Yes- a closet cozy. In spite of the small group of suspects, bumbling Highland Columbo always gets his man. I still liked it. Very fast, amusing read. Very light. ( )

Character List


Recurrent characters in the series

In Lochdubh

Hamish Macbeth Lochdubh's village policeman.
Priscilla Halburton-Smythe Once the love of his life, the beautiful, cool Priscilla still tugs at his heartstrings and has assisted Hamish in solving crimes.
Colonel Halburton-Smythe Priscilla's snobbish father. He dislikes Hamish immensely and considers him a most unsuitable friend for his daughter.
Mary Halburton-Smythe Priscilla's timid mother.
Elspeth Grant Local news reporter and sometimes love interest of Hamish. Her gypsy heritage gives her insights into her surroundings that Hamish comes to trust.
Dr. Brodie The village doctor, who enjoys hearty cholesterol-laden meals.
Angela Brodie The doctor's wife. Not very domestic and a poor cook.
Nessie & Jessie Currie Twin sisters and the village spinsters whose knowledge of local gossip is useful to Hamish.
Archie Maclean A fisherman who spends his time when not at sea at the harbour front or in the local pub to avoid his wife.
Mrs. Maclean Archie's overly houseproud wife.
Mrs. Wellington The local clergyman's wife. She has a loud, booming voice and is at the heart of Lochdubh's village life.
Rev. Wellington A man with strong Christian values who is kindly and tolerant.
Angus Macdonald An old man with the reputation of being a seer. Hamish believes that Angus is an old fraud with a network of gossipy contacts.
Willie Lamont Hamish's former subordinate, Willie leaves the police force to marry Lucia, a relative of the local Italian restaurant owner, to devote himself to the restaurant.
Lucia Lamont Willie Lamont's beautiful Italian wife.
Mr. Patel An Indian immigrant who operates a local grocery shop in Lochdubh. Mr. Patel has developed a Highland accent and he and his family are accepted in Lochdubh as locals.

Police in Strathbane

Superintendent Peter Daviot, who likes Hamish

Susan Daviot his social-climbing wife, who aspires to befriend Priscilla Halburton-Smythe

Helen, Daviot's secretary, who dislikes Hamish
Detective Chief Inspector Blair, who also hates him (mostly because Hamish is competent and Blair is not); a fat whisky drinker who, on several occasions, is hospitalised with alcohol poisoning.
Detective Inspector Jimmy Anderson, who likes Hamish
Detective Sergeant Andy McNab, who likes Hamish
Dr. Forsyth, a forensic pathologist

Hamish Macbeth 02 - Death of a Cad

Henry Withering, to whom she has recently become engaged
Captain Bartlett, the cad of the title, is one of the guests
Colonel Halburton-Smythe.
Captain Peter Bartlett of the Highland Dragoons. seemed a bit of a sponger, always broke.
Lord Helmsdale small and round thin grey hair combed carefully in strips over his bald patch.
His wife was a huge woman, well over six feet tall, with a slab of a face

Jessica Villiers Diana Bryce were best friends—the sort of odd friendship that springs up between a pretty girl and a plain one Both girls’ parents had estates over in Caithness, Diana was secretly contemptuous of the mannish, gawky, horsy Jessica, and Jessica was bitterly jealous of Diana’s stunning good looks.
Mrs Vera Forbes-Grant and her banker husband, Freddy
Miss Prunella Smythe, a stage-struck spinster lady related to Colonel Halburton-Smythe who frequently wished she were not,
Sir Humphrey Throgmorton, a collector of fine china who lived on the Scottish borders and was an old friend of the colonel.
Jeremy Pomfret was a small, chubby man, and although he was nearly forty, he looked about twenty-five.

Detective Chief Inspector Blair with his sidekicks, detectives Jimmy Anderson and Harry MacNab


( )

I've read many of the Hamish Macbeth novels. They're a quick read with fairly stock characters, but I've just started reading them again on audible (there was a sale) and I am thoroughly enjoying them, because of the reader and her lovely accent. ( )