A Highland Christmas (Hamish Macbeth Book 42)

In dark, wintry Lochdubh, Christmas Cheer is about as welcome as a flat tyre on a deserted road. The Calvinist element in town has always resisted what they view as secular frivolity, so for most of the townsfolk there will be no carols, feasting, gifts or even whisky on Christmas Day!And for PC Hamish Macbeth there's no holiday from crime he finds himself hunting for a missing cat belonging to a lonely spinster. Curt and unfriendly, the woman is convinced her pet has been stolen but once behind her heavily-bolted door, Hamish can spot her true problem is she lives in fear, though of who or what he cannot guess.Then someone steals a Christmas tree and lights from the nearby village of Cnothan. So it is up to Hamish to sort all these problems out and he had better do it quickly, for the church bells will soon be tolling on the eve of Christmas.Praise for the Hamish Macbeth series:First rate deft social comedy and wonderfully realized atmosphere. Booklist's always a treat to return to Lochdubh. New York TimesReaders 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 JournalBefuddled, earnest and utterly endearing, Hamish makes his triumphs sweetly satisfying. Publishers Weekly