From Publishers Weekly
From the always sunny Beaton comes this Christmas special of a book featuring policeman Hamish Macbeth (Death of an Addict, etc.) and two minor Yuletide mysteries. In the fishing village of Lochdubh, Christmas looms, but there are no decorations or Christmas trees as the conservative Calvinist population declines to decorate. The lanky and amiable Hamish is told to cover the beat of a neighboring town, Cnothan, as well, where someone has made off with not only the village Christmas lights but also the huge tree. Back in Lochdubh, crusty loner Mrs. Gallagher reports that her beloved cat, Smoky, has been stolen. While investigating, Hamish meets the attractive new schoolteacher, Maisie Pease, who quickly decides she'd like to help Hamish forget his previous love interest, Priscilla Halburton-Smythe. As Hamish works on the two cases, he also makes the acquaintance of the Andersons, a strict and reserved couple whose daughter, Morag, longs for a traditional Christmas. In this mystery without a murder, Beaton reintroduces familiar characters like the spinster Curry sisters and local seer Angus Macdonald, while working in newcomers such as Maisie. It's light fun throughout, though all but Beaton's die-hard readers will find this Christmas carol too cozy by half. (Nov.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
YA-With Christmas fast approaching, Police Constable Hamish Macbeth finds the community of Lochdubh, Scotland, facing another holiday under the dreary influence of Calvinism. He manages to schedule a carol sing and party at the local retirement home, puts up a tree, and sets about solving a long-open case of petty thievery in the area. He also begins dating the new teacher at the local school. Along the way, Macbeth finds a missing cat for Mrs. Gallagher and convinces Mr. and Mrs. Anderson to let their young daughter find enjoyment in the holiday and friends. The constable's own Christmas centers on his new puppy. Although a tremendous amount of joy and goodness stems from the officer's actions, he never seems to realize any of the positive results. Macbeth appears to be just what this community needs: a logical voice when one is called for, help in times of need, and a balance between older ways of thinking and the changes being brought by the outside world. The story leaves a warm glow of contentment and has several humorous moments. A perfect selection for the holiday season and a solid tale for sharing year-round.Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Police constable Hamish Macbeth must work during Christmas week while his family vacations. Although his caseload involves nothing more pressing than a missing cat and a tree and lights stolen from a community center, he alleviates his own depression by soothing others. An inspirational treat for the holiday season. [A Mystery Guild featured alternate.] Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Lochdubh in the Scottish Highlands is the home and workplace of P.C. Hamish Macbeth, and many of its inhabitants cast a cold eye indeed on the pagan ritual of Christmas. Hamish, whose mother has gone off on holiday and who has to work over Christmas, finds himself dealing with a lost cat, a little girl terrified and constrained into goodness, and the theft, in a neighboring village, of the newly purchased town holiday lights and tree. Add to that a winsome if simpering schoolteacher and Hamish's good heart toward some of the locals of the elderly persuasion, and you have an extremely lightweight but pleasant enough bit of solstice fluff. There's no subtlety here, but it is chock-full of local color and sentimental cheer. GraceAnne A. DeCandido


From Kirkus Reviews
Christmas is only a week away in Lubdoch, Scotland, but Constable Hamish MacBeth, the village's sole lawman (Death of an Addict, p. 574, etc.), expects no time off. The Calvinist tenor of the area discourages holiday glitter, and Hamish isn't too surprised when the Christmas lights on the main street of neighboring Cnothan are stolen. He must also deal with the disappearance of Smokey, Mrs. Gallagher's cat, vanished despite the profusion of locks and bolts on the Gallagher house. A visit to Mrs. Dunwiddy, former owner of the house, living in a nursing home, reveals a violent husband in Mrs. Gallagher's past. The visit also inspires Hamish to arrange some Christmas entertainment for the depressed residents with the help of eager Charlie and Bella Underwood, old friends and onetime vaudeville stars. There's yet another good deed in the works for Hamish, having to do with lonesome little Morag Anderson, Morag's moralistic, uptight parents, and Smokey the cat. Only the appearance of Insp. Blair, Hamish's longtime enemy, on the warpath as usual, casts a pall, but not for long. A charmingly illustrated Christmas fable sure to please Hamish's legion of fans and likely to make a few new ones. (Line drawings) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


