Search results for ""Author M C Beaton""

'Every new Agatha Raisin escapade is a total joy' ASHLEY JENSEN'No wonder she's been crowned Queen of Cosy Crime' MAIL ON SUNDAY 'A Beaton novel is like The Archers on speed' DAILY MAIL The latest Agatha Raisin mystery from bestselling author M. C. BeatonThe team of bells at St. Ethelred church is the pride and glory of the idyllic Cotswolds village of Thirk Magna, together with the most dedicated bell ringers in the whole of England: the twins Mavis and Millicent Dupin.As the village gets ready for the Bishop's visit, the twins get overly-excited at the prospect of ringing the special peal of bells created for the occasion and start bullying the other bell ringers, forcing them to rehearse and rehearse . . . so much so that Joseph Kennell, a retired lawyer, yells at the sisters that he 'felt like killing them'!When the twins' home is broken into one night and Millicent is found dead, struck from a hammer blow, suspicion falls onto the lawyer.Will Agatha unmask the real killer and clear Joseph's name?*Praise for M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin series:'The detective novels of M C Beaton have reached cult status' The Times'Irresistible, unputdownable, a joy' Anne Robinson'Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack-a-day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she could be living my dream life' Entertainment Weekly'I've read all the Agatha Raisin series. There are plenty of twists and turns in a short read that means you're always on your toes. If you're like me, you'll have deep affection for Agatha' Woman's Way

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'Every new Agatha Raisin escapade is a total joy' ASHLEY JENSEN'No wonder she's been crowned Queen of Cosy Crime' MAIL ON SUNDAY 'A Beaton novel is like The Archers on speed' DAILY MAIL The latest Agatha Raisin mystery from bestselling author M. C. BeatonThe team of bells at St. Ethelred church is the pride and glory of the idyllic Cotswolds village of Thirk Magna, together with the most dedicated bell ringers in the whole of England: the twins Mavis and Millicent Dupin.As the village gets ready for the Bishop's visit, the twins get overly-excited at the prospect of ringing the special peal of bells created for the occasion and start bullying the other bell ringers, forcing them to rehearse and rehearse . . . so much so that Joseph Kennell, a retired lawyer, yells at the sisters that he 'felt like killing them'!When the twins' home is broken into one night and Millicent is found dead, struck from a hammer blow, suspicion falls onto the lawyer.Will Agatha unmask the real killer and clear Joseph's name?*Praise for M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin series:'Full of perfectly pitched interest, intrigue, and charm' Lee Child'The detective novels of M C Beaton have reached cult status' The Times'Irresistible, unputdownable, a joy' Anne Robinson'Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack-a-day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she could be living my dream life' Entertainment Weekly'I've read all the Agatha Raisin series. There are plenty of twists and turns in a short read that means you're always on your toes. If you're like me, you'll have deep affection for Agatha' Woman's Way

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The brand new Agatha Raisin mystery from multimillion-selling author M. C. Beaton, the Queen of Cosy Crime, about an eccentric Cotswolds-based detective with an erratic love life and a penchant for G and Ts . . .

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The fifth mystery story featuring Hamish Macbeth from the author of the bestselling Agatha Raisin series

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No wonder she''s been crowned Queen of Cosy Crime'' Mail on SundayNow that Priscilla Halburton-Smythe has agreed to marry him, Police Sergeant Hamish Macbeth can''t imagine a more perfect life. There''s not much crime in his remote Scottish village of Lochdubh, nothing much at all to do but fish, drink coffee, and slouch around. And now to spend time with lovely Priscilla. But his days aren''t as tranquil as his dreams. For one thing, Priscilla''s renovation schemes are driving him out of his cottage. Not to mention her ambitious plans for his career as a policeman away from Lochdubh. This might be a good time to find out why Peter Hynd''s arrival in nearby Drim was causing so much trouble. An attractive, unmarried man with an independent income would always attract attention in such a small place. But this time Hynd''s arrival seems to have caused bitter rivalry among the women of Drim. Hamish finds their petty fights amu

