This is the fourth book I have read by Iris Johansen and I will not stop until I have read all of them. She has such a talent for creating strong characters. Her male characters are so inventive and have such creative imaginitive talents. As in all her books she has a second delightful male character in Gavin. I am still hoping for a sequel to Lion's Bride. Ms Johansen is beyond the beyond. She rates a ten for inventing such unusual story lines that not only keep me turning the pages but up half the night till I finish them. Please keep writing these unbelievably wonderful, different stories.

This is my first book from Iris Johansen and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I liked the twists of plot and the characters (including various supporting characters). It was also a little refreshing that it was not another case of one of them wrongly wronged the other person blah, blah, then everything was cleared up. And I look forward to read more of Iris Johansen's books!

This story has it all..a wonderful Elizabethan setting, a handsome hero, a smart and sassy heroine, great supporting characters, of course the evil villain,action, death and an incredible plot twist. The romance is steamy and exhilarating! If you have never read Iris Johansen, read this book first!

Jessica Fletcher is invited by her friend, George Sutherland, to visit his castle in Scotland. But the castle is rumored to be cursed by the witch executed centuries ago. Bizarre incidents happen one after another, and superstitious people blame George and his castle.

I like "Murder, She Wrote" TV series and I expected this novelization was also nice. But I am disappointed. This book's Jessica lacks the most important quality that makes her successful as a mystery writer and a sleuth; namely curiosity. Every time an incident happens, she dismisses it to enjoy her vacation. That's not an attitude of a sleuth. That's NOT Jessica Fletcher I like. Just an ordinary amiable lady.

And the truth is extremely easy to guess. I feel that the author deliberately keeps Jessica inactive to lengthen the story. Indeed, in the last 50 pages, Jessica gets suddenly active and easily solves the mystery. Disappointed.

Excellent! I was a little skeptical at first, but was wonderfully delighted. For those who loved the series, this is a great book!

Jessica Fletcher anda group of her friends from Cabot Cove, Maine, take off for teh British Isles and end up at a castle in Scotland. It would be a great vacation -- except for the ghost. And the murders.

Scotland's most celebrated witch, executed long ago with a pitchfork through her heat, is said to haunt Inspector George Sutherland's family castle in the village of Wick. It's an intriguing tale and after a British book tour, Jessica accepts Sutherland's invitation to bring her Cabot Cove friends to the heather-covered Highlands. Indeed, after "roamin' in the gloamin'" with the handsome inspector, she spots a spectral woman in white in the gloomy castle. But Jessica's blood runs cold when she later finds a local lass executed in the same way as the legendary witch. Something is very vile in Wick. It's a case of evil, greed, and murder that pits Jessica Fletcher against a killer from this world--or maybe the next.

This latest installment of M.C. Beaton's Hamish MacBeth series our hero suffers, perseveres and triumphs in his usual hysterical fashion. Set against the backdrop of the Scottish Lochdub, Hamish's perils begin with a woeful toothache and a lonesome heart. Beaton has brought back our hero, the hated Blair, the lazy Anderson and all the quirks of a quiet Scottish village. This time Hamish has a myriad of surprises to contend with. But he does it in rare fashion and without his beloved Priscilla! Always delightful, intriguing and easy to read, with Death of a Dentist Beaton has managed to combine humor, love and angst, thrills, spills and chills!

Ms. Beaton writes wonderful cozy Scottish mysteries. Her books are always a pleasure to read, and this one is no exception. Hamish MacBeth, her main character, is bewitchingly appealing, her townspeople deliciously predictable, her conclusions just plain reassuring. Comfort food for the mind.

Another good one by M C Beaton. I have read 10 of the Hamish Macbeth series, all have been good but I think this one might be one of the best. As usual Hamish is caught in the middle of a murder and then guess what---a second murder-----guess who finds both bodies? Beaton has provided plenty of good characters to go with Hamish and it make for a good light read. It won't scare you to death or cause you do loose sleep from fright but it is good. Hamish has to fight the bad Inspector Blair as always. I liked the part of the Smiley Bros. Could they make moonshine and be killers too???? How about Kylie, pretty but has bad, bad boy friends. A surprise in the end, many twist and turns. Priscilla finally shows up again, will they get back together???? Beaton leaves enough to let you know they will be more forth coming.

