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Death of a Kingfisher

Hamish Macbeth, Book 27

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Death of a Kingfisher

By: M. C. Beaton
Narrated by: David Monteath
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About this listen

A featherbrained scheme to make cold, hard cash....

PC Hamish Macbeth can't help but admire the resourcefulness of the Highlanders during the Recession - in tough times they have to lure tourists to their sleepy towns and the quaint village of Braikie has come up with a novel solution. It really doesn't have that much to offer apart from a place of rare beauty called Buchan's Wood, which the clued-up local tourist board director has rechristened 'The Fairy Glen' and has had brochures printed with a beautiful kingfisher rising from a lake on the cover.

It isn't long before coach tours begin to arrive but just as the town's luck starts to turn, a kingfisher is found hanging from a branch in the woods with a noose around its neck. As a wave of vandalism threatens to ruin Braikie forever it is up to Hamish to get involved...and his investigation quickly turns from mistreatment of birds to murder....

©2012 M. C. Beaton (P)2013 Audible Ltd Mystery Police Procedurals Traditional Detectives

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All stars
Most relevant  
M C Beaton is now definitely by far my favourite novelist. The narrator is also brilliant & brings the characters to life making the story line so enjoyable. Cannot recommend highly enough. With rubbish on the television get highy entertained on Audible with a taste of MC Beaton's Agatha Raisin or Hamish Macbeth stories.

Another Brilliant M C Beaton Novel

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so many twists and turns to this story when I thought it had ended it still went on to reveal more drama

excellent

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In several of the later books, I have noticed the otherwise wonderful David Monteath mis-speak the names of characters. At one point in this book he says Elizabeth instead of Elspeth (which is at least “close”). In other books he attributes some dialog to entirely the wrong character (perhaps such typos do slip through?).
Early on in this book, David struggles to get his “Hamish voice” right. Having binge listened to all the books in sequence, I found this distracting. Eventually he finds it and all is right in the HM world.

Not the narrator’s best

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The Hamish Macbeth books, like her Agatha Raisin ones, are not literature. What they are is little books with loveable characters that you get addicted to.
MC Beaton has her writing ticks, phrases and little plot devices that pop up over and over again but we don't mind because the books are light and easy. The scenery is nice and we just gloss over the flaws.
This book though, with its over-inticate plot of drug dealers, psychotic youth and God knows what else, pushed the boundaries too far. It got preposterous and she just isn't a good enough writer to do this.
Hopefully the next book with stay somewhere within the realms of stretchy credulity. With Hamish stuck in Lochbubh with a plot not gleamed from too much tv

Better when kept small M C

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Yes you are a good doctor and doctor who was the first time doctor you have to doctor

Bad

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