M.C. Beaton Books In Order

Agatha Raisin Books In Publication Order

  1. The Quiche of Death (1992)
  2. The Vicious Vet (1993)
  3. The Potted Gardener (1994)
  4. The Walkers of Dembley (1995)
  5. The Murderous Marriage (1996)
  6. The Terrible Tourist (1997)
  7. The Wellspring of Death (1998)
  8. The Wizard of Evesham (1999)
  9. The Witch of Wyckhadden (1999)
  10. The Fairies of Fryfam (2000)
  11. The Love from Hell (2001)
  12. The Day the Floods Came (2002)
  13. The Case of the Curious Curate (2003)
  14. The Haunted House (2003)
  15. The Deadly Dance (2004)
  16. The Perfect Paragon (2005)
  17. Love, Lies and Liquor (2006)
  18. Kissing Christmas Goodbye (2007)
  19. A Spoonful of Poison (2008)
  20. There Goes the Bride (2009)
  21. Busy Body (2010)
  22. As The Pig Turns (2011)
  23. Hiss and Hers (2012)
  24. Christmas Crumble (2012)
  25. Something Borrowed, Someone Dead (2013)
  26. The Blood of an Englishman (2014)
  27. Agatha’s First Case (2015)
  28. Dishing the Dirt (2015)
  29. Pushing up Daisies (2016)
  30. The Witches’ Tree (2017)
  31. The Dead Ringer (2018)
  32. Beating about the Bush (2019)
  33. Hot to Trot (With: R.W. Green) (2020)
  34. Down the Hatch (With: R.W. Green) (2021)

Agatha Raisin Non-Fiction Books In Publication Order

  1. The Agatha Raisin Companion (2010)

Hamish Macbeth Books In Publication Order

  1. Death of a Gossip (1985)
  2. Death of a Cad (1987)
  3. Death of an Outsider (1988)
  4. Death of a Perfect Wife (1989)
  5. Death of a Hussy (1990)
  6. Death of a Snob (1992)
  7. Death of a Prankster (1992)
  8. Death of a Glutton / Death of a Greedy Woman (1993)
  9. Death of a Travelling Man (1993)
  10. Death of a Charming Man (1994)
  11. Death of a Nag (1995)
  12. Death of a Macho Man (1996)
  13. Death of a Dentist (1997)
  14. Death of a Scriptwriter (1998)
  15. Death of an Addict (1999)
  16. A Highland Christmas (1999)
  17. Death of a Dustman (2001)
  18. Death of a Celebrity (2002)
  19. Death of a Village (2003)
  20. Death of a Poison Pen (2004)
  21. Death of a Bore (2005)
  22. Death of a Dreamer (2006)
  23. Death of a Maid (2007)
  24. Death of a Gentle Lady (2008)
  25. Death of a Witch (2009)
  26. Death of a Valentine (2009)
  27. Death of a Chimney Sweep / Death of a Sweep (2011)
  28. Death of a Kingfisher (2012)
  29. Death of Yesterday (2013)
  30. Death of a Policeman (2014)
  31. Death of a Liar (2015)
  32. Knock, Knock, You’re Dead! (2016)
  33. Death of a Nurse (2016)
  34. Death of a Ghost (2017)
  35. Death of an Honest Man (2018)
  36. Death of a Green-Eyed Monster (2022)

Standalone Novels In Publication Order

  1. The Poor Relation (1984)
  2. Summertime Splendor (1992)
  3. The Skeleton in the Closet (2001)
  4. Summer of Discontent (2015)

Cozy Case Files Mystery Sampler Books In Publication Order

  1. A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Vol 1 (2017)
  2. A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Vol 2 (2017)
  3. A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Vol 3 (2017)
  4. A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Vol 4 (2018)
  5. A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Vol 5 (2018)
  6. A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Vol 6 (2019)
  7. A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Vol 7 (2019)
  8. A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Vol 8 (2020)
  9. A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Vol 9 (2020)
  10. A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Vol 10 (2020)
  11. A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Vol 11 (2021)
  12. A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Vol 12 (2021)

Agatha Raisin Book Covers

Agatha Raisin Non-Fiction Book Covers

Hamish Macbeth Book Covers

Standalone Novels Book Covers

Cozy Case Files Mystery Sampler Book Covers

M.C. Beaton Books Overview

The Quiche of Death

Putting all her eggs in one basket, Agatha Raisin gives up her successful PR firm, sells her London flat, and samples a taste of early retirement in the quiet village of Carsely. Bored, lonely and used to getting her way, she enters a local baking contest: Surely a blue ribbon for the best quiche will make her the toast of the town. But her recipe for social advancement sours when Judge Cummings Browne not only snubs her entry but falls over dead! After her quiche’s secret ingredient turns out to be poison, she must reveal the unsavory truth Agatha has never baked a thing in her life! In fact, she bought her entry ready made from an upper crust London quicherie. Grating on the nerves of several Carsely residents, she is soon receiving sinister notes. Has her cheating and meddling landed her in hot water, or are the threats related to the suspicious death? It may mean the difference between egg on her face and a coroner’s tag on her toe

The Vicious Vet

Beloved author M.C. Beaton has delighted readers and fans alike with her Agatha Raisin mysteries. Now here is the second novel in the series that started it all

A PURR FECT CRIME IN THE COTSWOLDS
Former London PR agent, Agatha Raisin still hasn t adjusted to village life where the only prospect for a hot evening out is a meeting of the Ladies Society. And since her overtures toward James Lacey the retired military man next door have failed, Agatha jumps at the chance to visit the new vet, who’s single and good looking. Although Agatha s tabby hasn t a thing wrong with him, Hodge endures having a thermometer shoved up his bum in the name of romance. Unfortunately his sacrifice is all for naught when the vet is soon found dead next to a high strung horse.