This book is totally great. Martha Morse, the main character in this book has many memorable advantures, from a dirty dust-gown to a washing near the lake with Mollie and Nannie, two of the servants. The book is intersting and really fun to read. Martha longs to play on the hills of Scotland insted of doing her dreaded sewing lessons. The book is not only fun to read, but intersting, and it leaves you wondering what will happen next to this little lass and her family. (And her adventures.) Little House in the Highlands is wonderful. The book is very excellent to read, and I think that any one who reads Little House in the Highlands will agree with me one hundred percent.

Six-year-old Martha is a spunky wee lass who will charm old and young alike. Ms. Wiley has knowingly portrayed the frustration of a young child who not only can't yet behave like her proper older sister, but can't even seem to want to. Children can relate to her for this spark of mischief--for after all, children seem to identify with a naughty hero/ine sooner than they do with a nice one. Ms. Wiley's knowledge of eighteenth-century Scotland is equally impressive, but best of all is her command of diction. I read the book aloud to my five-year-old daughter and the sentences rolled effortlessly off my tongue in ready-made brogue. The dialect is set clearly in context and, with only minor clarifications here and there, is easy to follow, even for one so young. Now add to the formula little Martha's first-hand experiences of the day-to-day grind of the estate and the book becomes educational on many levels. The author has a knack for including both details and storylines that will engage a young child's imagination. So in the final analysis, the book is engrossing, educational, even escapist. It's not often a book can do this for both a five-year-old and her mother!

Six-year-old Martha lives in a stone house in Glencaraid, Scotland, in 1788, with her father, who is Laird of Glencaraid, her mother, her older brothers, Robbie, Duncan, and Alistair, and her older sister, Grisie. Martha would much rather play games on the rolling hills with her brothers and the tenant children then sew and knit with Mum and Grisie. This book is the first in a series about the childhood adventures of Martha Morse Tucker, Laura Ingalls Wilder's great-grandmother. I really enjoyed this book.

In 1375 Borderlands, the Scottish Kirallen Clan captures English neighbor Lord Haddon Darnley when he tries to pilfer some of their cattle. Haddon's father negotiates for the release of his son. However, the English border lord laughs at the last Scottish requirement that Lord Kirallen's son Jemmy marry the daughter of Lord Darnley so after several generations of feuding peace will finally arrive.

Though agreeing to all the Scottish terms, Lord Darnley refuses to send his legitimate daughter Maude so he dispatches his other female child, Alyson, born on the wrong side of the sheets. He uses her brother as a prisoner-pawn to insure that Alyson adheres to his demands of masquerading as Maude and spying on his enemies. As Alyson and Jemmy fall in love, she worries about the future once her beloved learns the truth of her deception.

Though a typical borders romance, THE BORDER BRIDE will delight historical romance readers. The story line furnishes the audience with a feel for the intrigue of the fourteenth century through a strong cast especially the heroine. Energetic Elizabeth English demonstrates to her her audience that if her debut is any indication, she has quite a long career ahead of her.

Harriet Klausner

The time-honored reiving tradition of the Scottish and English border clans takes a deadly turn when one heir is murdered and another is captured in Elizabeth English's debut historical romance, THE BORDER BRIDE. As echoes of revenge are heard from some in the Scottish Kirallen Clan, across the border in England a scheming plot to foil the tenuous peace is hatched by the Darnleys. The price of peace is to be paid by a young couple who have lived as outsiders from their respective family's fold for a long time. Through this marriage our couple must pay the price of each of their father's sins; sins sure to drive Jemmy from his family and Alyson to another she knew nothing about. For this very special couple, by agreeing to this bargain each enters a fragile game of trust and acceptance, which neither has been able to obtain in their short lives.

As the premier book in Jove's new historical line, "A Highland Fling Romance", Ms English has created a plot of remarkable depth, rich with character angst and some interesting twists to a common theme, something often missing in these themed series from Jove.

What makes THE BORDER BRIDE an exceptional read is the depth of her characters; both primary and secondary. Jemmy and Alyson are characters readers will care about as she weaves them through a series of conflicts both internal and external with a surprising depth not often seen in these tales from Jove. Her deft ability to create characters with passion makes this an enjoyable read on a number of levels. Added to this, Ms English effectively offers a well crafted paranormal element, albeit minor, adding further to the reader's enjoyment of the journey through this tale of mistrust and revenge. Ms English's ability to make the reader feel the same frustration and anger Jemmy and Alyson feel and their own feelings towards each other is not often done so well in a debut book.

