Death of a Celebrity

By: M. C. Beaton

Narrated by: Graeme Malcolm

Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

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 fiancée 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. 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.

©2015 M. C. Beaton (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Death of a celebrity

I enjoyed this audio book! I quite like these Scottish murder mysteries set in an old village.

Perennial village copper.

Hamish has it tough with women and his superiors, but he’s always a good policeman.

Really like the Macbeth series.

Classic Beaton

Another home run for Beaton. Love the depth of character created and the complete mystery of who done it. The performance was as always perfect for the story, lovely voice.

Great audio book

Good story and great narration. Really enjoyed it. Have a lot of the MC Beaton audio books… all very good

Most enjoyable so far

Great storyline. I like it when the story stays in Hamish’s town. The characters are great

Fantastic narration that gives life to the characters

I picked up this book for exactly one reason: Graeme Malcolm. I thoroughly enjoyed his part in Agatha Christie’s The Man in the Brown Suit, and immediately after finishing it searched his name for more of his work. I knew nothing about the story just the name of the book and the narrator, and that worked out fine for me. The book is set in the highlands in Scotland. There are many characters with distinct personalities and Graeme portrays them all wonderfully. They all have their own accents and ways of speaking and you really get a sense of the person even if they only appear briefly in a short conversation. It’s amazing. The story itself is decent. It’s entertaining and unfolds steadily with no great complexity or shocking revelations. The telling of the story though, that’s where it’s at. Give it a listen.

Wee Little Tale of Murder and Spite

Crystal French, popular TV reporter (who is stuck on herself) meets up with small town Constable Hamish Macbeth, in the little town of Lochdubh, Scotland where he lives in the police station and mingles with the townsfolk every day. Crystal in her flashy BMW didn’t want to deal with a speeding ticket from the likes of Hamish Macbeth, first trying to seduce him, and when that didn’t work, trying to pay him off. When neither worked, she goes at him from a completely different angle. She sends the newshounds after him, and gets a commitment for an interview with him, hoping to dig up dirt. But before that can happen, she turns up dead. Looks like she’s got more skeletons in the closet though, as the authorities look for her killer, she appears to have had a rocky relationship with just about everyone she knew. I really like Hamish Macbeth, who sticks to his conscience, tries to do what’s right, even when his superiors try to twist his arm. He’s heartbroken over a broken relationship . . . yet he’s starting to be attracted to another local gal . . . but as he tells it, he’s off women. This is a great series, and I enjoy the local lore as much as the mysteries.

Enthralling

I have never read the books in order since first discovering them years ago. Until this one, I always assumed that Elsbeth had always been in Lochdubh. I really liked this book because it introduced Elsbeth for the first time. As usual Newton weaved her magic and enmeshed us in the life of the quaint village of Lochdubh with its ever faithful Constable, Hamish Macbeth. The village's serenity is shattered when overly ambitious TV reporter Crystal French rises into town in her bright red BMW . Crystal is nothing but trouble, upsetting the calm of the area with her vindictive reporting, raking up events from the past, stirring up painfully buried memories. Until, someone decides she's got to go, permanently. Hamish must travel a dark road to solve the murder of Crystal, a road that involves a story if dark passion and revenge. This was one of the best Hamish books ever.

great....one of my favorite macbeth mysteries

one of my favorite macbeth mysteries.
short sweet and to the point.
almost finished with hamish.
finished with agatha raisen

My favorite books

Loved it. I've listened to it 3 times. Hamish is always hiding or or misunderstood by women. Lovable big kid at heart.