The police call the vet s demise a freak accident, but Agatha convinces the hard to get James Lacey, who s also bored in the Cotswolds, that playing amateur detective might be fun. Unfortunately, just like curiosity killed the cat, Agatha s inept snooping is soon a motivation for murder…

Anyone interested in a few hours worth of intelligent, amusing reading will want to make the acquaintance of Mrs. Agatha Raisin.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer

I simply love mysteries that have all the requirements necessary to make them great the characters, the action, the plots, and that thing we call humanity. Beaton has them all in
spades.
Tulsa World

The Potted Gardener

‘From the author’s sure fire plot comes this fail safe moral: It takes an outsider to open people’s eyes to the beauty and the evil within.’ The New York Times Book Review’Beaton has a winner in the irrepressible, romance hungry Agatha.’ Chicago Sun TimesNever say die. That’s the philosophy Agatha Raisin clings to when she comes home to cozy Carsely and finds a new woman ensconced in the affections of her attractive bachelor neighbor, James Lacey. The beautiful newcomer, Mary Fortune, is superior in every way, especially when it comes to gardening. And Agatha, that rose with many thorns, hasn’t a green thumb to her name. With garden Open Day approaching, she longs for a nice juicy murder to remind James of her genius for investigation. And sure enough, a series of destructive assaults on the finest gardens is followed by an appalling murder. Agatha seizes the moment and immediately starts yanking up village secrets by their roots and digging up all the dirt on the victim. Problem is, Agatha has an awkward secret of her own…
.’Compare this one to lemon meringue pie: light…
with a delicious hint of tartness at its heart.’ The Washington Times’Delightful…
Hilarious…
Warning: Once you read one of Beaton’s books, you’re hooked. No one does the English cozy better.’ Romantic Times

The Walkers of Dembley

This is an unexpected hike to the Other Side…
After time away, Agatha Raisin returns to her beloved Cotswold village of Carsely and to her handsome neighbour, James Lacey. True, James seems less than thrilled to see her, but Agatha is soon distracted by a sensational murder. The victim, found in a field, is young hiker Jessica Tartinck, who spent her life enraging landowners by insisting on her right to roam. Hope springs eternal in Agatha’s breast as she lures the reluctant James into her investigation. There are so many leads to follow, for Jessica’s fellow walkers not to mention the landowners all seem able to commit murder. Praise for ‘The Agatha Raisin Series’: ‘M. C. Beaton’s imperfect hero*ine is an absolute gem’ ‘Publishers Weekly’. ‘The detective novels of M. C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status’ ‘The Times’. ‘Being a cranky, middle aged female myself, I found Agatha charming!’ ‘Amazon Customer Review. ‘I dream of being able to speak out like Aggie…
she’s a hero*ine!’ A. Lucas, Essex, ‘Reader Review’.

The Murderous Marriage

The morning of Agatha’s marriage to her neighbour James Lacey dawns bright and clear. But the storm clouds of the day before would have been more appropriate when Agatha’s first husband, Jimmy Raisin, turns up at the church just in time to keep her from committing bigamy. The ensuing uproar Agatha tries to strangle Jimmy, whom she had thought long dead anyway embarras*ses James, who abruptly breaks the engagement. When Jimmy is found murdered the next morning, Agatha and James are the prime suspects. Since the easiest way to clear their names is to find the real murderer, Agatha convinces James to help her investigate. But will their subsequent close proximity which has them, ironically, pretending to be man and wife be enough to win James second time around?

The Terrible Tourist

Agatha Raisin’s marriage was put off when her ex husband showed up, unfortunately alive. Fortunately, he was murdered and Agatha solved the crime. Now she is off to Cyprus to track down her ex fiance. Instead of enjoying their planned honeymoon, however, they witness the murder of an obnoxious tourist. Two sets of terrible tourists surround the unhappy couple, arousing Agatha’s suspicions. And, much to James’ chagrin, she won’t rest until she finds the killer. Unfortunately, it seems the killer also won’t rest until Agatha is out of the picture. Agatha is forced to track down the murderer, try to rekindle her romance with James, and fend off a suave baronet, all while coping with the fact that it’s always bathing suit season in Cyprus.

The Wellspring of Death

Agatha Raisin’s neighbouring village of Ancombe is usually the epitome of quiet rural charm, but the arrival of a new mineral water company which intends to tap into the village spring sends tempers flaring and divides the parish council into two stubborn camps. When Agatha, who just happens to be handling the PR for the water company, finds the council chairman murdered at the basin of the spring, tongues start wagging. Could one of the council members have polished off the chairman before he could cast the deciding vote? Poor Agatha, still nursing a bruised heart from one of her unsuccessful romantic encounters, must get cracking, investigate the councillors and solve the crime. Praise for the ‘Agatha Raisin’ series: ‘M.C. Beaton’s imperfect hero*ine is an absolute gem’ ‘Publishers Weekly’. ‘The detective novels of M.C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status’ ‘The Times’. ‘Being a cranky, middle aged female myself, I found Agatha charming’ Amazon customer review. ”Agatha Raisin’ is sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining, delightfully intolerant and oh so magnificently non PC. M C Beaton has created a new national treasure…
the stories zing along and are irresistible, unputdownable, a joy. If you buy one book a year, let it be this. ‘Agatha Raisin’ is ‘The Strongest Link” Anne Robinson.

