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Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN num: 9780446608282
ISBN number: 0446608289
Label: Grand Central Publishing
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 240
Printing Date: March 01, 2001
Publishing house: Grand Central Publishing
Sale Popularity Level: 178728
Studio: Grand Central Publishing
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Product Description:
M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth doesn't fit everyone's idea of a cozymystery hero. The police constable prefers his flock of Highland sheep and fine single-malt Scotch to cats and cups of tea, and the details of his sucess with women would bring a maidenly blush to Miss Marple's cheek. Yet his charm is definitely of the soft-boiled variety. Death of an Addict, Beaton's 15th book in this series, begins with the apparent overdose death of Tommy Jarret, a recovering heroin addict who was writing an autobiography. Hamish, who oversees law and order in the village of Lochdubh, is instantly suspicious of the circumstances. Told to back off the case, he picks it up again on the sly when the dead man's parents ask him to find out what happened. Hamish's apparent lack of ambition masks a keen nose for illegal activity; even the dead ends of his investigation reveal a loan-sharking operation and a cache of hallucinogenic mushrooms.Hamish's biggest fish is drug baron Jimmy White. To reel White in, Hamish poses as a drug supplier, with a beautiful, standoffish detective inspector from Glasgow playing the part of his wife. The pair go off on a whirlwind trip to Amsterdam to maintain their front, leading to a comic mishap and the beginnings of a romance--one that nearly comes to a very bad end when White is tipped off by Hamish's enemy, Detective Inspector Blair.Mystery buffs new to the series will find this Highland fling easy to follow, and those who are already fans will delight in the hint of a new long-term relationship for their laconic hero. --Barrie Trinkle
Amazon.com Review:
M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth doesn't fit everyone's idea of a cozy mystery hero. The police constable prefers his flock of Highland sheep and fine single-malt Scotch to cats and cups of tea, and the details of his sucess with women would bring a maidenly blush to Miss Marple's cheek. Yet his charm is definitely of the soft-boiled variety. Death of an Addict, Beaton's 15th book in this series, begins with the apparent overdose death of Tommy Jarret, a recovering heroin addict who was writing an autobiography. Hamish, who oversees law and order in the village of Lochdubh, is instantly suspicious of the circumstances. Told to back off the case, he picks it up again on the sly when the dead man's parents ask him to find out what happened. Hamish's apparent lack of ambition masks a keen nose for illegal activity; even the dead ends of his investigation reveal a loan-sharking operation and a cache of hallucinogenic mushrooms.
Hamish's biggest fish is drug baron Jimmy White. To reel White in, Hamish poses as a drug supplier, with a beautiful, standoffish detective inspector from Glasgow playing the part of his wife. The pair go off on a whirlwind trip to Amsterdam to maintain their front, leading to a comic mishap and the beginnings of a romance--one that nearly comes to a very bad end when White is tipped off by Hamish's enemy, Detective Inspector Blair.
Mystery buffs new to the series will find this Highland fling easy to follow, and those who are already fans will delight in the hint of a new long-term relationship for their laconic hero. --Barrie Trinkle
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Rated by buyers 
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Life looks simple enough as the book opens. Lochdubh's finest, Police Constable Hamish Macbeth, checks out a former heroin addict, Tommy Jarret, and is quickly convinced the young man has kicked the habit and wants to stay clean. Imagine Hamish's shock when Jarret dies of a heroin overdose soon thereafter. Detective Chief Inspector Blair and Detective Jimmy Anderson of Strathbane are quickly convinced it's an accidental overdose and the case is closed. Hamish isn't convinced. Jarret had been writing a book about his drug-using days and all but the very first chapter has disappeared. Also, Jarret also had a sedative in his bloodstream. Jarret's parents are also skeptical and persuade Hamish to keep an investigation going.
Hamish takes his vacation so he can investigate on the quiet. His searches begin with a sex-obsessed church that seems to be a cover for something else. Confronting Jarret's former roommates, Hamish decides on the spot to pretend to be a drug dealer who wants to buy a big quantity of heroin. Hamish calls for help, and soon a large police operation is mounted with the inexperienced and uncomfortable Hamish at the middle.
To make matters complicated, the operation is headed by the very attractive Detective Chief Inspector Olivia Chater of Glasgow who will play the role of Hamish's "wife." DI Chater wants no messing around and she plans to wear the pants. The role playing develops into all kinds of giggling situations as they find themselves sharing bedrooms, beds, and needing to put on a good show for the drug dealers' minions who trail them.
Naturally, Hamish cannot control his need to wander around and soon gets himself into an embarrassing situation in Amsterdam.
Despite missteps, Hamish and Chater delve deeper and deeper into the heart of the Highlands' most dangerous drug ring. Along the way, they also solve the mystery of a monster that's haunting Loch Drim.
Blair finds out about Hamish's sucess and is beside himself with envy. What will Blair do?
After many interesting complications, Hamish still cannot see who killed Tommy Jarret. Taking what's left of his vacation, Hamish is once again on the track of those who are responsible for Jarret's death.
The story has a bittersweet ending that helps Death of an Addict rise above most of the stories in the series. The aura of danger throughout much of the book and the sadness of drug addiction make this story far darker than the usual Highland tales Ms. Beaton has written before about how obnoxious people get what's coming to them from another visitor to the Highlands. I enjoyed the difference.
But don't expect this story to have the gritty realism of all those New-York based movies about drug cartels. Look elsewhere if that's your bag.
Rated by buyers -
As the fifteenth entry into the popular Hamish MacBeth series opens is enjoying the beautiful early autumn weather in his beloved Lochdaubh and rejoicing that he is finally over his long term on again off again romance with Priscilla. His peace is shattered though when a tenant of a tourist cottage is found dead. Once it is revealed that the young man had died of a drug overdose it was assumed that he had relapsed and begun using again. Hamish was not so certain, and despite being told to drop the matter, began his own investigations. The trail let him away from Lochdugh, very first to an even more remote village, then to the mean streets of Strathbane and finally to Amsterdam - Hamish's very first trip abroad.
As with any long running series Beaton has had to come up with various ways to keep the series fresh without losing the very things that made it popular in the very first place. Taking Hamish out of the Highlands where he is most comfortable to unfamiliar territory puts a new slant on the series. Beaton has managed to let Hamish grow in a realistic manner without losing his appeal.
For fans of the series this is a treat, Hamish gets to spread his wings a bit but we still get to catch up on a bit of the latest Lochdubh news. Those new to the series would probably enjoy beginning with one of the earlier books although it is not absolutely necessary to read this series strictly in order.
Rated by buyers -
I very first enjoyed the series that played on BBCAmerica and wanted to see how it compared to the novels in which it was based. I was pleasently surprised. The series doesn't follow the novels exactly but there are elements fans can recognize. This one in particular can be seen adapted into the television production. I liked comparing the two.
Rated by buyers 
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Although Hamish is brighter than he appears, the idea of him posing as a drug kingpin just doesn't work. And the dialogue is weak in the extreme. It is extremely rare when a television series is better than the books but the BBC series of Hamish Macbeth is. This is a very light series anyway, but this story was one of the weakest.
Rated by buyers 
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This is the second Hamish McBeth book I have read, and it is a disappointment. It lacks the folksy charm of the first. The plotting is weak, and the situations absurd. I suppost if you want a simple, easy weekend read this would do. If I had a cottage, that is where I would put this lightweight piece of nonesense.
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