Book 48: Death of a Hussy


TITLE:
Death of a Hussy
AUTHOR: M.C. Beaton
STARTED: October 22, 2011
FINISHED: October 22, 2011
PAGES: 151
GENRE: Mystery

FIRST SENTENCE: "You might have known people really do dress up for dinner in the highlands."

SUMMARY: [From Amazon] The Scottish village of Lochdubh has a problem: the beloved police constable, Hamish Macbeth ( Death of a Perfect Wife ), has been transferred to Strathbane because of a dearth of local crime. In a successful bid to get him back, the villagers, led by newcomer Maggie Baird, organize a crime wave. On his return, Hamish is confronted with a possible murder. Maggie, who in younger and slimmer years had amassed a fortune as a well-rewarded kept woman, dies, ostensibly of a heart attack during a car fire. Suspects include her niece and heir, Alison, who had been living with Maggie after recuperating from lung cancer, and four of Maggie's former lovers and present suitors, whom she had invited for a visit: an ad man, a car salesman, a manager of a gambling club and a fading pop singer, all of them in dire need of money. Hamish draws on his knowledge of the local people and of human nature to solve the case. Meanwhile he continues his off-again, on-again romance with a daughter of the local gentry and attempts to stay out of hot water with his superiors, who resent his unpredictable approach to life and policing

THOUGHTS: Not gonna lie, this book amused me before I even started read. Hussy... teehee.

Anyway, juvenile laughter aside, this is your typical Hamish MacBeth book. There are shenanigans and a death (or two) that must be solved. Hamish rises to the occasion while aggravating some and charming others. It's all very quaint and formulaic. Yes, I will read more.

My only complaint, Hamish was a bit of an ass at the beginning of the book. Thank goodness his later adorableness makes up for most of that.

RATING: 6/10 [Good]

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