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Book Reviews of Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10)

Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10)
Death of a Charming Man - Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10
Author: M. C. Beaton
ISBN-13: 9780892965298
ISBN-10: 0892965290
Publication Date: 9/1994
Pages: 215
Rating:
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 14

3.6 stars, based on 14 ratings
Publisher: Mysterious Press
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

15 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on
Helpful Score: 1
Kind of a different twist for hamish. Are middle-aged women in Scotland really that kooky??A fun, light mystery story.
reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on + 37 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Very interesting story about a backwater village's upheaval when a posh English chap moves in. This is the tenth in the Police Constable Hamish Macbeth series and one of the best.
lisareinke avatar reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on + 123 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
One of the best in the series so far because Hamish and Priscilla's relationship changes, Hamish actually has to do some sleuthing, and the way he solves the murder is somewhat accidental and comical.
FamFatale avatar reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on + 369 more book reviews
He could charm your pants off. That was precisely the problem.
reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on + 190 more book reviews
Not as good as the Agatha Raisin series, but still a good read.
reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on + 61 more book reviews
Constable Hamish Macbeth is still lolling around the highland countryside and murder is still occurring. A cozy read.
punkinema avatar reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on + 305 more book reviews
Hamish and Priscilla are working out their unspoken engagement and Hamish is already regretting it since Priscilla is trying to change him. While trying to solve a murder of a man who deliberately set out to destroy a village's friendships, Hamish travels to London and other cities in Scotland "unofficially". I so enjoy this series!
reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on + 30 more book reviews
Who can not like red-haired love-smittened Hamish MacBeth? He's brilliant in this book, with a setting in Lochdubh, Scotland.
purplehummingbird avatar reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on
this book continues in the tradition of M.C.Beaton series about Hamish MacBeth in being light, easy reading. Enjoyable in the fact that the characters become familiar and the mystery is always new.
reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on + 57 more book reviews
Hamish MacBeth, the Scottish Policeman, uses his own type of investigating to solve the crime
reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on + 32 more book reviews
Death of a Charming Man a puzzle of how he got his comeuppance
The above title by M C Beaton is another in a long line of charming murder mysteries in which a rather lazy Scottish policeman, Hamish Macbeth, always manages to solve.
In this one, the grim little town of Drim is set agog by a stunningly attractive young man who enjoys pitting one admirer against the others. Every female with a breath is coloring her hair and working out at the local exercise studio to reduce the size of her bum. Of course business is booming for the hairdresser and instructor, but even they are caught in the web of the Charmer.
The Charmer evens takes Macbeth's sweetheart Prsicilla out to dinner now that's going too far.
Macbeth drives up from his base in Lochdubh to observe the goings-on and then to investigate the disappearance of the Charmer a case that appears to be a non-case because there has been no official complaint of a missing person. It looks like Macbeth is on a wild goose chase until all of a sudden ooh, I can't say any more or I'll give it away.
Along the way there's also time for fishing for trout, with a little help from a paganish child named Heather, foiling a burglary, and house-hunting with Priscilla.
So is the Charmer missing or not, dead or not, gone off to his rented-out house or on vacation or what? You'll have to read it to find out, sorry.
sealady avatar reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on + 657 more book reviews
From Publishers Weekly
One of the warmest and quirkiest mystery series around boasts a new publisher and a welcome burst of fresh energy. Making his 10th appearance (following Death of a Travelling Man ) is lanky, tousle-haired Scottish Highland copper Hamish Macbeth, in the company here of his lazy dog Towser, his higher-born fiancee Priscilla and the quixotic inhabitants of the village of Lochdubh. Hamish, known for his slovenly lifestyle and crafty detecting, meets handsome newcomer, Peter Hynd, whose suave looks send the village womenfolk running to the hairdresser and aerobics classes. Soon they are at each other's throats and queueing up for a place in his bed. The Lothario goes missing and soon the body of one of his conquests is found on the beach, leaving Hamish with two mysteries to solve while his domestic life deteriorates. Beaton's tremendously likable policeman stars here in a tightly wrought tale, with a gem of an ending in which Hamish manages to be both dead right and dead wrong. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --
Spuddie avatar reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on + 412 more book reviews
Tenth in the Hamish MacBeth cozy Scottish police mystery series. The premise of this one put me off just a little, as last month I read one of Beaton's Agatha Raisin books which also dealt with a "beautiful man," a stranger who came into a village and wreaked havoc, delighting in causing strife with his malicious and manipulative ways, hidden under a thin veneer of good looks and charm. So the story was kind of old hat in that regard. On a personal level, Hamish is dealing with conflict within his newly-formed engagement to Priscilla as well as trying to stay one step ahead of his bosses. He uses some accrued vacation time to investigate a death that had been deemed an accident in the tiny village of Drim, where Peter Hynd, the beautiful stranger, caused problems before disappearing into thin air. This was not one of my favorites in this series because of having just read another book by the same author with a similar storyline, and with Hamish feeling so lost and disconcerted, I didn't get my usual warm fuzzies, either. Still, a decent entry in the series and one I'll continue reading.
reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on + 43 more book reviews
The tenth book in the series.
The start of trouble for Hamish and Priscilla as Hamish investigates the disappearance of a handsome English incomer.
reviewed Death of a Charming Man (Hamish MacBeth, Bk 10) on + 67 more book reviews
From Publishers Weekly
One of the warmest and quirkiest mystery series around boasts a new publisher and a welcome burst of fresh energy. Making his 10th appearance (following Death of a Travelling Man ) is lanky, tousle-haired Scottish Highland copper Hamish Macbeth, in the company here of his lazy dog Towser, his higher-born fiancee Priscilla and the quixotic inhabitants of the village of Lochdubh. Hamish, known for his slovenly lifestyle and crafty detecting, meets handsome newcomer, Peter Hynd, whose suave looks send the village womenfolk running to the hairdresser and aerobics classes. Soon they are at each other's throats and queueing up for a place in his bed. The Lothario goes missing and soon the body of one of his conquests is found on the beach, leaving Hamish with two mysteries to solve while his domestic life deteriorates. Beaton's tremendously likable policeman stars here in a tightly wrought tale, with a gem of an ending in which Hamish manages to be both dead right and dead wrong. Further good news is that the series has been optioned by Zenith Productions, the team responsible for the absorbing TV series starring Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
Hamish MacBeth is a stubborn, silent, gloomy Scotsman who's also kindhearted, intelligent, and intuitive. A Lochdubh native, he knows his village, the surrounding countryside, and the local folk like the back of his hand. His life is satisfyingly settled--he's engaged to the lovely Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, and there have been no serious crimes in Lochdubh for months. Then incredibly handsome Peter Hynd comes to town, charms all the women, antagonizes all the men, and generally turns the town on its ear. Hamish senses trouble brewing, but when a body is discovered, it's not Hynd after all--at least, the first body isn't. Other coppers might be baffled by the case, but not laconic, methodical, determined Hamish, who persists until he unravels the puzzling mystery. Beaton's low-key police procedural doesn't offer white-knuckle suspense, blood and gore, fast-paced action, or stunning climaxes. What it does offer is an intimate look at life in a small Scottish village, striking insights into human nature, carefully detailed, highly accurate descriptions of police work, splendid dry humor, and a story that's as satisfying as a cozy cup of tea. Emily Melton