Death of a Nurse

By: M. C. Beaton

Narrated by: Graeme Malcolm

Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

M. C. Beaton's New York Times best-selling Hamish Macbeth series continues with a new mystery featuring Scotland's most quick-witted but unambitious policeman.

James Harrison has recently moved to a restored hunting lodge in Sutherland with his gorgeous private nurse, Gloria Dainty. When Hamish visits Mr. Harrison to welcome him to the neighborhood, the old man treats him very rudely. Gloria apologizes for her employer's behavior, and Hamish takes the plunge and invites her out for dinner. On the appointed evening, Hamish waits for Gloria at the restaurant. And waits. Gloria never shows up. Four days later, Gloria's body washes up on the beach near Braikie. Now without a date and without his former policeman Dick Fraser (who left the force to buy a bakery), Hamish must find out who killed the beautiful new resident of Sutherland, and why, before the murderer strikes again....

©2016 M. C. Beaton (P)2016 Hachette Audio

Critic Reviews

"Longing for escape? Tired of waiting for Brigadoon to materialize? Time for a trip to Lochdubh, the scenic, if somnolent, village in the Scottish Highlands where M. C. Beaton sets her beguiling whodunits featuring Constable Hamish Macbeth." ( New York Times Book Review)

"With residents and a constable so authentic, it won't be long before tourists will be seeking Lochdubh and believing in the reality of Hamish Macbeth as surely as they believed in Sherlock Holmes." ( Rocky Mountain News)

"Macbeth is the sort of character who slyly grows on you." ( Chicago Sun-Times)

Hamish is Still Hamish - That's a Good Thing

I choose a Hamish MacBeth book when I want an enjoyable, humorous story with quirky characters. When a character named Gloria Dainty appeared early in the story, I knew I was going to have a good time listening to this book.

If you have read and enjoyed other books in this series, I believe you will be pleased with this entry.

If you are not familiar with the series, do not expect non-stop action, rough language, "edginess", or psychological drama. This is a "cozy" mystery that you can fall asleep listening to and not have nightmares. It will not get your adrenalin pumping. However, it may have you laughing.

Graeme Malcolm performance is excellent. He narrates the story well and lets the story be the "star."

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Love a return to Lochdubh but....

Where does Death of a Nurse rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top third.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The office politics were interesting.

The ultimate resolution felt oddly unsatisfying.

Have you listened to any of Graeme Malcolm’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. A gifted reader who I always enjoy. This one is at par.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Case Closed?

Any additional comments?

I love the Hamish McBeth series. But they are beginning to feel rushed. She either needs to allow more space or cut out the lots of little mini-crises that blow up and are resolved within five minutes.

I wonder if the books are being ghost written.

This one felt "jolty" - like a new driver struggling with a stick shift, lurching from point to point.

I read the books because I cant afford to live or vacation in the Scottish highlands. Beaton drew some wonderful charachters that feel like old friends, even annoying ones. ("Annoying ones" echoed Nessie). I want to enjoy their company.

There's fragments of that in there, but its also increasingly formulaic... you know the outcome of Daviot, Blair, Anderson, and some particularly obnoxious or weak interloper the moment they step into the book.

I love the series, the village, and even the office politics. But I feel like what attracted me to Lochdubh in the first place is missing.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

I never miss an MC Beaton

The combination of a Beaton story and Graeme Malcolm narration is irresistible to me. I greedily gobble down each new release. Then, I often go I and listen to the series again. They never get old. I heartily enjoy all of Beatons books.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Love ya Hamish

I can never pass up a new book in this series. (The very series that got me hooked on audiobooks) Very unexpected to have the brief albeit shocking sexual themes. In other books you wouldn't take notice to hearing the phrase 'hand job'. Hearing it here almost made me drop the dish I was washing as if my Grandmother had said it.
As always looking forward to the next book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Same old, same old

Would you try another book from M. C. Beaton and/or Graeme Malcolm?

