Hamish and the WorldStoppers

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Most of the “crimes” here are of the low-scale variety --- that is, until Alice McBride reports her husband missing. After Hamish and Dorothy take Alice’s statement, he shows her one of the many fishing spots where Mr. McBride likes to frequent to get away from the missus. Dorothy not only relishes the beautiful vistas of this area of Scotland, she also finds herself falling for her partner. She exclaims to Hamish that she’s never been happier in her entire life. She wrote a number of historical romance books under her maiden name and various other pen names, but since her success with the pseudonym M.C. Beaton, everything has now been attributed to that name. M.C. Beaton, or Marion Chesney, was born on June 10, 1936, in Glasgow, Scotland, and is one of the international best-selling authors. M.C. Beaton is famous for Agatha Raisin, Hamish Macbeth series, and other Regency romances. The author’s Agatha Raisin series has gained immense popularity and has been translated into 17 languages. Colonel George Halburton-Smythe – Priscilla's snobbish father. He dislikes Hamish immensely and considers him a most unsuitable friend for his daughter. In 2019, the literary world and readers everywhere said goodbye to the great M. C. Beaton. Hailed as the "Queen of Crime" by the Globe and Mail, she brought us two hugely popular mystery series starring Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth. DEATH OF A GREEN-EYED MONSTER is the 34th installment in the latter series, and it is thanks to R.W. Green --- a longtime friend of Beaton --- that this story was finished and published for her fans to enjoy.

Hamish’s happiness and constant frustrations revolve around two major characters: Priscilla Smythe and Chief Inspector Blair.

The Hamish Macbeth books were adapted into the BBC Scotland television series Hamish Macbeth. Running for three series between 1995 and 1997, the titular police officer was played by Robert Carlyle. The first and second series comprised six episodes and the third had an additional two-part series finale to make eight episodes. The series bore little relation to the content of Beaton's novels. Macbeth and Lochdubh were retained, in name at least, but little else survived.

They work well together solving the few crimes that happen in ‘their patch’ as Hamish refers to it. Then, there is a murder, and ‘special’ investigators from Strathbane and even Glasgow descends on their peaceful little world. One of those investigators is DCI Blair who hates Hamish with a passion. Blair is the epitome of a dirty cop – Hamish knows it – Blair knows Hamish knows it. Hamish just can’t prove it – yet. Hamish and Dorothy conduct their own investigation since they’ve been told to stay out of the official one. It really gets personal for Hamish when Douglas (Dougie) Tennant is beaten and left to burn to death in his cottage near where the murder happened. Detective Chief Inspector Blair – who hates Hamish (mostly because Hamish is competent and Blair is not); a fat whisky drinker who, on several occasions, is hospitalised with alcohol poisoning.There are a total of 35 books in the series, and one is yet to be released in the year 2024. The Hamish Macbeth series still continues to thrill the fans of the series with its amazing stories. The mystery and crime-thriller genre features multiple similar novels from writers like Agatha Christie and Simon Brett. Other mystery titles include the Marion Chesney’s “ Agatha Raisin” series, The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries by Emily Brightwell, Room with a Clue by Kate Kingsbury, Dying in the Wood by Francis Brody and many others as well. Hamish is the oldest of seven, and lives in a farming family. As an adult, he resides in the local police station and works as a “bobby” (constable), often going out of his way to avoid being promoted. Macbeth also has a natural inquisitive nature that feeds the flame in his career. As he begins his incredibly thrilling journey, he meets the daughter of a landowner; Priscilla Halburton-Smythe. He finds her pleasing and lovely. In this first series, readers begin to watch a budding romance unfold between the lithe Hamish and the beautiful Priscilla. Together, this duo begins to solve the murder of Lady Withers using unorthodox methods that Hamish has engineered. As Hamish solves the case, he also incurs the wrath of Chief Inspector Blair, a senior detective from the nearby fictional town of Strathbane. HAMISH MACBETH BOOKS INTO TELEVISION SERIES

Macbeth himself is a far from perfect character who strives to accomplish very little in his life. He is lazy, self-centered, and determined in every aspect to be right when it comes to a mystery. He will go to great lengths to prove this fact, sometimes using outside information and unorthodox methods to solve a case. Still, these qualities are what makes Hamish Macbeth relatable to readers, and may have a strong connection to the popularity of the series itself. What are the Macbeth books all about?

Hamish McHamish Colouring Book

Hamish Macbeth first aired on television in 1995 on a comedy-drama series formed by BBC Scotland. Marion Chesney claims that the only things that remained the same between the television series and the book series were the names of Hamish Macbeth and the small town, Lochdubh. The concept of a small town policeman butting heads with higher officials was also laced into the plotline, as it was a popular theme for BBC mystery shows (such as Inspector Barnaby in Midsomer Murders and the famous Inspector Lynley in the Lynley series).

It has been 4 years though since Death of an Honest Man, so presumably quite a lot of work was still required to complete the new book. R.W. Green would have also been busy with the continuation work on the Agatha Raisin series, which may be currently more popular and on demand due to its ongoing television adaptations. Working with friend and collaborator Rod Green (credited as RW Green), she added Hot to Trot to the Agatha Raisin book series (published posthumously). They worked together to carry out her ideas and maintain a similar voice – and she gave him her blessing to continue both the Agatha Raisin series and the Hamish Macbeth series after her passing. MY THOUGHTS: Apparently M.C. Beaton was working on this story at the time of her death. I enjoyed Death of a Green-Eyed Monster, but perhaps not as much as some of the earlier books. They didn’t know whether to make it a Whisky Galore or a soap. And they refused to show my books at any press conference. I was very hurt by the whole thing – and I’m bitter because I’m a very resentful person.

Who does Hamish associate with?

Detective Inspector Jimmy Anderson – Blair's second-in-command who regularly helps give Hamish information in exchange for a wee dram, unless Blair is ill, or Anderson seeks promotion