For those readers who been complaining about the quality of historical reads of late, Elizabeth English is a rising star to be read and talked about. If THE BORDER BRIDE is an any indication of the quality of stories chosen for this new Jove series, readers are going to be devouring them like a bag full of M&M's after weigh-in night at a Weight Watchers.

For generations along the border of England and Scotland, the Darnleys and the Kirallens have fought a bloody feud that has brought nothing but death and destruction to both families. But finally, there is hope for peace. Laird Kirallen has proposed that his only surviving son, Jemmy, marry Darnley's daughter, Maude. Darnley has no choice but to accept, or watch his own son die. But he won't send his beloved Maude to live with the savage, bloodthirsty Kirallens. Instead, he blackmails Alyson, his illegitimate daughter, into taking Maude's place, by holding Alyson's little brother hostage. Neither Jemmy nor Alyson enters into this marriage willingly. Jemmy wishes to return to the sea he loves. Alyson is forced to betray her values and live a lie to save her brother. Against her better judgment, Alyson falls in love with Jemmy, but must hide her feelings to keep up the pretense of being spoiled, haughty Maude. I highly recommend this wonderful Medieval Scottish romance, set in 1375. I can't wait to read the author's other book, which is a sequel to this one.

Another great one by M. C. Beaton about Hamish MacBeth. I have read several of the MacBeth series and the Agatha Raisin series. They both are good but I think MacBeth is a little better. Agatha has gotten to jump in to many beds in the last couple of books. Hamish is his usual self, lazy but smart in solving murders. He can't stand the "Macho Man" and they are set for a fight, but do they get that far??? Later "Macho" is found dead. Was it Geordie, Annie,Andy, Willie, Archie or Rosie? It really could be someone else. Hamish get shot at!!!!! Goodness.... I liked the ending, keep hoping Hamish and Priscilla end up together, maybe in the last book. Beaton lets me see the village, the people and the countryside in my mind. I always enjoy a new Hamish book. Keep on Keeping on.

This is the twelfth in a series of mysteries featuring the detective work of small town, Highland Scottish detective Hamish Macbeth, P.C. A loudmouthed bruiser of a man has established himself in Lochdubh, but when he starts to bully those smaller than himself (everyone), Hamish decides that it is time to deal with him. But, when the man is found dead (drugged, tied up, and blasted with a shotgun), Hamish sets out to find out who did it and why. And when a second person is murdered, the plot continues to thicken...

Being a dyed-in-the-wool Hamish Macbeth fan, I can tell you that this is another great Hamish mystery, just as good as the rest. The story was quite fascinating, and I have always enjoyed M.C. Beaton's (pseudonym of Marion Chesney) Highland setting - the characters are quite fascinating as is the environment of the Highlands themselves. Overall I thought that this was a great book, and a great mystery. If you like mysteries, or are merely interest in the Scottish Highlands, then you must get this book!

This book is definitely one of the best mysteries I have ever read. This is the first time I have ever read a village mystery that could top a Miss Seeton novel. The pacing is excellent and the writing itself is excellent. This book is an great choice for someone who has wanted to try the series but unsure where to start. Death of a Macho Man is a sure hit. I can't wait to read Death of a Dentist (the new hardcover just out)

As with all of this series, it was a good, entertaining read. Because of something that happens within the story that wouldn't be fair to share to those who haven't read the book, I just didn't enjoy this MacBeth story as much as I've enjoyed others. To be honest, the actual mystery is better than some of the other stories. It's the dreadful thing that happens to Hamish on a personal level that bothers me.

I'm reading this in sequence and understand that Hamish is going through some changes...so was perfectly fine with the things happening to him prior to this book. Just don't understand why the author chose to make this particular situation happen...

This is the eleventh in a series of mysteries featuring the detective work of small town, Highland Scottish detective Hamish Macbeth, P.C. In this story, Hamish sets out for a quiet (and cheap) vacation at the North Sea resort town of Skag. However, when he discovers the body of one of his fellow vacationers (a loud-mouthed nag of a husband), Hamish suddenly finds himself the prime suspect in a murder investigation. And so, with his faithful dog Towser in tow, Macbeth sets out to find out who caused the death of a nag.

My wife has been a big Hamish Macbeth fan for years, and she has now brought me into the fold. This was not my favorite Hamish Macbeth novel, in particular I found the ending sadly cynical, but I did enjoy reading it. I liked the setting and the characters, and think that M.C. Beaton is an excellent. So, if you are interested in a story set in modern Scotland, or just a good mystery, then I highly recommend this book to you.

