M.C. Beaton, Death of a Maid

Death of a Maid

M.C. Beaton

Mysterious, Feb 2007, $23.99

ISBN 0892960108

In Lochdubh, Scotland, local Constable Hamish Macbeth literally trips over the corpse of the town gossip, housecleaner Mrs. Mavis Gillespie. Macbeth does not need a medical examiner or coroner to know murder occurred as the severely bruised victim was beaten to death with the weapon also obvious, her battered pail.

Macbeth begins his official investigation by questioning the deceased's clients. Every one of Mrs. Gillespie's customers insisted she was a fantastic cleaning woman, but Hamish notices each says this with disdain. He also wonders why, if Mrs. Gillespie was so good at her job, all the homes she cleaned seemed filled with layers of dust as if no dust rag, broom, vacuum or mop ever was used. This inconstancy leads Macbeth to dig even further into the lifestyle of Mrs. Gillespie who lived way beyond the means of a housecleaner or even a constable should. As Hamish starts to understand how she earned her income and that the motive was killing a blackmailer, his police department peers want his investigation stopped making him wonder if some of them were victims of the late extortionist, Mrs. Gillespie.

Though Macbeth has starred in over twenty Scottish police procedurals, his latest DEATH OF A MAID is a fabulous, fresh, investigative tale. The storyline follows his inquiries as he struggles with too many suspects once he realizes the victim was a blackmailer and also struggles in his personal life too. M.C. Beaton is terrific as always as she provides her fans with an entertaining whodunit.

Harriet Klausner