Great book, Enjoyable series | Death of a Dentist (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 13)

Fine piece of work | Death of a Dentist (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 13) | M. C. Beaton

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	• Death of a Dentist (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 13) M. C. Beaton Grand Central Publishing, 1998 - 256 pages average customer review:based on 19 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Scottish dental care

Hamish Macbeth is in agony, and for once it is not about his love life! In desperation he has decided to take a chance on the nearest dentist, despite his terrible reputation rather than drive to his usual doctor. By the time he arrives for his appointment though his toothache has subsided, good thing because Hamish finds the dentist's dead body. Soon Hamish is on the case, and as always against the wishes of his boss, Blair. This time Hamish is not aided by the once again missing Priscilla but instead by one of her friends, a lovely computer expert who is quite willing to assist with police inquiries.

This is the thirteenth in this series of popular cozy mysteries featuring the lovable but lazy Hamish Macbeth. As is the norm with this series the true attraction here is not the mystery but is Hamish's life in the small village of Lochdubh. Those familiar with the series will not want to miss an opportunity to see how all their old friends are doing, particularly to see if Hamish and Priscilla will ever get together for more than a few pages. Cozy fans unfamiliar with the series will do better to begin at the beginning or as close to it as possible and then proceed in order.

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Great book, Enjoyable series

This book was recommended to me by the excellent YA author A.E. Cannon whose books I love and, therefore, whose opinion I value. I had read Marion Chesney's Regency romances and enjoyed them, but had been unfortunately ignorant that, under the name M.C. Beaton, she also wrote this delightful mystery series set in the Scottish Highlands. I couldn't put "Death of a Dentist" down and then had to go back and read all the preceding and following books. What a great series! I now have a very big literary crush on police constable Hamish Macbeth. The characters are all vivid and real and the mysteries are suitably complex and fun to watch unfold. I think this may be one of my favorites in the series, the story is intense and satisfying, but also because it was my introduction to the village of Lochdubh and its amazing inhabitants.

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Fine piece of work

Perhaps the most important feature of any novel, more important even than plot and characters, is the atmosphere, and no writer is better than Ms Beaton at providing that sense of place. It is particularly evident in "Death of a Dentist."

This is not to say that the plot is wanting or that the characters are not well drawn. Still, northernmost Scotland in winter is almost palpable, especially to one reading this in the midst of an American summer. It was like having a spot of air conditioning.

Hamish Macbeth is a man of contradictions, as are most people. He has a fine mind for reasoning, but he seeks no promotion. Oh, he has pride and he feels the slights from his superiors, but Macbeth is so tied to his beloved village of Lockdubh that he will forfeit honors and salary increase to remain there. He has carnal desires, but he is too shy, too self effacing to make a move. Other characters in this book are equally well drawn. Unfortunately we never see the dead dentist before he is found in his dental chair with holes bored in all his teeth.

My only quibble is with the occasional intrusion of the Scottish dialect. Ms Beaton is quite good at using sentence construction and meter to differentiate the speakers, and the dialect works sometimes, but there were times that I had to stop and think what was meant. Perhaps Brtish readers have fewer problems with this than Americans.

All in all, this is one of the best in the series about Hamish Macbeth.

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M C. Beaton Mystery

Hamish is on the trail of a new crime to be solved in a sleepy Scottish village. You will enjoy his approach and his connection to the other characters...good fun to read this series.

A blinding toothache sends Hamish Macbeth 120 miles out of Lochdubh to the dentist Frederick Gilchrist, only to find him dead. Since everyone is pleased the dentist is deceased--patients, several harassed women, and even his wife--Macbeth faces one of the more biting challenges of his career.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

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