The most hated man in the most dour town in Scotland is sleeping with the fishes, or - more accurately - has been dumped into a tank filled with crustaceans. All that remains of the murdered victim are his bones. But once the lobsters have been shipped off to Britain's best restaurants, the whole affair quickly lands on the plate of Constable Hamish Macbeth.Exiled to the dreary outpost of Cnothan, Macbeth sorely misses his beloved Lochdubh, but before he can head back home he has to contend with a detective chief inspector who wants the murder hushed up, a dark-haired lassie who is out to seduce him and a killer who has made mincemeat of his last victim, and will no doubt strike again . . .Praise for M. C. Beaton: 'The books are a delight: clever, intricate, sardonic and amazingly true to the real Highlands' Kerry Greenwood 'It's always a special treat to return to Lochdubh' New York Times

M C Beaton's Hamish Macbeth books are a delight: clever, intricate and sardonic. The flavour is reminiscent of Compton MacKenzie's WHISKY GALORE and I'm very glad to own a complete set. - Kerry GreenwoodThe much-loved Hamish Macbeth series... a beguiling blend of wry humour and sharp observations of rural life. - Good Book GuideThe detective novels of M C Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status. - The TimesIt's always a special treat to return to Lochdubh. - The New York Times