Death of a Maid (Hamish Macbeth, Band 22)

Done, dusted . . . and dead!

Armed with a bucket and mop, Mrs Gillespie brings misery into the quiet life of Hamish Macbeth when he wins her cleaning services in a church raffle; she is likely to do more snooping than hoovering. Yet Hamish has more upsetting issues to ponder - his former girlfriend, reporter Elspeth Grant, is back in Lochdubh for a holiday with her new boyfriend.

Hamish feels an ill wind coming and sure enough, Mrs Gillespie is soon found dead under suspicious circumstances. And as he investigates the case, Elspeth's presence torments the red-haired bobby, making him resort to foolish antics instead of concentrating on the murder in hand. And what should really occupy Macbeth are the town's hidden secrets - ones that will force a killer to lash out in deadly, irrevocable acts . . .

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

'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