A Highland Christmas (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries - No. 16)

More of an amusing Hamish Macbeth short story with a feel good holiday message, rather than a mystery novel. The solution to the only mystery in the book is pretty obvious. I would recommend the other books in the series over this one.

There are no dead bodies, exploding cars or grand drama in this gentle scottish police story. There is however a lot of kindness, some intelligent sleuthing and community spirit. I will be reading more in the Hamish Macbeth series.

Oh my! The delightful things one finds when perusing the Bookmobile's offerings! M.C. Beaton's 'A Highland Christmas' was displayed in such a fashion I could not resist its title...After all it is the Christmas Season and who does not love a 'whodunit' especially when set in the beautiful Scottish Highlands?

Chapter one:
'More and more people each year are going abroad for Christmas. To celebrate the season of goodwill towards men, British Airways slams an extra one hundred and four pounds on each air ticket...'
Imagine that?!

Part of the Hamish Macbeth Mystery series, A Highland Christmas is one of those light and easy on the heart tale set in a small Highland village where due to Calvenist influence, Christmas has no place. No lights, no trees, no gifts for tiny tots for 'Santa Claus and presents are pagan flummery...'

I'll admit to be one of those people who never heard of M. C. Beaton and her lanky Police Constable Hamish Macbeth but after reading this story I am hooked!
A missing cat and its lonely spinster (and very cantekerous) owner, a little girl whose parents do not celebrate Christmas, a mysterious theft of Christmas lights and a Christmas tree and an entire village who comes together in the true spirit of Christmas.

You will love to discover this story and enjoy the witty comments and intuitive eye of this Highland Police Constable bent on bringing a bit of cheer to his fellowmen!

Grab yourself a copy, brew a cuppa and enjoy by the fire!

5 Stars and a big Thank You to the author for a most enjoyable time!

Note to readers: I always enjoy sharing with others the novels I read. Please remember however that unless stated otherwise, these reviews are not requested by Author/Publisher and reflect only my opinion!

A Christmas novella that has Hamish Macbeth solving mysteries of a missing cat and stolen lights.
He brings Christmas cheer to some residents in the area. Some local people do not want Christmas celebrated with lights and gifts. Hope several of the people introduced in this book will be in future books. It was a feel good read and Hamish shows himself to be special to the people who are in his policing district. Plus there was a new addition to his household.

This book is the first one in the Hamish Macbeth series which is not a murder mystery but is a warm, fuzzy, feel good one which starts on a bad note. Hamish Macbeth is in a bad mood for having to spend Christmas by himself since the ex-love of his life, Priscilla H. Smyte, is away in New York, and his parents and siblings plan on spending Christmas in Florida. To make matters worse, residents of his hometown of Lobhdubh and nearby Cnothan, he has to cover for the local P. C. who is in the hospital, are against celebrating Christmas because they feel it is a pagan holiday going back to Roman times. When an older resident with a sour temperament from Lobhdubh reports her cat missing, and the Christmas lights are stolen from Cnothan, Hamish Macbeth has his hands full. At the end, everything ends up on a happy note and everybody has the best Christmas ever, with the exception of the new school teacher who has her dreams of marrying Hamish Macbeth gets crashed.

M. C. Beaton delivers a Christmas tale worthy of Dickens in this delightful departure from the Death of A series. Ever hassled by headquarters, always tormented by a villager or two, plagued by petty crimes, Hamish MacBeth manages to create a Highland Christmas celebration you will never forget. This slim volume contains more Christmas magic than a huge department store, all of it delivered with delightfully understated Highland humor, and (a gift from the author?) decorated with some marvelous illustrations. Looking for a perfect Christmas gift? Put this first on your list, it will suit all ages (and particularly a pet lover). And no need to wait for Christmas - the cool, fresh Highland air and Hamish's gentle spirit were even able to blow away the heat and humidity of June in Dallas. Highly recommended!
Note: The Reader is finally permitted a glimpse of this author. And the mischievous twinkle is right there, just as I knew it would be.

In the small Highland village of Lochdubh, Christmas is not celebrated with bright decorations, festive trees or gaily-wrapped presents. The old Calvinist ways still endure. Since Christmas comes at the same time as an ancient pagan festival, the strict followers of Calvinism continue to celebrate Christmas with moderation.
Police Constable Hamish Macbeth does believe in having a wonderful Christmas, but since he's on duty during the holidays, he knows that it will be a dreary and lonely time for him. Thankfully, there are no violent crimes; however, Mrs. Gallagher, a mean and crabby woman, demands that Hamish find her lost cat. He also has to cover crime in the nearby village of Cnothan where a Christmas tree and lights were stolen. When Hamish questions people about the lost cat, he meets the pretty new teacher and a little girl who needs some joy in her life.
Hamish ponders the situation and decides to organize Christmas carols and a party at the local retirement home. He also decorates the village with sparkling strings of lights and brings the true spirit of Christmas to Lochdubh and himself.

