Play Audiobook Sample
Death of a Witch Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.01) - 1,497 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
Returning from a disappointing foreign holiday, police constable Hamish Macbeth is worried. He learns that a newcomer, Catriona Beldame, is regarded as a witch and that various men have been seen visiting her. Hamish himself is charmed by her until he finds out that she has been supplying dangerous potions. At first the villagers won't listen to him, saying that the loveless Hamish has turned against all women.
When Beldame is found murdered and her home set ablaze, he must clear his own name and then work to solve yet another murder to bring peace and quiet back to his beloved village. His investigations are complicated by a romance with a female forensic expert. Perhaps the Scottish Highlands' most stubborn bachelor will get married at last!
Download and start listening now!
"I enjoyed this book even though it was not my typical type of mystery. I generally like blood and gore. This was a bit on the humorous side. The ending was unexpected to me. You would think that Hamish MacBeth was a 60 year old man the way he lives, but he is only in his 30s. I will probably read more of this series at a later date."
— Robbin (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“Malcolm’s lovely, rich voice carries the story well, offering a narration that flows over listeners, seducing and readying us to experience the story. His accents are delicious, richly Scottish, round, broad, and just slightly lilting during the dialogue and a smoky deep British (or maybe Scottish lite) during narrative sections. So expert is he that changes in character voices are exquisitely deft, mixing like a conversation in a café into a lovely blend of people you want to spend more time with. This is the best kind of reading—one that opens the story, pulling us into the plot and then fading into the background, creating an enveloping and luxuriant aural experience.”
— Booklist (starred audio review) -
“Graeme Malcolm’s brisk narration suits the pace of the novel…He gives Macbeth a low, occasionally gruff voice and a restrained manner that contrast nicely the constable’s dry humor.”
— AudioFile -
“In bestseller Beaton’s devilishly droll twenty-four mystery…could a serial killer be loose in sleepy Lochdubh? As usual, Beaton’s crisp plotting and effervescent humor complement Macbeth’s deft crime solving.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“It’s always a pleasure to return to Lochdubh, the picturesque village in the Scottish highlands.”
— New York Times Book Review, praise for the series -
“Macbeth is the sort of charcter who slyly grows on you…as you realize that beneath his unassuming exterior, he’s a whiz at cutting through all the hokum.”
— Chicago Sun-Times, praise for the series
Death of a Witch Listener Reviews
-
" it's okay. latest in a very long list of hamish macbeth books. "
— Judi, 2/15/2014 -
" Another good Hamish MacBeth tale. A gentle read. "
— Marcie, 1/19/2014 -
" Hamish Macbeth is an interesting character and the setting in the Scottish highlands is great - a completely different perspective and character from Beaton's Agatha Raisin series. The reasoning for the killing is clever as well. However, the story seems to needlessly continue on after the murderer is discovered. Beaton tries to tie up other side issues that seemed to drag the story on beyond a normal stopping point. Will give another Macbeth story a try though. "
— Sonya, 1/15/2014 -
" Fun read on audio in the car on a recent trip...love these murder mysteries especially located in Great Britain and that beautiful accent the reader offers. "
— Janet, 1/12/2014 -
" I haven't read anything by M. C. Beaton that I haven't enjoyed. In particular in this novel, our hero, Hamish, has to face many uncomfortable situations with three women in his life at this point. The novelist has such a wit in her descriptions and plotting. An extremely complex series of murders make a great mystery, too! "
— Joeydag, 1/2/2014 -
" A woman who makes potions and claims she has the power to work spells makes a number of enemies in Lochdubh. Then someone stops her "witchcraft," and Hamish has to solve the case. "
— Katie, 12/26/2013 -
" This is one of the better ones she's written lately. I really enjoyed this more than the last few Hamish MacBeth's. Though, I have to say, the bit with the poachers was totally gratuitous. "
— Naomi, 11/21/2013 -
" A first read of this author for me. It was okay. Not very earth-shattering. I would try this author again when I'm in a better frame of mind. "
