Death of a Dentist

July 31, 1997
As fresh and warmly appealing after 13 adventures as he was in the series debut, rural Scottish copper Hamish Macbeth (Death of a Macho Man; Death of a Nag, etc.) discovers that a sore tooth can be murder in this nimble new tale. When Hamish shows up for his emergency appointment with Dr. Gilchrist, he finds the much-maligned dentist not only dead but also with all his teeth drilled. The dentist had an eye for the ladies, and his conquests included an ex-wife, his current receptionist and the tarty girl behind the chemist's counter. Gilchrist also left behind a large pile of bills. Hamish gets computer-hacking help from a pretty hitchhiker--which is a good thing, because, as usual, his citified superiors try to push him to the far sidelines of the investigation. Hamish is convinced that the dentist's demise is linked to the theft of bingo prize money at a seedy local hotel and to two gnomish brothers' illegal whisky production, which has clearly progressed well beyond the cottage-industry level. Beaton lavishes so much affection on her laconic copper that it's well nigh impossible not to fall for ace moocher Hamish, with his quick mind, deceptively simple manner and accursed luck with the fairer sex. Mystery Guild featured alternate. (Aug.) FYI: Zenith Productions, which brought Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse to television, has finished filming its adaptations of the Hamish Macbeth novels.

July 1, 1997
Desperate for relief, Scottish constable Hamish Macbeth takes his toothache to a nearby dentist with a lousy reputation. Unfortunately, he discovers the man dead of nicotine poisoning. As he investigates, Hamish finds that the victim had many enemies, including his own wife. A reliable series (Death of a Macho Man, LJ 6/1/96).

Starred review from August 1, 1997
That wonderfully eccentric, funny, laid-back, people-smart, unorthodox Scottish detective Hamish MacBeth is back in another heartwarming if violence-filled adventure that will have fans pulling up their comfy armchairs and rubbing their hands in delightful anticipation. Spatting with his girlfriend, Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, Hamish is feeling decidedly out of sorts. A painful toothache only adds to his misery. Figuring to save himself a trip to his dentist in Inverness, Hamish decides to visit the local quack, who'd sooner pull a tooth than save it. But when Hamish arrives at the dental surgery, he finds the man dead on the floor. Strange . . . but stranger still is the autopsy report, which shows that the man died of nicotine poisoning--surprising, since he didn't smoke. Then a local barman is robbed, and even though the two cases don't seem to be related, Hamish has a suspicion that something funny is going on right under his nose. Using his innate knowledge of human nature, his keen intuition, and his superb investigative skills, he soon gets at the heart of the matter. A gem of a book, a gem of a plot, a gem of a hero--M. C. Beaton and Hamish MacBeth shine once again. ((Reviewed Aug. 1997))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1997, American Library Association.)