Thank you NetGalley and (publisher, little brown book group) for sending this book for review consideration. This book deals with trust, lies, and secrets and those that keep them, reveal them, or blackmail because of them. Suspects kind of all blended together (maybe they wouldn't have if I had read some other books in the series?

He scanned the track and the road, waiting for Hibbert to reappear, musing over the problems she had caused. In this addition to a New York Times bestselling mystery series, Sergeant Hamish Macbeth—Scotland's most quick-witted but unambitious policeman—investigates the disappearance of a local woman who is more than she seems. Hibbert had insisted on helping, always cheerful, always smiling but always bleating about what heavy work it was and how “poor Clara shouldn’t have to lug all that peat around. The latest books in this series have really departed from the cozy mystery genre and I'm growing tired of the grittiness and violence.

When Kate’s neighbour sees her lugging a heavy suitcase to the bus stop, he hopes that the prying woman is leaving for good. When Hibbert does eventually resurface, however, a storm of lies, intrigue and scandal threatens Macbeth's tranquil village of Lochdubh. Any decent human would have brought something to cover a dead body, let alone our best murder detective.

He looked down at the white, petal-like bracts and delicate purple flowers of the avern plants and took a detour off to his left. But, for us arm-chair detectives, we’re left to ponder who the killer is until late in the drama when a surprise death exposes the main suspect.Having not read any of the other books, you could tell there was a history here I didn't know but I didn't feel like I couldn't keep up - the mystery stood well on its own. Greene has captured the essence of Lochdubh and its inhabitants, keeping the lightness of heart Hamish’s stories have always had while building strong characters, new and old. You’ll just have to strap on your favorite kilt and visit scenic Lochdubh to find out exactly what is going on. Should a child or a vulnerable person vanish, it’s an urgent matter that needs to be treated seriously, but in Macbeth’s experience, most other people who go missing tend to turn up again before long.

Green does NOT get Beaton's characters - he shunts Blair's full personality to Daviot, has Hamish breathless from a short walk on a flat bridge (hill runner, crack shot, handyman - remember? Readers will enjoy the quirks and unique qualities of the cast … Beaton catches the beauty of the area’s natural geography and succinctly describes its distinct flavour. It was nice to spend time with Hamish again and I do love the setting but I think I’ll say farewell to this series.Mackenzie reached into a battered knapsack, quickly laying a hand on his old binoculars without ever taking his eyes off the figure in pink further down the hill. This Hamish Macbeth novel maintains Beaton’s distinctive voice and includes the usual village eccentrics, loads of Scottish lore, and the light humor that Beaton fans have loved through the years.

This story swings along at a great pace and you will be very happy to be taken back to a taste of highland life. Good moment in the Highlands with Hamish, a good mystery - darker than I expect the McBeths to be, but apparently they become like that ; but still a very enjoyable read.The audiobook narrator was absolutely wonderful - I could have listened to the book for hours longer! He also continues to use some of Beaton’s structural elements to maintain continuity for long-time and new fans of the original work. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. This is the standard template plot of the series, but this one does come with a few twists and shows some possible evolution.