M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village (UK 2022)

From the Publisher:
Trouble is afoot in the remote Scottish fishing village of Stoyre, where the inhabitants are acting kind of... fishy. On a routine visit, Hamish Macbeth finds the pub empty, the church unexpectedly full, and the very air permeated with fear. Then an explosion levels a holiday cottage which the locals call 'an act of God'. Hamish has another theory, one that will make the national news. With the help of sharp-eyed journalist Elspeth Grant and Lugs (his dog) he begins to winkle out the truth. But Hamish's best laid plans soon go awry when an old friend dies, a scandalous rumour erupts, and someone close to his heart may be lost forever...

Praise for the Hamish Macbeth series:
The much-loved Hamish Macbeth series. beguiling blend of wry humour and sharp observations about rural life. - Good Book Guide.
It's always a special treat to return to Lochdubh. - New York Times Book Review.
The detective novels of M C Beaton, a master of o.utrageous black comedy, have reached cult status. - Anne Robinson, The Times

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village. A Hamish Macbeth Murder Mystery. Constable, ISBN: 9781472124548 (July, 2022), 283 p., £9.99.

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village (UK 2018)

From the Publisher:
A TOWN WITHOUT PITY... OR A GOOD PUB
Trouble is afoot in the remote Scottish fishing village of Stoyre, where the inhabitants are acting kind of fishy.
On a routine visit. Hamish Macbeth finds the pub empty, the church unexpectedly full and the very air permeated with fear. Then an explosion levels a holiday cottage, which the locals call 'an act of God'.

Hamish has another theory, one that will make the national news. With the help of sharp-eyed journalist Elspeth Grant and his dog Lugs, he begins to winkle out the truth. But Hamish's best laid plans soon go awry when an old friend dies, a scandalous rumour erupts and someone close to his heart may be lost forever...

'The books are a delight: clever, intricate, sardonic and amazingly true to the real Highlands' -- Kerry Greenwood
'It's always a special treat to return to Lochdubh' -- New York Times

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village. A Hamish Macbeth Murder Mystery. Constable, ISBN: 9781472124548 (August, 2018), 283 p., £8.99.

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village (UK 2013)

From the Publisher:
A town without pity... or a good pub
Trouble is afoot in the remote Scottish fishing village of Stoyre, where the inhabitants are acting kind of... fishy. On a routine visit, Hamish Macbeth finds the pub empty, the church unexpectedly full, and the very air permeated with fear. Then an explosion levels a holiday cottage which the locals call 'an act of God'. Hamish has another theory, one that will make the national news. With the help of sharp-eyed journalist Elspeth Grant and Lugs (his dog) he begins to winkle out the truth. But Hamish's best laid plans soon go awry when an old friend dies, a scandalous rumour erupts, and someone close to his heart may be lost forever...

'The detective novels of M C Beaton, a master of o.utrageous black comedy, have reached cult status.' -- Anne Robinson, The Times

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village. A Hamish Macbeth Murder Mystery. C & R Crime / Little, Brown, ISBN: 9781472105370 (September, 2013), 283 p., £7.99.

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village (UK 2009)

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village. A Hamish Macbeth Murder Mystery. Robinson, ISBN: 1849012768 (November, 2009), 312 p., £6.99.

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village (USA 2004 / 6th printing)

From the Publisher:
TOWN WITHOUT PITY...OR A GOOD PUB
Trouble is afoot in the remote Scottish fishing village of Stoyre, where the inhabitants are acting, well, fishy. On a routine visit, Constable Hamish Macbeth finds the pub empty, the church unexpectedly full, and the very air permeated with fear. Then an explosion levels a holiday cottage and the locals call it an "act of God." Macbeth has another theory, one that can make national news. With the help of sharp-eyed journalist Elspeth Grant and his dog, Lugs, he begins to ferret out the truth. But as any good Scotsman knows, the best laid plans "gang aft a-gley." And Macbeth's will go desperately wrong when an old friend dies, a scandalous rumor erupts, and someone close to his heart may be lost forever.

"DELIGHTFUL... A NEW TWIST TO THE STANDARD MURDER-IN-THE-VILLAGE PLOT." -- Booklist
"INTRIGUING... THIS ADVENTURE FINDS HAMISH IN TOP FORM." -- Kirkus Reviews

M.C. BEATON is the author of the Hamish Macbeth mystery series, as well as the acclaimed Agatha Raisin series.

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village. A Hamish Macbeth Mystery. Grand Central Publishing, ISBN: 0446613711 (January, 2004 - 6th printing, no date given), 235 p., $6.99.

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village (USA 2004)

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village. A Hamish Macbeth Mystery. The Mysterious Press / Warner Books, ISBN: 0446613711 (January, 2004), 235 p., $6.99.

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village (USA 2003)

From the Publisher:
The aromas of wild thyme and Highlands heather waft through Lochdubh, home to M.C. Beaton's eccentric policeman, Hamish Macbeth. Yet what the irascible constable smells in his latest case is the acrid scent of fear as an entire town is entrapped in something dark and deadly...

DEATH OF A VILLAGE
During the eerie half-light of a far north summer night, a crime spree-from scams to burglary-strikes the Highlands. Suddenly Hamish Macbeth, never an ambitious man, has more police work than he desires. After all, Macbeth's preferred activity is watching the waves dance on the loch. Yet as he deftly investigates the summer's high crimes and misdemeanors, he attracts the attention of his superiors. They feel a promotion and transfer will give him a larger playing field than Lochdubh. That's the last thing Macbeth wants. Now the laconic lawman needs a clever way to quash the move without losing his job entirely.

He also needs to solve one more case-the baffling problem in Stoyre. The inhabitants of this remote fishing village are acting, well, fishy. On a routine visit, Macbeth finds the pub empty, and the church unexpectedly full. Faces are hostile, mouths tightly closed. Fear permeates the very air. Then an explosion levels a holiday cottage, and locals call the blast an "act of God."

Macbeth disagrees. He has an outrageous theory about Stoyre that can make national news... if he's right. With the help of journalist Elspeth Grant, and an assist from his dog Lugs, he's dreamt up a scheme to ferret out the truth without alerting his superiors to what may be another stroke of his special genius. Or a complete disaster. As any good Scotsman knows, the best laid plans oft go awry. And Macbeth's may go desperately wrong with an old friend's death, a scandalous rumor, and the loss of one so brave and true that it might break his heart.

M.C. Beaton: Death of a Village. A Hamish Macbeth Mystery. Mysterious Press / Warner Books, ISBN: 0892966777 (February, 2003), 245 p., $23.95.