Hamish and Priscilla have broken up. Priscilla has gone to stay with friends, so naturally the whole village blames Hamish and ostracise him. Hamish and Angela Brodie decide that he should take a vacation and get away from Lochdubh. He chooses a cheap boarding house in the seaside village of Skag. He likes his fellow boarders except for Bob Harris. Bob is a bully and a nag and mercilessly berates his quiet wife Doris. All of the guests band together against him(a good thing because the inn is pretty terrible). Bob ends up dead, and Hamish discovers that his fellow holiday makers aren't all that they seem.

This was a refreshing break from Lochdubh. The new characters were very well developed and alive. The loss of Towser upset me, but all in a this was a very well crafted and entertaining mystery. Just too short.

In "Death of a Scriptwriter," M.C. Beaton brings us the fourteenth installment of the Hamish Macbeth series--and she is in her element!

Set in the Scottish Highlands, in the village of Lochdubh, this series is a nice read--nothing too complicated, full of local Scottish color (with both its characters and its setting), lots of delightful red herrings, and logical solutions. This series, the titles of which always begin with "Death of a...," is quite a successful one and one which takes little time to read. Macbeth, the local constable, is proud of the fact that he is not an ambitious soul. Despite the fact that he has solved thirteen previous murders, he is still a constable. He refuses to be promoted as he claims he is too happy in Lochdubh to want to advance to a larger city. He is filled with lots of common sense and while often the villagers give him a hard time ("He's too lazy," they claim.), they highly respet him and have come to his rescue more than once.

He's not so lucky with his own love life, however, and seems to fall in love with any woman who shows interest. The real love, Priscilla Smythe-Halliburton, has moved to London, after he had broken off the engagement, and appears intermittently in all the books of the series.

In "Death of a Scriptwriter," a television crew appears in Macbeth's bailiwick to film a novel written by an English spinster who has moved to Lochdubh. Her books were never much of a success, but this one was picked up by the BBC. She is delighted that at long last, fame is coming her way. She is so overjoyed that she fails to retain the complete rights to her book; a screen writer is hired to "modernize" the plot and characters (in other words, to add lots of sex and violence to the rather staid Victorian tale). Disagreements among the TV crew members erupt and, viola, the screenwriter (an impossible sort, unliked and unloved by anybody, and quite impossible to work with) is found dead; shortly thereafter, the star of the film (who is to appear nude in some scenes) is killed when she "falls" off a boulder; her alcoholic husband has also been found dead! (Bodies seem more plentiful than the last act of "Hamlet"!) Everyone seems to be a suspect! Macbeth, in his plodding, but thorough way, of course, leads us to the conclusion, wherein all deaths are solved, and the reader then is set up to await the next installment.

This book is a fun-read. Ms Beaton is in her element--she's writing about what she seems to know a lot about herself--authors, screenwriters, and television crews (this series is being filmed in England and we can only hope that A&E or PBS will bring it to us over here!). Beaton devotees will love this one!

Billyjhobbs@tyler.net

In "Death of a Scriptwriter," M.C. Beaton brings us the fourteenth installment of the Hamish Macbeth series--and she is in her element!

Set in the Scottish Highlands, in the village of Lochdubh, this series is a nice read--nothing too complicated, full of local Scottish color (with both its characters and its setting), lots of delightful red herrings, and logical solutions.

This series, the titles of which always begin with "Death of a...," is quite a successful one and one which takes little time to read. Macbeth, the local constable, is proud of the fact that he is not an ambitious soul. Despite the fact that he has solved thirteen previous murders, he is still a constable. He refuses to be promoted as he claims he is too happy in Lochdubh to want to advance to a larger city. He is filled with lots of common sense and while often the villagers give him a hard time ("He's too lazy," they claim.), they highly respet him and have come to his rescue more than once.

He's not so lucky with his own love life, however, and seems to fall in love with any woman who shows interest. The real love, Priscilla Smythe-Halliburton, has moved to London, after he had broken off the engagement, and appears intermittently in all the books of the series.

