Product Description

Celebrate the Holidays with M. C. Beaton, The Queen of The Cozy Mystery. In the dark, wintry highlands of Lochdubh, Scotland, where the local Calvinist element resists the secular trimmings of Christmas, the spirit of Old St. Nick is about as welcome as a flat tire on a deserted road. Nor is crime taking a holiday, as Constable Hamish Macbeth soon finds himself protecting an unhappy girl, unlocking the secrets of a frightened old woman, and retrieving some stolen holiday goods. Now the lanky lawman must use all his Highland charm and detective skills to make things right. And he had better do it quickly, for the church bells will soon toll and all of Lochdubh will be forced to face another dreary winter without the comforting embrace of Yuletide cheer.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #95363 in Books
• Published on: 2002-11-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 160 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780446609197
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
From the always sunny Beaton comes this Christmas special of a book featuring policeman Hamish Macbeth (Death of an Addict, etc.) and two minor Yuletide mysteries. In the fishing village of Lochdubh, Christmas looms, but there are no decorations or Christmas trees as the conservative Calvinist population declines to decorate. The lanky and amiable Hamish is told to cover the beat of a neighboring town, Cnothan, as well, where someone has made off with not only the village Christmas lights but also the huge tree. Back in Lochdubh, crusty loner Mrs. Gallagher reports that her beloved cat, Smoky, has been stolen. While investigating, Hamish meets the attractive new schoolteacher, Maisie Pease, who quickly decides she'd like to help Hamish forget his previous love interest, Priscilla Halburton-Smythe. As Hamish works on the two cases, he also makes the acquaintance of the Andersons, a strict and reserved couple whose daughter, Morag, longs for a traditional Christmas. In this mystery without a murder, Beaton reintroduces familiar characters like the spinster Curry sisters and local seer Angus Macdonald, while working in newcomers such as Maisie. It's light fun throughout, though all but Beaton's die-hard readers will find this Christmas carol too cozy by half. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
YA-With Christmas fast approaching, Police Constable Hamish Macbeth finds the community of Lochdubh, Scotland, facing another holiday under the dreary influence of Calvinism. He manages to schedule a carol sing and party at the local retirement home, puts up a tree, and sets about solving a long-open case of petty thievery in the area. He also begins dating the new teacher at the local school. Along the way, Macbeth finds a missing cat for Mrs. Gallagher and convinces Mr. and Mrs. Anderson to let their young daughter find enjoyment in the holiday and friends. The constable's own Christmas centers on his new puppy. Although a tremendous amount of joy and goodness stems from the officer's actions, he never seems to realize any of the positive results. Macbeth appears to be just what this community needs: a logical voice when one is called for, help in times of need, and a balance between older ways of thinking and the changes being brought by the outside world. The story leaves a warm glow of contentment and has several humorous moments. A perfect selection for the holiday season and a solid tale for sharing year-round.
Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Police constable Hamish Macbeth must work during Christmas week while his family vacations. Although his caseload involves nothing more pressing than a missing cat and a tree and lights stolen from a community center, he alleviates his own depression by soothing others. An inspirational treat for the holiday season. [A Mystery Guild featured alternate.]
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Surprisingly delightful Christmas confection!
A gem of a Hamish book! Fans of the cozy village mystery series will find all the beloved elements. The series and life of Hamish does progress from book to book, and those who care about the struggles of "our Hamish" will note several important developments in Hamish's life. But this book, of all of them, is well suited for the first time reader, as it stands alone as a really lovely piece of holiday writing, with Hamish playing Santa to a group of cranky highlanders, and brightening the life of a small girl named Morag. Sentimental...yes. But who doesn't love the sweet pleasure of sentimentality at holiday time? An easy afternoon read, about one-third the length of a regular Hamish mystery. Plus, uncharacteristically, the author allows Hamish some small bit of triumph at the end. Merry Christmas Ms. Beaton, Merry Christmas Hamish!

A Charming Christmas Tale
I was enchanted by this charming Christmas tale. As always in the Hamish McBeth series, the primary focus of this novella was not the mystery, but a visit to the Scottish Highlands. After following the series since the first book, I felt that I was vising old friends-- this time at Christmas. Although the focus was not on the mystery, this aspect was still credible, with Hamish using his Highland intuition to recover a town's stolen Christmas lights. The book's short length made it a quick read for the busy holiday season. Highland Christmas had a fairy tale feeling and happy ending. Hamish plays Santa to a lonely little girl and an old folks home, foils Blair's attempt to get him in trouble, and gets a new friend. There are laugh-out-loud moments in this touching, feel-good story for the holidays.

Worth buying except for size
It may be the season to be jolly, but to Police Constable Hamish Macbeth it is a time of loneliness and plenty of criminal activity. Though most of the country has gone commercial starting in October, Hamish's hometown of Lochdubh remains sober as the religious leaders have always felt Christmas is a Roman holiday.

Hamish has no time to worry about his town's gloomy outlook. Instead, he searches for the missing cat of crabby Mrs. Gallagher. The elderly person is the perfect individual to send anyone into a depression. On top of that, he must uncover the caper of the stolen Christmas tree and lights at the neighboring town of Cnothan. Then there is the miserable little girl, who needs special cheering up, as her family does not celebrate the holiday.

A HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS is an entertaining Hamish MacBeth cozy that fans of the series will enjoy. The story line consists of several subplots that bring out Hamish's caring personality. None of these cases require any incredible who-done-it investigative abilities. Instead, they all need human relations' skills. M.C Beaton provides a warm season's greeting, but fans of Scottish police tales and cozies need to decide if the cost is worth a novella.

Harriet Klausner