The Wizard of Evesham

The local ladies deemed him a ‘wizard.’ So when, to Agatha’s horror, she finds several coarse gray hairs poking out of her head and the rinse she tries at home turns her hair a lovely shade of purple she makes a beeline for Mr. John, the handsome Evesham hairdresser who promises to work his magic on Agatha’s coif. And the charming beautician also seems to have designs on Agatha’s heart. But their future together is cut short when Mr. John collapses dead from poisoning in his salon and Agatha suddenly has a murder case in her hair. Was it one of Mr. John’s many customers, all of whom divulged to him their darkest secrets? It’s time for Agatha to get to the bottom of this hair raising mystery.

The Witch of Wyckhadden

There is nothing more depressing for a middle aged lovelorn woman with bald patches on her head than to find herself in an English seaside resort out of season. Agatha Raisin, her hair falling out after a run in with a hairdresser murderess from a previous investigation, travels to an old fashioned hotel in order to repair the damage away from the neighbors in her all too cozy Cotswolds village. Unhappy about the slow results and prompted by the elderly residents of the resort, she consults the local witch for help. Agatha purchases a hair tonic and a love potion, just in case! and is soon sprouting hairs and capturing the fancy of the village police inspector. But the quiet town is stunned by the murder of the witch. Which one of the graying guests is capable of such a brutal crime? The brassy yet endearing Agatha won’t stop until she finds the culprit and, of course, a little love, too.

The Fairies of Fryfam

When a fortune teller from a previous case informs Agatha Raisin that her destiny and true love lies in Norfolk, she promptly rents a cottage in the quaint village of Fryfam. No sooner does she arrive than strange things start happening. Random objects go missing from people’s homes and odd little lights are seen dancing in the villagers’ gardens and yards. Stories soon begin circulating about the presence of fairies. But when a prominent village resident is found murdered, and some suspicion falls on her and her friend Sir Charles Fraith, Agatha decides she’s had enough of this fairy nonsense and steps up her sleuthing for a human killer. The prickly yet endearing Agatha will have fans dangling in suspense: Will she catch her crook and a husband?

The Love from Hell

Agatha Raisin Has Finally Married The Man Of Her Dreams.
But Now Her Life Is Nothing Short Of A Nightmare…

The honeymoon is most definitely over for Agatha Raisin and her new husband, James Lacey. It’s only been a short time since their wedding and already they aren’t getting on. But his wandering eye and her God awful housekeeping are the least of their problems. Just days after a very public, very ugly marital row, James disappears and when his mistress is later found murdered, he’s the prime suspect. Agatha just doesn’t buy it. Sure, he’s a liar and a sneaky, low down cheat. But a murderer? That’s bloody impossible! And as some speculate on the role Agatha may have played in his vanishing, the forever feisty Mrs. Raisin must piece together the most unsavory parts of the dead woman’s past to clear James’s name and her own…

The Day the Floods Came

Marital bliss was short lived for Agatha Raisin. Her marriage to James Lacey was a disaster from the beginning, and in the end, he left her not for another woman, but for God. After having been miraculously cured of a brain tumor, James has decided to join a monastery in France. Agatha can usually depend on her old friend, Sir Charles Fraith, to be there when times are tough, but even Charles has abandoned her, dashing off to Paris to marry a young French tart. Miserable and alone, Agatha hops on a plane and heads for a remote island in the South Pacific. To Agatha’s surprise, she makes friends with her fellow travelers easily, and keeps herself out of mischief, despite the odd feeling she gets from one particularly attractive honeymooning couple. But when she later finds that the pretty bride has drowned under suspicious circumstances, Agatha wishes she had found a way to intervene. Returning home to the Cotswolds, Agatha is grimly determined to move on with her life and to forget about James and Charles. They have, after all, forgotten about her. And what better way than to throw herself into another murder investigation? A woman, dressed in a wedding gown and still clutching her bouquet, has just been found floating in a river. The police say it’s suicide, but Agatha suspects the girl’s flashy young fianc . With the help of her handsome, and single, new neighbor, Agatha sets off to prove the police wrong.

The Case of the Curious Curate

Wretched after being dumped by her husband, bored with pottering about Carsely, and wishing every man would sod off, including her neighbor John Armitage, Agatha Raisin is unmoved by news of the captivating new curate. But when she meets the golden haired, blue eyed Tristan Delon, she is swept off her feet…
along with nearly every other female in the village. Wrapped in brightly coloured dreams of the curate never mind that he’s a tad odd, Agatha is as ecstatic as a girl when he invites her to dine. But his cold body is found the next day, and Carsely is whisked from time warp monotony to a hotbed of murder and intrigue and a clear headed Agatha Raisin is back on track, this time with John. As the corpses multiply, ever obstinate Agatha trails clues from Lilac Lane to London, unmindful that someone wicked is arranging that Mrs. Raisin’s cats never again hear their mistress’ footfall on the path…

The Haunted House

Penelope Keith who starred as Agatha Raisin in the popular BBC Radio 4 series reads the whole of M. C. Beaton’s novel. Reports of a haunted house soon have amateur sleuth Agatha Raisin snooping around, only to discover the victim of the haunting is a universally disliked old biddy on whom someone is playing a practical joke. But then the old lady is murdered and, for Agatha Miss Marple with attitude solving a crime is much more fun than ghostbusting. Very soon she’s up to her usual tricks, involving the villagers, local police and, naturally, her handsome new neighbour…
Penelope Keith is probably best known for her roles in ‘To the Manor Born’ and ‘The Good Life’, but she has appeared in many other TV programmes including ‘Next of Kin’ and ‘Law and Disorder’. Her theatre performances include ‘Star Quality’, ‘Mrs Warren’s Profession’ and ‘Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit’. She has received several Bafta awards, and has been awarded an OBE.

