How Hamish Macbeth Ruined My Life
Once upon a time I read books. Not pulp fiction, chick lit or the latest supermarket
I sneered at Harry Potter. Laughed at those who discussed The Da Vinci Code or The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo as if they mattered. Caused arguments at my
Hell yeah: I was a
And then the Winter of my Discontent arrived and words danced around on the page in front of me and nothing made sense and some books were simply to painful to read and others reminded me of all that I had lost and my brain was squiffy with misery and my eyes puffy, blind marshmallows and one day my lovely Kindle solved the lack of words in my life by offering me a copy of the very first Agatha Raisin cosy mystery, and darn it, if my doom wasn’t sealed in one hiss of “snakes and bastards!”
But the thing is this: I want to blame Agatha Raisin but it isn’t her fault. No Sireee! Indeed it wasn’t until I had ploughed my way through all of the Agatha’s published and moved on to her author’s other cosy series, Hamish Macbeth, that the rot really set in.
Ah Hamish, you aren’t real, but how I love thee. You are all ginger and skinny and for want of a better word, a bit arsey. You are difficult to love, a rogue in a policeman’s hat, lazy, difficult and a mystery solving genius, content to live on pasta and cause havoc with the women of Lochdubh. You are in fact the antithesis of the man of my dreams and despite all that, there isn’t a man on the literary planet I want more.
Oh yes. There you go: I’ve said it – I fancy the bum off Hamish Macbeth and the dear man has ruined my life.
When I finally finished the existing series I was devastated. Mourning. Worried that M.C Beaton had tired of his antics and would devote all her energies to Georgian matchmakers instead. I filled up my Kindle with books that would improve my mind and make me a sensible human being again and every night I fell asleep discontented and alert, not lulled to sleep by the bookish equivalent of an Ovaltine, but poked in the brain by literary Lucozade and wide awake for my troubles.
Hamish had not only stole my ability to discern between pulp mysteries and decent reading, but had gone so far as to steal my ability to sleep. So there was nothing for it, but to have a bookish fling in his absence. To look for man who could fill his shoes and then some, while providing me with comforting sleepy fodder and a mystery to solve to boot.
My darlings, I give you Evan Evans. Another shambling copper, this time wreaking gentle havoc in Wales, lusting after the prim and proper schoolteacher and solving all that troubling the little village of Llanfair: a hotbed of murder and mayhem if ever there was one.
So there you have it. I’m having an affair. One quick romp with Evan per night and I sleep like a baby. Trouble is there are only nine books in the series and I’m almost through and then what to do?
No-one likes a cosy floozy do they??
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I discovered Hamish Macbeth and the delights of Agatha Raisin when I was working in my little library on the hill. Sometimes you just need something cosy and comforting – I think of them as grown up Enid Blytons! Have you tried the Tea Shop series by Laura Childs? Or the Needlework Shop series by Monica Ferris? Or the Lucy Stone by Leslie Meier? Or my current favourite, the Jane Austen mysteries by Stephanie Barron? Happy reading! I have just ordered the first Evans from the library….xx
Haven’t heard of any of them Mimi, and you like them I’m sure to aren’t I?? Are you ok? Text me.x
I discovered Hamish Macbeth and the delights of Agatha Raisin when I was working in my little library on the hill. Sometimes you just need something cosy and comforting – I think of them as grown up Enid Blytons! Have you tried the Tea Shop series by Laura Childs? Or the Needlework Shop series by Monica Ferris? Or the Lucy Stone by Leslie Meier? Or my current favourite, the Jane Austen mysteries by Stephanie Barron? Happy reading! I have just ordered the first Evans from the library….xx
Haven’t heard of any of them Mimi, and you like them I’m sure to aren’t I?? Are you ok? Text me.x
I have just discovered the agatha raisin books courtesy of listening to some stories on the radio (or wireless as I still call it ) and I’m loving them ! have not discovered Evan Evans yet but have been tempted because of this blog as for the delightful Hamish I’m addicted to the DVD s have stayed up till the early hours longing for him and Isobel to get together !
Ooh lucky you still having many of the Agatha Raisin’s left! Robert Carlisle makes the most wonderful Hamish doesn’t he??
I have just discovered the agatha raisin books courtesy of listening to some stories on the radio (or wireless as I still call it ) and I’m loving them ! have not discovered Evan Evans yet but have been tempted because of this blog as for the delightful Hamish I’m addicted to the DVD s have stayed up till the early hours longing for him and Isobel to get together !
Ooh lucky you still having many of the Agatha Raisin’s left! Robert Carlisle makes the most wonderful Hamish doesn’t he??
I too found Hamish Macbeth when I was a small town librarian. And my husband is a convert too. Thanks for the other book selections gals. Have a great week!
Have you tried to Lois Meade mysteries by Ann Purser? Once I’d read all the Agatha Raisin books written so far I moved onto these. Very good and village based again.
No, Janis I have never heard of those, but I’ve gone right ahead and downloaded Murder on a Monday! A million thank-you’s for the recommendation.x
Have you tried to Lois Meade mysteries by Ann Purser? Once I’d read all the Agatha Raisin books written so far I moved onto these. Very good and village based again.
No, Janis I have never heard of those, but I’ve gone right ahead and downloaded Murder on a Monday! A million thank-you’s for the recommendation.x
I too found Hamish Macbeth when I was a small town librarian. And my husband is a convert too. Thanks for the other book selections gals. Have a great week!
I too am racing through Agatha and Hamish books, costing a fortune on kindle, but worth it. I love the comment above ” Enid Blyton for grown ups”. Sometimes this is just what is needed. Thank you for Rilla of the Lighthouse, darling, predictable and very satisfying. I love it when books work out right. Still not forgiven Laurie for marrying Amy instead of Jo. I am enjoying listening to Anne of Green Gables on Radio 4, so will probably reread, again, the rest of that series. The last four of the Anne books are my most favourite books ever.
I too am racing through Agatha and Hamish books, costing a fortune on kindle, but worth it. I love the comment above ” Enid Blyton for grown ups”. Sometimes this is just what is needed. Thank you for Rilla of the Lighthouse, darling, predictable and very satisfying. I love it when books work out right. Still not forgiven Laurie for marrying Amy instead of Jo. I am enjoying listening to Anne of Green Gables on Radio 4, so will probably reread, again, the rest of that series. The last four of the Anne books are my most favourite books ever.
Almost through the first of the Agatha Raisin books and it is lots of fun. Thanks for the recommendation.
Almost through the first of the Agatha Raisin books and it is lots of fun. Thanks for the recommendation.