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Hamish Macbeth #30.5
Knock, Knock, You're Dead!
"Hamish Macbeth, Scotland's most quick-witted but unambitious policeman returns in a new short story from "New York Times "bestselling author M.C. Beaton"
KNOCK KNOCK, YOU'RE DEAD!
A Hamish Macbeth Short Story
Mrs. Morag McPhie hits upon the idea of selling some of her old furniture to raise money to visit her daughter in Australia. But when a dead body turns up, Police Sergeant Hamish Macbeth wonders if the antique business is even more cutthroat than he thought...
KNOCK KNOCK, YOU'RE DEAD!
A Hamish Macbeth Short Story
Mrs. Morag McPhie hits upon the idea of selling some of her old furniture to raise money to visit her daughter in Australia. But when a dead body turns up, Police Sergeant Hamish Macbeth wonders if the antique business is even more cutthroat than he thought...
25 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
382 people are currently reading
1378 people want to read
About the author
M.C. Beaton
325 books5,958 followersLike her on Facebook!
Learn more on her website!
Marion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Marion Chesney, Charlotte Ward, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
Learn more on her website!
Marion Chesney Gibbons
aka: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Marion Chesney, Charlotte Ward, Sarah Chester.
Marion Chesney was born on 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and started her first job as a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While bookselling, by chance, she got an offer from the Scottish Daily Mail to review variety shows and quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to join Scottish Field magazine as a secretary in the advertising department, without any shorthand or typing, but quickly got the job of fashion editor instead. She then moved to the Scottish Daily Express where she reported mostly on crime. This was followed by a move to Fleet Street to the Daily Express where she became chief woman reporter. After marrying Harry Scott Gibbons and having a son, Charles, Marion went to the United States where Harry had been offered the job of editor of the Oyster Bay Guardian. When that didn’t work out, they went to Virginia and Marion worked as a waitress in a greasy spoon on the Jefferson Davies in Alexandria while Harry washed the dishes. Both then got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and moved to New York.
Anxious to spend more time at home with her small son, Marion, urged by her husband, started to write historical romances in 1977. After she had written over 100 of them under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under the pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester, she getting fed up with 1714 to 1910, she began to write detectives stories in 1985 under the pseudonym of M. C. Beaton. On a trip from the States to Sutherland on holiday, a course at a fishing school inspired the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. They returned to Britain and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. But Charles was at school, in London so when he finished and both tired of the long commute to the north of Scotland, they moved to the Cotswolds where Agatha Raisin was created.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
April 27, 2016
A short tale about the always popular constable Hamish Macbeth who once more comes across a murder in the Highlands.
I am a big fan of TV- programs like bargain Hunt and their spin-offs concerning antiques. This short story does concern the modern fascination of have possibly some priceless piece of art or antique. This story is about when it does go wrong.
Not the best short story but an amusing intermezzo between the Hamish Macbeth annual released novel.
I am a big fan of TV- programs like bargain Hunt and their spin-offs concerning antiques. This short story does concern the modern fascination of have possibly some priceless piece of art or antique. This story is about when it does go wrong.
Not the best short story but an amusing intermezzo between the Hamish Macbeth annual released novel.
June 17, 2025
Short story
A straight forward and fairly dull story. There is no real mystery, suspense, humor or character development. For fans only. Not a good place to begin the Hamish Macbeth tales.
A straight forward and fairly dull story. There is no real mystery, suspense, humor or character development. For fans only. Not a good place to begin the Hamish Macbeth tales.
August 8, 2020
Short, but nice.
September 25, 2022
If ever there was a perfect haiku as a murder mystery, this is it. Short and sweet. Effective.
February 18, 2016
Short?? How About Mini-Sized? Story
I have read all the Hamish stories and enjoyed them very much, but I found this "book" to be extremely disappointing. I just read it in 5 minutes. Save your money. The plot is silly I don't even understand why it was published unless it was to make a quick buck. I feel ripped off!
I have read all the Hamish stories and enjoyed them very much, but I found this "book" to be extremely disappointing. I just read it in 5 minutes. Save your money. The plot is silly I don't even understand why it was published unless it was to make a quick buck. I feel ripped off!
January 26, 2024
Short and sweet murder mystery.
February 9, 2016
cute story but so brief there really isn't room for any of the misdirection that mysteries demand.
February 18, 2019
Cute little story.
February 23, 2022
Knock! Knock! You’re Dead Earns 5/5 Antiques…Entertaining Quickie!
Hamish Macbeth is more than just a copper, he is an integral member of the community, and with his official status, he’s often called upon for more than just criminal offenses. Widow Mrs. McPhie lives alone and wishes to visit her children in Australia, but her problem is money. She thinks selling some of her furniture just might be the solution. On the side of the road Hamish meets a man needing petrol, and in this “light bulb” moment, he forms an ingenious plan to suit all. The next day, however, Hamish receives word of a dead body. I guess, no good deed goes unpunished! Delightful fun, clever narrative, but being used to the longer versions of Hamish Macbeth mysteries, I am left wanting much more in this story. It’s not Beaton’s work or this particular mystery, but the length, so my 5-star rating is for the engagement, the writing style, and my interest in the details. I liked the story and recommend it to mystery, Beaton, Macbeth, and short story fans!
