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Alan (Notifications have stopped) Teder's Reviews > A Highland Christmas
A Highland Christmas (Hamish Macbeth, #15.5)
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Alan (Notifications have stopped) Teder's review
bookshelves: audiobook-edition, unabridged-edition, cosy-mystery-fiction, mystery-fiction, christmas-theme, 2023-audible-plus, 2023-reading-challenges, novella
Dec 18, 2023
bookshelves: audiobook-edition, unabridged-edition, cosy-mystery-fiction, mystery-fiction, christmas-theme, 2023-audible-plus, 2023-reading-challenges, novella
"Nollaig chridhiel!"*: A Hamish Macbeth Christmas
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook (January 7, 2015) narrated by Graeme Malcolm of the Mysterious Press hardcover original (1999).
I binged virtually all of the Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin novels of M.C. Beaton (1936-2019) during the lockdown years of the pandemic. The mostly unchanging atmosphere of those cozies was a comfort during the uncertainty of 2020 & 2021. The added convenience was that most of them were freely available to Audible Plus members. A few went missing at the time though, and this Christmas novella was one of those which I only discovered in 2023.
A Highland Christmas takes us back to the truly cozy years of the series which turned somewhat nasty towards the end of Beaton's run. Continuation writer R.W. Green has done some course correction with the later outings. This seasonal novella finds the Lochdubh village constable struggling to bring some Christmas spirit to several of the Scrooge-like inhabitants of the Highlands.
Along the way he brings happiness to a seniors' care home, locates a missing cat, brings some joy into a young girl's life, tracks down a bunch of stolen Christmas decorations, finds yet another potential love interest, adopts a new family pet and hosts a Holiday meal for friends. All in a good day's work for the Lochdubh Secret Santa.
Cover image of the Mysterious Press hardcover edition (1999). Image sourced from Goodreads.
The narration by series regular Graeme Malcolm was as entertaining as ever.
Footnote
* “Nollaig chridhiel” is Scots Gaelic for “A Happy Christmas”
Trivia and Link
The next current outing for the Lochdubh policeman is continuation writer R.W. Green's Death of a Spy (Hamish Macbeth #36 - expected publication February 22, 2024). The continuation books are still listed with M.C. Beaton as the main author, as all of the Highlands atmosphere and the main characters were first developed by her.
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook (January 7, 2015) narrated by Graeme Malcolm of the Mysterious Press hardcover original (1999).
In parts of the Highlands, like Lochdubh, the old spirit of John Knox still wandered, blasting anyone with hellfire should they dare to celebrate this heathen festival. Hamish had often pointed out that none other than Luther was credited with the idea of the Christmas tree, having been struck by the sight of stars shining through the branches of an evergreen. But to no avail. Lochdubh lay silent and dark beside the black waters of the loch.
I binged virtually all of the Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin novels of M.C. Beaton (1936-2019) during the lockdown years of the pandemic. The mostly unchanging atmosphere of those cozies was a comfort during the uncertainty of 2020 & 2021. The added convenience was that most of them were freely available to Audible Plus members. A few went missing at the time though, and this Christmas novella was one of those which I only discovered in 2023.
A Highland Christmas takes us back to the truly cozy years of the series which turned somewhat nasty towards the end of Beaton's run. Continuation writer R.W. Green has done some course correction with the later outings. This seasonal novella finds the Lochdubh village constable struggling to bring some Christmas spirit to several of the Scrooge-like inhabitants of the Highlands.
Along the way he brings happiness to a seniors' care home, locates a missing cat, brings some joy into a young girl's life, tracks down a bunch of stolen Christmas decorations, finds yet another potential love interest, adopts a new family pet and hosts a Holiday meal for friends. All in a good day's work for the Lochdubh Secret Santa.
Cover image of the Mysterious Press hardcover edition (1999). Image sourced from Goodreads.
The narration by series regular Graeme Malcolm was as entertaining as ever.
