When life throws you lemons, thank it for the snack

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Hamish Macbeth Mysteries by M.C. Beaton

(NOTE: These are my personal opinions and not a paid review or endorsement for any product or works.)

I discovered these books a little while ago and I have been "eating them up" like crazy over the past couple of weeks. There are 27 books in the series and I've read 14 so far. I'm currently reading my 15th title. I haven't really been reading them in order because I grab them from my local library every time I see a title I've not read yet. I've exhausted the titles available at my branch, so I've started reserving them through inter-library loan from other branches within the system. I think the main character of Hamish Macbeth is the primary draw for me. He's very easy-going and relate-able. While everyone in the series constantly wonder why he is so unambitious, it's refreshing to see a character that you can count on to stay put. It's almost like watching a favorite TV series with the confidence that it won't quit on you before you get tired of it. It's true (for me) that sometimes the plots can be a little formulaic, however, I see that as more of a comfort than a nuisance. A little bit of predictability mixed with a few surprises makes the reads so enjoyable. I have found myself reading 2-3 of the novels a week, which is a rare feat indeed for me. I haven't been as voracious a reader since I was in high school, before the cares of (first) full-time college classes and (then/currently) a job and family demanded the majority of my time. I find the writing and welcome pauses in the story make it easy to take "small bites" if I need to or to feast upon many chapters in a single sitting if I can steal the time.

I still have a good number of books to read in the series, but I'm seriously considering giving Beaton's Agatha Raisin series a try once I finish with Hamish. I think the best part for me is that there are so many titles available to fill my curiosity and desire for more time with the colorful, and very human, characters of this Scottish Highland backdrop.

No comments:

Post a Comment