— Deborah, 11/7/2013 -
" I really like this short novels. Hamish is an irascible character with a love of his small Scottish town. I have read many in the series and can recommend them all. "
— Bill, 11/7/2013 -
" Entertaining and the first that I have read by the author. She has many more with the same character so will add her to my reading list. "
— Jandblock, 10/28/2013 -
" This book was good. Kind of sad at the end. I have read so many Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth books that it is starting to blur. "
— Robin, 10/7/2013 -
" Love the sound of the reader's voice with the Scottish brogue. Audio book. Love them. "
— Donna, 9/28/2013 -
" Another very good Hamish Macbeth Mystery. "
— Barb, 9/26/2013 -
" Why do I keep reading this series? I think I liked the series with Robert Carlyle so I want to like the books. They're pretty bad really. "
— Christine, 9/6/2013 -
" Always enjoy a Hamish adventure and the villagers just add to the enjoyment. "
— Jim, 7/2/2013 -
" I've read all the Hamish Macbeth mysteries. They are such fun. "
— Mhfuentes2001, 8/17/2012 -
" Constable Hamish Macbeth of Lochdubh is very protective of his Scottish village. He is the salt of the earth and able to deal with foibles of his area as well as solving the murders "
— Jan, 7/25/2012 -
" I really enjoy Hamish Macbeth. A relaxing light read with good humor. I listened to Graeme Malcolm read this. Wonderful reader. Lovely accents. "
— NC, 7/2/2012 -
" Always a bit of a silly series, but this one was particularly improbable. "
— Eliza, 6/14/2012 -
" I enjoy this mystery series a lot (although not as much as Agatha Raisin from the same author). Classic murder mystery. You need to read this series in order though. "
— Ashley, 6/11/2012 -
" I read another in this series earlier today and many of the themes (domestic abuse against husbands, prostitution, weird fetishization of females cooking) were repetitive. Also, I lived in the north of Scotland and the people didn't 1) speak like this or 2) eat haggis on a daily basis. "
— Grumpylibrarian, 1/24/2012 -
" The latest in her Hamish Macbeth series. He is so good at figuring out murders and so very poor at figuring out women, LOL. Has anyone seen the BBC series based on the books? How is it? "
— Ann, 6/23/2011 -
" The earlier books in the series were so charming; this was a big disappointment. What made the earlier books good was the local character. When the author has Hamish Macbeth involved in international intrigue, as she does here, it doesn't work. "
— Rose, 5/23/2011 -
" Hamish and friends are always delightful! "
— Sandy, 5/21/2011 -
" FUN READ, BUT IT'S A SHAME THAT WE KNOW WHO THE MURDERER IS TOO SOON.<br/>LECTURA DIVERTIDA, PERO ES UNA LASTIMA QUE MUY PRONTO SABEMOS QUE ES EL ASESINO. "
— Ilgrs, 5/20/2011 -
" Having had Hamish McBeth withdrawal symptoms, I swooped on this when I saw it in the library and I wasnt disappointed!Go Hamish!!! "
— Donna, 5/17/2011 -
" Lots of mayhem in this one. Hamish needs a vacation. "
— Margaret, 5/11/2011 -
" I was disapointed after reading what seemed be good reviews. I found the author's style only mimicking the prose of a native Scot.(I'd have been more amused with actual language of the Scots.prose... The storyline was only "HoHum" "
— Al, 4/27/2011 -
" Although these books are not too highly rated, I have enjoyed them all. It must be the Scottish accent of the reader! :) "
— Stacey, 4/26/2011 -
" Listened to on audio. Turned out to be much more violent than I expected and seemed more complicated than some of the other Hamish MacBeth books, but was good. "
— Suzanne, 4/24/2011 -
" MC Beaton's Hamish MacBeth series is always enjoyable. "
— Tasula, 4/22/2011
About M. C. Beaton
M. C. Beaton (1936–2019), hailed as the “Queen of Crime” by the Globe and Mail, was the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Agatha Raisin novels—the basis for the hit series on Acorn TV—as well as the Hamish Macbeth series. Born in Scotland, Beaton also wrote nearly one hundred historical romances under several pseudonyms. Her books have been translated into nineteen languages and sold more than twenty-two million copies worldwide.
About Graeme Malcolm
Graeme Malcolm was an actor and winning audiobook narrator who earned twelve AudioFile Earphones Awards. He has performed on Broadway as Pharaoh in Aida and as Sir Edward Ramsay in The King and I. His television appearances include Law & Order, Follow the River, and Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson (with Laurence Olivier). His film credits include A Further Gesture, The Adventures of Sebastian Cole, and Reunion.