In the novel, Death of a Cad by M.C. Beaton, Priscilla Halburton-Smythe comes home to the highland town of Lochdubh to introduce her fiance to her family and several of their friends. He is famous playwright Henry Withering and everyone can't wait to meet him. However, during the visit, one of the guests at her parent's "castle" is found murdered. The victim, Peter Bartlett was a cad and a serial ladies man and there are many people (including several of the guests) who might have wanted him dead. It is originally viewed as an accident by the guests and agreed upon by Hamish Macbeth's nemesis Detective Chief Inspector Blair, but Hamish knows better.

This is the first Hamish Macbeth novel I have read or listened to; I was introduced to the character through the television program. However, Beaton's written Macbeth is much different than the television portrayal. There is much more dimension to his character in the novel. The narrator Davina Porter does an excellent job in describing the action and her different voices are not annoying at all; she captures an amazing range of accents and her various Scottish accents are very well done.

The novel is very much an Agatha Christie-like murder mystery; an isolated mansion, upper-class suspects, talking of grouse hunting, and a myriad of suspects all with a reason to kill the victim. I enjoyed the story very much and some of the characters were quite endearing and humorous. This novel is not dated at all, it really could have taken place at any time, and the story would fit in an Edwardian mystery, a Victorian mystery, or any other type of mystery you can name. Therefore, it is as fresh as when it was written.

I like the humor in this novel, I laughed out loud a few times. Beaton has a wonderful way with words and captures the lives and characters of Highlanders well. Her English upper-class characters are also handled well and none of the characters in the novel are cardboard cut-outs. I had a feeling who the murderer might be but really didn't know until Beaton revealed it. I look forward to reading or listening to more Hamish Macbeth. Wnter is getting closer and I have a book to read; Death of a Dreamer.

Death of a Cad (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries, No. 2)