The Deadly Dance

Bossy, impulsive, and unlucky in love, the all too human Agatha Raisin has proved to be a surprisingly effective and endearing amateur sleuth. But can Agatha make it as a private investigator? After getting mugged on vacation, in what she will always think of as the Paris Incident, she decides to find out. Agatha soon learns that running her own detective agency in the Cotswolds is not quite like starring in a Raymond Chandler movie. Instead of dames in distress with big shoulder pads, her clients are ladies with missing cats and a man whose son has run off with his car. Agatha even worries that she might be outclassed by her sixty seven year old secretary, Emma Comfrey. But then wealthy divorc e Catherine Laggat Brown walks in with their first ‘real’ case. Mrs. Laggat Brown’s daughter has received a death threat, and when Agatha thwarts an attack on the girl at a dinner dance, she recognizes an opportunity to show what Raisin Investigations can do. Even better, the case gives her a chance to reunite with her long absent friend, Sir Charles Fraith. As they scour the Cotswolds in search of leads, Charles’ insights prove invaluable and his charms irresistible, leading poor Emma to fall madly in love with him. As ever, Agatha bumbles her way through the case, trying her friends’ patience and flirting shamelessly with the chief suspect. Will she put her tiny agency on the map, or has even the outrageous Agatha finally bitten off more than she can chew?

The Perfect Paragon

AGATHA RAISIN…
AND THE CASE FROM HELLShe’s nosed in on murder investigations, annoyed law enforcement on two continents, and been targeted by everyone from a hit man to a killer secretary. But now Agatha Raisin must take on her greatest nightmare a divorce case. Bad enough that her struggling detective agency needs the whacking great fee pompous businessman Robert Smedley is offering to prove his wife is unfaithful; it’s even worse that Mrs. Smedley is the kind of sweet, accomplished, lovely, gentle, and all around perfectly wonderful spouse that Agatha couldn’t be in a thousand years. So, when Smedley turns up poisoned, Agatha is relieved enough to help his now desperate wife clear her name. And with the assistance of her firm’s eccentric new staff, Agatha enthusiastically follows leads and a batch of suspects through the English countryside’s seediest byways. But the police aren’t about to let an interfering ‘amateur’ beat them to the punch. And as Agatha hits one dead end after another, a particularly devious killer is looking forward to making sure the indomitable Agatha never has to worry about old age or anything else.

Love, Lies and Liquor

Agatha Raisin is lonely. Busy as she is with her detective agency and the meetings of the Carsely Ladies’ Society, she still misses her ex husband, James Lacey, so she welcomes his return to the cottage next door with her usual triumph of optimism over experience especially when he invites her on holiday at a surprise location that was once very dear to him. With visions of a romantic hideaway in Italy or the Pacific dancing in her head, Agatha goes off happily with James to…
Snoth on Sea, in Sussex. While James may have fond memories of boyhood holidays there, Snoth on Sea has seen better days, as has the once grand Palace Hotel, now run down and tacky and freezing cold. Nor do the other guests have much to recommend them, especially the brassy honeymoon couple, Mr. and Mrs. Jankers, who pick a fight with Agatha in the dining room. But trouble has a way of following Agatha even if romance does not: Just as she and James are preparing to flee to warmer climes, Geraldine Jankers is found dead on the beach strangled with Agatha’s scarf. So much for Agatha’s holiday fantasies: Not only is it time to put her detective skills to work, but the police are not even sure that she’ll be allowed to leave town.

A Spoonful of Poison

Cranky but lovable sleuth Agatha Raisin’s detective agency has become so successful that she wants nothing more than to take quality time for rest and relaxation. But as soon as she begins closing the agency on weekends, she remembers that when she has plenty of quality time, she doesn t know what to do with it. So it doesn t take much for the vicar of a nearby village to persuade her to help publicize the church fete especially when the fair s organizer, George Selby, turns out to be a gorgeous widower.

Agatha brings out the crowds for the fete, all right, but there s more going on than innocent village fun. Several of the offerings in the jam tasting booth turn out to be poisoned, and the festive family event becomes the scene of two murders.

Along with her young and much to her dismay pretty sidekick, Toni, Agatha must uncover the truth behind the jam tampering, keep the church funds safe from theft, and expose the nasty secrets lurking in the village all while falling for handsome George, who may have secrets of his own.

There Goes the Bride

James Lacey wandered over to the window of his hotel room. His fianc e, Felicity, was asleep. He was feeling some twinges of unease. What he loved about Felicity was the way she looked at him with her large eyes, appearing to drink in every word.

But on the plane journey, he wondered if she were listening to him. The order to charge was given, said James, and a spaceship landed in the valley and some little green men got out. Fascinating, breathed Felicity. You weren t listening! Just tired, darling. What were you saying?

James heard a commotion down below the hotel. He opened the window and leaned out. A woman had tripped and fallen getting into a cab. He only got a glimpse but he was suddenly sure the woman was Agatha. A familiar voice rose on the Crimean air, Snakes and bast*ards!

