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Jump to navigationJump to searchHamish Macbeth: Death of a Valentine by M C Beaton (view source)
Revision as of 09:35, 22 February 2021
, 09:35, 22 February 2021no edit summary
I just really wish Beaton wouldn't talk down to her audience. Even American readers don't need to be told at a quip about ''Taggart'' that '' he was referring to a popular Scottish television crime series''. Neither we nor they need clumsy constructions like ''Mandrax, known as quaaludes in the States, was a banned drug.'' We can work it out as much as we need to know from the context – or if we can't and we care we can look it up.
A sharper eye from the editor wouldn't hurt either. I can put up with the unnecessary repetition of a character's name four or five times on the same page – but at least make sure that the spelling is consistent. Lesley or Leslie, take your pick, but stick with it. Getting it wrong three sentences apart isn't endearing.
If you want something intellectually literary, bleak, full of suspense and drama, well, let's just say Lochdubh probably isn't the place to look. If you're happy to take your crime with your afternoon cuppa and a wry smile, then this is the stuff for you.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.
Further reading suggestion: for more adventures around Lochdubh see [[Hamish Macbeth: Death of a Sweep by M C Beaton|Death of a Sweep]] or for more quirky crime try Spencer Quinn’s [[Thereby Hangs a Tail by Spencer Quinn|Thereby Hangs a Tail]]. [[M C Beaton's Hamish Macbeth Novels in Chronological Order]]
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|name=Chris Emmerson
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|comment=Do some people read books for the same reason some people watch TV,to see what faults,which don't bother people who read for enjoyment,they can find.
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