Download Description
Police Constable Hamish Macbeth was fighting his own Christmas blues. It was the week before Christmas and bitter cold weather held the countryside in its iron grip around the Highlands of Scotland and the village of Lochdubh. He missed his family, who were vacationing in Florida. Hamish's family were unusual in the Highlands because they had always celebrated Christmas with a turkey, tree, lights, and presents. In many parts of the Highlands the old spirit of John Knox still lingered, blasting anyone with the threat of hellfire for even thinking of celebrating this heathen festival. For as every good Calvinist knew, Christmas was an old Roman festival.It was work as usual for Hamish, who had the entire Christmas shift. One of the more irritating complaints came from the cranky Mrs. Gallagher. This time her cat had gone missing. A neighboring town, a bit less rigid about the holiday, reported missing Christmas lights. For the first time, the village council had voted to put up lights along main street. Now they had been stolen from the community center along with a missing tree. Fortunately, there's no assault or murder cases, but Hamish thinks it's a real crime not to celebrate Christmas. As he makes a little girl's dream come true, finds a way to light the neighboring village, and soothes a lonely woman's fears, Hamish gets a very special present of his own (of the canine variety) and has the best Christmas ever. All in a week's work.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

M. C. Beaton is the queen of the cozy mystery with her series (called "pure bliss" by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) featuring irascible Police Constable Hamish Macbeth, who roams the windswept terrain of Lochdubh, Scotland, with an intuitive eye for trouble and clues. In his newest caper, the lanky lawman must use all his Highland charm and detective skills not only to solve some mysteries, but also to bring Yuletide cheer to a town long dampened by religious piety.

In the dark, wintry highlands of Lochdubh, Scotland, the spirit of Old St. Nick is about as welcome as a flat tire on a deserted road. The Calvinist element in Lochdubh has always resisted what they view as the secular trimmings of the holiday, so for most of the townspeople, there's no pudding, carols, banquets, gifts, or even whisky for Christmas.

Nor is crime taking a holiday, as Hamish soon finds himself looking for a missing cat belonging to a lonely spinster. Confrontational and curt, the unfriendly woman insists her pet was stolen. Looking into her eyes behind her heavily bolted door, Hamish can see her true problem-she lives in great fear...but what is she afraid of?

Then some thieves make off with a Christmas tree and lights in nearby Cnothan and Hamish must investigate. As if that isn't enough on his holiday plate, Hamish's romance of the new schoolteacher is going fine, until she mentions a perfect little girl whose family abhors Christmas...and whose behavior has recently become very imperfect.

Now it's up to Hamish to make things right. He has to protect an unhappy girl, unlock the secrets of a frightened old woman, and retrieve some stolen holiday goods. And he had better do it quickly, for the church bells will soon toll, and all of Lochdubh will be forced to face another dreary winter without the warm embrace of A Highland Christmas.

About the Author:

M. C. Beaton has written fourteen books in her popular Hamish Macbeth series, including A Highland Christmas. She is also the author of the Agatha Raisin series. Scottish by birth, M. C. Beaton now lives in England with her husband.

SYNOPSIS

Hamish Macbeth plots to bring Christmas lights to the harbor of the dark Highlands coastal village of Lochdubh in this charming holiday tale.

FROM THE CRITICS

Marilyn Stasio - NY Times Book Review

An enchanting series...M. C. Beaton has a foolproof plot for the village mystery.

Publishers Weekly

From the always sunny Beaton comes this Christmas special of a book featuring policeman Hamish Macbeth (Death of an Addict, etc.) and two minor Yuletide mysteries. In the fishing village of Lochdubh, Christmas looms, but there are no decorations or Christmas trees as the conservative Calvinist population declines to decorate. The lanky and amiable Hamish is told to cover the beat of a neighboring town, Cnothan, as well, where someone has made off with not only the village Christmas lights but also the huge tree. Back in Lochdubh, crusty loner Mrs. Gallagher reports that her beloved cat, Smoky, has been stolen. While investigating, Hamish meets the attractive new schoolteacher, Maisie Pease, who quickly decides she'd like to help Hamish forget his previous love interest, Priscilla Halburton-Smythe. As Hamish works on the two cases, he also makes the acquaintance of the Andersons, a strict and reserved couple whose daughter, Morag, longs for a traditional Christmas. In this mystery without a murder, Beaton reintroduces familiar characters like the spinster Curry sisters and local seer Angus Macdonald, while working in newcomers such as Maisie. It's light fun throughout, though all but Beaton's die-hard readers will find this Christmas carol too cozy by half. (Nov.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

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