Bossy, impulsive, yet hopelessly romantic, Agatha is dreading the upcoming marriage of her ex husband, James Lacey. Although she has set her sights on a handsome and beguiling new Frenchman, she can t quite stop obsessing about James.

Her best intentions to move on with her life are put on hold when James’s young bride is shot to death just minutes before saying I do, and Agatha is named the prime suspect. Agatha s sleuthing sidekick Toni stands ready to help find the real killer, but the case proves trickier than ever.

Will her name be cleared, or has the outrageous Agatha finally had her last romp?

Busy Body

Agatha Raisin has always been ambivalent about holiday cheer, but her cozy little village of Carsely has long prided itself on its Christmas festivities. But this year Mr. John Sunday, a selfimportant officer with the Health and Safety Board, has ruled that the traditional tree on top of the church is a public menace; that lampposts are unsafe for hanging illuminations; that May Dimwoody’s homemade toys are dangerous for children Things have reached such a desperate pass that the Carsely Ladies Society joins forces with the ladies in the neighboring village of Odley Cruesis to try to put a stop to Mr. Sunday s meddling only to find that someone has literally put a stop to him with a kitchen knife. Agatha s detective agency is on the case, but when a man has made as many enemies as John Sunday, it s hard to know where to start

Hiss and Hers

Audio CD, BBC Audiobooks Ltd

Death of a Gossip

When a famous gossip columnist is murdered at the local fishing school, no one is ready to talk. It’s up to Hamish Macbeth, with the inspiring assistance of the lovely Priscilla Halburton Smythe, to sniff out the right rat amid all the cunning anglers with secrets to hide. But someone has baited a hook for him…

Death of a Cad

Murder Most Fowl When Priscilla Halburton Smythe brings her London playwright fiance home to Lochdubh, everybody in town is delighted…
except for love smitten Constable Hamish Macbeth. Yet his affairs of the heart will have to wait. Vile, boorish Captain Bartlett, one of the guests at Priscilla’s engagement party, has just been found murdered shot while on a grouse hunt. Now with many titled party guests as the prime suspects, each with a reason for snuffing out the despicable captain, Hamish must smooth ruffled feathers as he investigates the case. When the hidden culprit strikes again, Hamish will find himself trying to save Priscilla from a miserable marriage and catch a killer before he flies the coop.

Death of an Outsider

Murder is a Tasty Dish The most hated man in the most dour town in Scotland is sleeping with the fishes, or more accurately dumped into a tank filled with crustaceans. All that remain of the murdered victim are his bones. But after the lobsters are shipped off to Britain’s best restaurants, the whole affair quickly lands on the plate of Constable Hamish Macbeth. Exiled with his dog, Towser, to the dreary outpost of Cnothan, Macbeth sorely misses his beloved Lochdubh, his formerly beloved Priscilla Halburton Smythe, and his days of doing nothing but staring at the sheep grazing in a nearby croft. Now the lawman has to contend with a detective chief inspector who wants the modus operandi hushed up, a dark haired lass who has an ulterior motive to seduce him, and a killer who has made mincemeat of his victim and without doubt will strike again…

Death of a Perfect Wife

‘Offbeat, utterly endearing…
‘ Booklist.A Hamish Macbeth Mystery. When Paul and Trixie Thomas move to the village of Lochdubh, Trixie jumps into things with a vengeance. She organizes an anti smoking league, promotes vegetarian cooking, even starts a birdwatching society. It’s too much…
too perfect. It doesn’t feel like the old Lochdubh anymore. So when Trixie is murdered, not everyone is exactly devastated. Constable Macbeth, head over heels in love with beautiful Priscilla Halburton Smythe, must interrupt his romance at the most inopportune time to solve the mystery. But how to do that when the list of suspects includes the entire town?

Death of a Hussy

‘Splendid fun.’ The New York Times Book ReviewA Hamish Macbeth mystery. Wealthy Maggie Baird is neither nice nor kind nor generous. Once she was beautiful, but now, although middle aged, she retains the appetites of a beautiful woman. When Maggie’s car catches fire with her inside it, suspicion focuses on the five houseguests staying at Maggie’s luxurious Highlands cottage: her timid niece and four former lovers, once of whom Maggie had intended to pick for a husband. All five are impecunious. All five had ample opportunity to monkey with Maggie’s car. So finding who did it requires all Police Constable Hamish Macbeth’s extraordinary common sense and insight into human nature. And lazy lout though he may be, Hamish lets no grass grow under his feet when it comes to solving a murder. Especially when he may be the next target.

Death of a Snob

‘Pure bliss.’ Atlanta Journal & ConstitutionA Hamish Macbeth Mystery by the author of ‘Death of a Hussy.’With a cold in his head and no place to go for Christmas, Hamish snaps up the invitation of drop dead gorgeous Jane Wetherby to spend the holiday at her Scottish island health farm and figure out who is trying to kill her. When Hamish arrives on the island of Eileencraig, he finds threatening locals and fellow guests barely more civil, especially a terrible snob named Heather Todd. It seems like everyone on the island has a grudge against Jane. How to choose among so many suspects?But then one suspect is eliminated. Heather Todd is murdered. And suddenly Hamish’s Christmas is looking very black indeed…

Death of a Prankster

‘A case that Hamish Macbeth fans will relish.’ Booklist.A Hamish Macbeth Mystery by the author of ‘Death of a Snob.’When it comes to murder, Constable Hamish Macbeth can’t see the joke. Rich, old practical joker Andrew Trent summons his kin to remote Arrat House in the dead of winter for a deathbed farewell. But when they arrive, the old coot is in perfect health, cackling at his joke and ready to torment them with others. But it turns out the joke’s on Trent. As the saying goes, he who laughs last, kills first! And when Trent is murdered, Constable Macbeth must step in and solve the crime before the punchline of the next killing joke knocks him right into an early grave!