This is a wonderful little Christmas novelette. I didn't enjoy it any less because I was reading it in March rather than in December, but it will be a wonderful addition to my holiday favourties. I am a huge Hamish Macbeth fan and this book is Hamish at his very best! It's Christmas in Lochdubh and Hamish is feeling blue - there are no Christmas lights and decorations in strict Calvinist Lochdubh and his old flame Priscilla is in New York, of all places (so far away, so very far away he thinks). But all of a sudden Hamish is very busy with some crimes in his patch. He has to deal with the village grumpy lady over her lost cat, he is confronted with a lonely little girl, and someone has taken all the fairy lights and the Christmas tree from a neighbouring village of Chnothan. Hamish pulls out all the stops on his charm and his detective ability to set things right in his little world.

M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth series takes a holiday in "A Highland Christmas"!
And for her fans, naturally, it's a good read: full of the Christmas spirit in everyway, from the local Grinches, Scrooges, and other no-good-niks, to Lockdubh's own angels with their own Spirits of Christmas presents! It's full of holiday cheer and joy, to offset the negative side of the season.
Someone has stolen the Christmas lights! The villagers are in an uproar and naturally our Hamish, the local bobby of Lochdubh, is called upon to solve the crime. The book is a "feel good" read, rather short, but still it holds the interest of Ms Beaton's fans. Naturally, Hamish has ANOTHER love interest. Will it be a lasting one?
So--deck the halls with boughs of holly, trim the tree, pour a delicous glass of pure Highland malt (neat, of course), and be prepared for a nice read. Happy Hols!

As this 16th Hamish Macbeth novel begins it is Christmas in the sleepy little village of Lochdubh, in far northern Scotland. Macbeth is in a most unChristmasy mood, his family has gone to Florida for the holidays and Hamish was not able to get time off from work to go with them. To make matters worst the usually charming village has a most oldfashioned, strict Calvinist adversion to the holiday, condemning the usually festive season as 'pagan'. To add insult to injury Hamish is called out to investigate a missing cat! As is always the case with this series, all is not as it seems and soon Hamish finds his hands quite full solving all sorts of problems.

This is a charming addition to this series of light, humorous cozy mysteries. It does deviate a bit from the usual format of this series in that it is not really a mystery (no murders) but is a light little Christmas story instead. Fans of the series will be delighted at this bit of holiday magic, even if they miss the usual bit of murder and mayham that is the norm for this series. Those unfamiliar with the series will probably want to begin with the earlier novels.

Image a dark city without any winter celebration, and then share the joy of Hamish's own initiative to set up a lighted tree. The story highlights the wonder of a winter celebration, whether for the birth of a Son or gratitude for the return of the sun in lengthening days. After reading this, decorated homes seem to take on new meaning.

I also enjoyed reading about the reconstruction of the face of "Saint Nicholas" (the Bishop Nikolaus of Myra), the source of the legend of Santa Claus and the meaning of gift giving at Christmas: (...)

Book 16 is a very will written entertaining Hamish Macbeth novella. It has a great story line with the usual Scottish highlands well developed characters. The ending is great with Hamish once again getting the better of Blair. Enjoy reading

This one is slightly different from the others in the series in that it is about Christmas. Just a sweet story about the village of Lochdubh. It makes you want to live there with all its crazy characters.

A Christmas story where no one is murdered, or maimed, and foul language is not required to punch up the story line. The setting is beautiful, the people are engaging, and you just know there is a happy ending coming. It is predictable, just like love at Christmas should be.

I like the Hamish MacBeth character and it is fun to see how he investigates crimes. He always has hunches, talks to a wide assortment of locals. He can be scatter brained, in a fog, sweet and kind, but he solves each crime differently. I love him because he wants to live in a small town, be a part of it and help along the way. Fun, non gory, easy reading.

This book was a real disappointment- got the feeling Beaton really didnt want to write it and rushed through. No murder, very uninteresting crime and no insight into criminals at all. If this was my first MC Beaton book Id never pick up another!Makes my Top Ten List of Lousy Books.