Death of a Snob

Title: Death of a Snob
Author: M.C. Beaton
Published: 1991
Genre: Murder mystery
Pages: 148



   Police Constable Hamish Macbeth was a desperate man--ill, friendless, and, at the approach to Christmas, near to death.
   Or so he told himself.
   The start of the misery had been the beginning of a Scottish winter which seemed hell-bent on proving any scientist believing in the greenhouse effect a fool. Like many others in the village of Lochdubh on the west coast of Sutherland, Hamish had contracted a severe cold with all its attendant miseries of boiling head, running nose, aching joints, and monumental self-pity. Although he had not phoned anyone to tell of his misery, nevertheless, like all people in the grip of self-pity, he expected his friends to have telepathic powers. 
   The only bright spark in all the gloom was that he was going home for Christmas. His parents had moved to a croft house and land near Rogart. He would soon be there, with his mother to fuss over him.



Except that mum calls on the next page and tells poor Hamish that he can't come, on the account of a visiting aunt who loathes Hamish. So, when his old crush Priscilla asks for a favour, Hamish accepts: the favour, after all, comes with a free holiday.

Priscilla's friend Jane runs a health farm on one of the small islands nearby, and is convinced after some strange accidents that someone is trying to kill her. Hamish agrees to go and spend the holidays with Jane and a group of her dear friends, to serve and protect, and eat free food.

Once again, a quick and enjoyable read! Death of a Snob is one of the earliest books: I tend to grab these when and where I can, but luckily it doesn't matter all that much in which order you read 'em. Hamish and Lochdubh hardly change.