Death of a Glutton / Death of a Greedy Woman

There’s not a cloud in Constable Hamish Macbeth’s sky…
. Just plenty of warm sunshine and not quite enough of beautiful Priscilla Halburton Smythe. But as eight hopeful members of the Checkmate Singles Club converge on Tommel Castle Hotel for a week of serious matchmaking, the clouds roll in. The four couples, carefully matched by dating director Maria Worth, immediately dislike each other. The arrival of Maria’s gross, greedy partner, Peta, kills the last vestige of romance. And as love goes out the window, murder comes in the door. Peta soon slurps up her last meal, and Hamish is left with a baffling puzzle: who shared the fateful outing that left Peta dead with a big red apple in her mouth? Surely not one of those singles…
.

Death of a Travelling Man

‘ENTRANCING…
A GEM.’ Ocala Star BannerHamish Macbeth’s life is going to pot. He’s been promoted horrors!, his boss is a dunce, and to add insult to injury a sinister self proclaimed gypsy and his girlfriend have parked their rusty, eye sore of a van in the village. Hamish smells trouble and as usual he’s right. The doctor’s drugs go missing. Money vanishes. Neighbors grow suddenly unneighborly. And when the unsavory newcomer is murdered, Hamish regrets it only because his bones tell him the killer may be one of his friends. Nobody wants to volunteer even a scrap of useful information, so canny Hamish single handedly sets about the delicate work of worming the facts out of his neighbors. Yet in the process he uncovers a story so bizarre that neither he nor the villagers may ever recover from it…
. ‘EXCELLENT…
. A cast of winning characters.’ Publishers Weekly’Scottish writer M. C. Beaton develops the locals with humor and verve.’ The Christian Science Monitor

Death of a Charming Man

All Sergeant Hamish Macbeth wants to do is fish and drink coffee with his fiance. Then a mysterious stranger moves into the neighboring village a rich, unmarried heartbreaker, causing rivalry among the local women. It is amusing until death threats, assault and murder shatter the tranquil countryside. Hamish must investigate the darker side of love and desire.

Death of a Nag

Taking a vacation in order to ride out the storm of a broken engagement, Constable Hamish Macbeth visits a bed and breakfast at coastal Skay, where he meets an annoying array of characters and finds himself the prime suspect in a murder.

Death of a Macho Man

When Hamish Macbeth, local constable of the Scottish village of Lochdubh, tries to break up one of the many fights involving Randy Duggan, the ruffian challenges him to a fistfight. But on the chosen day, Duggan is found shot to death and Macbeth is rumored to be the likely suspect. Macbeth must find the murderer, clear his name, and restore his Highland paradise to its usual tranquility.

Death of a Dentist

Lovable Scottish constable Hamish Macbeth who would rather be fishing than detecting must root out another criminal in his thirteenth charmingly clever case. As the small village of Lochdubh has no dentist, locals travel 20 miles to Frederick Gilchrist’s dental surgery in the town of Braikie. Although Lochdubh’s one man police force, Hamish Macbeth, prefers the more modern, painless procedures practiced by dentists in the city of Inverness, a blinding toothache one morning convinces him to give Gilchrist a try. Upon arriving, Hamish finds the dentist dead on the floor, a victim of nicotine poisoning. Discovering that the deceased was a non smoker, Hamish must put his own toothache on ice to extract a murderer on the loose.

Death of a Scriptwriter

HOLLYWOOD IN THE HIGHLANDSWith the lovely Priscilla Halburton Smythe away in London, Lochdubh Constable Hamish Macbeth pines for company during the long Scottish winter. He gets his wish and more when a troupe of flashy, urbane filmmakers clamors into the nearby town of Drim. Before long bedlam erupts around their make believe mystery…
and culminates in the sudden appearance of one very real corpse. The initial suspect in the killing is one Patricia Martyn Broyd, the aging mystery writer furious that her musty old cozies are getting a risque face lift in their TV reincarnation. Yet, going behind the scenes, Hamish soon finds a town full of locals bitten by the movie bug and a cast of quarreling show business types, all harboring their own secrets, lies, and hidden agendas. And as the culprit strikes again, Hamish must quickly find the right killer or script the wrong finale to a show gone murderously awry.

Death of an Addict

5 Cassettes. With their engaging plots, mellow Scottish ambiance, and droll humor, the Hamish Macbeth mysteries always provide readers a bonnie time. The charming antics of their hopelessly unambitious and love crossed hero have earned the series a dedicated following. Death of an Addict continues the Hamish Macbeth tradition of superb entertainment, with some fascinating twists. When a recovering addict dies while recuperating near Lochdubh, our red headed hero suspects foul play. To complete his investigation, Constable Macbeth must leave his idyllic home and travel to Amsterdam to match wits with big time drug dealers. Fans will enjoy seeing a new, tougher side of Macbeth as he dons smart suits and falls in love with his gorgeous superior officer. With her authentic accents and impeccable timing, narrator Davina Porter provides the perfect voice for this series wonderfully quirky characters.

