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Usually ships in 1 business days | | | M.C. Beaton's 14th adventure featuring Hamish Macbeth, lovable local bobby of Lochdubh, Scotland, is a similar treat to her previous efforts. Macbeth feels a dismal foreboding when television film crews descend into his neighborhood to film a local author's out-of-print mysteries. Not only are they led by an overbearing and egotistical scriptwriter, but they have completely stood the original manuscript on its head. The producers have determined that a sexy, pot-smoking heroine will bring in more viewers than the genteel and circumspect detective true to the original. The author herself and the local Calvinist minister are not amused.Before too long, the scriptwriter, the shapely actress playing the lead, and her jealous husband all end up dead, confirming Macbeth's suspicions that the gloomy village of Drim and glamorous media types were a dangerously combustible mix. The mystery itself seems straightforward enough, but Beaton has provided more than the usual number of suspects and subplots. All of these spike the reader's interest while her wicked characterizations of both the locals and the inhabitants of TV-land are hilarious, and very occasionally thought-provoking. The real strength of the book, and indeed Beaton's work in general, is the way in which she evokes the genuine isolation of Macbeth's rural Highlands and blends it with breezy renderings of murder, mayhem, and cozy cups of tea. In some ways it's a bit of an incongruous mix, but Beaton successfully keeps the tone on the lighter side. Death of a Scriptwriter will certainly intrigue mystery fans as well as those who have wondered about the creations of the PBS/BBC series Mystery! --K.A. Crouch | | | |
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| | Product Details | | Author: | M. C. Beaton | | Mass Market Paperback: | 224 pages | | Publisher: | Grand Central Publishing | | Publication Date: | June 01, 1999 | | Language: | English | | ISBN: | 0446606987 | | Package Length: | 6.7 inches | | Package Width: | 4.2 inches | | Package Height: | 0.7 inches | | Package Weight: | 0.2 pounds | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 20 reviews |
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 One of the Best of the Series Oct 19, 2008
If you have ever inhabited an office filled with conniving, abusive coworkers you will barely restrain yourself from cheering, as one by one, the most detestable of such specimens are offed in M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth mystery "Death of a Scriptwriter."
The nearby village of Drim is hosting the filming of a TV series. While the local village women fight for their 15 minutes of fame as extras, the cast and crew bicker and abuse each other while filming what each hopes will be a notch in their vocational belts. Once again Macbeth is drawn into a murder investigation after the scriptwriter is found dead with his head bashed. That same evening, the shows starlet is unexpectedly released from an unhappy marriage. Her boorish violent husband is found dead beside his car. But her blissful widowhood is short-lived. A few days later she falls from a cliff during filming.
Suspects abound, including a local, Patricia Martyn-Broyd, author of the book that the series is based upon, and an "awfy aud snob," as she is described by locals. Macbeth's love life takes rather a small part making this one of the best of the series I have read so far. The locals, including the amusingly opportunistic seer, Angus MacDonald, are out in full force displaying their quirky attitudes and allegiances. Beaton introduces some new characters, along with a taste of poetic justice. If you always cheer for the underdog and want light bedtime reading, I think you will particuliarly enjoy this cozy mystery.
Bright lights and dead bodies in the Highlands Sep 26, 2008
This is the fourteenth novel in the popular series featuring Hamish Macbeth, the lovable but totally unambitious police constable in the quiet little Highland town of Lochdubh. As the novel opens a quiet semiretired writer of detective stories is beginning to rethink her decision to move to the Highlands. The weather is dreadful and most of the villagers are just not her sort, and although there is plenty of solitude she has not been able to break through her writers block in years. To her surprise though she discovers that there is interest in making a television serial of one of her long forgotten novels. The production company has decided to film in the Highlands and settled on the rather dismal village of Drim which just happens to be on Hamish's beat.
The filming causes no end of trouble in the village, bringing out all sorts of petty and not so petty problems among both the locals and the film crew. Hamish is on the scene and doing a creditable job of keeping everything under control, at least until the first body appears. Before the final pages the body count rises, a marriage ends and once again Hamish is unlucky in love.
Fans of this series of cozies will not want to miss another adventure with Hamish in the Highlands. There is a rather pronounced overall story arc to this series so at least some familiarity with the series is needed for full enjoyment. As always with this series the mystery aspect takes a definite second place to the various back stories, particularly that of Hamish. Those who are seeking a truly challenging puzzler should look elsewhere.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
ENJOYED THIS ONE AS MUCH AS ALL THE OTHERS Jan 20, 2008
I like a relaxing read now and then, and these Hamish Macbeth mysteries by M.C. Beaton fill that need perfectly. I must admit to being a big fan of Hamish, a constable in a small village in the Highlands of Scotland, having read most of this series over the years. This story, and the others in the series can be classified as cozy village mysteries. Beaton's ability to describe the people, villages and land make these books quite remarkable. Now, as others have pointed out, the actual "mysteries" are not all that mysterious. The stories are quite laid back, and yes, they are somewhat predictable. This is good though, from my point of view and my needs.
