Guest Blog - Death of a Valentine

My husband and I have several police/procedural television shows that we watch on a regular basis. Frequently we find ourselves asking each other if we have seen this “repeat” that we have taped. Often we don’t remember the mystery in the story but we recognize the episode from the story line in the lives of the regular characters. We’ll say, “Oh yeah. We’ve seen this one. This is the one where Tony thinks he has inherited a lot of money. Or this is the one where Tempe sees her father again.”
I have just finished reading M. C. Beaton’s latest Hamish Macbeth mystery and I have discovered that I have the same relationship with novels that I do with current TV series. I enjoy the back and forth of Hamish’s relationships with regular and new characters in the novel just as much if not more than I do the mysteries themselves. When I asked the Blogger what she thought about Death of A Valentine, she replied , “Well, you know. It is a Hamish novel.” I suspect that she feels exactly as I do. On one hand you would like Hamish to get on with his life but then maybe you really do like the story better when he is devoted to Lugs and Sonsie, his two beasties, and is content not to have a woman in his life.

So really there is no point in writing a review about Beaton’s latest novel about Hamish. I am attached to Hamish and it was a delight getting acquainted with him again. The only problem was that the end of the book came too quickly. I suppose that is why I keep rereading some of my favorite books. The pleasure of their company.

Guest Blog - Good-bye to some of the best

With the death of Dick Francis, I have come to the conclusion that I have to start looking for younger authors to read. I am not at all sure though that there are too many who can live up to the writing standards set by Francis, Parker and Hillerman. Gentleman, I will miss all of you. Thank you for many hours of reading.