Death of a Village (Hamish Macbeth, Band 18)

A town without pity . . . or a good pub

Trouble is afoot in the remote Scottish fishing village of Stoyre, where the inhabitants are acting kind of . . . fishy. On a routine visit, Hamish Macbeth finds the pub empty, the church unexpectedly full and the very air permeated with fear. Then an explosion levels a holiday cottage, which the locals call 'an act of God'.

Hamish has another theory, one that will make the national news. With the help of sharp-eyed journalist Elspeth Grant and his dog Lugs, he begins to winkle out the truth. But Hamish's best laid plans soon go awry when an old friend dies, a scandalous rumour erupts and someone close to his heart may be lost forever . . .

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