In this particular book, a retired, and not aging mystery novelist, who has retired to Hamish's area, is given a second chance when a T.V. crew moves into a nearby village to film one of her long out of print books. The cast and crew arrive, the village is set on end, and the story begins. Beaton has filled her story with, as usual, two murders, both of people you do not particularly like, and then thrown in plenty of likely suspects. Beaton gives us plenty of leads (yes, you can figure out who done it if you read closely), but does not throw in surprises right at the end to allow her hero to solve the case, while you, the reader, could not simply because you did not have access to all the facts.
This small novel does contain many twists and curves, but none of them are all that sharp and the story is easy to follow and easy to read. The usual village characters are present complicating things for our hero, who, I am glad to say, does not step out of his long established character. He is still quite laid back and simply wants to live a simple life "doing his thing." Per usual, Hamish's love life is a mess, but not even that seems to bother him all that much. Tending a few sheep, feeding his chickens, and solving a murder now and then are quite fulfilling.
You can read this work in one or two settings, depending on how fast you want to read, and I highly recommend them for clearing the mind, escaping, and for just simple reading enjoyment. Hope the author keep them coming.
Very Funny! May 09, 2007
Lochdubh's finest, the ease-loving Police Constable Hamish Macbeth, finds himself wanting to help others reduce their loneliness in Death of a Scriptwriter. The only trouble is, no one thinks very much about his loneliness.
When English people come to Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands, they often don't adjust very well. Patricia Martyn-Broyd, a mystery writer, seems to be no exception. She sees herself as being socially above her neighbors and doesn't make any friends. Her writing has been out-of-print for some time, and she's suffering from writer's block. Ms. Martyn-Broyd also knows that her style of sedate, well-plotted mystery is no longer in favor. A momentary bright spot in her life comes when Hamish takes pity on her and they go trout fishing together without a license.
The writer's outlook is turned upside down, however, when a television producer, Harry Frame, decides to option her first mystery. She makes a classic mistake and signs the contract without advice. The television people are now free to take her title and characters and do with them as they want. Her refined detective, Lady Harriet Vere, is transformed by a lout of a bullying scriptwriter into a loose-living hippy in a sixties commune who tears her clothes off at the slightest provocation. The role will be played by a shapely, young actress, Penelope Gates, who is best known for baring all.
The production company gets the needed financing and heads north to scout locations. Hamish doesn't like the scriptwriter, Jamie Gallagher, and recommends that dark den of negative passions, Drim. The fool takes Hamish's advice, and strong emotions are soon simmering as shooting begins. It's hard to say who is angrier about the series idea, Patricia, the local minister, or Penelope's drunken husband who made her swear to keep her clothes on.
Everyone is soon trying to fire or stop everyone else, and tempers flare even more. When someone bashes in the scriptwriter's head with a rock, Detective Chief Inspector Blair is easily satisfied that he's found the guilty party. But when another person is killed, all bets are off. Blair's bullying gets him suspended from the force.
Meanwhile, Hamish is trying, once again, to solve the cases from afar . . . as a favor to distraught Patricia. There's a bright spot for Hamish; there seems to be a mutual attraction between Sheila, the attractive young assistant, and him. Could this relationship go someplace? Priscilla makes a brief appearance over the telephone to remind Hamish to look into the backgrounds of the suspects.
This story is much more complex than most of M.C. Beaton's novels in the Hamish Macbeth series. You have the saga of Patricia's writing career, the squabbles and problems among those in the television production company, the undercurrent of anger and envy among the women in Drim as they vie for attention, the new minister's unstable marriage, Hamish's courting of his new lady friend, as well as two murders. Hamish also has to deal with two heavy-handed detectives, rather than just Blair.
There are many ironies in the story, as befits a satire of making a soap opera based on a fusty fictional detective story. Naturally, the fact that the BBC produced so many stories based on the books in the series adds even more irony. How much of this book is autobiographical? I found myself laughing much more than usual as standard soap opera complications were worked into the plot of Death of a Scriptwriter.
The character development in Death of a Scriptwriter is much better than in most of the other books in this series. Almost all of the new characters become people you'll feel you understand before the book is done. It is most impressive to put in so many plot elements and such fine character development.
Unlike some of the other stories in the series, you could read this book without having read the earlier ones and appreciate the book quite well.
Strongly recommended.
The last laugh Feb 03, 2007
I've read about 3/4 of the Hamish Macbeth series, and have just gone through all but 3 of the available episodes of the BBC TV series. I wonder how many of the characters are based on people the author met during the adaptation of her series. The prolific MC Beaton need not fear the loneliness or stagnation of her character Patricia, but I wonder whether she felt any indignation over the old-fashioned morality of the Hamish in her books being transformed into the sexual willingness of the TV Hamish. Here she lampoons all the personalities of smalltime show biz. I love the way Hamish helps the residents of Drim milk more money out of the production company. The book also shows the utter self-centeredness and narcissism of even the smallest players in show business, and in true MC Beaton style, everyone who deserves their comeuppance gets it one way or another.
Normally I prefer the Hamish Macbeth books that focus on the villagers rather than outsiders, but after seeing the BBC series, I feel like this book lets us in on MC Beaton's inside jokes, and it is as satisfying as the literary comfort food she usually serves.
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