A Highland Christmas

Celebrate the Holidays with M. C. Beaton, The Queen of The Cozy Mystery. In the dark, wintry highlands of Lochdubh, Scotland, where the local Calvinist element resists the secular trim*mings of Christmas, the spirit of Old St. Nick is about as welcome as a flat tire on a deserted road. Nor is crime taking a holiday, as Constable Hamish Macbeth soon finds himself protecting an unhappy girl, unlocking the secrets of a frightened old woman, and retrieving some stolen holiday goods. Now the lanky lawman must use all his Highland charm and detective skills to make things right. And he had better do it quickly, for the church bells will soon toll and all of Lochdubh will be forced to face another dreary winter without the comforting embrace of Yuletide cheer.

Death of a Dustman

Lochdubh’s dustman, Fergus Macleod, a sour little man given to domestic violence and drinking, gets by with a one day work week collecting the village’s trash. But when Mrs. Freda Fleming, wrath of the Strathbane Council, decides to make an environmental example out of Lochdubh, Fergus is promoted at double his usual salary to man the new and elaborate recycling center. Now a bullying tyrant with a neat uniform and a new truck, he issues harsh fines and enforces petty rules until he is found dead, stuffed into a recycling bin. Enter Hamish Macbeth, who now not only has to solve the murder, but juggle Freda’s edicts, his lazy new constable, and labor trouble washing over the new oceanfront hotel.

Death of a Celebrity

Murder on the Telly Lochdubh, a remote village reached only by a one track lane, nestles serenely amid Scotland’s hills…
until well known TV reporter Crystal French races into town in her bright BMW. And Constable Hamish Macbeth, dourly wed to duty instead of the fiancee who dumped him, promptly gives her a summons for reckless driving. Outraged, Crystal makes Macbeth’s life a misery with a TV report on policing in the Highlands. When she also rakes up old local scandals for her new hit show, Macbeth notes that someone besides himself might be dead keen to stop her. Then someone does with stealth and violence. Now, finding out who did it will lead the laconic Macbeth down roads he never envisioned, into a dark story of passion and vengeance…
and perhaps a crisis of the heart all his own.

Death of a Village

Intent on having a quiet time by just sitting in a deck chair in his garden, Hamish Macbeth is quite disturbed when a very agitated Elspeth Grant, Loch dubh’s local reporter and astrologer, arrives. It seems that three citizens of nearby Stoyre have moved to Loch dubh but they are quite unwilling to offer Elspeth any facts as to why, causing the reporter in her to suspect they were frightened out of their former village. So now it’s up to constable Hamish Macbeth to step into the case and take a small trip to investigate the goings on in Stoyre. After many frights and dangers, Hamish soon discovers that a sunken German ship from World War I and its cache of gold bullion are the key to solving the strange demise of the once lively village.

Death of a Poison Pen

Poison pen letters lead to murder in this new Hamish Macbeth mystery from M.C. Beaton. When the townspeople of Lochdubh begin receiving poison pen letters, no one takes them very seriously, even if they are full of wild accusations. But Hamish fears that they might lead to something deadly. His instincts prove correct when the town’s postmistress is found hanging from a rope with a poison pen letter at her feet. Though it appears to be a suicide, Hamish suspects something more sinister. Attempting to trace the letters, the last thing Hamish needs is any distractions, but soon Jenny Ogilvie arrives in Lochdubh determined to seduce him. Realizing that she is unable to take Hamish’s mind off his case, Jenny decides to do a little investigating of her own. Now, Hamish finds himself in a race to solve the mystery of the poison pen letters before someone else dies, including one likely target Jenny.

Death of a Bore

Minor writer John Heppel has a problem he’s by all accounts a consummate bore. When he s found dead in his cottage, there are plenty of suspects. But surely boredom shouldn t be cause for murder, or so thinks local bobby and sleuth Hamish Macbeth, whose investigation of Heppel s soap opera script uncovers much more than melodrama. Popular reader and actor Graeme Malcolm makes this intricate whodunit set in Beaton s beloved Scottish village a memorable audio experience. This is the newest title in the popular Hamish Macbeth series.

Death of a Dreamer

Enticed by fantasies of the simple life, dreamers are occasionally drawn north by the rugged Scottish landscape. They usually don t last, defeated by the climate or by inhospitable locals. But it looks as if Effie Garrand has come to stay. When local constable Hamish Macbeth calls on her after a particularly hideous winter, he’s amazed to find the small woman still in residence. Unfortunately, Effie is also quite delusional, having convinced herself and everyone else that local artist Jock Fleming is in love with her, and that they are engaged. After a huge fight with Jock, Effie is found in the mountains, poisoned by hemlock. Now, it’s up to Macbeth, the self styled ‘unambitious man,’ to find the dreamer s killer before any more nightmares unfold. M. C. Beaton s intricate plotting and lively characters are masterfully displayed in this unabridged audio version.

Death of a Maid

Done, dusted…
and dead! Armed with a bucket and mop, Mrs Gillespie is destined to bring misery into the life of Hamish Macbeth when he wins her maid services in a church raffle, knowing she is likely to do more snooping than actual cleaning. Yet Hamish has more upsetting issues to ponder his former girlfriend Elspeth Grant is back in Lochdubh for a holiday with her new boyfriend. Hamish feels an ill wind coming and sure enough, Mrs Gillespie is soon found dead under suspicious circumstances. And as he investigates the case, Elspeth’s presence torments the red haired bobby , making him resort to foolish antics instead of concentrating on the murder in hand. Praise for ‘The Hamish Macbeth Series’: ‘First rate…
deft social comedy and wonderfully realized atmosphere’ ‘Booklist’. ‘The detective novels of M C Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status’ Anne Robinson, ‘The Times’. ‘It’s always a treat to return to Lochdubh’ ‘New York Times’. ‘Readers will enjoy the quirks and unique qualities of the cast…
Beaton catches the beauty of the area’s natural geography and succinctly describes its distinct flavour’ ‘Library Journal’. ‘Befuddled, earnest and utterly endearing, Hamish makes his triumphs sweetly satisfying’ ‘Publishers Weekly’. ‘The much loved ‘Hamish Macbeth Series’…
beguiling blend of wry humour and sharp observations about rural life’ ‘Good Book Guide’.