Hamish Macbeth is more than just a copper, he is an integral member of the community, and with his official status, he’s often called upon for more than just criminal offenses. Widow Mrs. McPhie lives alone and wishes to visit her children in Australia, but her problem is money. She thinks selling some of her furniture just might be the solution. On the side of the road Hamish meets a man needing petrol, and in this “light bulb” moment, he forms an ingenious plan to suit all. The next day, however, Hamish receives word of a dead body. I guess, no good deed goes unpunished! Delightful fun, clever narrative, but being used to the longer versions of Hamish Macbeth mysteries, I am left wanting much more in this story. It’s not Beaton’s work or this particular mystery, but the length, so my 5-star rating is for the engagement, the writing style, and my interest in the details. I liked the story and recommend it to mystery, Beaton, Macbeth, and short story fans!
December 24, 2023
Short and humorous.
June 13, 2022
Teeny, tiny Hamish mystery that is almost too straightforward to be considered a mystery, but still great to see him solve a crime.
January 8, 2023
M. C. Beaton’s stories are always a fun read.
February 25, 2016
Too short even for a short story.
May 1, 2021
I listened to the first Hamish Macbeth book, Death of a Gossip, and this little short story was at the end.
It was a fun, quick little read about Hamish.
It was a fun, quick little read about Hamish.
May 29, 2019
Sehr kurz - zu kurz, um es ernst zu nehmen
September 11, 2020
2.5 stars. Too short to be developed into anything but still had the Hamish wit.
May 17, 2022
3.5 A very short story, but it catches the flavour of all Beaton’s Hamish MacBeth books. A quick and fun read.
June 26, 2024
An enjoyable read
This is an enjoyable quick read. Hamish once again find his murderer. I would recommend this novella to someone looking for a quick read. Enjoy reading 2016
This is an enjoyable quick read. Hamish once again find his murderer. I would recommend this novella to someone looking for a quick read. Enjoy reading 2016
February 14, 2017
It was unnecessary, if the goal of a novella is to advance the story. It was like M.C. Beaton had an idea that could not be fleshed into a book. Many supporting characters were missing and it was very short.
June 7, 2020
As others have said, this is a very brief "short story," taking about 5 or 10 minutes to complete. It was fun to read, however it doesn't add anything of substance to the Hamish Macbeth novels. Back before electronic books, this would've been 1)printed, bound & sold in a collection of short stories 2)included as a short story or preface in a H.M. novel 3)expanded into a complete novel or 4) written by the author for their enjoyment & left in their archives, maybe for future reference. It is simply 1) here is Hamish, going about his usual duties 2) a crime occurs 3) Hamish goes to the scene, calls it in & is dismissed by his superiors once more seasoned officers arrive 4) Hamish finds a clue after they're finished, investigates & solves case. It follows the Hamish Macbeth formula pretty well, a nice little diversion while sitting outside like Hamish would be doing.
March 14, 2016
I knew going in this was a short story, but I would consider it too short. There could have been a little more detail and still remain a short story. It was a nice story, but I am glad I got it on library loan rather than paying for it.
April 12, 2023
Um...why did I just spend the ten minutes it took me to read that little scribble? It's completely unlike the rest of the series, and I'm hoping it leads into the next book or it really was a waste of time.
February 11, 2016
It was much too short.
June 5, 2016
Meh. A decent concept, but rather hastily slapped together. Although I knew it was a short story, it would've benefited from being a little more drawn out.
January 19, 2017
A very very short story wherein someone is killed and you pretty much immediately know who did it. It was less a mystery than it was a news story reporting a crime.
January 19, 2020
A fav audio short in the Hamish Macbeth series.
January 5, 2021
Short abridged story much like the novels. Vapid
December 27, 2023
Too Short
Hmmmm. Food for thought: I liked the story very much but was highly disappointed. The story felt as though it had been picked out of a larger story.
And I was left wanting more. I read short stories and enjoy them but this was definitely lacking.
I felt as though it was a remnant picked out of another book in order to get ninety nine cents from me. I will be very careful from now on.
I will read a book of short stories. But I will not pay $0.99 for a few sentences.
It was merely a preview of what a Hamish book would be like.
Hmmmm. Food for thought: I liked the story very much but was highly disappointed. The story felt as though it had been picked out of a larger story.
And I was left wanting more. I read short stories and enjoy them but this was definitely lacking.
I felt as though it was a remnant picked out of another book in order to get ninety nine cents from me. I will be very careful from now on.
I will read a book of short stories. But I will not pay $0.99 for a few sentences.
It was merely a preview of what a Hamish book would be like.
August 29, 2021
This was a Hamish short story that feels just like all the Hamish novels. She seems to get little plot ideas and sticks them all together over the last 10 or so books and I think they may be almost as enjoyable if release singularly as short stories or a collection of such. That's how they feel in the feel books anyway since a lot of the little mysteries do not seem at all connected to the main story. But always fun to visit Lochdubh, its quirky characters and "lazy" constable.
October 29, 2021
Unable to find hard copy, so I borrowed it online through our local library (app - LIBBY).
Short story: it’s Hamish visiting his older crofters. Basically, a body is found in the crofter’s parlor, a day or so after Hamish provided gasoline for an antiques dealer’s auto stranded in highlands.
Since the entire story is brief, no subplots and few of the regular characters, except Blair & Jimmy.
Good beginning.
Short story: it’s Hamish visiting his older crofters. Basically, a body is found in the crofter’s parlor, a day or so after Hamish provided gasoline for an antiques dealer’s auto stranded in highlands.
Since the entire story is brief, no subplots and few of the regular characters, except Blair & Jimmy.
Good beginning.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews