Death of a Traitor (Hamish Macbeth)

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Clara never complained, but Hibbert kept on about it until, in the end, he’d been forced to agree that Clara shouldn’t be carrying the peat and that he needed to do something about it. This is my first time reading anything by MC Beaton, and even though Death of a Traitor is book number 35 in his Hamish Macbeth series, it was a fabulous introduction into his world. He tutted, setting off down the hill to find a spot where he could catch sight of her again when she reappeared, Bonnie trotting at his heels.

He looked down at the white, petal-like bracts and delicate purple flowers of the avern plants and took a detour off to his left. I always enjoy being in Scotland with Hamish and his village and my collection of his adventures grows. In this case he must put up with his old nemesis, DCI Blair, when his usual supervisor, DCI Jimmy Anderson, is hurt in a car crash.After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. Lots of weird dialogue like Hamish speaking perfect English then lapsing back into his Scottish lilt. Beaton and Green do a superb job keeping the red herrings coming and the plot twists jumping out at you until the finale.

I only now realized that apparently this and the previous one or two books have been taken over by another author at the death of MC Beaton, that may explain the slight shift in atmosphere. This all takes place outside of Lochdubh, so we briefly see some familiar faces at times, but the villagers are not prominent in the story. That said, taken on its own, this is an enjoyable book set in the Scottish Highlands with an older, sadder, wiser lead character. But, sadly, her body is found floating in The Corloch anchored with ropes and rocks; not the outcome for which Hamish hoped.We have been reading this series fairly steadily now for the last couple of years and we have really enjoyed reading about Hamish, his loves, and his shrewd detecting. Once he had a view of the track and the road running along the loch-side, he raised his binoculars again. Torn between loyalty to Lochdubh and his job, Hamish begins threading his way through a maze of deceit, quickly finding himself on the trail of a ruthless, treacherous murderer.