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An untimely death wipes the smile from Hamish''s face . . .In Scotland, where thrift and a ''nice set of dentures'' are generally admired, Dr Frederick Gilchrist''s cheap rates and penchant for pulling teeth have gained him quite a clientele. However, wiser Highlanders - like Hamish Macbeth - opt to steer clear of this reputed womanizer''s all-too-busy hands. Only jaw-throbbing agony drives Hamish to Gilchrist''s surgery, but what he finds there is the dentist''s dead body - putting several angry husbands in the frame for murder . . .Praise for M.C. Beaton:''The books are a delight: clever, intricate, sardonic and amazingly true to the real Highlands'' Kerry Greenwood''It''s always a special treat to return to Lochdubh'' New York Times

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Just when Hamish most needs him - the dentist turns up dead...In Scotland, where thrift and a 'nice set of dentures' are generally admired, dental surgeon Dr Frederick Gilchrist's cheap rates and penchant for pulling teeth have gained him a clientele. However, wiser Highlanders (like Hamish Macbeth) opt to steer clear of this reputed womanizer's all-too-busy hands. Only jaw-throbbing agony drives Hamish to Gilchrist's surgery, but what he finds is the dentist's dead body - putting several angry husbands in the frame for murder...

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Now that Priscilla Halburton-Smythe has agreed to marry him, Police Sergeant Hamish Macbeth can't imagine a more perfect life. There's not much crime in his remote Scottish village of Lochdubh, nothing much at all to do but fish, drink coffee, and slouch around. And now to spend time with lovely Priscilla. But his days aren't as tranquil as his dreams. For one thing, Priscilla's renovation schemes are driving him out of his cottage. Not to mention her ambitious plans for his career as a policeman away from Lochdubh. This might be a good time to find out why Peter Hynd's arrival in nearby Drim was causing so much trouble. An attractive, unmarried man with an independent income would always attract attention in such a small place. But this time Hynd's arrival seems to have caused bitter rivalry among the women of Drim. Hamish finds their petty fights amusing and a clever excuse to avoid Priscilla and her schemes for a new electric stove (to replace his beloved woodburning appliance), a posh new bathroom, and virtuous nutrition. Amusing, that is, until death threats, physical abuse, and murder make statistical history in one of Scotland's most picture postcard-perfect towns.Praise for M.C. Beaton:The detective novels of M. C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status. Anne Robinson, The Times

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Constable Hamish Macbeth finds himself confronted by a wealth of suspects when gorgeous, yet vindictive, BBC reporter Crystal French, who has made many enemies in the village of Lochdubh by insulting the shopkeepers and publicly humiliating Hamish, is found murdered. Reprint.

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Truth is stranger than fiction...Patricia Martyn-Broyd, now in her seventies, has retired to the Highlands. She hasn't written a word in years and her books are out of print. But now a television company is about to film her last detective story, featuring the aristocratic Scottish detective Lady Harriet Vare. Even though the snobbish Miss Martyn-Broyd doesn't care to mix with the locals, she can't help but share her excitement with local policeman Hamish Macbeth.Imagine her horror when Miss Martyn-Broyd discovers that the screenwriter is known for his violent and scurrilous scripts and that Lady Harriet Vare is to be portrayed as a pot-smoking hippy by the scene-stealing trollop Penelope Gates. But a contract is a contract, as Ms Martyn-Broyd quickly learns. And when she is accused of murdering both the scriptwriter and the leading lady, she turns to her one friend in Lochdubh, Hamish Macbeth, to help her.Praise for M.C. Beaton:'The books are a delight: clever, intricate, sardonic and amazingly true to the real Highlands' Kerry Greenwood'It's always a special treat to return to Lochdubh' New York Times

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Her table manners were a crime. But she didn't deserve to die! There's not a cloud in Hamish Macbeth's sky - just plenty of warm sunshine but not quite enough of the lovely 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 one another. And the arrival of Maria's gross, greedy business 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 the baffling puzzle: Who shared the fateful outing that left Peta dead with a large rosy red apple in her mouth...