To began with, I have read or listen to EVERY Hamish Macbeth mystery. My plan is to listen to one more book unless something significant happens in this book series!!! May I suggest any or all of the following changes in the series:
Hamish leaves Lochdabh - NEVER to return; he "does the dirty" with Priscilla at least ONCE; he moves to Edinburgh and becomes a private detective;
Priscilla moves to Edinburgh and opens a high-end brothel;
Blair dies or is fired and is sent to prison;
Daviot retires, dies or becomes Scotland's minister of justice;
Colonel Halburton-Smythe goes bankrupt and ends up working at the Italian restaurant; Elspeth Grant - Becomes a TV news presenter in Edinburgh, runs for office and becomes the next Scottish PM;
Nessie & Jessie Currie inherit millions and move to old folks home in Fort Myers, FL;
Jimmy Anderson takes Daviot's job, stops drinking and become an obnoxious holly roller; Archie Maclean wins the lottery and ends up buying the Tommel Castle Hotel (his wife takes over as the head of housekeeping).

If you’ve listened to books by M. C. Beaton before, how does this one compare?

EXACTLY the same!

Would you listen to another book narrated by Graeme Malcolm?

Yes

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No

Any additional comments?

Marion - get on with it

5 of 7 people found this review helpful

Eh

I typically enjoy this series however this one just didn't do it for me. I did enjoy the narrator however.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Hamish Macbeth always a pleasure

I was going through a stressful time and didn't need more stress from a book so I came to Loch Dubh.
I love these Hamish Macbeth books, though I don't read them one after another. I wait a while in between.
It is always good to hear a gentle mystery with gentle characters, especially Hamish and his pets. Even the bad guys like Blair are tolerable and understandable. And the murderers aren't totally despicable.
Thinking back on the first books in the series, I find them to get better with each book, especially the character development I gave 4 stars to the Story because there is some predictability---which I like!

A 5 star book from my favorite series

Finally Hamish told the Currie twins to sod off! Granted, he unfortunately apologized twice afterwards but still. I've been waiting for him to tell this to them & the preacher's wife for so long! I've been hating that a strong character like Hamish has been a wuss around them not just because they're all constantly nosy, pushy, & rude but because despite this he's helped them in the past. One instance was huge as 2 of them were around a hippy druggie in a van. If I remember correctly, 1 of them was drugged & the other got naked and there was video evidence of this. Hamish kept all of this private many books ago. Why Beaton has allowed Hamish to just take their crap after that has been bothering me every book.

Once again, chief inspector Blair screws up but doesn't get fired, demoted, or even transferred but merely suspended. This has gotten quite old. He could get booted to Strathbain & still be a jerk side character that gets discussed &/or runs into Hamish sometimes. This is the least that should've happened before when Hamish could've ruined their boss's career but didn't. I hope to see Daviat being even better to Hamish & harder on Blair.

It seems like we may get to stop hearing about Hamish flip flopping between wanting Priscilla & Elsbeth. Maybe he'll mature emotionally & finally know what real love is. It looks like we'll have to see.

I like the new constable Charlie as he's smart & not lazy so he's very helpful with Hamish. He's secretly staying at the castle which is perfect as Hamish gets the police station to himself but also gets help from a good constable. The previous one still gets visited & I'm glad he's now another side character.

This is still my favorite series, though! While you can enjoy any book without reading prior ones I recommend starting at book 1 & going in order. I borrowed all but the last 5 audiobooks via my library app called Hoopla but wouldn't have minded if I had bought them through Audible because I enjoy the series that much. It's not one of those cutesy or romantic cozy mystery series which I'm not fond of. It's a good mystery series with interesting plots (never too easy nor too difficult), with main & side characters that are fun to follow, & a dash of humor. I also recommend Beaton's Agatha Raisin series. It's my 2nd favorite one.

Another Hamish Favorite

I love this whole series! There are definitely some books that are better than others and I would say this one is among the better ones! Great story! I wish the author would write faster.