Death of a Traitor

I really enjoy M.C. Beaton’s writing and she trained her apprentice well. His style is slightly different, but the characters remain consistent. Hamish is Hamish, true highland to the core. I have been in the highlands several times over the last three decades and all of cultural observations are accurate. This book and the whole series are graced with well written, humorous episodes that cause you to belly laugh out loud because you know these characters and that is just like them. I also like the very mature way that relationships are handled, as they are also handled in the Agatha Raisen series. Her characters are concerned about career ambition or lack there of; independence vs. not being alone, age differences and class differences. This isn’t a sexy 30 something redhead ( except that Hamish is) , but he always wears his work boots, sleeps with his dog and his cat and loves a good thrift shop find. He is intelligent and talented, but not ambitious. He can be a bit internally self deprecating, compassionate and fiercely protective of the people on his beat. His head can be turned by a great pair of legs, but class, intelligence and compassion are what keep his attention. The books in this cozy mystery series are mysteries, cultural observations in fiction format and romances for adults.