Death of a Village

Finished February 28

Death of a Village by M.C. Beaton

This is part of the Hamish Macbeth series, set in the Highlands of Scotland. I have dipped into the series, reading them completely out of order. This is the 18th book in the series. 

There are quite a few plotlines happening in this one, making for a fast moving story. The village in question is a remote fishing village named Stoyre, in Hamish's beat. When he decides to go see it, as he hasn't in a while, he finds things very different. People are more quiet and seem very wary. There is a new preacher in town, and Hamish wonders whether he is a powerful speaker, as there seems to be a religious element to the situation. 

Another plotline is Hamish's love life, whether the local reporter Elspeth Grant is a possible love interest, or just an occasional partner in dealing with suspicious situations. 

There is also a local seniors home where one option for residents is to sign away their home for a place to be cared for. More than one local seems to have died shortly after moving in, and an older lady in his village elects to go in to see what is happening. She gets more than she bargained for, but finds an unexpected ally. 

As various other crimes are resolved by Hamish and he gets both media attention and accolades from his superiors, he worries about being promoted out of his comfortable life, and works to find a solution that will leave him where he is, but not jeopardize his job. 

As always, I enjoyed the various plots, and like how Hamish gets along with the various people in his village and isn't afraid to take on a challenging situation.