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Jan 15, 2019LauraSteinert rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
I cannot believe I rated a Hamish Macbeth story with less than five stars. Two things really upset me about this book. First, Beaton has started explaining how to pronounce Highland words ("lock doo") that by book 16 we should know anyway (Haven't people heard of Google and Big? Can't you borrow a book on CD to get an idea of how things sound?) and she is adding in explanations of terms we have been reading all along. If people cared, as I do, they have many, many books ago looked up "procurator fiscal" etc. and are slightly insulted by her "talking down to us" feeling. Second, one of the great joys of reading Hamish's adventures is that all the people who died in previous books deserved to die, and there was a sort of cosmic justice in their deaths that was very satisfying. Death of a Village and Death of a Poison Pen both see deaths of nice people who did nothing wrong. Even the usually happy, cheerful, promising endings that I have come to love are either different or just not enough to overcome the sadness at the loss of lovely people. If you are not reading this series in order, do not judge the previous books by this book. Go back and start with Death of a Gossip. Now THAT was satisfying!