Death of a Groom (Hamish Macbeth #38) by M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green

Death of a Groom (Hamish Macbeth #38) by M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green-222 pages

⭐⭐⭐.75/5

It is February and the Scottish Highlands village of Lochdubh has been turned into a winter wonderland by an unexpected snowstorm.

Sergeant Hamish Macbeth has his work cut out trying to keep the roads in the village open - something that is made all the more difficult when an influx of outsiders arrive in Lochdubh for a high-society wedding.

The wedding is taking place at Tommel Castle Hotel on Valentine's Day and it promises to be one of the most extravagant events the village has ever seen. The bride is the daughter of Colonel George Halburton-Smythe, the hotel's owner.

But on the night of the wedding - just when the ceilidh dancing is getting started - the groom is found dead in the dining room, with the cake-cutting sword plunged into his chest.

Hamish suddenly has a murder investigation on his hands - and one with a very long list of suspects. Access to the village is shut down, so that no one can leave until the case is closed.

But with the rumour mill at Lochdubh in overdrive and multiple theories abound, can Hamish separate fact from fiction in order to catch the killer?

Thoughts: I typically enjoy a "visit" to Lochdubh and a murder mystery involving Police Sergeant Hamish Macbeth. I did enjoy this one. I wasn't sure who did the killing until near the end, which I like. If you haven't read any of this series before and you enjoy mysteries, then I would recommend this series, especially if you like mysteries set in other countries. 
 

Death of a Smuggler (Hamish Macbeth, #37) by M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green

 Death of a Smuggler (Hamish Macbeth, #37) by M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green-229 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Police Sergeant Hamish Macbeth has another murder mystery to solve. This time a woman is found dead (probably murdered) in her home near a shotgun. A piece of furniture is shot to bits and it appears she's been strangled. Also, two young women appear to have been smuggled into Scotland illegally and there's a Michael Gallagher missing. He's been accused of assaulting his wife and he may be involved in the murder and human trafficking. Whisky is being smuggled into Scotland, as well. Will Hamish solve the murder before anything happens to the two young women? Was Michael Gallagher involved in any (or all) of the crimes? Can they catch Gallagher before any more crimes are committed?

I always enjoy revisiting Lochdubh and solving a murder mystery along with these characters, especially Hamish. 

Death of a Traitor (Hamish Macbeth, #35) by M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green

Death of a Traitor (Hamish Macbeth, #35) by M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green-240 pages

⭐⭐⭐1/2 

I always enjoy visiting Lochdubh. Police Sergeant Hamish Macbeth is likeable as ever. Kate Hibbert goes missing and her body is found floating in a local lake. Sergeant Macbeth must find out who killed her and why. The investigation leads him to several locals who were blackmailed by Hibbert, but which one killed her? DCI Blair returns to Hamish's dismay and he must try and avoid Blair as much as possible while still placating him just enough. The ending was a bit disappointing, but it was still a pretty good read, overall. I look forward to reading the next, most recent Hamish Macbeth mystery. 

Death of a Liar by M.C. Beaton

Death of a Liar: A Hamish MacBeth Mystery by M.C. Beaton --- 261 pages

Hamish MacBeth's new case starts when a woman who is known to be a habitual liar cries "wolf" once too often and is found murdered in her home in the remote Highland village of Cromish.

Feeling guilty because he ignored that last call, Hamish is determined to solve the crime, and soon finds circumstantial evidence that appears to link this death with two unpleasant newcomers who disappear abruptly from Hamish's own village of Lochdubh, with a preacher whom Hamish suspects is a clever con artist, and with a lonely old woman convinced the fairies are going to carry her off.  In the process, Hamish's constable Dick Fraser, is induced to move out of the Lochdubh police station with results that surprise and disconcert Hamish. Priscilla and Elspeth, two of Hamish's former flames, make brief appearances, and two new women arrive on the scene, but Hamish's luck in love is famously bad as ever.

Beaton's Hamish MacBeth is a reliably enjoyable cozy mystery mostly for the beauty of the remote Highlands setting and occasional folklore.

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