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After a romantic disappointment and an undeserved demotion, Scots village bobby Hamish Macbeth decides a week's holiday at the coastal village of Skag might be just the ticket. He's dead wrong, of course: the food is dire, and the man in the next room nags his wife so loudly and continuously that more than one person at the Friendly House bed-and-breakfast wishes him dead, though only Hamish is heard threatening him. When this chap's body is found floating in the river Skag, Hamish is the prime suspect. While clearing his name, the lanky Scot has to deal with the widow who's suddenly making eyes at a refined bachelor, two leather-skirted Glaswegian beauties intent on raising disco hell, and the rude revelation of one family man's secret life. Some holiday!Praise for M.C. Beaton:The detective novels of M. C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status. Anne Robinson, The Times

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The sixth book in M.C. Beaton's charming Travelling Matchmaker series. A damsel in distress and a confirmed bachelor - surely a match made in heaven!No coach journey is ever dull with Miss Hannah Pym aboard, and this one proves no exception as she meets the young and beautiful Miss Yvonne Grenier, who is fleeing the Terror in France.Charming but shy, Yvonne becomes quite frightened when a dangerous enemy also boards the stagecoach to York. Luckily Miss Pym is on hand to propose a plan which will save Yvonne - and throw her into the arms of the wealthy and unattached Marquis of Ware! Handsome and tailored to perfection, the marquis's birth and fortune are armour enough to defend Yvonne. Although the girl is of the French bourgeoisie and below him, Miss Pym is a certain that Yvonne's Gallic graces and quick-witted tongue have more than piqued his interest. After all, a maiden in distress is irresistible - even to a confirmed bachelor!'Romance fans are in for a treat' - Booklist'[M. C. Beaton] is the best of the Regency writers' - Kirkus Reviews

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A busman's holiday for Hamish . . . After losing both his promotion and the lovely Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, Hamish Macbeth decides the best cure for a broken heart is a week's break at the charming coastal village of Skag. When he arrives at the Friendly House B&B, however, he finds the ambience chilling, the food inedible and his fellow guests less than neighbourly. They include the annoying Miss Gunnery; a family from London; and Bob Harris, who so nags his wife that everyone wants to kill him. And then somebody does. Now it is up to Hamish to act - to dig deep into the past and deliver something more daunting than merely the culprit: justice.Praise for M.C. Beaton:'The books are a delight: clever, intricate, sardonic and amazingly true to the real Highlands' Kerry Greenwood'It's always a special treat to return to Lochdubh' New York Times

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Grime and punishment . . .When Fergus Macleod, Lochdubh's abusive, drunk dustman is put in charge of the local recycling centre and is dubbed 'Environment Officer', Hamish Macbeth smells trouble. Sure enough, Fergus, imbued with his new powers, becomes a bullying tyrant and when his body is found stuffed in a recycling bin, no one is sorry - including his long-suffering family. But Hamish is surprised to find that many of the despicable dustman's victims refuse to talk - and when violence strikes again, the lanky lawman must quickly unearth the culprit among a litter of suspects . . . before the killer makes a clean getaway!Praise for M.C. Beaton:'The books are a delight: clever, intricate, sardonic and amazingly true to the real Highlands' Kerry Greenwood'It's always a special treat to return to Lochdubh' New York Times

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Annabelle Carruthers can only dream of being kissed by a man as dashing as Lord Darkwood. She remains locked in misery - married to a rakish drunk who gambles their lives into financial and social ruin.His sudden death - and rumours of spies and treachery - only make matters worse. Burdened with her dead husband's gambling debts, Annabelle fears that she is on her way to the poorhouse. The only solution Annabelle can see to avoid this is to offer herself up as mistress to the mysterious Lord Darkwood!Darkwood, however, is too much of a gentleman to take advantage of a lady such as Annabelle. Still, he is intrigued by the persistent rumours of her husband's espionage - a curiosity that will soon place them both in grave danger.

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