Footnote
* “Nollaig chridhiel” is Scots Gaelic for “A Happy Christmas”
Trivia and Link
The next current outing for the Lochdubh policeman is continuation writer R.W. Green's Death of a Spy (Hamish Macbeth #36 - expected publication February 22, 2024). The continuation books are still listed with M.C. Beaton as the main author, as all of the Highlands atmosphere and the main characters were first developed by her.
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Reading Progress
December 14, 2023
–
Started Reading
December 14, 2023
– Shelved
December 15, 2023
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0%
"In parts of the Highlands, like Lochdubh, the old spirit of John Knox still wandered, blasting anyone with hellfire should they dare to celebrate this heathen festival. Hamish had often pointed out that none other than Luther was credited with the idea of the Christmas tree, having been struck by the sight of stars shining through the branches of an evergreen. But to no avail. Lochdubh lay silent and dark..."
December 15, 2023
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0%
"Cloutie dumpling, that Scottish Christmas special, is a large pudding made of raisins, sultanas, dates, flour and suet, all boiled in a large cloth or pillowcase. Some families still kept silver sixpences from the old days before decimal coinage to drop into the pudding. Large and brown and steaming and rich, it was placed on the table at Christmas and decorated with a sprig of holly."
December 15, 2023
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0%
"In a bleak little voice, she asked, “Will I go to hell?”
“Och, no,” said Hamish, letting in the clutch. “Don’t you have the telly?”
She shook her head miserably.
“Well, it was on the news. Hell’s been abolished. Fact. Trust me. I am the law,” said Hamish grandly, “and I wouldnae lie tae ye.”"
“Och, no,” said Hamish, letting in the clutch. “Don’t you have the telly?”
She shook her head miserably.
“Well, it was on the news. Hell’s been abolished. Fact. Trust me. I am the law,” said Hamish grandly, “and I wouldnae lie tae ye.”"
December 16, 2023
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0%
"“I’ll have you yet, Macbeth,” he threatened. Then he looked down with a comical look of pure outrage. Lugs was peeing into his shoe.
He raised his foot to kick the dog but it scampered under Hamish’s desk.
Blair squelched out.
“Come out of there,” said Hamish to the dog. “Do you know something, Lugs? I’m going to keep you after all. Merry Christmas, you lovely wee dog. It’s turned out the best Christmas yet!”"
He raised his foot to kick the dog but it scampered under Hamish’s desk.
Blair squelched out.
“Come out of there,” said Hamish to the dog. “Do you know something, Lugs? I’m going to keep you after all. Merry Christmas, you lovely wee dog. It’s turned out the best Christmas yet!”"
December 18, 2023
– Shelved as:
audiobook-edition
December 18, 2023
– Shelved as:
unabridged-edition
December 18, 2023
– Shelved as:
cosy-mystery-fiction
December 18, 2023
– Shelved as:
mystery-fiction
December 18, 2023
– Shelved as:
christmas-theme
December 18, 2023
– Shelved as:
2023-audible-plus
December 18, 2023
– Shelved as:
2023-reading-challenges
December 18, 2023
– Shelved as:
novella
December 18, 2023
–
Finished Reading
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Jodi
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Dec 18, 2023 11:27AM
I love to see your Christmas reviews, Alan! They're wonderful! Sadly, I haven't been able to get into the spirit of Christmas just yet, though I hope I'll feel it soon.🤶
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Jodi wrote: "I love to see your Christmas reviews, Alan! They're wonderful! Sadly, I haven't been able to get into the spirit of Christmas just yet, though I hope I'll feel it soon.🤶"Thank you Jodi! It is admittedly a bit of a downer with the current brown Christmas we're having in southern Ontario. I'll have a few more jolly tales to review before the end of the year though.🎅
Alan wrote: "Jodi wrote: "I love to see your Christmas reviews, Alan! They're wonderful! Sadly, I haven't been able to get into the spirit of Christmas just yet, though I hope I'll feel it soon.🤶"Thank you Jo..."
We've had an all-day blizzard, down here in London! I actually hope the snow sticks around. That should bring on my Christmas spirit - as will more of your jolly reviews!
