This was another fun entry in the Hamish Macbeth series filled with everything we've come to love about this quirky cop and his even quirkier villages. Lots of murders, lots of suspects and more 5 minute long engagements for Hamish. I enjoy a lot of Beaton's different works but Hamish is my favorite and always great to read especially after long, difficult or dark books. When I love a series, I always read "behind" (if that makes sense) so there are always more to look forward to in the future. With the passing of M.C. Beaton in December 2019, I am glad to still have a half dozen Hamish and Agatha Raisin books left to read. She did bequeath her remaining outlines and story ideas to a close friend and colleague to continue their stories but I can't help but feel that it won't be the same. Hopefully, they will still be entertaining but I will read the remaining books I have slowly and savor them. ( )

Death of Yesterday Once More
Review of the Hachette Audio audiobook edition (2013) published simultaneously with the Grand Central Publishing hardcover.

I previously read Death of Yesterday in hardcover when it was one of the early M.C. Beatons which I binge read or listened to during the main two years of the pandemic in 2020 & 2021. I was drawn to the cozy nature of Beaton's work and the village humour in both the Macbeth series and the Agatha Raisin series. The mostly unchanging nature of the settings (aside from the occasional murder) and the frozen-in-time nature of the cast of characters were a go-to comfort during the uncertainty and turmoil of the first COVID years. Death of Yesterday also included a cameo appearance of my heritage country of Estonia*, when the Lochdubh village policeman makes a rare out-of-country trip to trace a witness / suspect.

Having now read all the Macbeths and Raisins, including Beaton's final own works, the late collaborations with R.W. Green and now the first books of Green's continuation series, I have a bigger perspective. When Death of Yesterday came up as an Audible Sale item I thought that I might enjoy it again for the narration performance of Graeme Malcolm.

Listening to it again, I did start to notice the beginnings of the decline in the late Beatons. There is a wildly increasing number of murders (Was it 4? I think I lost count.) which add unnecessary complications and confusions to the plot. Hamish Macbeth's character starts to show indications of 'nasty' Hamish in his sometime treatment of constable Dick Fraser, his betrayal of Elspeth towards the end, etc. Even the Currie sisters take a turn for the 'nasty' by reporting Hamish for consorting with a witness / suspect at one point. These are just small hints, but they are the early signs pointing towards Death of an Honest Man (Hamish Macbeth #33 - 2018) which I reviewed as Not my Hamish.

Continuation writer R.W. Green has since righted the course though with Death of a Green-Eyed Monster (Hamish Macbeth #34 - 2022) which was Not nasty or deranged Hamish, so we can hope for many more years of cozy Highland mysteries.

The narration by series regular Graeme Malcolm in this audiobook was excellent of course.

Trivia and Link
* Actually, the Estonian translation title Ninaka neiu surm (Estonian: Death of a Sassy Girl) makes a lot more sense than the original English title which doesn't have any relevance to the plot whatsoever. ( )

I like this series - and this was another good one. Short Mysteries - cozy mystery based in scotland. ( )

Macbeth in Estonia
Review of the Grand Central Publishing hardcover edition (2013)

I wasn't aware of the Estonia connection to M.C. Beaton's 28th mystery featuring Hamish Macbeth until the cover was revealed for the Estonian language edition Ninaka neiu surm (Death of a Sassy Girl) (2020). That latter cover features an easily recognizable photo of the skyline of Tallinn, Estonia's central old town.

As it happens the postcard does make a cameo appearance in the book and is also the reason for a 4-page diversion when Macbeth makes a weekend excursion to Estonia to interview a witness/suspect. Otherwise the story takes place in the familiar cozy settings of Scotland where Macbeth's investigations are constantly diverted by his somewhat hapless love life.

I hadn't actually read M.C. Beaton (1936-2019) previously as I had imagined her writing to be too much along the cozy line with not enough tartan noir, but Death of Yesterday was quite entertaining. i am also more partial to lighter fare these days as the gloom of the pandemic continues to haunt the world. ( )

If you read one Hamish Macbeth story, you've read them all. I don't know why I continue with them except that Hamish is so appealing and they provide a bit of fun on a dull day. ( )