Death of a Gentle Lady

Gentle by name, gentle by nature. Everyone in the sleepy Scottish town of Lochdubh adores elderly Mrs. Gentle everyone but Hamish Macbeth, that is. Hamish thinks the gentle lady is quite sly and vicious, and the citizens of Lochdubh think he is overly cranky. Perhaps it’s time for him to get married, they say. But who has time for marriage when there’s a murder to be solved? When Mrs. Gentle dies under mysterious circumstances, the town is shocked and outraged. Chief Detective Inspector Blair suspects members of her family, but Hamish Macbeth thinks there’s more to the story, and begins investigating the truth behind this lady’s gentle exterior. Presented unabridged on 5 CDs.

Death of a Witch

Returning from a foreign holiday, Constable Hamish Macbeth senses a dark cloud of evil hanging over his Scottish village of Lochdubh. A newcomer, Catriona Beldame, has cast a spell over the town, and word of her magical powers spreads as fast as the Highland fog. The local men are visiting Catriona’s cottage at all hours of the night and the women are outraged, ready to cast this witch into the sea loch. Hamish himself is charmed by her, too, until he begins to suspect that she is a danger to the town. The townsfolk simply don’t believe that Catriona is a serious threat, saying that the loveless constable has turned against all women, and before he can prove them wrong, she is murdered. Catriona, in her own wicked way, curses Hamish from beyond the grave, making him the prime suspect in her murder case. Hamish will call upon the assistance of a pretty female forensic expert as he attempts to clear his name perhaps he will find romance at last! Lochdubh’s loyal constable won’t give up until he can bring peace and quiet back to his beloved village.

Death of a Valentine

Amazing news has spread across the Scottish countryside. The most famous of highland bachelors, police sergeant Hamish Macbeth, may actually marry at last. The entire village of Lochdubh adores Macbeth’s bride to be. Josie McSween is Hamish’s new constable, and she is a pretty little thing, with glossy brown hair and big brown eyes. The local folk think that Josie is quite a catch, but Hamish couldn’t be more miserable.

The wedding wouldn’t be happening if it weren’t for the murder of a beautiful woman in a nearby village. After the gorgeous woman receives a deadly Valentine’s Day gift, Hamish and Josie take on the case. However, they soon discover that the list of the victim’s admirers is endless. The case confirms Hamish’s belief that love is extremely dangerous, but he still can’t avoid the events that lead up to his celebrated engagement.

Death of a Chimney Sweep / Death of a Sweep

In the south of Scotland, residents get their chimneys vacuum cleaned. But in the isolated villages in the very north of Scotland, the villagers rely on the services of the itinerant sweep, Pete Ray, and his old fashioned brushes. Pete is always able to find work in the Scottish highlands, until one day when Police Constable Hamish Macbeth notices blood dripping onto the floor of a villager’s fireplace, and a dead body stuffed inside the chimney. The entire town of Lochdubh is certain Pete is the culprit, but Hamish doesn’t believe that the affable chimney sweep is capable of committing murder. Then Pete’s body is found on the Scottish moors, and the mystery deepens. Once again, it’s up to Hamish to discover who’s responsible for the dirty deed and this time, the murderer may be closer than he realizes.

Death of a Kingfisher

When Scotland is hit by the recession, Police Constable Hamish Macbeth notices that the Highland people are forced to come up with inventive ways to lure tourists to their sleepy towns. The quaint village of Braikie doesn’t have much to offer, other than a place of rare beauty called Buchan’s Wood, which was bequeathed to the town. The savvy local tourist director renames the woods ‘The Fairy Glen,’ and has brochures printed with a beautiful photograph of a kingfisher rising from a pond on the cover. It isn’t long before coach tours begin to arrive. But just as the town’s luck starts to turn, a kingfisher is found hanging from a branch in the woods with a noose around its neck. As a wave of vandalism threatens to ruin Braikie forever, the town turns to Hamish Macbeth. And when violence strikes again,the lawman’s investigation quickly turns from animal cruelty to murder.

The Skeleton in the Closet

Poor Fellworth Dolphin has been living under the thumb of his miserly, cold hearted mother for far too long. Since the death of his father, Fellworth has been supporting both himself and his mother with the meager wages he earns as a waiter in the local hotel. When his mother suddenly dies, Fellworth is shocked to find that she has left him a sizable inheritance. Not knowing where the money could have possibly come from, Fell teams up with Maggie, a plain girl with a similar background, to figure out where the riches came from. Could Fell’s late father have had a hand in a long ago train robbery? What secrets surrounding the Dolphin family will the two sleuths uncover? As they poke around the village for answers, Maggie and Fell embark upon a surprise filled path to danger and adventure, and just possibly love. With the same charm and wit that characterize her Agatha Raisin series, ‘the always wonderful M.C. Beaton’ Romantic Times magazine has created yet another charming mystery in the best of the cozy tradition.

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