All Sergeant Hamish Macbeth ever wants is a quiet life in the tranquil surroundings of Lochdubh, his home village in the Scottish Highlands. Although the area he polices is vast, he's happiest when he's working alone, yet the police authorities insist he has an assistant.

In the past, they have supplied a variety of problematic misfits, but they surpass themselves with their latest effort - an American named James Bland. Having met Bland previously, when he was left in no doubt that the American led a life coloured by secrets and skulduggery, Hamish isn't surprised when he discovers the real motive behind Bland's police secondment involves him in helping track down a spy ring, some members of which have met grisly ends.

That investigation tears Hamish away from Lochdubh at a time when the village is suffering a disturbing spate of increasingly violent burglaries. The identity of the burglar, however, is a perplexing mystery.

All of that blows Hamish's quiet life out the window and puts a serious strain on his relationship with female paramedic, Claire. Can Hamish cope with the murky world of espionage, seek out the spies before anyone else is murdered, capture the Lochdubh burglar before his nocturnal rampage runs out of control and rescue his sadly neglected love life? Only time will tell.

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Praise for the Hamish Macbeth series:'This Hamish Macbeth novel maintains Beaton's distinctive voice and includes the usual village eccentrics, loads of Scottish lore, and the light humor that Beaton fans have loved through the years. .

. A definite purchase for all mystery collections' Starred Review, Library Journal'Unmissable!' Peterborough Telegraph'First rate .

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deft social comedy and wonderfully realized atmosphere. ' Booklist'It's always a treat to return to Lochdubh.

' New York Times'Readers will enjoy the quirks and unique qualities of the cast . .

. Beaton catches the beauty of the area's natural geography and succinctly describes its distinct flavour.

' Library Journal'Befuddled, earnest and utterly endearing, Hamish makes his triumphs sweetly satisfying. ' Publishers Weekly.