In "Death of a Scriptwriter," a television crew appears in Macbeth's bailiwick to film a novel written by an English spinster who has moved to Lochdubh. Her books were never much of a success, but this one was picked up by the BBC. She is delighted that at long last, fame is coming her way. She is so overjoyed that she fails to retain the complete rights to her book; a screen writer is hired to "modernize" the plot and characters (in other words, to add lots of sex and violence to the rather staid Victorian tale). Disagreements among the TV crew members erupt and, viola, the screenwriter (an impossible sort, unliked and unloved by anybody, and quite impossible to work with) is found dead; shortly thereafter, the star of the film (who is to appear nude in some scenes) is killed when she "falls" off a boulder; her alcoholic husband has also been found dead! (Bodies seem more plentiful than the last act of "Hamlet"!) Everyone seems to be a suspect! Macbeth, in his plodding, but thorough way, of course, leads us to the conclusion, wherein all deaths are solved, and the reader then is set up to await the next installment.

This book is a fun-read. Ms Beaton is in her element--she's writing about what she seems to know a lot about herself--authors, screenwriters, and television crews (this series is being filmed in England and we can only hope that A&E or PBS will bring it to us over here!). Beaton devotees will love this one!

Our favorite highland detective does it again! M.C. Beaton returns us to Lochdubh, Cnothan, and Drim to help Hamish solve another case. I read this book in one sitting--now what to do all summer? This book is consistent with the rest of the MacBeth series, the settings and characters are old friends. I find that I personally care less about the resolution of the murder than I do about the wonderfully quirky characters and their daily lives.

Indeed, "predictable" is the word (or words!) for any of the Hamish Macbeth series by M.C. Beaton, and "Death of a Dustman" is no exception. Ms Beaton has, of course, worked out a very successful "formula" for her Macbeth books, but her fans don't really care! What's fun is reading them! Macbeth is the local policeman in the Scottish Highlands village of Lochdubh, and, if nothing else, Beaton's characters (primarily Hamish) and the local color (of the setting) are enough to get one going!

In "Death of a Dustman," Beaton's inimitable policeman must find the killer of one Fergus Macleod, local villager only recently appointed as the town's new dustman, in charge of a renewed campaign to keep the area environmentally friendly. Macleod is a real pain, and, thus, when he is found dead, no one really cares! Besides turning into a real tyrant--and impossible to deal with--with his silly and petty (but legal) fines of his townsfolk--he is a wife-abuser and into some blackmail as well. And when his body's found, it's poetic justice, indeed: he was left in a recycling bin. (If that's not a metaphor, what is!) But, the law's the law and a murder's a murder. And Hamish must do his duty--regardless of his personal feelings for Macleod!

As usual, Beaton provides us with suspects aplenty, and Macbeth's resilience pays off, one more time! Beaton's books are delightful to read! (Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

In America, they are called sanitation engineers, but in England they are dubiously labeled as dustmen. In the Highland village of Lochdubh, dustman Fergus Macleod is a slimy toad who drinks himself into unconsciousness and beats his wife when he is awake. His demeanor changes when he is appointed as the new Environmental Officer of the village with a doubling of his salary.

His new position goes to Fergus' head as his petty tyranny encompasses the entire hamlet. The tension is so taut no one is surprised to find the murdered body of Fergus amidst the garbage cans. Local police officer Hamish MacBeth leads the investigation, but the townsfolk close ranks to protect a "hero" from Hamish.

The clannishness of a Highland village can be a blessing to those in charge, but it can also impede the legal system as seen in DEATH OF A DUSTMAN. This is a who-done-it in which every villager could be the culprit because the victim was universally hated. The mystery is cleverly crafted, but the heart of M.C. Beaton's novel remains Hamish.

Harriet Klausner

M.C. Beaton has done it again with another delightful book in the series about Hamish Macbeth, a constable in Lochdubh, a village in the Northern Highlands of Scotland. This is the 18th book in the series, and every one of them is engrossing and entertaining. It was also great to learn that the BBC has filmed six one-hour episodes based on these books. Let's hope we see them in the U.S.

This book is an excellent reference in all areas of owning a Westie.....superb tips on grooming, showing and just all around enjoyment of your West Highland White Terrier. Ms. Gentry definetly knows this breed. A must have for every westie enthusiast!!

The only issue I have with this book was that it was focused only on American breeders. And it even missed one of the major American breeders in it's little bios. But the chapters on GROOMING are invaluable to any novice Westie owner and breeder. If you just gotten your first Westie you'll learn more about grooming here than any breeder will share with you. So get the book.

Si quieres saber todo sobre el origen, desarrollo de la raza, manejo y cuidados de tu Westie, no dudes en comprar este libro. además está muy actualizado.