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Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN num: 9780804111027
ISBN number: 0804111022
Label: Fawcett
Manufacturer: Fawcett
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 176
Printing Date: May 29, 1993
Publishing house: Fawcett
Release Date: May 29, 1993
Sale Popularity Level: 107946
Studio: Fawcett
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'A case that Hamish Macbeth fans will relish.' Booklist.
A Hamish Macbeth Mystery by the author of 'Death of a Snob.'
When it comes to murder, Constable Hamish Macbeth can't see the joke. Rich, old practical joker Andrew Trent summons his kin to remote Arrat House in the dead of winter for a deathbed farewell. But when they arrive, the old coot is in perfect health, cackling at his joke and ready to torment them with others.
But it turns out the joke's on Trent. As the saying goes, he who laughs last, kills first! And when Trent is murdered, Constable Macbeth must step in and solve the crime before the punchline of the subsequent killing joke knocks him right into an early grave!
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Rated by buyers 
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The entire clan has assembled at the highland manor house of an extremely wealthy old man who is thought to be on his last legs. There is, of course, the prospective heirs' hope of inheriting a fortune. In truth, the old man is an obnoxious practical joker who likes to embarrass people, and he isn't sick at all. Exactly why he called the family together is a bit vague. But then he catches a fatal dose of knife in the heart.
As is the case in such books, everyone present has a good motive for killing the old man. And as is also usual, there is a storm that closes the roads and no one can go back home. Then another person is murdered.
Constable Hamish MacBeth, lanky and redheaded, arrives to investigate, eventually aided by his sometimes girlfriend and followed by his lazy mongrel. Hamish is soon in conflict with a "professional" detective, one he has had problems with in previous books.
Needless to say the killer is revealed and MacBeth manages to keep from being promoted ahd having to leave his Lochdubh home. This is not quite as good as some of the other novels in the series, but it is still a pleasant diversion.
Rated by buyers 
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Easy going Hamish Macbeth has been called in to investigate a death in the neighboring parish. Macbeth has been there before and fully expected this trip as well to be a practical joke. The 'lord of the manor' is quite well known for staging them, so much so that his own family avoids him as much as possible. When Macbeth arrives though he finds two odd things - very first that the family in full attendance and second the dead body is no joke. Still Hamish, aided by the ever faithful Towser and the somewhat less dependable Priscilla, manages to puzzle out the solution.
This seventh entry in the long running series about the constable from the Scottish Highlands seems to be a recycled Agatha Christie story with Hamish and company along for the ride. There is an isolated country house that gets totally cut off from the world just after the last arrival. There is a dysfunctional family with a thoroughly obnoxious head who controls the rest of the family by keeping tight hold of the money. The family is a very mixed and complicated group of siblings and second marriages containing the usual actress, gold digger, grey sheep etc. The household is run by enigmatic servants who may or may not be what they seem. And of course there must be a second murder.
While this is of interest to fans of the Macbeth series this would not be the place to start. Those who are fans of the isolated house murder subgenre would be better off reading or even re-reading one of Christie's.
Rated by buyers -
Death of a Prankster is that rarity in this series, a pretty ordinary mystery and story that borders on not quite being up to the average level. Unlike many of the other stories in the series, you could skip this one and not miss anything. But I think you'll enjoy Death of a Prankster well enough, as long as you don't expect it to begin to match up to Death of a Hussy.
Think of this novel as the case that got Hamish central heating for the Lochdubh police station where he resides.
Andrew Trent is a monster of a man, playing cruel, crude jokes on one and all: It's his purpose in life. His family avoids him like the plague, but because Andrew is rich, they flock together when he tells one and all that he's on death's door. Trent may not have meant that to be true, but it turns out to be the case when someone murders the old scoundrel. But bumping off Trent doesn't end the murderous mayhem. Until late in the book, it's clear that almost everyone hated Trent . . . but the motive and method of his murder are unclear. A chance investigative foray reveals all, and the ending simply explores the harm that greed does to the soul. In typical Hamish Macbeth fashion, there's a confrontation with all of the suspects that leads to a confession (Perry Mason style) based on a pretty far-fetched scenario.
Trent doesn't ring true as a character. That's a major flaw in the book. In addition, most of the other characters don't ring true either. Some, while ringing a little bit true, aren't anyone you want to know more about. So you're left with the story to keep you entertained. It's not a very entertaining story. So you'll find yourself simply cherishing the moments when it's all Hamish and Priscilla in their intimate-at-arm's-length relationship.
The book is ultimately almost totally forgettable. I don't even remember having a good laugh or smile while reading the material.
Rated by buyers -
In this book we see Hamish called to Arrat House on the demise of the master of the house, Mr. Arthur Trent. Hamish has had a previous run-in with this man because of one of Trent's endless practical jokes, so Hamish is not sure if it's a real murder when he's called or just a prank. It turns out to be real, so Hamish sets out to find a killer. We see the odious Inspector Blair and more of Priscilla in this book. I found the plot a little thin, and it's missing a lot of the unique highland flare that shows up in Ms. Beaton's other books, but well worth a read if you're reading the series as I am.
Rated by buyers -
Hamish McBeth is called to a strange murder scene. Inveterate practical Joker Andrew Trent has been murdered by a guest in his home. The live in couple already have him laid out with candles on his billiard table. Apparently, the deceased got all of his relatives to visit him by saying that he was dying. After tormenting them with various cruel practical jokes, he is found stabbed to death in one of the guest's rooms. They all hated him enough to kill him, but which one actually did?
This wasn't the best of the series. The characters are not very sympathetic and are pretty two dimensional. Hamish and Priscilla's relationship has no real place in the story, and the ending really doesn't resolve much. A quick read, but not up to her usual standards.
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