Thursday, May 19, 2011

Death of a Chimney Sweep by M.C. Beaton review/giveaway


Title: Death of a Chimney Sweep
Author: M.C. Beaton
ISBN: 978-0-446-54739-0
Publisher: Grand Central
Format: Hardcover
$24.99
How I Read It: Trade paperback ARC

In the south of Scotland, residents get their chimneys vacuum-cleaned. But in the isolated villages in the very north of Scotland, the villagers rely on the services of the itinerant sweep, Pete Ray, and his old-fashioned brushes. Pete is always able to find work in the Scottish highlands, until one day when Police Constable Hamish Macbeth notices blood dripping onto the floor of a villager's fireplace, and a dead body stuffed inside the chimney. The entire town of Lochdubh is certain Pete is the culprit, but Hamish doesn't believe that the affable chimney sweep is capable of committing murder.



My Review:

Once again we find ourselves back in Lochdubh with P.C. Hamish Mcbeth as he tackles yet another case. This time a body is found stuffed up a chimney leaving some to believe that is was indeed the chimney sweep with the candlestick. But when Pete Ray, the chimney sweep in question is found dead on the moors, Hamish is convinced that is was not a simple accident and that someone else is to blame for both deaths.

Now Hamish must search through Lochdubh for the killer he believes is out there. For those of you who know Hamish, you will know that he never goes by the book, allowing the investigation to go above and beyond what would be considered normal.

My Thoughts:


I love the Hamish Mcbeth mysteries, in fact they are one of my favorite series, and this book was one of the best that I have read so far. While it is a book in a series, each one can be read alone without the need to have read the ones that came before. If a topic from the previous book is addressed it is explained within the novel so the reader is not left with feeling as though they have missed something.

Wrote with the language of the Highlands, this book transports the readers to the fictional town of Lochdubh (pronounced Lochdoove). The residents of Lochdubh are a treat as well bringing their own bit of zaniness to the story, making that much more enjoyable to read. For those of you who have read the other novels, yes, this one offers a bit of conflicted romance as well.


Grab you a few pieces of shortbread, make yourself a nice cuppa of heather tea, and journey to the Highland moors as Hamish solves yet another crime.





I HAVE THREE BOOKS TO GIVEAWAY ON JUNE 2
RESIDENTS OF THE US & CANADA ONLY




As Always,

Best Wishes & Happy Reading,

6 comments:

Meredith said...

I've never read a Hamish Mcbeth story. Sounds like a interesting mystery!

meredithfl at gmail dot com

StephTheBookworm said...

Please enter me in the giveaway! :)

stephaniet117 at yahoo dot com

Judy H said...

I haven't read a Hamish Mcbeth story either.

headlessfowl at gmail dot com

Martha Lawson said...

I love her books, please enter me!!

follow on gfc

mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

Maureen said...

It looks like a story I would enjoy.
mce1011 AT aol DOT com

Anonymous said...

Read this book for our British Book Club and enjoyed it very much. Liked the fact that it can be read as a stand alone. Now I want to read more of M. C. Beaton

Toby....South Bend, IN