, the minister's wife, got one accusing her of having an affair with Hamish. Well, hardly! Hamish holds a meeting in Braikie to get copies of the notes and signatures on a petition so he can get the police in Strathbane to spend the money for a handwriting expert. In the middle of this comedy of errors, the atmosphere turns dark when Miss Beattie, who ran the post office in Braikie, is found dead with a poison pen letter under her body. As usual, Hamish is soon disputing with Detective Chief Inspector Blair whether Miss Beattie's death is suicide . . . or murder. Before the book is over, the bodies start to pile up. Hamish finds himself in the middle of trying to solve mysteries without earning promotion, fending off women who want him, and keeping naive people from getting into trouble. You'll enjoy the mysteries and the twists in the book. At her best, M. C. Beaton has a fine talent to exploring irony. She draws deeply on that talent in this fine book. Enjoy!

A Scottish Highland adventure:
DEATH OF A POISON PEN is set in a small village in the Scottish Highlands. It is populated with quirky characters and a lovable, bumbling, tall, red-haired constable named Hamish McBeth. Hamish is somewhat lazy and likes his little village to run smoothly, but it never does. This time around some villagers are receiving poison pen letters. A postmistress is found hanged in her room and a vacationer comes to Lochdubh with the sole purpose of seducing him. He does have his hands full these days. I consider the Hamish McBeth series the better of the two series that M.C. Beaton writes. The characters really make the stories endearing and fun. That Hamish ever solves any case always seems like sheer fluke, but you are always rooting for him. The plots are always rather straightforward and not too complicated and it makes for a quick read. This is a perfect book for a rainy afternoon.